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Our group will be facilitating a discussion about access to higher education and ways to shrink the opportunity gap that it currently breeds. College degrees are becoming increasingly necessary to find employment, but access to them is not always in reach. We will focus on three approaches to closing the gap and striving for educational opportunity for all: 

1. Improving Financial Aid
2. Upgrading the Application Process
3. Making Improvements While Still in High School

I am tasked with researching and exploring the second approach, which is improving the initial process of applying to college.

The process of applying to universities has become increasingly complex and difficult for hopeful students. Standardized testing, such as the SAT and ACT, is a commonly used measure of an applicant’s ability. However, new findings show that teachers and grades are better indicators of a student’s success in college. There is also disparity amongst standardized scores, which can be attributed to cheating or differences in access to/amount of targeted preparation. Grades, though, can still vary from school to school based on circumstances. The factors that make a student “college-ready” cannot entirely be measured by an achievement test, or even universal snapshots, which is why improvements to the college application process need to be made. 

One way to create more equal opportunity within the application process is to become less reliant on standardized testing. Some schools are already working toward this, eliminating the requirement to provide scores. 

A benefit of this would be eliminating an unnecessary stressor and task; test scores actually do not make a substantial difference in recognizing academic achievement. Another benefit would be the prioritization of students’ other academic achievements, as opposed to being ruled out by SAT or ACT scores.

Arguments in support of standardized test scores state that they provide an objective measure of a student. Without these tests, a new universal representation of merit would need to be dictated.

Another response to disparity would be to factor in students’ environments & backgrounds. CollegeBoard has a panel called “Landscape” that identifies the circumstances that should be taken into consideration for someone’s academic history and successes. This idea can be expanded upon, utilized more, and hopefully level the playing field more for applicants.

A benefit of this is that students’ responsibilities at home, jobs worked on top of school, and other factors that could influence academics would be taken into consideration. This would allow for accomplishments to carry more weight. 

To make the process fairer overall, colleges also could tighten the system’s security.

Falsified test scores, transcripts, activities, and bribery occur all too often to gain admission for some students. UCLA & UC Berkeley, after their college admissions scandals, are now monitoring donations, documenting admissions decisions that have to do with athletics or talents, and avoiding conflicts of interest in the process. These steps can serve as an example for other universities.

Regulating this would be an enforcement of the law. Additionally, it would take away unfair advantages of students that themselves, or their parents, are willing to cheat for spots at schools.

Drawbacks of this approach would be how well it could be enforced if things could still slip through or loopholes could be found. Could more laws be passed, or should this be up to the school?

Making adjustments to the admissions process would prevent inequality at the beginning of the journey to higher education. I am looking forward to hearing my classmates’ perspectives on the issue and this possible approach.

Here are some of my work-in-progress ideas for discussion prompts:

Should schools cut the use of test scores completely, or make it optional for the applicant?

Do you feel that the information you provided in your college application process adequately showcased your best qualities? Do you think that this information could have been a disadvantage for other students?

If schools were to collect information on factors of adversity, do you think it would be most beneficial to gather personal accounts from the applicant, or strictly data that would be self-reported (or pre-existing gov’t. data)?

What were some of your thoughts when you heard about the high-profile admissions scandals that occurred in 2019?

If some feel that admission can only occur through dishonesty like faking an athletic skill, does this highlight flaws in the system, or flaws in people’s judgment?