7 Ways To Make College Admissions More Equitable December 15, 2020 By Patty Reinert Mason Read Time Strada Article Pathways with Pur... Pursuing Equity &... Equity & Oppo... Navigating Education On Purpose ... Application requirements favoring families who can apply and commit early without comparing financial aid packages. A preference for legacy students and star athletes. A tendency to recruit from the same high schools year after year. As colleges and universities seek to increase racial and socioeconomic diversity on campus, education journalist and author Jeff Selingo says it’s time to rethink the college admissions system to improve opportunities for disadvantaged students, including students of color and those from low-income families. “How do we find the talent that we know is distributed throughout this country? That, to me, is that nut that we’ve been trying to crack for a very long time,” Selingo said in a recent episode of Strada’s “Lessons Earned” podcast. “And it’s going to become even more important because we know the demographics of this country are changing drastically. And I think it’s going to become even more important for colleges to figure that out.” Selingo, former editor of the “Chronicle of Higher Education” and founding director of Arizona State University’s Academy for Innovative Higher Education Leadership, has been reporting and speaking on challenges in higher education for more than two decades and spent a year inside college admissions at three selective universities for his latest book, “Who Gets In and Why.” In this book, as well as a previous offering, “There Is Life After College,” Selingo advocates for changes in higher education that will not only help students leverage the college experience to launch meaningful careers, but also help colleges and universities remain relevant and valued. Selingo said multiple factors weigh on the minds of college admissions counselors, especially those from Ivy League and other elite schools with very few seats to fill. Their task is not to ensure meritocracy in education or in the admissions system, he said, but to build an incoming freshman class that fulfills their college’s most urgent needs for certain types of students and talents in a particular year. “Who gets in” is often a question not only of academic profile but of who can pay close to full price, who offers a unique talent sought by the lacrosse team or the campus theater, or who plans to major in a program of study seeking certain types of students. Selingo calls the sometimes baffling college admissions system a “black box,” noting that only the people running it can see inside. After observing college admissions from inside that box and interviewing dozens of applicants and their parents, he identified some steps colleges and universities could take to carve out more space for students from low-income families and for students of color who are marginalized by the current system. Here are seven ways Selingo said higher education leaders could ensure that more students gain an equitable chance in college admissions: Eliminate early-decision applications. This process gives institutions more information earlier regarding how many full-pay, or nearly full-pay, students they will admit, helping them plan for how many lower-income students they can afford to accept. But because the applications are binding, students are under pressure to commit to one college early in their senior year of high school. They also may end up paying more to attend the same school that their peers may enter at a discount later in the process.More importantly, Selingo said, early decision allows higher-income families to buy their way in early, filling seats before middle- and low-income families can even afford to apply. Perhaps more damaging, he said, early decision leaves too many students with the impression that there is only one right college for them, even though research indicates they could do well and achieve similar education and employment outcomes at high-quality but lesser-known institutions. Be upfront about what you’re looking for in this year’s incoming class so education consumers — students and their parents — have the information they need to make good decisions about where to apply and what to emphasize in their applications. Be transparent about what it costs to study at your school so parents and students can engage in realistic discussions about what they can afford and what the return on their investment will be. Look beyond traditional “feeder high schools” to recruit students from a broader range of public and private schools from across the country, creating opportunity for a more diverse group of students. Reduce preferences given to athletes and legacies, students whose parents graduated from a particular college. If every applicant were given the same attention as athletes and legacies — the majority in both cases are white — admissions decisions would result in a more diverse student body, Selingo said. Rethink application requirements to put more emphasis on high school coursework and grades and less on other application materials like extracurriculars, recommendations, and personal essays, which most college admissions counselors have little time to read anyway.Higher-income, white students enjoy greater access than low-income, first-generation, and students of color to resources and support needed to participate in multiple extracurricular activities, pay for test prep tutoring or essay editing, or retake the SAT or ACT to improve their scores. They also enjoy greater access to their parents’ social and professional networks to secure internships, coaching, and recommendations so they can better package themselves and increase their chances of being admitted to selective schools. And in the end, Selingo notes, high school rigor and grades are the most important indicators of success in college. Expand the size of freshman classes. It seems like a simple answer to a complex problem, Selingo said, but admitting more students overall, even without making major changes to entrance requirements, would make room in elite colleges for more students from more diverse backgrounds and experiences. Davidson College in North Carolina was among the universities where education journalist and author Jeff Selingo spent time in the admissions office for his book “Who Gets In and Why.” CREDIT: Christopher Record/Davidson College. Group 13 Group 11 Group 12 Patty Reinert Mason Director of Content Strada Education Network Learn More In the news from Strada April 14, 2021 Innovator Spotlight: Project Basta This career exploration and readiness program’s formula for learner success combines social capital, self-discovery to launch career pathways for first-gen grads Strada Article Measuring the Val... Pathways with Pur... Career Connection Completion Navigating Education Spotlight Institute for the... ... April 13, 2021 How To Improve Value of Higher Ed? Increase Career Support Just half of college alumni feel it was worth it to take out loans to attend college, with even lower levels of satisfaction from Black and Latino alumni about their loans. Strada Article Measuring the Val... Career Connection Completion Equity & Oppo... On Purpose ... April 1, 2021 Powering Purpose Invest now in community colleges to fuel economic opportunity Strada Article Serving the Adult... Adult Learners Institute for the... ... March 31, 2021 Ready for Work? How To Prep New Grads for Tech Jobs Talent Path’s Learn-and-Earn Model Bridges Skills Gap Between College and Career Strada Article Innovation in Wor... Pathways with Pur... Pursuing Equity &... Career Connection COVID-19 Employers Equity & Oppo... On Purpose Technology Value Mission Investing ... March 16, 2021 How to Make Online Ed Work for Students Can the pandemic induce higher education to jump-start the future of learning? Strada Article Innovation in Wor... Serving the Adult... Adult Learners Navigating Education On Purpose Technology ... March 2, 2021 The Hybrid Campus — More Than a Quick Fix? Amid a pandemic crisis characterized by stay-at-home orders and travel restrictions, the leader of the career center at Stony Brook University describes its fallout with an unexpected word: freedom. Strada Article Innovation in Wor... Serving the Adult... Career Connection COVID-19 Navigating Education On Purpose Engagement & ... Strada Education ... ... February 17, 2021 Prior Learning Assessment Gives Boost to Not Just Students but Schools, Too In her early 20s, Kiabeth Santos was well on her way to achieving her goal of becoming a nurse. She wanted to work in health care, and she loves working with people. But then life — as it often does — got in the way. Strada CAEL Article On Purpose ... February 2, 2021 How One HBCU Helps Students Succeed XULA President Reynold Verret on How His HBCU Helps Students Succeed Strada Article On Purpose January 21, 2021 Are We Ready for This? Preparing the Education-Workforce System for the 100-Year Career Strada Article Innovation in Wor... Serving the Adult... Adult Learners Career Connection Completion Employers Navigating Education Nondegree On Purpose Technology ... January 5, 2021 What Learners Taught Us in 2020 — and What Those Takeaways Mean for 2021 In the earliest days of the pandemic, researchers at Strada Center for Education Consumer Insights realized leaders across our nation would need a real-time understanding of how people were experiencing, thinking about, and feeling about work and education. The research team launched a regular survey, Public Viewpoint, to make these insights widely available — ultimately including more than 25,000 survey participants over the course of 2020. Strada Article Adult Learners Advising Career Connection Completion Consumer Voice COVID-19 On Purpose ... January 4, 2021 Increasing Opportunity for All, During the Pandemic and Beyond ‘Lessons Earned’ Podcast Talks With JFF’s Michael Collins Strada Article Innovation in Wor... Pursuing Equity &... Adult Learners Employers Equity & Oppo... Navigating Education ... December 22, 2020 Paving Education-to-Employment Pathways with Shared Information and Insights The story of one learner’s journey through education and employment is told across several data sets. Enrollment and graduation outcomes tell one part of the story, with labor market information and employer data filling in the blanks. Brighthive, led by CEO and founder Matt Gee, is connecting siloed data systems so learners, employers, and educators alike can make better informed decisions about preparing tomorrow’s workforce. Strada Article Innovation in Wor... Serving the Adult... Adult Learners Career Connection Employers Spotlight Institute for the... ... December 15, 2020 7 Ways To Make College Admissions More Equitable Application requirements favoring families who can apply and commit early without comparing financial aid packages. A preference for legacy students and star athletes. A tendency to recruit from the same high schools year after year. Strada Article Pathways with Pur... Pursuing Equity &... Equity & Oppo... Navigating Education On Purpose ... December 3, 2020 A Year Inside College Admissions: ‘Lessons Earned’ Podcast Opens Season 3 With Author Jeff Selingo It’s college application season, and anxious students and parents throughout the country are strategizing on how to get into the elite colleges of their choice. Journalist and author Jeff Selingo just spent a year inside college admissions offices at three higher education institutions to write his latest book, “Who Gets In and Why.” Strada Article Pathways with Pur... Pursuing Equity &... Serving the Adult... Navigating Education ... November 24, 2020 Long Life Learning: Preparing for Jobs That Don’t Even Exist Yet Long Life Learning offers readers a glimpse into a future where the average working life has no beginning, middle, or end. Contemplating a shift from the educational all-you-can-eat-buffet of college and university to an “as-you-need-it” approach to delivering education, author Michelle Weise explains why and how worker education is overdue for momentous changes. Strada Article Innovation in Wor... Serving the Adult... Adult Learners Career Connection Employers Navigating Education Nondegree Technology Institute for the... ... November 17, 2020 Coming Soon: ‘Lessons Earned’ Season 3 Strada’s “Lessons Earned” podcast, featuring conversations with innovative thinkers and doers seeking to improve the education-workforce system, returns soon as host Ben Wildavsky welcomes a new co-host for Season 3, Braven founder and CEO Aimée Eubanks Davis. Strada Article Adult Learners Advising Career Connection Completion Consumer Voice COVID-19 Employers Equity & Oppo... Navigating Education Nondegree Policy Technology Value ... November 11, 2020 Innovator Spotlight: Techtonic Techtonic Academy’s apprenticeship program is building a more diverse talent pipeline for the tech industry Strada Article Innovation in Wor... Pursuing Equity &... Serving the Adult... Adult Learners Career Connection Completion Employers Nondegree Spotlight Institute for the... ... July 16, 2020 What Role Should Employers Play in Postsecondary Education? Facing unprecedented demand for groceries and other goods delivered to the doors of those isolated by the COVID-19 pandemic, Amazon has on-boarded 175,000 employees nationwide in the past few months and continues to hire. Strada Article COVID-19 Employers Navigating Education ... July 8, 2020 Combining Technology and Human Touch to Help Displaced Workers Faced with job losses during the COVID-19 pandemic, many Americans are turning to outplacement services provided by their former employers for help in their next job search. But with the economy faltering and whole categories of jobs going away, job seekers are struggling, and the resume writing, interview prep, and networking assistance that may have provided a boost in the past just aren’t enough now. Strada Article Innovation in Wor... Measuring the Val... Pathways with Pur... Serving the Adult... Career Connection Technology ... May 14, 2020 WGU President: Secret to Online Learning Is Putting Students at the Center Lessons Earned podcast features Scott Pulsipher talking about competency-based education Strada Article Completion COVID-19 Navigating Education Value ... May 11, 2020 Stay Home Why understanding local labor markets will be critical to our economic recovery Strada Article Innovation in Wor... Serving the Adult... Career Connection COVID-19 Employers Nondegree Institute for the... ... May 8, 2020 Braven Doubles Down to Help Students, Alums Build Social Capital Despite Pandemic Latest Lessons Earned podcast features conversation with founder Strada Article Career Connection COVID-19 Equity & Oppo... Navigating Education ... May 4, 2020 5 Ways Higher Education Can Better Serve Latino Students Excelencia offers insights on helping Latino learners during the pandemic and beyond Strada Article Innovation in Wor... Adult Learners COVID-19 Equity & Oppo... Navigating Education Value ... April 30, 2020 Lessons Earned Podcast Explores Community College’s Pandemic Response CCRI President Meghan Hughes embraces opportunity to adapt, learn new skills Strada Article Career Connection COVID-19 Navigating Education ... April 28, 2020 Innovator Spotlight: Advancing targeted learning with technology Pluralsight uses machine learning to put learners on direct path to acquiring skills employers need Strada Article Innovation in Wor... Serving the Adult... Adult Learners Career Connection Employers Spotlight Technology Institute for the... ... April 23, 2020 What COVID-19’s impact means for America’s diverse communities Webinar features Strada researchers, expert guests discussing pandemic’s disproportionate impact on people of color Strada Article Consumer Voice COVID-19 Equity & Oppo... Navigating Education ... April 23, 2020 Lessons Earned Season 2: Responding to the Pandemic Strada podcast explores economic, educational impacts of COVID-19 Strada Article Adult Learners Career Connection Consumer Voice COVID-19 Navigating Education Policy ... April 21, 2020 How to Support Students During COVID-19 Follow these tips from Strada affiliates to help learners through the pandemic Strada Article Advising Completion Consumer Voice COVID-19 Navigating Education ... April 14, 2020 Innovator Spotlight: Co-op finds winning formula in learning + working University of Cincinnati program creates a successful path from education to careers Strada Article Adult Learners Career Connection Completion Employers Spotlight Institute for the... ... April 6, 2020 Resource Center In challenging times, the need to forge pathways to opportunity is greater than ever. We’ve created the Strada Resource Center to inform and empower educators, employers, policymakers, and others seeking to respond to COVID-19. Strada Article Adult Learners Advising Career Connection Completion Consumer Voice COVID-19 Equity & Oppo... Navigating Education Nondegree Policy Technology Value ...