College Admissions and Admissions Testing in a Time of Transformational Change

College Admissions and Admissions Testing in a Time of Transformational Change PDF

Author: Kurt F. Geisinger

Publisher: Taylor & Francis

Published: 2022-12-30

Total Pages: 271

ISBN-13: 1000828603

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Perhaps no topic in higher education is more controversial than admissions, whether it be to a prestigious college, graduate schools, or professional schools. In response to the pandemic and a host of race relations issues in the country, many colleges and universities have changed their policies regarding admissions testing. In this foundational volume, renowned chapter authors address a diverse set of themes related to college admissions, examining new perspectives, exploring the strengths and weaknesses of current practices, and discussing how institutions might use different techniques to attract diverse students, particularly those who have not traditionally attended college. Experts in college admission testing, admissions research, and psychology come together to provide empirically based approaches and ideas. Ultimately, this volume advances a future in college admissions where more students are able to succeed in college and beyond.

College Admissions for the 21st Century

College Admissions for the 21st Century PDF

Author: Robert J. Sternberg

Publisher: Harvard University Press

Published: 2011-02-01

Total Pages: 224

ISBN-13: 0674058593

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SATs, ACTs, GPAs. Everyone knows that these scores can’t tell a college everything that’s important about an applicant. But what else should admissions officers look for, and how can they know it when they see it? In College Admissions for the 21st Century a leading researcher on intelligence and creativity offers a bold and practical approach to college admissions testing. Standardized tests are measures of memory and analytical skills. But the ever-changing global society beyond a college campus needs more than just those qualities, argues Robert Sternberg. Tomorrow’s leaders and citizens also need creativity, practicality, and wisdom. How can the potential for those complex qualities be measured? One answer is “Kaleidoscope,” a new initiative in undergraduate admissions, first used at Tufts University. Its open-ended questions for applicants, and the means used to score the answers, gives applicants and admissions officers the chance to go beyond standardized tests. Does it work? As Sternberg describes in detail, Kaleidoscope measures predicted first-year academic success, over and above SATs and high school GPAs, and predicted first-year extracurricular activities, leadership, and active citizenship as well. And every year that Kaleidoscope measures were used, the entering class’s average SATs and high school GPAs went up too. What worked at Tufts can work elsewhere. New kinds of assessments, like Kaleidoscope, can liberate many colleges and students from the narrowness of standardized tests and inspire new approaches to teaching for new kinds of talented, motivated citizens of the world.

Myths and Tradeoffs

Myths and Tradeoffs PDF

Author: National Research Council

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 1999-07-26

Total Pages: 58

ISBN-13: 0309184320

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More than 8 million students enrolled in 4-year, degree-granting postsecondary institutions in the United States in 1996. The multifaceted system through which these students applied to and were selected by the approximately 2,240 institutions in which they enrolled is complex, to say the least; for students, parents, and advisers, it is often stressful and sometimes bewildering. This process raises important questions about the social goals that underlie the sorting of students, and it has been the subject of considerable controversy. The role of standardized tests in this sorting process has been one of the principal flashpoints in discussions of its fairness. Tests have been cited as the chief evidence of unfairness in lawsuits over admissions decisions, criticized as biased against minorities and women, and blamed for the fierce competitiveness of the process. Yet tests have also been praised for their value in providing a common yardstick for comparing students from diverse schools with different grading standards. Myths and Tradeoffs identifies and corrects some persistent myths about standardized admissions tests and highlight some of the specific tradeoffs that decisions about the uses of tests entail; presents conclusions and recommendations about the role of tests in college admissions; and lays out several issues about which information would clearly help decision makers, but about which the existing data are either insufficient or need synthesis and interpretation. This report will benefit a broad audience of college and university officials, state and other officials and lawmakers, and others who are wrestling with decisions about admissions policies, definitions of merit, legal actions, and other issues.

Choosing Students

Choosing Students PDF

Author: Wayne Camara

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2005-03-23

Total Pages: 354

ISBN-13: 1135619107

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This volume brings a variety of perspectives to bear on the issue of how higher education institutions can - or should - choose students during the early part of the 21st century. Many of the contributors report on research to develop and validate potential tools to assist those responsible for admission decisions. Other contributors, however, pose broader questions about the nature of selective admissions, about institutional responses to the changing demography of those seeking to enter higher education, or about the appropriate criteria of 'success' in higher education. The volume is particularly timely because the question of how changes in admission tools and processes will affect campus diversity following the recent Supreme Court decision concerning the University of Michigan. Diversity is an important concern of all of the contributors and the chapter by Lee Bollinger--President at Michigan at the time the court cases were filed--is particularly relevant. This book brings together the research that underlies a variety of proposed approaches to improving the selection of students. Providing support for the integrity of the admissions process and the validity of new tools to help a higher education institution to select a diverse student body, this book explores the implications of the assessment component of K-12 school reform for higher education admissions practices. The diverse contributions to this volume reflect the current ferment in educational research and educational practice as institutions of higher education seek to develop a new admissions paradigm for coming decades following the University of Michigan decisions. This book is intended for those leaders and professionals who set admission policies and practices in American colleges, and graduate and professional schools, as well as for those scholars and scientists who research, develop, and validate tools for use in the process of choosing students in ways that are congruent with an institution's mission, values, and goals.

College Admission 101, 3rd Edition

College Admission 101, 3rd Edition PDF

Author: The Princeton Review

Publisher: Princeton Review

Published: 2022-05-17

Total Pages: 241

ISBN-13: 0593450574

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This friendly, helpful Q&A book from the editor-in-chief of The Princeton Review presents simple answers to your toughest questions about navigating the college admissions process, figuring out financial aid, and getting into the university of your choice! As The Princeton Review’s Editor-in- Chief and nationally renowned expert on education, Robert Franek speaks with tens of thousands of anxious students and parents each year, advising them on how to turn their college hopes into reality. College Admission 101 is an accessible, timely collection of the 60+ most-asked questions Rob hears. Uncomplicate your search with straightforward answers to questions like: • How has college admissions changed since 2020? • What changes are coming to the PSAT and SAT? • Should I take the ACT, SAT, or both? • What’s more important: GPA or test scores? • How do I write a game-changing college essay? • What extracurricular activities do colleges want to see? • How does the financial aid process work?

Measuring Success

Measuring Success PDF

Author: Jack Buckley

Publisher: JHU Press

Published: 2018

Total Pages: 341

ISBN-13: 1421424967

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"Once touted as the single best way to measure students from diverse backgrounds, schools, and experiences, standardized college admissions tests are now criticized for being hopelessly biased in favor of traditionally privileged groups. Out of this has emerged the test-optional movement that seeks to allow students to apply to schools without sitting through the rigors of the SAT. This book takes a step back and applies rigorous empirical measurements to these rival claims. Drawing upon the expertise of higher education researchers, admissions officers, enrollment managers, and policy professionals, this edited volume is among the first to investigate the research and policy implications of test-optional practices. It was conceived in response to the editors' frustration with the fragmented and incomplete state of the literature around the contemporary debate on college admissions testing. Many students, teachers, parents, policymakers--frankly, nearly anyone immediately outside the testing industry and college admissions--have little understanding of how admissions tests are used. This lack of transparency has often fueled beliefs that college assessments are biased, misused, or overused. Decades of research on various aspects of testing, such as the predictive validity of assessments, makes a compelling case for their value. But all-too-frequently researchers and admissions officers talk past one another instead of engaging substantively. This collection intends to remedy the situation by bringing these disparate voices together. This book is designed for provosts, enrollment managers, and college admissions officers seeking to strike the proper balance between uniformity and fairness"--

Admission Matters

Admission Matters PDF

Author: Sally P. Springer

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons

Published: 2017-05-01

Total Pages: 418

ISBN-13: 111932839X

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Make sense of college admissions and prepare a successful application Admission Matters offers comprehensive, expert, and practical advice for parents and students to guide them through the college admissions process. From building a college list, to understanding standardized tests, to obtaining financial aid, to crafting personal statements, to making a final decision, this book guides you every step of the way with clear, sensible advice and practical tips. This new fourth edition has been completely updated to reflect the latest changes in college admissions. including new developments in standardized testing, applications, financial aid and more. Questionnaires, interactive forms, checklists, and other tools help you stay focused and organized throughout the process.. With the answers you need and a down-to-earth perspective, this book provides an invaluable resource for stressed-out students and parents everywhere. Applying to college can be competitive and complex. Admission Matters offers real-world expert advice for all students, whether you're aiming an Ivy or the state school close to home. It also includes much needed guidance for students with special circumstances, including students with disabilities, international students, and transfer students. In addition, athletes, artists and performers, and homeschoolers will find valuable guidance as they plan for and apply to college. Understand how the admissions process works and what you can and cannot control Learn how to build a strong list of good-fit colleges Craft a strong application package with a compelling personal statement Get expert advice on early admissions, financial aid, standardized testing, and much more Make a final decision that is the right one for you Whether you think you've got applying to college under control or don't even know where to begin, Admission Matters is your expert guide throughout the college admissions process.

Who Gets In?

Who Gets In? PDF

Author: Rebecca Zwick

Publisher: Harvard University Press

Published: 2017-05-15

Total Pages: 180

ISBN-13: 0674977661

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When it comes to the hotly disputed topic of college admissions, the one thing everyone agrees about is that it’s unfair. But there is little agreement on what a fair process would be. Rebecca Zwick takes a hard look at the high-stakes competition of U.S. college admissions today. Illustrating her points using analyses of survey data from applicants to the nation’s top colleges and universities, she assesses the goals of different admissions systems and the fairness of criteria—from high school grades and standardized test scores to race, socioeconomic status, and students’ academic aspirations. The demographic makeup of the class and the educational outcomes of its students can vary substantially, depending upon how an institution approaches its task. Who Gets In? considers the merits and flaws of competing approaches and demonstrates that admissions policies can sometimes fail to produce the desired results. For example, some nontraditional selection methods can hurt more than help the students they are intended to benefit. As Zwick shows, there is no objective way to evaluate admissions systems—no universal definition of student merit or blanket entitlement to attend college. Some schools may hope to attract well-rounded students, while others will focus on specific academic strengths. What matters most is that a school’s admissions policy reflects its particular educational philosophy. Colleges should be free to include socioeconomic and racial preferences among their admissions criteria, Zwick contends, but they should strive for transparency about the factors they use to evaluate applicants.

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