Rethinking Admissions

In an age when reality television and social media provide unprecedented access toward fulfilling virtually all areas of human curiosity, the college admissions process remains, in large part, shrouded in secrecy. There are rarely, if ever, exposés about this industry (yes – industry, as it […]

The United States Supreme Court is expected to soon deliver its ruling regarding the use of race and ethnicity as considerations in college admissions. Many believe that a majority of the Court’s nine members will vote in favor of altogether banning or drastically altering the […]

Earlier this month, we  told you about College Board’s decision to redesign the SAT with the stated goal of focusing it toward “the core knowledge and skills that … are most important to prepare students for the rigors of college.” This announcement marks only the […]

This week, College Board president David Coleman announced that the SAT will undergo a transformation geared at refocusing the test toward the “core set of knowledge and skills” he considers essential for all college-bound high school graduates. In doing so, Coleman hopes to make the […]

In an increasingly competitive college landscape, there’s a growing push for colleges to employ methods that could reduce the cutthroat nature of the competition among all parties involved. This isn’t to suggest that all competition is bad, but that perhaps there is a more cooperative […]

As college admissions officers continue the search to find meaningful metrics to evaluate students, the definition of ‘merit’ has transformed. With less emphasis on standardized tests, admissions processes have become increasingly more subjective, opening themselves to greater legal scrutiny. In light of ongoing affirmative action […]

The campus tour is one of the most important aspects of the search process as it facilitates an unmediated experience by which prospective students (and parents) examine various colleges. For the colleges, it provides an even greater opportunity to lure students in through documentation […]

With college admissions deadlines finally in your rear-view mirror, hopefully you’re feeling content about the schools to which you applied. Consider the criteria you used in finalizing your list of colleges. Your major, the size, opportunities to study abroad and conduct research were probably among […]

With early decision deadlines at hand, admissions officers debate the merits of early applications. Louis Hirsh, a former director of admissions at the University of Delaware, shares his thoughts with the Chronicle of Higher Education.