As a follow up to today’s class discussion, I just came across this op-ed in the New York Times from Sunday entitled “Hidden Gold in College Applications.” It discusses how some colleges are placing less emphasis on SAT/ACT scores and GPA, and are instead focusing on things in students’ applications–namely, reference letters and personal statements–that highlight aspects of character, emphasizing words like “resilience” and “grit,” just as we spoke about in class. Things like obtaining decent grades and consistent volunteering are all the more significant when the student is cooking dinner for her brother three times a week while their mom is at work, or is working 30 hours a week at the family business. The article ties this in with major discussions lately about reforming college admissions to increase greater socioeconomic diversity, a subject we talked about at length.
The article also mentions some administrators’ fear that “if you put students in an academic environment that’s too tough for them, you’re setting them up to fail.” This reminds me of Scalia’s stance in the affirmative action case. Yet the article goes on to show the success stories of students who were admitted based on this more holistic, and I think personal, perspective.
I think this is taking a step in the right direction for college admissions, especially when we talk about students of low socioeconomic or limiting backgrounds. This type of process will also encourage more students who come from these backgrounds to apply to schools that they would have thought wouldn’t accept them. We read in some of the readings (I don’t remember which) how minority or low socioeconomic students generally shy away from even applying to “good” schools, and I’m not even talking about the Ivy Leagues. Modifying the traditional admissions process could be a key in creating greater diversity on college campuses, and it provides very deserving students, albeit less privileged, with an opportunity to succeed.
I say, we should be true experimentalists and really design some studies which admit using various types of criteria, including the non-cognitive ones, and see who ends up staying, graduating, and doing well. What do we have to loose (unless we’re ETS or the ACT people?)
That would be really great! Very comprehensive. But I imagine that it would be difficult to categorize applicants into distinct categories of admittance criteria.
I totally agree. I don’t believe it is completely fair that extra curricular activities weigh as much as they do (not that I actually know how much they do, but from what I’ve heard it seems like it is a big factor) when admitting students into the schools. Not all students have the same opportunities across the board.
Something else that I thought is something to think about is the costs of applications. Students who dont even consider applying to “good” schools may also be discouraged from the application fee. Not everyone can financially afford to apply to so many colleges. Is anything done to help with this? I have no idea. I just remember thinking about this when I was applying to college.
I do agree that op-ed is leading to a different and maybe a better path of admissions. However, I question how beneficial it is to the under privileged students. According to many college admissions offices, they state that they have no way of knowing the students’ financial status during the process therefore their process is independent and fair. However, if a student applies through op-ed then this automatically informs the admissions officers that they would need to give great aid to that student. If many colleges are struggling financially, would they want to pick a student who is poor, doesn’t have many extra curricular activities, has low SAT test? Or would they rather chose a student who they don’t know own the financial status of but had great resume and excellent grades? If I were the school, I would choose the latter. (If the school receives excess ed-op application). Another question that comes to mind is what makes a student qualified to apply for op-ed? If a student is just as poor, has to work to support the family, but has decent grades and goes to a highly honored high school, would this student be not as qualified for the title of his high school?