American Institutes for Research’s Post

The current system of college admissions doesn’t just fail to account for the unique struggles faced by students from lower-income backgrounds. It gives the rich a special boost. To change that, colleges need a quota system. Equalizing the proportion of students at elite colleges from lower socioeconomic strata will produce a generation of leaders that is more receptive to the needs and struggles of the majority of the country. It will produce a generation that is more humble, more multiculturalist, and more intelligent. Just as many of us have long recognized the benefits of racial diversity in higher education, so too must we acknowledge the importance of socioeconomic diversity in creating healthy institutions to train the future. If colleges are serious about remedying inequality in admissions, they’ll have to prove it. They can tell us as much as they want how much we belong here, no matter our background. But when almost everyone around us comes from wealth, how are we supposed to believe them?

📚 Interesting insight: Elite colleges and universities give admissions preference to wealthy students, hindering socioeconomic diversity. 🔍 Insights: - Reforms are needed to promote socioeconomic diversity on elite campuses. - A few college presidents could have a significant impact on changing admissions practices. - Maintaining diversity without considering race in admissions decisions is a challenge. - Efforts to promote economic diversity have focused on lower-income students, neglecting the middle and upper middle class. - Reforming admissions processes, such as halting legacy admissions and preference for non-academic achievement, could add more students from lower-income families. - Leadership, extracurricular activities, and personality traits are given added importance, favoring students from private high schools with affluent student bodies. - Tradition and money often prevent administrators from making changes to admissions practices. - Institutions rely on tuition from high-income students to balance their budgets, making it difficult to overcome the admission bias towards wealthy students. - Students from the top 1% of household earnings are twice as likely to attend elite colleges, greatly impacting their future opportunities. 💭 My thoughts: This research highlights the need for reform in the admissions practices of elite colleges and universities. While promoting economic diversity is important, we must also address the biases that favor students from wealthy backgrounds. It is crucial for colleges and universities to prioritize merit and equal opportunities for all students, regardless of their socioeconomic status. ❓ How can we encourage elite colleges and universities to implement meaningful reforms to promote socioeconomic diversity? Share your thoughts! #education #admissions #diversity #socioeconomic #equality https://lnkd.in/eef_kXQg

Since the U.S. Supreme Court's affirmative action ruling, I've been wondering how universities will recruit and admit students of diverse backgrounds. Wake Forest University, my alma mater, today announced new policy aimed at this goal - an early action option specifically for first-generation students. Here's my latest, which details the policy and why first-generation students are a critical demographic in college admissions. #GoDeacs #affirmativeaction #dei #collegeadmissions #firstgen #firstgenerationcollegestudent

📚 Interesting insight: Elite colleges and universities give admissions preference to wealthy students, hindering socioeconomic diversity. 🔍 Insights: - Reforms are needed to promote socioeconomic diversity on elite campuses. - A few college presidents could have a significant impact on changing admissions practices. - Maintaining diversity without considering race in admissions decisions is a challenge. - Efforts to promote economic diversity have focused on lower-income students, neglecting the middle and upper middle class. - Reforming admissions processes, such as halting legacy admissions and preference for non-academic achievement, could add more students from lower-income families. - Leadership, extracurricular activities, and personality traits are given added importance, favoring students from private high schools with affluent student bodies. - Tradition and money often prevent administrators from making changes to admissions practices. - Institutions rely on tuition from high-income students to balance their budgets, making it difficult to overcome the admission bias towards wealthy students. - Students from the top 1% of household earnings are twice as likely to attend elite colleges, greatly impacting their future opportunities. 💭 My thoughts: This research highlights the need for reform in the admissions practices of elite colleges and universities. While promoting economic diversity is important, we must also address the biases that favor students from wealthy backgrounds. It is crucial for colleges and universities to prioritize merit and equal opportunities for all students, regardless of their socioeconomic status. ❓ How can we encourage elite colleges and universities to implement meaningful reforms to promote socioeconomic diversity? Share your thoughts! #education #admissions #diversity #socioeconomic #equality https://lnkd.in/eV4X9FwR

Legacy preference in admissions is only used at a handful of elite universities, but graduates of those universities tend to be influential. The schools at which the policy is still used argue that it's necessary. #GreatCollegeAdvice #CollegeAdmissions #LegacyAdmissions

Understanding the landscape of higher education is key to leveling the playing field. A recent study by Jeremy Bauer-Wolf uncovers how certain admissions practices favor the affluent, putting students from lower-income backgrounds at a disadvantage. At #Pathway2CareerConsulting, we're committed to providing all students with equal opportunities and insights to navigate the competitive world of college and graduate admissions. Together, we can bridge this educational gap. #collegeadmissions #graduateschool #educationalequity https://lnkd.in/ght_7pk4

First-generation students face barriers to applying for college and sometimes miss out on early action deadlines. Our research finds early decision deadlines give an advantage to wealthier students with more resources. Historically underserved students, including first-generation students, often aren't aware of those deadlines or don't have the resources to decide on college early in their senior year. Wake Forest University announced a new early action deadline specifically for first-generation students to apply early in the admissions cycle, boosting their likelihood of being admitted. https://lnkd.in/gqKNY27k Read our full report to learn more about how to make recruitment, admissions, and enrollment practice more equitable: https://lnkd.in/e4dCw48s BestColleges Bennett Leckrone #collegeaccess #admissions #firstgenerationstudents #FirstGenStudent

The power of advocacy for equity in access to Higher Education. A good step in the right direction. We look forward to seeing more of this in the subsequent years. #highereducationforall #firstgenerationstudents #collegeaccess #FirstGenStudent

Legacy preference in admissions is only used at a handful of elite universities, but graduates of those universities tend to be influential. The schools at which the policy is still used argue that it's necessary. #GreatCollegeAdvice #CollegeAdmissions #LegacyAdmissions

As a seasoned professional in the field of higher education consulting, this article underscores a persisting issue that I witness every day - economic disparity in college admissions. It's alarming to note that wealth can significantly influence the outcome of an admission process in top-ranked colleges. This not only hinders true meritocracy but also widens the socioeconomic gap in our society. Through my work, I resolve and support students of all backgrounds in demystifying the admissions process, offering them a fair chance to compete. Let's continue the conversation on how we can collectively build more inclusive and equitable admission practices. #HigherEducation #EducationalEquity #AccessToEducation