By: Timothy Miguel de la Ossa

Timothy Miguel de la Ossa — Tue, 11 May 2021 17:10:31 +0000

The interface is already broken as a result of the “name buy” system created by the testing companies, who reap millions of dollars in revenues selling names back to university admissions departments in one year cycles. Universities are wedded to purchasing names from their same feeders schools and do not have access to a more diverse student pool because they are naturally risk averse; the one year cycle is institutional behavior that inhibits universities from expanding their feeder pool. Also, students do not necessarily know which school has a program that best fits their gifting because there exists a 700 to 1 student counselor ratio (in California), which is entirely unsustainable to help students find the “right fit.” Counselors generally counsel “top of mind” and for the best students as opposed to the B- or C+ student who could match well to the small liberal arts college. What is transpiring is a groundswell of students wanting more choices and colleges seeking students outside of institutional methods. This trend combined with the research that cumulative GPA is a better indicator of student success we are seeing movement to a holistic approach better matching colleges with students beginning much earlier. The interface to higher-ed has been dominated by tests producing the “name buy” system, a one-year recruiting cycle and an unsustainable counseling ratio. This system has created a pathology that universities cannot recruit before the SAT, and students cannot find the right college program that fits their gifting. Because of the oncoming enrollment cliff going universities must now re-think how they recruit students and students are desiring more choices. The pandemic has accelerated a review of these practices. Albion College in Michigan is an example of university admissions departments adjusting to the new reality.

Comments on: PROOF POINTS: Test-optional policies didn’t do much to diversify college student populations

By: Timothy Miguel de la Ossa