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(California News Service) In the next few years, big changes are coming to the Cal State University admissions process, thanks to a $750-million grant from Lumina Foundation's Great Admissions Redesign challenge. 

Phase One will upgrade the website California Colleges.edu so 9th, 10th and 11th graders can align their schedules with the Cal State and University of California 'A through G' requirements. 

April Grommo, assistant vice chancellor for strategic enrollment management with Cal State, said right now, nearly half of students don't take the right classes to qualify.

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"Only about 51 percent of students across the state are completing A through G. And in some counties, it's only about 15 percent of students," she said. 

The grant will also allow Cal State to reach out to 12th graders let them know which of the 23 campuses they already qualify to attend; and invite them to apply for admission to the more selective schools such as Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, San Diego State and Cal State Long Beach.

Melanie Heath, strategy director for participation with Lumina Foundation, noted the grant will also allow Cal State to automate the process of getting students' final high school transcripts - so kids will no longer have to request and pay for them to be sent.

"For the Cal State system, at that scale, to be able to have the transcripts sent for free, automatically sent through this portal that students have been accessing since ninth grade is an incredible innovation," Heath explained.

Cal State hopes to have the changes in place by the end of next year.

Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.