'Guaranteed Admissions' Program For Kathleen High Students To USF

POLK COUNTY, FL — A new partnership between Kathleen High School in Polk County and the University of South Florida guarantees students who meet certain criteria will be admitted to the University of South Florida, Polk County Public Schools said.

It's called a "guaranteed admissions" program, and it's the first high school in Polk County to partner with USF, officials said.

The initiative is designed to help USF produce “a well-educated and skilled diverse student body” and recruit the “best and brightest students from underserved populations,” according to university officials.

The criteria for Kathleen High students, according to USF and Polk County Public Schools, is a student must have a 3.7 recalculated GPA with a 1100 SAT score or 22 ACT score to receive guaranteed acceptance to any USF campus, and will be given priority consideration for the History of Achievement Scholarship.

USF created the Guaranteed Admissions Pathway in 2019-20 and selected nine schools in the Tampa Bay area. This year, the program expanded to Polk and three other counties.

Schools were chosen based on Title 1 status, percentage of minority and economically disadvantaged students and previous college and career counselor engagement with USF’s Office of Admissions, the university said.

“Thank you to our partners at the University of South Florida and our counselors at Kathleen High for showing what can be achieved through coordination, cooperation and collaboration,” Monique Byrd, a PCPS college and career specialist said. “I am so excited for KHS students to take advantage of this amazing opportunity to reach higher!”