Fresno Unified is partnering with University of California, Merced, to provide a tangible path to higher education and removing barriers for students.

The district has joined the Merced Automatic Admission Program, which guarantees admission to UC Merced for qualified high school students.

The new partnership allows pupils who have completed the UC A-G course requirements and have a weighted GPA of 3.0 to be automatically admitted to the university.

“This new guaranteed admissions partnership will pave the way for more of our students to pursue their education at UC Merced, enhancing opportunities for a rich college experience,” said Fresno Unified Superintendent Misty Her.

Fresno Unified introduces options, such as this, to students and parents early on, and continues to inform scholars throughout the year through classroom presentations, parent nights, social media, and more.

Timeline for Applying

The admissions process requires students to submit their MAAP application by Sept. 30 in their junior year.

Then, students must submit a standard application for admission and scholarship from Oct. 1 to Dec. 1.

But students don’t have to do this alone.

“We do our counselors’ league classroom presentations with literally every student within the school and in certain age groups, and they’re able to take advantage of those times to say, OK, we’re going to take of this right now. Take out your phones, ” said Jeremy Ward, assistant superintendent of College and Career Readiness. “So, we try to be very thoughtful about face-to-face time that we have with them.”

UC Merced Announces Scholarship

Fresno Unified is one of many districts across the Central Valley to join MAAP, founded in fall 2022.

Now, the program has expanded beyond admissions to tackle the financial burden of pursing a university degree.

The new addition to the program, unveiled Friday, ensures all participating Fresno Unified students will be eligible for a $3,000-per-year scholarship. This is renewable for up to four years, totaling $12,000 in funds.

“We are deeply committed to our Valley neighbors, to their families and their success, and we know that the best path to social mobility is through higher education. (UC Merced) wants local students to join our community,” UC Merced Chancellor Juan Sánchez Muñoz said. “We want to show them the universe. We want them to know that UC Merced is a place where there are no limits on your intellectual and professional journeys.”

UC Merced is a top 100 research university and the fastest-growing public university in the nation. The university, serving over 9,000 students as of the 2023-24 academic year, is highly focused on academic research.

“They are a tier one research institution,” said Nancy Witrado, FUSD Director of College Readiness and Counseling. “So, for a student who’s maybe really interested in that path, it just gives them one other opportunity.”

Fresno Unified Students Gain Options

This is the second university to which Fresno Unified students have streamlined access.

Bulldog Bound, a program operated through Fresno State, allows students automatic enrollment there.

“This is just another great option. The programs and services that are offered at Fresno State versus UC Merced, they are not exactly the same,” Ward said. “What we are striving to do is to give our students meaningful and valuable options.”

More importantly, these partnerships make higher education an attainable option students.

Witrado, a first-generation college graduate, shared how critical these opportunities are for Fresno Unified students.

“Getting a first-generation student to college pulls families out of generation poverty. I can’t say that enough,” she said. “Our community needs this, not just this particular program, but our community needs to be able to figure out how to help our kids out of generational poverty. This is one way to do it.”