For many of ASU’s newest graduates, the road to commencement began not with an acceptance letter, but with a single online course.
This December, 166 students will graduate from Arizona State University through Earned Admission, a flexible, low-risk pathway that lets learners prove they’re ready for college by succeeding in ASU-taught courses.
Nearly 10,000 learners have now earned admission to ASU through this pathway, with more joining each semester. They include parents, veterans, career changers and lifelong learners from all 50 states and more than 100 countries, all taking different routes to the same finish line.
Some started after years away from school. Others balanced full-time jobs, parenting or military service while studying late into the night. For these Sun Devils, education wasn’t a straight line — it was a turning point.
A GED-to-graduation journey
Abigail Gilpin, 28, of Oklahoma, was homeschooled through high school and earned her GED before applying to ASU with no prior college credits.
“When I applied to ASU through the Earned Admission program, I had no experience — just the motivation to take that next step,” she said. “The program gave me the chance to prove I could succeed.”
Gilpin will graduate with a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the W. P. Carey School of Business through ASU Online.
“EA completely changed the direction of my life,” she said.
“It opened the door for me to pursue higher education later in life and made me feel like I belonged.”
A lifelong dream takes flight
Dion Bumpus, 46, of Maryland, once doubted he’d ever return to school.
"Before ASU, pursuing a career in the space industry felt out of reach — especially as a working parent, active-duty service member, and someone returning to school mid-career."
Through Earned Admission, Bumpus reignited his love of science and completed a bachelor’s degree in astronomical and planetary sciences from The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
Now, he’s headed to Johns Hopkins University, where he’ll pursue a master’s degree in space systems engineering — his next step toward a lifelong dream of working in the space industry.
“EA gave me a pathway back into higher education at a moment when I needed it most. It rebuilt my confidence, opened the door to a rigorous STEM degree, and ultimately positioned me to be accepted into a top engineering graduate program. Because of EA, I went from feeling like my opportunities were shrinking during the pandemic to building a future in an industry I’ve dreamed about since childhood."
Turning experience into service
Caitlin Goins, 36, from Arizona, says Earned Admission didn’t just get her back into college — it helped her rediscover her purpose.
Furloughed during the pandemic, she took a job as a medical assistant to stay afloat, but it wasn’t the career she wanted. “I knew it was a stepping stone,” she said. “I just didn’t know where to go next.”
Through Earned Admission, she began exploring courses that reignited her interest in helping others and slowly built the confidence to keep going — even through her toughest subjects.
“Math is my kryptonite,” she said with a laugh, “but those early classes helped me ease back in and realize I was capable.”
This fall, Goins will graduate with a bachelor’s degree in counseling and applied psychological science (substance abuse and addictions) from the College of Integrative Sciences and Arts. Drawing on her own experience in recovery, she plans to become a substance use counselor working in underserved communities, then pursue a master’s in family and human development to strengthen the support she can offer others.
“EA shifted my entire path,” she said. “It helped me see that education could be a tool for healing — for me and for others. I found my voice again, and now I get to use it to help people who’ve been where I was.”
Finding purpose through flexibility
When the pandemic hit, Alec Lajtos, 26, from New Jersey, lost his job — and found a new direction.
“That moment of uncertainty turned into an amazing opportunity to finally pursue my lifelong dream of working in the space industry,” he said.
Through Earned Admission, Lajtos completed nearly two-thirds of his degree online, earning a bachelor’s degree in liberal studies from The College of Integrative Sciences and Arts. Along the way, he discovered a passion for psychology and sociology that shaped his career path.
“About halfway through, I realized how drawn I was to understanding people — I ended up leaning into a lot of sociology and psychology courses,” he said. “The self-paced structure helped me get a lot done without the stress of deadlines, and it gave me the confidence to know I could really do this.”
Lajtos said the experience didn’t just give him a degree — it gave him momentum. Within a month of graduating, he was promoted into a management position and earned a project management certification through Earned Admission-supported coursework.
“EA made a huge impact on my life trajectory,” he said. “It saved me time, money and gave me hope when I didn’t think college was possible.”
Discovering potential at any age
At 61, Celia Warren, of Idaho, proves it’s never too late to start something life-changing.
After losing her partner unexpectedly, she spent months searching for direction. When an email about the program arrived, she decided to take a chance.
“I had told myself that if I hit any brick walls, maybe it wasn’t right for me,” she said. “But the process was so smooth. When I was told I could begin through Earned Admission, I thought — what do I have to lose?”
Starting classes in 2019 during the pandemic, Warren found her footing — and her confidence.
“I found I could pass with an 'A' average, I found that I could write well, and I found a version of myself I didn’t know existed,” she said.
This month, she’ll graduate with a bachelor’s degree in applied nutrition and health from the College of Health Solutions through ASU Online. She plans to use her degree to help low-income families improve their nutrition and health.
“My goal is to give back,” she said. “ASU gave me the confidence and skills to do that.”
A pathway built for flexibility and belonging
ASU’s Earned Admission program has become an example of how innovation and inclusion can work hand in hand. Learners start with low-cost, self-paced Universal Learner Courses and pay only if they’re satisfied with their grade. Those who complete a set number of courses with qualifying grades earn admission to an ASU degree program — often through ASU Online, where they can continue learning with the same flexibility that helped them begin.
“Earned Admission represents what we mean when we say ASU is measured by whom it includes and how they succeed,” said Marco Serrato, vice president of ASU’s Learning Enterprise. “The program’s impact reflects our design philosophy, with ASU’s schools and colleges meeting learners where they are and giving them the tools to move forward.”
“Earned Admission reflects ASU’s commitment to access, giving learners the pathway to prove they’re ready for college, while ASU Online provides the opportunity and support to see their degree through in a way that fits their lives,” said Casey Evans, chief operating officer for ASU Online “It’s how we’re redefining what’s possible in higher education.”
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