Giving Compass' Take:

· Former college admissions officer Will Geiger explains that although college admissions decisions are based on a "holistic admissions" process, the methods are archaic and should be reformed to reflect student abilities over recommendations. A new system to better suit the incoming applicants and generation would increase opportunities and college access for diverse demographics.   

· What changes can be made to make college admission decision more inclusive?

· Learn about new technology that's making it easier for colleges to see a more complete and accessible record of students' achievement. 

When we consider college access for low-income, first-generation and other underrepresented populations, little attention is put on rethinking the metrics considered in the admissions process. Sure, “holistic admissions” gives admissions officers some leeway to look beyond test scores and GPAs, but the needle has not moved for many groups of students.

In fact, African American and Hispanic students are more underrepresented at top colleges than they were 35 years ago, a 2017 New York Times article shows. What’s more, professionals today often use the same formula they did several decades ago to make admissions decisions: test scores and letters of recommendation, which often favor students who are already advantaged.

As admissions professionals, our slavish devotion to the status quo is negatively impacting the most disadvantaged students in a serious way. This can manifest itself in a variety of ways such as excluding students with low testing from admissions marketing or denying students based off of unfair testing systems. Colleges want to do the right thing, but meaningful progress has simply not been made. Redefining the metrics of admissions assessment is the most direct way to address the issue of inequity in the admissions process. Education still represents one of the greatest equalizers that our society has to offer, and undiscovered talent is a loss for both higher education and society overall.

Read the full article about college admissions by Will Geiger at EdSurge.