In light of the current discourse around the alleged discriminatory nature of the SAT and ACT exams against underrepresented minority students, and the increase in American institutions of higher education choosing to adopt test-optional freshman admission policies, this study sought to identify weather these policies are associated with changes…

This study examined a holistic admissions review process at one institution to determine whether variance occurred and, if so, possible explanations for it. The study analyzed reader reviews for approximately 15,000 individual undergraduate admission reviews over three years. The primary method was focused on the variance and inter-rater…

In the wake of national health care reform, development of the future health care workforce has become more important than ever. Millions of newly insured patients, many from underserved urban communities, are seeking health care services. In order to provide high-quality care to rapidly diversifying patient populations, health care professionals…

Non-selective Division III institutions often face challenges in meeting their enrollment goals. To ensure their continued viability, these schools recruit large numbers of student athletes. As a result, when compared to FBS (Football Bowl Division) institutions these schools have a much higher percentage of student athletes on campus and a…

Research on the concept of meritocracy and its role in college admissions is the major focus of this article. It explores the factors that contribute to the gatekeeping process and provides a historical context that led to the evolution of today's admission protocol. It focuses specifically on the strict meritocratic practices of many colleges as…

When considering any type of alternative or special admission processes for incoming students, the university is charged with taking into account traditional admissions criteria such as high school grade point average (GPA) and standardized test scores as well as other attributes. These "other attributes" frequently include pressure to…

Those who design admissions policies and procedures are the gatekeepers of higher education, and thereby play a role in shaping the direction of human society. Every year selective universities face the difficult challenge of sifting through the application materials of millions of high school graduates and deciding which applicants should be…

The array of admissions models and the underlying, and sometimes conflicting goals people have for college admissions, create the dynamics and the tensions that define the contemporary context for enrollment management. The senior enrollment officer must ask, for example, how does an institution try to assure transparency, equality of access,…

Small private colleges that are heavily tuition dependent are challenged each year to maintain and grow student enrollments. This longitudinal study investigates how certain colleges have structured enrollment management efforts in response. The results indicate that over the last several years there has been a significant migration to the…

This work reviews race-based admission and its alternatives, as well as the benefits of diversity on college campuses. This entails an overview of the research regarding the effectiveness of class-based approaches to achieving diversity and evidence of the importance of establishing a critical mass of persons of color at predominately white…

A state university program to admit a selective group of adult students in each of four semesters, from Spring 1976 to Fall 1977, is described, including the program rationale, the academic history of the program participants, and future directions for adult student admissions within the California State University system. (MSE)

Examines how economic disadvantage explains race bias in college admissions and attendance, addressing the possibility of reaching racial diversity through economically-based affirmative action. Discusses the possible validity of admissions measures, noting that financial barriers to attendance exist even among public colleges and reporting…

The Freshman Index, a combination of SAT score and high school grade point average, is the primary mechanism facilitating admissions decisions at Georgia State University. This article examines the relationships between these three admissions criteria and the graduating grade point averages of Asian, Black, and White six-year graduates.…

Misconceptions regarding the work of college admissions officers and the role of admissions in expanding access to education prompted this review of applied research in college admissions. Focus is on two areas of research and evaluation: college staff visits to schools and college choice decisions made by applicants who were offered admission.…

J. Michael Thompson is the Vice Provost for Enrollment Management and Dean of Admission and Financial Aid at the University of Southern California. J. Michael has worked in higher education for more than 30 years in a variety of roles at small private and mid-sized and large public universities, and now at USC, a large private university. He has…