Institutional Forces at Play: What Undermines College Access?

Andrew Moe

Senior Associate Dean of Admissions, Director of Strategic Initiatives

Swarthmore College, PA

Kaila Brown

Assistant Director of Admissions

Vanderbilt University, TN

Nicole Molina

Senior Assistant Director of Admissions

University of Southern California, CA

Hot Topic: College Admissions

Who Attends College?

Institutional Forces: Athletic Recruitment

Athletic Recruitment

• Number of spaces (and preference) reserved for university and college athletes

• Expense of athletic training, especially Division III sports

• “If I wanted to increase diversity, I would have to watch a LOT of bad volleyball.” -Coach at a Division III school

Source: NCAA Demographics Database, http://www.ncaa.org/about/resources/research/ncaa-demographics-database

Athletic Recruitment : Suggestions for Reform

• Reduce scholarships and preference from “upper crust” sports (Golden, 2005)

• Train and educate coaches on how to recruit a diverse class of athletes

• Create athletic checks and balances within admissions process

Institutional Forces: Development & Advancement

Development & Advancement

• “Four other St. Albans seniors had sought early admission to Princeton, all with stronger records than Harrison [Frist]. Perhaps worried that rejecting any of the quartet would prompt outrage or Frist favoritism, Princeton accepted them all.” (Golden, 2005)

Development & Advancement

• “Isn’t that the norm: you give enough money to a college and you get your kid in?”-Kalman Stein, Principal, Frisch School where Jared Kushner attended (Golden, 2005)

Development & Advancement

• “University presidents generally have a right-hand man, from Joel Fleischmann at Duke to the late David Zucconi at Brown, whatever his title, to gratify key donors and alumni, including facilitating the admission of their children.” (Golden, 2005)

Development & Advancement: Suggestions for Reform

• Provide legitimate means for admission, like Early programs, without preference

• Limit donations from individuals with students applying • Require a 2-3 year donation restriction for individuals whose

student has been admitted and enrolled (Golden, 2005)

• Increase connection and communication between admissions and development officers

Institutional Forces: Legacy Status

Legacy Status

• Advantages: • Higher acceptance rate

• Application Reviewed by Senior Admissions Leaders

• Private admission sessions

Legacy Status

• Advantages: • Higher acceptance rate

• Private admission sessions

• Applications Reviewed by Senior Admissions Leaders

Legacy Status

• Advantages: • Higher acceptance rate

• Private admission sessions

• Application Reviewed by Senior Admissions Leaders

“….he is not entirely sure how the application files that arrive at his desk are chosen, but the breakdown among applicants is not random. The group includes legacy students, children whose family members have donated to…. and connections of his who ask him to read their child’s or relative’s application.”

Source: Perex and Biernbaum, 2019

Legacy Status : Suggestions for Reform

• Abolish legacy preferences• Familial Limitations

• Early Decision Limitations • ED Legacy Program or Practice

• Tie number to college access metric, like First Generation status or pell grant receipt

• Conflict-of-Interest Policies

• Offer college access programming to other college constituents (hourly staff)

Next Steps / Discussion

• Other side doors:• Transfer • The need-aware waitlist • Extreme demonstrated interest • Spring deferment/admission

What can you do?

Questions/Comments?