By Mark Duffy
Admissions redesigns are emerging rapidly in states and postsecondary systems. Policymakers and/or postsecondary systems administrators have opportunities to enhance admissions processes and policies to ensure an accessible and inclusive experience for students—particularly student populations that have historically found these processes challenging. To facilitate the adoption and implementation of admissions redesigns, Research for Action identified 12 decision points for states and systems to consider in determining policies to lessen barriers in the admissions process.
- At what postsecondary governance level will the admissions redesign be adopted? Admissions redesign can take place at the state, system, or institutional level. Deciding which level makes sense is influenced by factors such as postsecondary education governance and coordination structures in the state, the level of existing collaboration across postsecondary education agencies and systems, and overall goals of the redesign.
- What, if any, policy authorization is needed for the admissions redesign? Some admissions redesigns are based on state statute, regulation, or board policy that include common requirements across campuses, while other redesigns that streamline the process may not require policy change. A policy mandate can incentivize institutional participation in redesign efforts and may provide funding to support reform, but legislative processes are often time-consuming and not always successful, which may slow or stop reforms. At the same time, states and systems lacking policy mandates must develop clear guidance and generate buy-in among stakeholders.
- What will be the scope of the redesign? The scope of admissions redesigns vary by 1) range of school districts or individual high schools included (all or only participating school districts or high schools); 2) types of postsecondary institutions included (public and/or private two-year institutions and/or four-year institutions); and 3) whether participation in the program is available to all students in participating school districts or high schools, or only those who opt-in).
- What admissions criteria will be used? In order to notify students about their eligibility for or acceptance to a college or university, systems and states must determine: 1) whether eligibility indicators and thresholds will be consistent or vary across four-year institutions; and 2) what the eligibility indicators will include (e.g., high school GPA, class rank, standardized college admissions exam scores, high school coursework), as well as thresholds (e.g., 3.5 GPA).
- How can the student data be accessed? In order to determine whether a student is eligible for admission, state agencies or system offices involved in admission redesign need access to student achievement data, and should develop data sharing agreements with the parties involved. States and systems use several data sources, such as state longitudinal data systems and state financial aid agency data, among others.
- How will students be notified of their admission? Some admissions redesigns include notification to students, initiated by states or systems, indicating that students are eligible for or admitted to a postsecondary institution. Other admissions redesign approaches require students to initiate the application process. If states or systems adopt a proactive notification strategy, they will have to determine how to notify students.
- Are you assuring admission or eligibility for admission? While some admissions redesigns assure students that they will be admitted to a postsecondary institution, others only inform students of their eligibility for admission without any assurance of formal acceptance. It is also common for states and systems to offer conditional acceptance, requiring students to meet additional criteria (e.g., maintain a specific GPA).
- What will the application process include? A key component of admissions redesigns is the simplification of the application process. While none of the programs identified in this study eliminate the application completely, many simplify the process. For example, some states and systems allow students to apply to multiple institutions in the same system with a single application, similar to the Common App, while others require the traditional application process.
- Will opt-in be required? The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act protects privacy of student education records, but also creates a barrier to developing of some admissions redesigns. As a workaround to facilitate proactive notification, many admissions redesigns require districts and/or students to opt-in to program participation.
- Will application fees waived? Although waiving application fees has been identified as a key component of admissions redesign, and can help address issues of financial equity, these funds are also a revenue source for colleges and universities. While many admissions redesigns waive the application fee, there is variation across approaches, with some states and systems providing waivers for only a portion of students (e.g., students with evidence of financial need or who apply during a certain time of year).
- How will implementation and continuous improvement be supported? In order to successfully adopt and implement an admissions redesign, states, systems, and institutions must support those engaged in the work, as well as develop systems to measure its impact to ensure ongoing evaluation and continuous improvement. More specifically: 1) a central manager or team is needed at states, systems, or institutions who can coordinate the many aspects of the adoption and execution of the redesign; 2) collaboration across and within institutions participating in the redesign can create opportunities for problem solving and sharing best practices; and 3) tracking student outcomes related to admissions redesign is critical to measure impact and ensure continuous improvement.
- How will the admissions redesign be communicated to the field? State or system postsecondary agencies must ensure that not just high school students, but also the general public, postsecondary institutions, school districts, and other related state agencies are aware of the changes in the admissions process and their roles in the reform. This communication is especially critical within the K-12 sector; school district and high school staff must be well oriented to the redesigns, so they can make their students aware of the opportunities available to them and provide accurate information in response to questions from students and families.
For a more extensive discussion of these decision points and additional resources, visit Research for Action’s Postsecondary Admissions Redesign Toolkit.