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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?

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Getting Information about Getting Information about CollegesColleges

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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%

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Application Process: Schools to Which Students Applied

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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

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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

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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%

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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

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