Usd Expands, Enhances Torero Promise Program

Expanded program provides automatic admissions and financial aid to qualifying students graduating from eight Catholic High Schools in San D

SAN DIEGO, California -  The University of San Diego (USD) announced today that it has expanded its signature Torero Promise program beyond San Diego County to include three more Catholic high schools located in Riverside and San Bernardino counties: Xavier High School in Palm Desert, Aquinas High School in San Bernardino, and Notre Dame High School in Riverside. Additionally, the Torero Promise program will now meet 100 percent of the federally demonstrated financial need for these students beginning with the 2019 incoming class with a personalized financial assistance package that may include a combination of student loans, work-study, and financial aid.

To be eligible for participation in the Torero Promise program, graduating seniors must have a grade point average of 3.7 or above and have taken at least three honors level or Advanced Placement courses, and have no disciplinary or academic violations. There are no entrance exam requirements. The program launched in 2017 with five local Catholic high schools, including the Academy of Our Lady of Peace, St. Augustine, Mater Dei, Cathedral Catholic, and Vincent Memorial. The matriculation of students from these schools to USD has increased by 75 percent.

For the USD incoming Class of 2018, USD received 295 applications from students attending the five participating schools. Among the 295 who applied, 60 enrolled into USD.

“With the significant financial support qualified students will now receive from USD, we expect the number of students who enroll from the eight high schools to increase even more dramatically in the fall,” said Stephen Pultz, USD’s assistant vice president of Enrollment Management.

“We launched the Torero Promise program to provide a clear path to USD for students from the five high schools in the San Diego diocese,” said USD President James T. Harris III.  “We have been pleased with the growth thus far and firmly believe the addition of three new participating schools will significantly expand enrollment for more Catholic students who desire to pursue higher education in our dynamic Catholic environment.” 

The Torero Promise program has the potential to impact as many as 1,400 high school seniors at the eight participating schools.

About the University of San Diego 

The University of San Diego sets the standard for an engaged, contemporary Catholic university where innovative Changemakers confront humanity’s urgent challenges. With more than 9,000 students from 85 countries and 50 states, USD is the youngest independent institution on the U.S. News & World Report list of top 100 universities in the United States. USD’s eight academic divisions include the College of Arts and Sciences, the School of Business, the Shiley-Marcos School of Engineering, the School of Law, the School of Leadership and Education Sciences, the Hahn School of Nursing and Health Science, the Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies, and the division of Professional and Continuing Education. USD’s Envisioning 2024 strategic plan capitalizes on the university’s recent success in completing its $317 million Leading Change campaign and aligns new strategic goals with current strengths to help shape a vision for the future as the university looks ahead to its 75th anniversary in the year 2024.

About the University of San Diego

Strengthened by the Catholic intellectual tradition, we confront humanity’s challenges by fostering peace, working for justice and leading with love. With more than 8,000 students from 75 countries and 44 states, USD is among the Top 20 Best Private Schools for Making an Impact according to The Princeton Review. USD’s eight academic divisions include the College of Arts and Sciences, the Knauss School of Business, the Shiley-Marcos School of Engineering, the School of Law, the School of Leadership and Education Sciences, the Hahn School of Nursing and Health Science, the Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies, and the Division of Professional and Continuing Education. In 2021, USD was named a “Laudato Si’ University” by the Vatican with a seven-year commitment to address humanity’s urgent challenges by working together to take care of our common home.