College Admissions Research Articles

Dominated Choices in a Strategically Simple College Admissions Environment

Dominated Choices in a Strategically Simple College Admissions Environment

What's Next: Education leaders ponder the fallout from the Supreme Court affirmative action decision

When the Supreme Court outlawed affirmative action for college admissions in its late June decision, that specific result had been expected for months. While there has been plenty of parsing of what the decision means, and what it doesn’t, the bigger question for college officials is what's next?

Multimodal Data Fusion to Detect Preknowledge Test-Taking Behavior Using Machine Learning.

In various fields, including college admission, medical board certifications, and military recruitment, high-stakes decisions are frequently made based on scores obtained from large-scale assessments. These decisions necessitate precise and reliable scores that enable valid inferences to be drawn about test-takers. However, the ability of such tests to provide reliable, accurate inference on a test-taker's performance could be jeopardized by aberrant test-taking practices, for instance, practicing real items prior to the test. As a result, it is crucial for administrators of such assessments to develop strategies that detect potential aberrant test-takers after data collection. The aim of this study is to explore the implementation of machine learning methods in combination with multimodal data fusion strategies that integrate bio-information technology, such as eye-tracking, and psychometric measures, including response times and item responses, to detect aberrant test-taking behaviors in technology-assisted remote testing settings.

An Evaluation of the Chinese CollegeAdmission Examination System from the Standpoint of Equity in Public Policy

The provincial education examination institution mandate system for Chinas college entrance examination was approved by the relevant national department or is implementing an independent proposition. It is uniformly dispatched by the Ministry of Education and implemented and managed by the provincial enrollment and examination committees. Its nature dictates that social justice must exist. The battle for college entrance exams has grown more intense as the number of exams for admission to colleges continues to rise. Then came the sociological phenomenon of immigrants taking college admission exams. This article will use the phenomenon of college entrance examination immigration as an illustration to explain the need for its public policy for the equitable distribution of social value through a thorough analysis of college entrance examination admissions. The fairness of the new college entrance exam system must be continually improved. To take into account the interests of all parties and maximize the overall efficacy of public policy, social values must be distributed fairly.

MBBS admission criteria as predictor of academic performance in a medical college of Pakistan.

To determine the relationship between scores obtained by students in assessments considered as admission criteria (cognitive and non-cognitive) with their academic performance in medical college. This correlational study used the data of students who got admission in Shalamar Medical and Dental College (SMDC) in 2015. Spearman correlation and Multiple regression tests were carried out to determine the relationship between admission criteria (Matric, FSC, MDCAT and MMI) and academic performance in medical college (pre-clinical and clinical years). There was significant positive correlation between scores obtained in MDCAT and pre-clinical years. When combined, MDCAT and MMI scores showed a significant positive correlation with scores obtained by students in clinical years. Scores obtained by students in pre-clinical years strongly correlated with their performance in clinical years. While scores obtained by students in FSC showed negative correlation with clinical year scores, significantly. It is concluded that the tools used for admission criteria should include both cognitive and non-cognitive elements. MDCAT is a good predictor of academic performance in pre-clinical years however it can only predict performance in clinical years when combined with MMI since MMI assesses the non-cognitive attributes (communication, empathy, ethics etc.) required in those years. FSC should not be given weightage as admission criteria owing to a lot of variability in the exams and scoring of different academic boards of the country.

Cross-sectional study on public health knowledge among first-year university students in Japan: Implications for educators and educational institutions.

In recent years, there have been increasing knowledge gaps and biases in public health information. This has become especially evident during the COVID-19 pandemic and has contributed to the spread of misinformation. With constant exposure to disinformation and misinformation through television, the internet, and social media, even university students studying healthcare-related subjects lack accurate public health knowledge. This study aimed to assess university students' knowledge levels of basic public health topics before they started their specialized education. Participants in this cross-sectional study were first-year students from medical schools, health-related colleges, and liberal arts colleges. A self-administered electronic survey was conducted from April to May 2021 at a private university in Japan, comprising six colleges with seven programs. Data analysis, conducted from June to December 2022, included students' self-reported public health knowledge, sources of information, and self-assessment of knowledge levels. Among the 1,562 students who received the questionnaire, 549 (192 male [35%], 353 female [64.3%], and 4 undisclosed [0.7%]) responded to one question (participants' response rate for each question; 59.6%-100%). The results showed that students had limited public health knowledge, especially in sexual health topics, and 10% of students reported not learning in class before university admission the following 11 topics: two on Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs; eight on Growth, Development, and Sexual Health; and one on Personal and Community Health. These results indicate significant knowledge gaps and biases, as well as gender gaps, in public health education, especially in the area of sexual health, which may help educators and educational institutions to better understand and prepare for further specialized education. The findings also suggest a need to supplement and reinforce the foundation of public health knowledge for healthcare majors at the time of university admission.

Advising Orthopaedic Hopefuls in the Wake of a Pass/Fail US Medical Licensing Examination Step 1: A Proposed Method for Predicting US Medical Licensing Examination Step 2 Clinical Knowledge Outcomes.

Matching into orthopaedic residency has become difficult, and the US Medical Licensing Examination Step 1 transition to pass/fail scoring has complicated the process. Advisors' ability to mentor students has decreased, and program directors may rely on Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (CK) scores in selecting which candidates to interview. This study aims to offer a method to predict Step 2 CK outcomes based on preadmission and preclinical performance. The study investigated 486 students from a US medical school who enrolled in 2017 and 2018. Data on demographics, preadmission, and preclinical performance were collected. Before model creation, it was found that sex, Medical College Admission Test scores, Comprehensive Basic Science Examination performance, and preclinical curriculum performance produced optimal models. Multivariate ordinal logistic regression models were built to predict probabilities of four outcome levels of Step 2 CK: <235, 235 to 249, 250 to 265, and >265. Finally, nomograms were created to visualize probability calculations. Each model's odds ratios revealed that female sex, higher MCAT scores, and better Comprehensive Basic Science Examination and preclinical performance were associated with an increased likelihood of being in higher Step 2 CK scoring groups. Preclinical performance had a profound effect, especially for those in the top 1/3. Models were successful in assigning higher probabilities to students in higher Step 2 CK scoring groups in more than 80% of instances. Nomograms presented provide examples of how to apply these models to an individual student. This study presents a novel method for predicting probabilities of Step 2 CK outcomes that can be used to mentor students at a time point when Step 1 previously filled this role. It may assist in identifying orthopaedic hopefuls at risk of performing poorly on Step 2 CK and can foster the development of individualized guidance and mitigation strategies.

Fair Machine Learning Post Affirmative Action

The U.S. Supreme Court, in a 6-3 decision on June 29, effectively ended the use of race in college admissions [1]. Indeed, national polls found that a plurality of Americans - 42%, according to a poll conducted by the University of Massachusetts [2] - agree that the policy should be discontinued, while 33% support its continued use in admissions decisions. As scholars of fair machine learning, we ponder how the Supreme Court decision shifts points of focus in the field. The most popular fair machine learning methods aim to achieve some form of "impact parity" by diminishing or removing the correlation between decisions and protected attributes, such as race or gender, similarly to the 80% rule of thumb of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commision. Impact parity can be achieved by reversing historical discrimination, which corresponds to affirmative actions, or by diminishing or removing the influence of the attributes correlated with the protected attributes, which is impractical as it severely undermines model accuracy. Besides, impact disparity is not necessarily a bad thing, e.g., African-American patients suffer from a higher rate of chronic illnesses than White patients and, hence, it may be justified to admit them to care programs at a proportionally higher rate [3]. The U.S. burden-shifting framework under Title VII offers solutions alternative to impact parity. To determine employment discrimination, U.S. courts rely on the McDonnell-Douglas burden-shifting framework where the explanations, justifications, and comparisons of employment practices play a central role. Can similar methods be applied in machine learning?

Retrieving and transferring knowledge: Effects of test item variation on transfer in an authentic learning environment

IntroductionLaboratory research has found superiority of transfer to new questions when prior ones asking about the same underlying problem (or construct) were varied in nature as compared to being constant. The current study examines this matter in a college Introduction to Methods in Psychology course. MethodsStudents (N = 287) with varying aptitudes as measured by college GPA and admissions test scores were taught and then repeatedly tested on a set of constructs (e.g., identifying a particular source of confounding). For half of those constructs, the four ‘mid-term’ exams repeatedly asked the same question (Constant condition). For the other half, each of those exams asked about the constructs via a new question (Varied condition). The final exam included both repeated and novel items testing each construct. We utilized explanatory item response models to examine whether students' performance on the final exam (the probability of a particular student correctly answering a particular item) depends on the type of question (Constant or Varied) previously asked about that construct and on aptitude. ResultsStudents with lower aptitude performed differentially worse on novel final exam items in the Varied condition. Evidence for the superiority of transfer items in the Varied over the Constant case was observed, though not as strongly as predicted.

Meritocracy and Representation

A standard conception of meritocracy, reflected in state referenda and the many legal filings against university admissions policies, is that selection rules should be blind to group identity and monotonic in measures of past accomplishment. We present theoretical arguments and survey empirical evidence challenging this view. Past accomplishment is often a garbled signal of multiple traits, some of which matter more for future performance than others. In such cases, group identity can be informative as a predictor of success and the increased representation of resource-disadvantaged groups could improve organizational performance. This perspective helps explain some recent empirical findings regarding the efficiency effects of group-contingent selection and moves us toward a conception of meritocracy more closely tied to organizational mission. (JEL I23, I26, I28, J15)

고교생의 졸업 후 진로계획 및 대학전공 설정과 학업성취도 간의 관계분석

In this study, we investigated the relationship between high school students’ post-graduation career plans, college major choices and academic achievement. Drawing upon data from the first and second years of the Korean Education and Employment Panel II, we explored the relationship between students' post-graduation career plans, their choice of college major during the second year of high school, and their academic achievement in the third grade utilizing multiple regression approaches.&#x0D; The findings revealed a positive correlation between college aspiration during the second year of high school and higher academic achievement in the third year of high school. Students who set specific goals for college admission demonstrated a better academic performance compared to those who did not. Conversely, no statistically significant relationship is observed between college major choices during the second year of high school and their academic achievement in the third 3rd year of high school.&#x0D; Based on these results, it is confirmed that the aspiration to pursue college among high school students is positively related to academic achievement, serving as a motivating factor for individuals. Therefore, the findings of this study underscores the significance of goal-setting during the high school years, thereby the importance of career education and counseling. The findings of this research also have policy implications, highlighting the need to prioritize goal-setting among high school students and provide adequate support for students’ career development.

Higher education policies for applicants with criminal records in the United Kingdom: Are universities ‘banning the box’?

In response to the introduction of the Data Protection Act (2018), the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) no longer require applicants to non-regulated degrees to disclose unspent convictions on their university applications. The UCAS application represents just one stage of the admissions process, but there are other stages where applicants′ criminal history information can be requested. This paper reports the findings from an analysis of 143 university criminal record policies to explore if, how and why applicants′ disclosures are used within the undergraduate admissions process. Findings indicate that 103 institutions continue to make it compulsory for applicants to non-regulated degrees to disclose their unspent criminal record. This requirement has the potential to create challenges for a substantial proportion of the population, should they decide to apply to university. University policies often justify the use of compulsory criminal record disclosures to support `safeguarding procedures´ or as part of their ???duty of care towards staff and students???. Yet university policies provide no evidence or explanation to suggest that asking applicants to self-disclose their unspent criminal records effectively supports these aims. Consequently, this paper calls into question the rationalities universities use to justify their practices towards applicants with criminal records.

학생으로서 학생선수 학습권에 관한 소고(小考)

Elite sports education in Korea has structural contradictions. In other words, the process of elite sports is that professional exercise instructors provide intensive and systematic education for talented players. However, it is judged that since life sports are not active except for some sports in Korea, in many cases, talents are often discovered by starting elite sports education first. Furthermore, such elite sports education is directly linked to the college admission process for sport-specialty students, which means that the decision to quit athletics in the middle is to give up going to college, so student-athletes have no choice but to continue training and participating in competitions, even if they are not athletically gifted.&#x0D; As a result of a complete enumeration survey by the National Human Rights Commission of Korea, it was investigated that school classes were not being conducted properly in the case of student-athletes. Although remedial classes are supposed to make up for missing classes through the e-school system, in addition to an issue about the fidelity of learning when taking e-school, more importantly, e-school classes cannot replace character education and socialization education as a member of the community to be acquired in school life. Just the initial idea of introducing the e-school system for student-athletes meant that the Ministry of Education itself acknowledged the deficiencies of regular classes due to the activities of school athletic clubs, but it did not prepare an alternative to character education and socialization education.&#x0D; Character education and socialization education, such as the acquisition of universal knowledge for independent living of each citizen, as well as the virtues required as members of a social community, can be said to be essential elements for survival as a human being. That is why the Constitution stipulates the compulsory education system as a responsibility of the state.&#x0D; The recent measure by the Ministry of Education to expand the number of days acknowledged as attendance for student-athletes is an act of neglecting the state's obligations for 6 years of elementary education and 3 years of secondary education, which are stipulated in the Constitution. If school education with a public nature is disrupted by private education in the structure of school sports, it means that the state has rather taken advantage of school sports power despite its duty and responsibility to regulate appropriately for the normalization of school education. It would be reasonable for the government to face up to the structural problems of elite sports education and present solutions.

그들은 왜 교차지원을 했는가?

Objectives This study qualitatively explored the experiences of students who went to college by cross-application with a major which is different from the high school track.&#x0D; Methods In this study, six 3rd grade high school students participated who passed the university admission through cross-application. Through in-depth interviews with participants, data on experiences ranging from selecting high school tracks to changing tracks and cross-application processes were collected, and topics commonly revealed through a constant comparative analysis were identified.&#x0D; Results As a result of the study, participants decided on their tracks by considering only the fragmentary aspects of a specific track and then experienced difficulty and confusion in changing the track in the middle. Also, their cross-application tended to be hastily decided with the purpose of employment and entrance exams, lacking deep consideration. In addition, they expressed concerns and anxiety about their studies and adaptation after entering university.&#x0D; Conclusions Based on these results, this study suggested that sufficient information and deliberation are needed in the process of selecting high school tracks and counseling for college entrance, and academic and career guidance support at universities is required for cross-applicants.

The Power of Professors and Professionals: How Professions Shape Organizational Systems in Elite University Admissions

Elite university admissions are administered by a range of organizational actors depending on national and institutional contexts. While the outcomes of high-stakes elite university admissions have been studied extensively, the opaque admissions selection process remains undertheorized and understood. Using theories of professions and systems theory to examine unique qualitative interview data from admissions selectors in both the U.S. and England, this paper sheds light on the opaque decision-making of elite university admissions shaped by professional contexts and organizational dynamics. We find that the self-regulated profession of professors and the less autonomous professional staff selectors influence the decision-making processes of elite university admissions. Understanding elite university admissions based on the macro/meso-context of professions and their organizational system structure offers a theoretically original approach for future research and the potential to create more equitable admissions processes through new change strategies.

The Mechanisms of Ethnoracialization and Asian American Support for Race-conscious Admissions

Recent studies on political attitude formations have developed the ethnoracialization framework, which emphasizes the roles of racial hierarchies and ethnic identities interconnected with national origins. However, existing research has not established analytical strategies to incorporate this framework, leaving a gap between theory and practice. We propose an alternative analytical model to examine ethnoracialized political attitudes using the case of Asian Americans’ support for race-conscious college admissions. Using data from the 2016 National Asian American Survey, our effect coding reveals how Asian Americans’ race-conscious admissions attitudes vary by ethnicity. Then, we investigate whether this variation can be attributed to theoretical predictors of such attitudes, including the mention of previously supportive Supreme Court decisions on race-conscious admissions, through regression modeling. Most ethnic groups’ mean support scores significantly vary from the grand mean of Asian Americans, and those gaps remain significant even after controlling for socioeconomic backgrounds and general predictors. As an exception, redistributionism accounted for some ethnic variations. Certain predictors such as individual experiences of the U.S. opportunity structure and the racial justice frame shaped overall race-conscious admissions attitudes but did not reduce ethnic variations. These findings highlight the need for increased attention to the analysis of ethnic communities when studying ethnoracialized political attitudes, as our current theories appear insufficient in explaining variations observed between ethnic groups. Thus, conducting research that explores the interplay between Asian Americans, racialization, and ethnic communities will provide a more comprehensive understanding of Asian Americans and potentially other ethnoracialized groups.

Consider implications of Supreme Court decision regarding affirmative action in admissions

In a decision that reverberated throughout the halls of higher education, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down race‐conscious admissions programs at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina (See Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College, Slip Op. No. 20‐1199 (2023)). The decision overturns decades of precedent and effectively invalidates affirmative action policies in college admissions.

Consider implications of Supreme Court decision regarding affirmative action in admissions

In a decision that reverberated throughout the halls of higher education, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down race‐conscious admissions programs at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina (see Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College, Slip Op. No. 20‐1199 (2023)). The decision overturns decades of precedent and effectively invalidates affirmative action policies in college admissions.

Consider implications of Supreme Court decision regarding affirmative action in admissions

In a decision that reverberated throughout the halls of higher education, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down race‐conscious admissions programs at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina (See Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College, Slip Op. No. 20‐1199 (2023)). The decision overturns decades of precedent and effectively invalidates affirmative action policies in college admissions.

Second Chance Pell sets the stage for rapid expansion of prison college programs

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Higher education is in need of some good news. The Supreme Court has struck down affirmative action in college admissions and nixed President Biden's expansive idea to cancel $400 billion of student debt. Polls constantly show the public's faith in the importance of higher education is sliding, and to top it off, an enrollment cliff is imminent.