Auburn First, a program for Alabama students to earn dual enrollment credits and automatic admission to Auburn University popular with Homewood High School students, has changed their eligibility requirements. Instead of the prior 3.0 cumulative high school GPA, students must now have at least a 3.5 GPA, making participation less accessible.
“I did have some students that were interested in Auburn First that had to wait to apply because they didn’t have a 3.5 GPA,” HHS college counselor Ashely Davenport said she has already seen the change impact some students. These students had to postpone their applications until after their GPA had increased.
Students enrolling must also have completed 10th grade and be a resident of Alabama.
From fall 2019 to summer 2023, students had to complete six credit hours of Auburn First courses and maintain at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA in those classes to obtain direct admission into the university.
Now, students must complete nine credit hours of Auburn First courses and maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.33. The rigor of the courses offered has also increased, increasing the work needed for the classes to be completed.
Although seats do fill up, students have the opportunity to choose from 37 different classes offered ranging from Forensic Anthropology to English Composition 1.
Davenport explained how Auburn First is extremely beneficial to those who may lack standardized testing skills. She acknowledges, however, that taking additional courses adds a workload that many students may have difficulty balancing.
“It’s a lot because you have six or seven classes here at the high school, extracurricular activities and then additional Auburn classes,” Davenport said.
As a solution, Davenport encourages students to make a calculated decision based on their extracurricular involvement and current course load. She stresses that Auburn First is meant for students who don’t have adequate test scores.
“I encourage students to take the ACT early and see if they will do better than they originally thought and therefore, would not need to add the extra coursework,” Davenport said.
The classes earned in Auburn First would transfer to other schools if students decided not to attend the University and would bridge the gap if a student dropped the class.
Davenport said students who will get a 27 or above on the ACT and have at least a 3.5 GPA would not benefit from the Auburn First Program.
Rumors have circulated about the Auburn First Program potentially shutting down for good. However, there are no plans to discontinue the program according to Sarah-Rachel Smith, Auburn’s Student Services Coordinator.
It is important to consider many factors when deciding whether or not to apply for the Auburn First Program. Davenport advises students to consider their individual current HHS workload, extracurricular activities and test scores.
If students aren’t eligible for the Auburn First Program but still have dreams of attending the University, they should apply to Path to the Plains (P2P). Auburn University partners with community college institutions and is intended for students who want to transfer to Auburn to finish their bachelor’s degrees, after completing their associate’s degrees.
Last year 27% of the graduating class attended Auburn University.
