By Anthony Smith, The Seattle Medium
A proposal in the Washington State Legislature could make college more accessible for thousands of students. House Bill 1557, sponsored by Rep. Julia Reed (D), would establish the Washington Guaranteed Admissions Program (WAGAP), offering automatic acceptance to qualified applicants at participating universities.
The program is aimed at boosting enrollment and encouraging more students to consider higher education. Students with a minimum 3.0 cumulative high school GPA who meet Washington’s College Academic Distribution Requirements—credits in English, math, science, social sciences, world languages, and the arts—would be eligible.
Participating colleges include Central Washington University, Eastern Washington University, Northwest Indian College, The Evergreen State College, University of Washington Tacoma, Washington State University, and Western Washington University. At least 131 school districts are also partnering with the program.
“Enrollments are down in every university in the state except for UW Seattle. A lot of students don’t even try to apply,” Reed said. “We want to help students who might not think they can qualify for a four-year college. They might just need someone to tell them this is available to them.”
Gov. Bob Ferguson has also pushed for higher college attendance. During his 2026 State of the State address, he called on more students to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), noting that Washington
ranked 47th in the nation for FAFSA completion in 2025. Ferguson has set a goal for at least 70% of high school graduates to attend some form of postsecondary education by 2030.
Reed hopes the bill will especially benefit students from historically underserved communities.
“We absolutely had students of color in mind,” Reed said. “We also want to help students whose parents didn’t go to college, immigrant students, or students whose parents may have been detained by ICE. Who will help guide them through the college process?”
In addition to guaranteed admission, the bill proposes simplifying the application process and providing applicants with estimated financial aid amounts at the time of admission, aiming to reduce stress and confusion for students and families.
Some opponents argue that a GPA requirement should not determine college access and have raised concerns about additional burdens for high school counselors.
The bill failed to pass in 2025 due to budget constraints but has resumed its prior status in the 2026 legislative session and is awaiting further hearings.
“I would say I’m optimistic. I think the bill has a lot of support,” Reed said. “It’s going to come down to whether or not they can fit it in the budget. If it doesn’t go through this year, we’ll keep trying.”
