New York’s Automatic Admission Policy for State University System Faces Questions

Battling a decline in enrollments, the governor has offered automatic admission to SUNY campuses to the top 10 percent of graduating seniors.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul speaks during a press conference in New York on Dec. 19, 2023. Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

During her 2024 State of the State address, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul trumpeted the idea of granting high school seniors in the top 10 percent of their class automatic admission to top State University of New York (SUNY) schools.

Weeks later, questions remain on how and when this initiative would be implemented, if it could include merit-based aid, and whether it is realistic, ethical, and legal.