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Learning to Lead: Learning to Lead: Admissions in the 21Admissions in the 21stst Century Webinar Series Century Webinar Series
Complexity in College Admissions: Complexity in College Admissions: Facts and MythsFacts and Myths
March 28, 20101:00PM EST
Presenters:
Arlene Cash
Brad Quin
Bruce Walker
Advocacy & Policy Center
Mission: To increase the number of students who earn a college
degree and who are prepared to succeed in the 21st century.
Approach:
College Preparation & Access Arts at the Core The CollegeKeys Compact™ School Counselor Advocacy Teacher Advocacy Minority Male Achievement Undocumented Students and the DREAM Act The National Commission on Writing
College Affordability & Financial Aid– Cracking the Student Aid Code– Rethinking Student Aid– Trends in Higher Education– Education Pays– Simplifying State Aid Processes
College Admission & Completion– College Completion Agenda– Admissions in the 21st Century– Access & Diversity Collaborative– Community College Transfer & Retention
Areas of Focus
Study OverviewObjective:
Explore the topic of complexity in the admission process through research based on student and parent perceptions
Measure student and parent perceptions of complexity Differentiate responses by income, race and ethnicity, first
generation status and geography Identify which subgroups find the process (or aspects of it)
complex and why Identify possible responses to key findings
Survey Overview: 600 students planning to enroll in a 4-year college 300 parents of students planning to enroll in a 4-year
college
Examined 7 Areas from the Student & Parent View: Getting Information about College Application Process: General Application Process: Schools to which students applied Application Process: Features of the application process Application Process: By school type & size Sources of Help During the College Application Process Overall Perceptions of the College Application Process Parents Experiences with the College Application Process Demographics
A Closer Look: Fact or Urban Myth?
Learning to Lead: Learning to Lead: Admissions in the 21Admissions in the 21stst Century Webinar Series Century Webinar Series
Getting Information about Getting Information about CollegesColleges
Learning to Lead: Learning to Lead: Admissions in the 21Admissions in the 21stst Century Webinar Series Century Webinar Series
Application Process: GeneralApplication Process: General
Respondents’ Suggestions for Making the Process Less Confusing/Complex
Top Four Suggestions: Students Better instructions/Step-by-step
guides/Clear checklist: 15% Improve college websites/Make
websites more user- friendly/ Better information on websites: 14%
Use a common application/Have everything in one place or on one website: 10%
Better communication between colleges and students, parents, high school staff/Better or more timely notification when items are missing: 9%
Top Four Suggestions: Parents Better communication between
colleges and students, parents, high school staff/Better or more timely notification when items are missing: 11%
Improve college websites/Make websites more user- friendly/ Better information on websites: 10%
Better instructions/Step-by-step guides/Clear checklist: 9%
Use a common application/Have everything in one place or on one website: 7%
Learning to Lead: Learning to Lead: Admissions in the 21Admissions in the 21stst Century Webinar Series Century Webinar Series
Application Process: Schools to Which Students Applied
Learning to Lead: Learning to Lead: Admissions in the 21Admissions in the 21stst Century Webinar Series Century Webinar Series
Application Process:Application Process:Features of the Application ProcessFeatures of the Application Process
How Confusing Were Specific Features of the Admissions Process? Top Three
From a List of Standard Processes; Scale 1 Low, 10 High
Knowing how admission decisions are made
Students: 3.32 Parents: 3.64
Being able to find information they needed on a college’s website
Students: 2.68 Parents: 2.24
Completing the application form
Students: 2.62 Parents: 2.47
From a List of “special” processes; Scale 1 Low, 10 High
Write an essay Students: 3.50 Parents: 3.14
Apply for admission to a specific college within the school
Students: 2.64 Parents: 2.33
Submit samples of high school coursework
Students: 2.49 Parents: 2.26
Learning to Lead: Learning to Lead: Admissions in the 21Admissions in the 21stst Century Webinar Series Century Webinar Series
Application Process:Application Process:By School Type and SizeBy School Type and Size
Does Complexity Vary by School Type or Size?
Students: Rating 1 Low, 10 High
Public: 2.55 Private: 2.51 Small: 2.54
< 4,000 Medium: 2.67
4,000 to 9,999 Large: 2.55
>10,000
Parents: Rating 1 Low, 10 High
Public: 2.26 Private: 2.31 Small: 2.02
< 4,000 Medium: 2.52
4,000 to 9,999 Large: 2.32
>10,000
Does Complexity of Specific Tasks Vary by School Type: Top 5
Public: Rating 1 Low, 10 High
Write an essay: 3.37 Apply for admission to a
specific college within the school: 2.51
Submit samples of high school coursework: 2.48
Have an interview with admissions staff: 2.43
Get letters of recommendation:2.07
Private:Rating 1 Low , 10 High
Write an essay: 3.21 Submit samples of high
school coursework: 2.44 Have an interview with
admissions staff: 2.41 Get letters of
recommendation: 2.31 Apply for admission to a
specific college within the school: 2.12
Does Confusion about Features of the Process Vary with School Size: Top 3
Knowing how admission decisions are made Small: 3.47 Medium: 2.63 Large: 2.57
Knowing if all required materials were submitted Small: 3.16 Medium: 2.43 Large: 2.54
Being able to find information they needed on a college’s website
Small: 3.21 Medium: 2.59 Large: 2.62
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Sources of Help During the Sources of Help During the College Application ProcessCollege Application Process
Learning to Lead: Learning to Lead: Admissions in the 21Admissions in the 21stst Century Webinar Series Century Webinar Series
Overall Perceptions of the College Overall Perceptions of the College Application ProcessApplication Process
Stressors in the Process: Top 3
Those factors that were not stressful (rated 1-5)
Was not complicated/All information needed in one place/Process was self-explanatory: 32%
Waiting for the answer was the stressful part/Not knowing if they would be accepted: 15%
Different applications have different requirements/Difficult to gather all the required items: 14%
Those factors that were stressful (rated 6-10)
Different applications have different requirements/Difficult to gather all the required items: 34%
Worried about deadlines/Difficult to meet deadlines: 26%
Very time consuming/Hard to balance with work, school, and extracurricular activities: 18%
Learning to Lead: Learning to Lead: Admissions in the 21Admissions in the 21stst Century Webinar Series Century Webinar Series
DemographicsDemographics
Type of high school student attends
Students(N=600)
Parents(N=300)
Public school 88% 86%
Private school 11% 12%
Home school 1% 2%
Student’s anticipated major field* Students(N=600)
Parents(N=300)
Life sciences 19% 14%
Physical sciences 17% 17%
Social sciences 17% 11%
Business 16% 14%
Medical sciences 11% 13%
Liberal arts 10% 9%
Education 8% 10%
Communications 4% 6%
Undecided 9% 6%
Student Demographics
High school GPA Students(N=600)
Parents(N=300)
2.99 or less 11% 6%
3.00 to 3.24 13% 13%
3.25 to 3.49 12% 10%
3.50 to 3.74 19% 21%
3.75 to 3.99 19% 19%
4.00 or greater 18% 14%
Don’t know 8% 17%
Standardized tests taken Students(N=600)
Parents(N=300)
% taking SAT 98% 97%
% taking ACT 48% 61%
Combined SAT score Students(N=457)
Parents(N=138)
Mean SAT score (std. deviation) 1574 (306.50)
1529 (351.09)
Median 1570 1540
Combined ACT score Students(N=237)
Parents(N=76)
Mean ACT score (std. deviation) 24.37 (5.23)
25.08(5.93)
Median 24.00 25.00
Parent’s Household Income Students(N=600)
Parents(N=300)
Less than $20,000 10% 6%
$20,000 but less than $40,000 18% 18%
$40,000 but less than $75,000 23% 26%
$75,000 but less than $150,000 21% 27%
$150,000 or more 8% 12%
Don’t know 18% 1%
Refused 2% 10%
Gender of Respondent Students(N=600)
Parents(N=300)
Male 42% 32%
Female 58% 68%
General Demographics
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Conclusions and Conclusions and RecommendationsRecommendations
Getting Information About College
Findings: Parents and students offered college application
process classes or seminars found them helpful Recommendation:
Work with high schools to develop college information programs
Establish guidelines and evaluation to ensure programs are effective
Application Process: General Findings:
College choice is only moderately complicated; multiple college choices increase complexity
College choice is generally made by student, or jointly between student and parent
First-generation students report making decision solely
Recommendation:
Develop materials targeted to first-generation students
Develop suggestions to help all students make wise decisions on college type, needs and goals
Schools which Students Applied Findings:
Students apply to ~ 4 colleges/universities on average
Students most frequently apply to public schools and in-state schools
First-generation and lower-income students are less like to apply to private/out-of-state schools
Recommendation: Investigate the barriers preventing first-
generation and lower income students from applying to private/out-of-state schools
Features of the Application Process Findings:
Applying to college was a fairly simple and clear process for students
More difficult when applying to numerous schools
Most students complete applications online Knowing how admission decisions are made is
most unclear Writing essays and submitting recommendation
letters were fairly simple No major barriers identified for students from low-
income families, first-generation or geographical location
Features of the Application Process
Recommendation:
Encourage colleges to be more transparent regarding the admission decision-making process
By School Type & Size
Finding: Slight differences emerged based on type of
size but not significant to provoke change Recommendation:
Develop suggestions to help all students make wise decisions on college type, needs and goals
Sources of Help Findings:
Students rely on parents and high school counselors First-generation and lower income students are less
likely to receive help from parents More likely to receive help from school counselors, teachers, friends,
and older siblings
Recommendation:
Encourage colleges to have informative, up-to-date, and easy to navigate websites
Assist schools with the development of additional basic information about the college application process
Overall Perceptions
Findings: Moderately stressful to apply to college
Stress is based on outcomes not process
Secondary stress: Different applications have different requirements Balance between application process and high school life
Parents and students are confident about college choices
Overall, respondents felt the application process is easy and self-explanatory
Part II: Complexity Report Objective:
To understand how much , when and why students – particularly those form disadvantaged backgrounds – fall out of the process or otherwise aim too low in pursing college, given their academic qualifications
If complexity in the application process is not a significant factor (see Phase I research findings), what other factors are impacting college attendance outcomes
Target Populations Low-Income, low-socioeconomic status, first-generation
Release Date Fall 2011
Upcoming Webinars
Cracking the Student Aid CodeApril 28, 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. EDT
Leadership, Access and Institutional MissionMay 18, 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. EDT
Learning to Lead: Admissions in the 21st Century Webinar Series
To download Complexity in College Admissions: Fact or Urban Myth and register for the upcoming webinars, visit http://advocacy.collegeboard.org.
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