M-Cubed Opens Direct Admit to Increase College Access for MPS Students

After 900 MPS students use Direct Admit in first year to apply to MATC and UWM, M3 opens Direct Admit application for the Class of 2026

Most applicants are fully admitted to college as they start their senior year thanks to M3 Milwaukee Direct Admit

(MILWAUKEE) — In its first year, nearly 900 Milwaukee Public Schools juniors took a simple, free step toward college at Milwaukee Area Technical College and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee through M³ (pronounced M-Cubed) Milwaukee Direct Admit.

The majority of the students — now in the early months of their senior year — are already admitted to UWM, MATC or both. For most of those not yet admitted, their only remaining step is declaring a program or major at either institution and/or confirming they live in Wisconsin for in-state tuition at UWM.

On Tuesday, M³ partners celebrated their success and the launch of the application for the next class. Beginning now, juniors at any MPS high school (Class of 2026) can apply to UWM or MATC in less than five minutes for free at mpsmke.com/directadmit. Students enter their name, MPS student ID, and parent/guardian permission if they are not 18 years old. Their transcripts are sent directly to the college or colleges they select, eliminating the need for attachments, essays or letters of recommendation. Students then receive acceptances from MATC, UWM or both.

New this year: The M³ application also allows MPS students to opt into the Universities of Wisconsin direct admissions program, opening access to most public universities across the state.

The announcement was made at MPS MacDowell Montessori School, a K-12 school that had the highest rate of participation in the first year of M³ Milwaukee Direct Admit.

MacDowell Principal Andrea Corona, the parent of an MPS student who completed the application, noted that it took a great deal of stress out of the college application process. MPS Interim Superintendent Eduardo Galván, a first-generation college student, echoed those themes at the launch announcement.

“At MPS, one of our core goals is to ensure every student graduates ready for college and career. Today, we’re thrilled to announce the second year of Milwaukee Direct Admit, a program that gives our juniors an accessible path to college,” Galván said.

MATC President Dr. Anthony Cruz noted that the program benefits students and strengthens the region’s workforce by providing clear paths to high-demand fields.

“Together with UWM and MPS, MATC is committed to expanding this opportunity, making sure that every eligible student knows they belong and have a path forward after high school,” Cruz said.

M³ has set a target to grow participation from 900 juniors for the Class of 2025 — about 20% of the class — to 1,500, or 35% of the class for the Class of 2026.

UWM Chancellor Dr. Mark Mone, a founding member of the M³ partnership, stressed the strength of scale in bringing the region’s three largest public educational institutions together. In total, UWM, MATC and MPS serve more than 100,000 students each year. And thanks to their size, one agreement across the three institutions immediately simplified the college application process for hundreds of students every year.

“Through M³, our collaborative efforts with Milwaukee Public Schools and Milwaukee Area Technical College continue to have a measurable impact on student access, especially for those who may not initially see college in their future,” Mone said.

Just this month, M³ was honored by the respected Wisconsin Policy Forum with its annual award for Intergovernmental Cooperation.

More About M³
M³ is approaching its first decade of partnering to build bridges toward better lives across the region. Here are just a few highlights of its ongoing impact.

• 700 MPS seniors have earned 8,000 college credits at UWM and MATC through M³ College Connections.
• 900 MPS juniors streamlined their college admissions process in the first year of the new M³ Milwaukee Direct Admit program.
• 5,000 MPS students have explored careers at M³ work-based learning job fairs.
• Nearly 1,000 MPS college-bound seniors have participated in the first two years of Smart Start to solidify transitions to MATC and UWM.
• 10,000 MPS freshmen and sophomores have toured UWM and MATC through M³ Academic and Career Planning efforts.

Download the full 2024 Impact Report (PDF)

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.