Chev, VDOE and SHEV pitch direct-admissions portal to boost college access

Scott Fleming, executive director of the State Council for Higher Education for Virginia (SHEV), told the Virginia Board of Education on Dec. 4 that the council and Chev are building a direct-admissions system to reduce application friction and expand postsecondary participation.

"Direct admissions is a process whereby students can receive a letter of admission earlier in the process, where if they meet certain academic criteria, they can receive admission to certain institutions," Fleming said, describing a model used by several other states and by national platforms. He said the proposal relies on a data-sharing agreement with the Department of Education to prepopulate verified academic profiles rather than relying on self-reported applications.

Fleming framed the effort as part of a workforce- and access-focused strategy: with Virginia facing a net shortfall of credentials relative to prior targets, and with employers increasingly requiring bachelor—s pathways for many well-paying jobs, the portal aims to make college a clearer and earlier option for students who otherwise lack guidance or face complex application procedures.

The proposed portal will be mobile-first, Fleming said, and include tools to estimate net price and likely aid packages so families can plan beyond freshman year. He said Chev expects an initial minimally viable product in early 2026 and aims for a pilot offering direct-admit letters to Virginia students for the fall 2026 enrollment cycle.

Board members asked practical questions about how participation would work. Miss McPherson asked whether admission letters would come without application fees; Fleming said the intent is "to reduce as many points of friction as possible" and that application fees are one target for elimination. Board members also pressed about institution-level caps on offers, how financial-aid estimates would be calculated, and which institutions plan to participate; Fleming said participation and eligibility cutoffs are set by individual institutions and that Chev will supply details about pilot participants and criteria as they are finalized.

Dwayne McClary, deputy superintendent of the Department of Education—s Division of Innovation, Student Pathways and Opportunity, told the board that VDOE "fully supports Chev's direct admissions initiative" as a way to expand college access. "By removing traditional barriers to postsecondary enrollment, this program empowers students to see college as a real and attainable option," McClary said.

What happens next: Fleming said Chev and SHEV have discussed the proposal with institutions and the General Assembly and plan additional outreach and technical work over the coming months. The board and VDOE staff requested details about participating schools, the eligibility profiles institutions will use, and the datasets that will feed net-price and aid estimates.