Inyo Promise

We, the Inyo County educational community, in cooperation with our sister schools (Cerro Coso Community College and the University of Nevada, Reno), do promise that the graduates of an Inyo County High School have two options for higher education:

1.  Cerro Coso Community College/Bishop

a.  Any student will be eligible to apply for a full scholarship through the Eastern Sierra Foundation, which covers in-state enrollment fees and up to $500 per semester for required books in order to complete an Associate of Arts or Science (AA/AS) degree, transfer requirements, or a professional degree program. Students must be enrolled in at least 9 units on the Bishop Campus each semester and maintain all other scholarship requirements.

b.  Students who complete transfer requirements from Cerro Coso with a minimum 3.00 cumulative transfer GPA (calculated only on the courses taken that will transfer to the University of Nevada, Reno) will be considered for  Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE)  , a program that saves  qualified students approximately $7,524.25* per semester. Visit  www.unr.edu/transfer  for transfer admission requirements and  www.unr.edu/wue  for the  official WUE policy, including deadlines.

c.  Students who complete transfer requirements from Cerro Coso with a 2.75- 2.99 cumulative transfer GPA (calculated only on the courses taken that will transfer to the University of Nevada, Reno) will be considered for the  Pack Exchange Program which saves qualified students approximately $5,248* per semester. Visit www.unr.edu/transfer  for transfer admission requirements  and www.unr.edu/financial-aid/pack-exchange  for the official  Pack Exchange policy, including deadlines.

2.  University of Nevada, Reno (UNR)

a.  Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE)-  An Inyo County  High School graduate who completes academic core courses (English- 4 years, natural science- 3 years, mathematics- 3 years, and social science- 3 years) with  EITHER  a minimum 3.25 cumulative unweighted GPA OR  a minimum  24 ACT  composite  or  1160 SAT combined score (requests can be made to use a superscore) will be considered for the University of Nevada, Reno’s WUE program. Qualified WUE students save approximately $7,524.25* per semester. WUE consideration based on freshman criteria is only available if applying for the fall semester immediately following high school graduation. Visit  www.unr.edu/wue  for program details, including deadlines.

b.  Pack Exchange Program-  An Inyo County High School  graduate who completes academic core courses (English- 4 years, natural science- 3 years, mathematics- 3 years, and social science- 3 years) with  EITHER  a  minimum  3.0 Academic GPA OR  a minimum  22 ACT  composite or  1100 SAT  combined score (requests can be made to use a superscore) will be considered for the University’s Pack Exchange Program. Pack Exchange Program students save approximately $5,248* per semester. All freshmen are encouraged to live on campus their first year. Pack Exchange Program consideration based on freshman criteria is only available if applying for the fall semester immediately following high school graduation. Visit www.unr.edu/financial-aid/pack-exchange  for program  details, including deadlines.

The Inyo County Office of Education will grant a $1,000 scholarship to  all  Inyo County high school students who attend UNR as a freshman, to offset books and tuition, whether or not they qualify for WUE or Pack Exchange Program.  Contact  Elyse Morrison at 760-873-3262 ext. 2120 or  emorrison@inyocoe.org  for more information.

*Savings compared to UNR’s Fall 2026 out-of-state tuition and varies based on number of credits. Prices stated are based on 15 credits per semester. Policy subject to change. 

c. UNR hosts Nevada Bound events each fall, to introduce students and parents to college life, and the ability to academically and fiscally attain a university experience. Inyo County Office of Education will pay for your room at the Silver Legacy Hotel, breakfast at the Row in Reno, as well as a $50 gas card. Look for a letter from ICOE to your student with detail on how to take advantage of this opportunity, and the dates of the Nevada Bound events.