Access to Success Program
The University of Minnesota supports high potential students through its Access to Success Program (ATS), a one-year program for a limited number of incoming freshmen in the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD); the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences (CFANS); and the College of Liberal Arts (CLA).
The mission of the Access to Success Program is to help ensure the academic success of its participants. It is designed for students whose experiences and high school records indicate strong potential for success through the ATS Program, but whose high school rank and test scores may not meet the typical profile of students admitted to CEHD, CFANS, or CLA.
ATS students will participate in classes and programs during their freshman year specifically designed to strengthen their academic skills and promote their academic achievement. Participants benefit from the following:
- Classes that focus on the needs of new freshmen to ensure their successful transition to college and their successful first year
- A variety of support services offered by CEHD, CFANS, and CLA, such as individually tailored academic advising, peer mentoring, and tutoring services
- Services offered by University offices such as SMART Learning Commons and the Multicultural Center for Academic Excellence
- Course instruction that utilizes state-of-the-art teaching methods, small classes, personal attention, and other features designed to support and encourage their success
- Some students will also have the opportunity to participate in Bridge to Academic Excellence, a year-long program that further facilitates a successful transition to the U of M. The program begins the summer prior to the freshman year.
The ATS Program also offers a number of other services that address the needs of students with diverse backgrounds and characteristics, including urban students, first-generation college students, student parents, students with disabilities, students of color, older students, and non-native speakers of English.
Selection process
Students who have demonstrated strong potential for success in the ATS Program and who would most benefit from the services provided in the program will be admitted to CEHD, CFANS or CLA, and as a condition of their admission they will be required to participate in all programmatic elements of the ATS Program. Decisions will be based on an individual, overall assessment of each application.
Participants will primarily be Minnesota residents. A very limited number of students from the reciprocity states of North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin will be selected to participate.
