tag:theconversation.com,2011:/global/topics/university-admissions-7457/articlesUniversity admissions – The Conversation2023-06-18T20:07:30Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2074152023-06-18T20:07:30Z2023-06-18T20:07:30ZOur research shows how students can miss out on their preferred uni degree – but there’s a simple fix<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/531563/original/file-20230613-25-hym2a2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C9%2C6240%2C4119&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Ivan Samkov/Pexels</span></span></figcaption></figure><p><em>This article is part of our series on <a href="https://theconversation.com/au/topics/universities-accord-big-ideas-137143">big ideas for the Universities Accord</a>. The federal government is calling for ideas to “reshape and reimagine higher education, and set it up for the next decade and beyond”. A review team is due to finish a draft report later this month, with a final report in December 2023.</em></p>
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<p>Every year thousands of students around Australia sit their final high school exams. The performance in these exams will help determine their Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR). For many, it will also determine whether they can attend university, which university, and which undergraduate degree they can enrol in.
The Universities Accord review team <a href="https://www.education.gov.au/australian-universities-accord/resources/australian-universities-accord-panel-discussion-paper">has called for advice</a> on the role admissions systems play in “matching learners to pathways” and supporting an increase in participation and success at university. The accord also has a <a href="https://www.education.gov.au/australian-universities-accord/resources/terms-reference">broader focus</a> on improving access to a quality higher education. </p>
<p>When discussing <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/a-third-of-public-school-students-drop-out-before-finishing-year-12-20230602-p5ddgb.html">equity issues</a> around university entry, most attention is usually paid to perceived school quality, exam preparation and <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/why-students-atars-are-becoming-more-important-20230226-p5cnnd.html">assessment design</a>.</p>
<p>Less attention is paid to the crucial process by which each student is allocated a place in a particular degree at a particular university. </p>
<p>Our <a href="https://academic.oup.com/pnasnexus/article/1/1/pgac010/6545769_">research shows</a> design flaws in this process can see school leavers miss out on studying their most preferred degree, even if they are eligible to enrol in it based on their academic performance. </p>
<p>This can have significant ramifications for a students’ lifetime earnings, career progression and professional satisfaction.</p>
<h2>The NSW admissions system</h2>
<p>We studied the New South Wales admissions system, which is managed by the Universities Admissions Centre. Although there is some variation, other Australian states and territories have similar systems. </p>
<p>Undergraduate applicants are asked to submit an ordered list of five degrees for which they would like to be considered. </p>
<p>The Universities Admissions Centre then puts each student’s preference information into an algorithm that accounts for their individual score and the entry cut-off scores determined by each university for each of their degrees. </p>
<p>Obviously, an applicant’s choice of which five degrees to list is of critical importance to them.</p>
<p>The centre provides students with advice to help them optimise their preferences. At the time of our study it was: </p>
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<p>List your ‘dream preference’ at number one but follow that with realistic preferences. At the bottom of the preference list you should include one or two ‘safe’ options to ensure that you get an offer.</p>
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<p>(The Universities Admissions Centres website <a href="https://www.uac.edu.au/future-applicants/how-to-apply-for-uni/selecting-your-course-preferences">now says</a>: “First on your list should be the course you’d most like to do, followed by your second, third and fourth preferences and so on.”)</p>
<p>So students need to make a sophisticated gamble to determine their future careers. They need to “dream” but also be realistic. It may not be in their best interests to list the five degrees in the order in which they truly prefer them. </p>
<p>If they only include dream degrees, with high cut-off marks, they may miss out on a university offer. But if they only include safe options, with low cut-off marks, they may miss out on doing what they truly want to study.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/students-think-the-atar-is-unfair-but-we-need-to-be-careful-about-replacing-it-200173">Students think the ATAR is 'unfair' but we need to be careful about replacing it</a>
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<h2>Our study</h2>
<p>To assess these theoretical concerns, in 2019, we ran an experiment with students experienced in applying through the actual NSW admissions system. </p>
<p>More than 800 participants were provided with the advice they would have typically received from the Universities Admissions Centre (that is, list a “dream” preference first, then include more realistic options). </p>
<p>All participants were given a fictitious ATAR and a set of six degrees. They then had to make a preference list of five degrees. </p>
<p>Participants were rewarded with money depending on the outcome of the experiment. They received more money when offered a place in a degree they preferred more highly. </p>
<h2>Our findings</h2>
<p>Our process was designed to mimic – but be more simple than – the University Admission Centre. Despite this, 75.5% of participants failed to report their preferences in order of their best interests. That is, list what they really wanted to do. </p>
<p>We also found students from comprehensive public high schools were at least 6.9% more likely to make a “mistake” (by not telling the truth about their preferences) than peers from public selective high schools and private schools. </p>
<p>Our research shows the system is not only inefficient but confusing to applicants. </p>
<p>Students can also be exposed to conflicting advice when applying to university. Some universities have been known to advise students to list their “safe” choice first to make sure they get in. </p>
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<em>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/they-dont-expect-a-lot-of-me-they-just-want-me-to-go-to-uni-first-in-family-students-show-how-we-need-a-broader-definition-of-success-in-year-12-196284">'They don’t expect a lot of me, they just want me to go to uni': first-in-family students show how we need a broader definition of 'success' in year 12</a>
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<h2>A redesign is needed</h2>
<p>We believe the current process needs a thorough redesign. </p>
<p>Limiting the number of applicants’ preferences to five degrees is a problem. A very risk-averse applicant would include too many safe options and likely miss out on better ones for which they would have a chance to get in. Meanwhile, a risk-loving applicant might list only hard-to-get-in degrees and completely miss out. </p>
<p>A better solution would be to allow applicants to list as many degrees as they want, up until they are indifferent between their least preferred degree and not going to university at all. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Students sit and talk in a library." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/531564/original/file-20230613-23-1lk376.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/531564/original/file-20230613-23-1lk376.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=367&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/531564/original/file-20230613-23-1lk376.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=367&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/531564/original/file-20230613-23-1lk376.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=367&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/531564/original/file-20230613-23-1lk376.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=461&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/531564/original/file-20230613-23-1lk376.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=461&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/531564/original/file-20230613-23-1lk376.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=461&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Students should be able to submit more than one batch of preferences.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
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<p>Given there are hundreds of degrees to choose from, it would be very difficult to come up with a complete and exhaustive list. However, a practical solution is readily available: applicants first submit their five most favoured degrees. If they don’t get an offer – and only if they don’t get an offer – they submit a second batch of five degrees.</p>
<p>Most will be matched in their first or second batch. Applicants who are not matched can keep submitting further batches. As is the case now, they only need to think in “fives”, but once they have an offer, they are removed from the applicant pool.</p>
<p>We believe it is possible for Universities Admissions Centre’s current process to be changed so it is easier to understand.</p>
<p>This would eliminate the need for strategising by applicants and advice on how to strategise. If you understand how our method works, we believe high school leavers will too.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/207415/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Pablo Guillen receives funding from the Australian Research Council.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Mark Melatos receives funding from the Australian Research Council. He is a member of the NSW HSC Standards Committee.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Onur Kesten does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Design flaws in the application process can see school leavers miss out on studying their most preferred degree, even if they are eligible to do it.Pablo Guillen, Associate Professor, School of Economics, University of SydneyMark Melatos, Associate Professor of Economics, University of SydneyOnur Kesten, Professor, University of SydneyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1936942022-11-07T13:35:05Z2022-11-07T13:35:05ZWhat is affirmative action, anyway? 4 essential reads<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/493356/original/file-20221103-13-ektkq4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=26%2C0%2C5964%2C3997&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">The Supreme Court is deciding a case on whether, and how, universities may consider an applicant's race when making admissions decisions.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/SupremeCourtAffirmativeAction/fbd3e6c1fd874e8abdfda436c87b422a/photo">AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Race-conscious affirmative action in college admissions could soon be a thing of the past. At least that’s the <a href="https://www.axios.com/2022/10/30/affirmative-action-supreme-court-harvard-unc">impression many observers got</a> after listening to <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/live-updates/supreme-court-affirmative-action-cases-college-admissions-north-carolina-harvard/">oral arguments about the practice</a> before the U.S Supreme Court.</p>
<p>Scholars writing for The Conversation U.S. have taken a closer look at affirmative action and how it has been seen and used in the realm of higher education.</p>
<h2>1. Even some supporters don’t know how it works</h2>
<p>When <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=DMreKvQAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao">OiYan Poon</a>, a race and education scholar at Colorado State University, traveled across the nation to ask Asian Americans what they knew about affirmative action, they found that even people who were part of organizations that publicly supported or opposed it didn’t quite understand how affirmative action works.</p>
<p>For instance, “<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-do-colleges-use-affirmative-action-even-some-activists-dont-understand-105453">30 out of 36 presented outdated myths</a>” about affirmative action, she wrote. “These 30 included 13 affirmative action supporters and 17 opponents,” who talked about ideas such as “‘racial quotas,’ which were declared unconstitutional in [1978]. They also thought it involved ‘racial bonus points’ for Black and Latino applicants,” Poon found.</p>
<p>In fact, Poon wrote, “race-conscious admissions is now practiced through holistic review of individual applicants. Such individualized review is meant to recognize, in a limited way, how race and racism might have shaped each applicant’s perspectives and educational opportunities.”</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-do-colleges-use-affirmative-action-even-some-activists-dont-understand-105453">How do colleges use affirmative action? Even some activists don't understand</a>
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<h2>2. Banning affirmative action has clear effects</h2>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/487587/original/file-20221001-25-5op2nd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=17%2C17%2C5923%2C3928&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A Black woman wearing a black graduation cap and gown is seated in between two white male college graduates." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/487587/original/file-20221001-25-5op2nd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=17%2C17%2C5923%2C3928&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/487587/original/file-20221001-25-5op2nd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/487587/original/file-20221001-25-5op2nd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/487587/original/file-20221001-25-5op2nd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/487587/original/file-20221001-25-5op2nd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/487587/original/file-20221001-25-5op2nd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/487587/original/file-20221001-25-5op2nd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Some researchers say graduation is less likely for Black, Hispanic and Native American students when affirmative action is outlawed.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/students-at-commencement-ceremony-royalty-free-image/88170494?adppopup=true">Andy Sacks via Getty Images</a></span>
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<p>It’s possible to predict what could happen if the Supreme Court rules against affirmative action. As <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=SE2WERAAAAAJ&hl=en">Natasha Warikoo</a>, a Tufts University professor who studies racial equity in education, pointed out: “<a href="https://theconversation.com/affirmative-action-bans-make-selective-colleges-less-diverse-a-national-ban-will-do-the-same-189214">Since nine states already have bans on affirmative action</a>, it’s easy to know what will happen if affirmative action is outlawed. Studies of college enrollment in those states show that enrollment of Black, Hispanic and Native American undergraduate students will decline in the long term.”</p>
<p>“Undergraduate enrollment is not the only area of higher education that will be affected. A ban on affirmative action will ultimately lead to fewer graduate degrees earned by Black, Hispanic and Native American students,” she wrote.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/affirmative-action-bans-make-selective-colleges-less-diverse-a-national-ban-will-do-the-same-189214">Affirmative action bans make selective colleges less diverse – a national ban will do the same</a>
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<h2>3. The difference is big</h2>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/368016/original/file-20201106-15-117hmso.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=13%2C0%2C4538%2C3263&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Two female students walk on the campus of UCLA." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/368016/original/file-20201106-15-117hmso.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=13%2C0%2C4538%2C3263&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/368016/original/file-20201106-15-117hmso.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=428&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/368016/original/file-20201106-15-117hmso.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=428&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/368016/original/file-20201106-15-117hmso.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=428&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/368016/original/file-20201106-15-117hmso.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=537&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/368016/original/file-20201106-15-117hmso.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=537&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/368016/original/file-20201106-15-117hmso.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=537&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Public universities in California cannot consider race in admissions.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/people-walk-through-the-campus-of-the-ucla-college-in-news-photo/1205520367?adppopup=true">Mark Ralston/Getty Images</a></span>
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<p><a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=lK3kzlYAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao">Vinay Harpalani</a>, a scholar of discrimination at the University of New Mexico, delivered some numbers: After California banned affirmative action at its state universities, “[t]he enrollment of Black, Latino and Native American students dropped dramatically in the University of California system. For example, at UCLA, the percentage of underrepresented minorities dropped from 28% to 14% between 1995 and 1998. There was a similar drop at UC Berkeley.”</p>
<p>In more recent years, he reported, “The enrollment numbers have recovered, largely due to increased Latino enrollment. Currently at UCLA, 22% of the undergraduate student body is Latino and 3% is Black. But it is also important to note that the number of Latino high school graduates has more than tripled since 1997.”</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/what-the-california-vote-to-keep-the-ban-on-affirmative-action-means-for-higher-education-149508">What the California vote to keep the ban on affirmative action means for higher education</a>
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<h2>4. A military case for affirmative action</h2>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A wounded white soldier is carried by a Black soldier during the Vietnam War." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/492564/original/file-20221031-7911-wj31l2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/492564/original/file-20221031-7911-wj31l2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=442&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/492564/original/file-20221031-7911-wj31l2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=442&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/492564/original/file-20221031-7911-wj31l2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=442&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/492564/original/file-20221031-7911-wj31l2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=555&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/492564/original/file-20221031-7911-wj31l2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=555&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/492564/original/file-20221031-7911-wj31l2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=555&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">A wounded soldier is carried by members of the 1st Cavalry Division near the Cambodian border during the Vietnam War.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/wounded-soldier-is-carried-by-members-of-the-1st-calvary-news-photo/514870008?phrase=vietnam%20war%20black%20soldiers&adppopup=true">Bettmann/GettyImages</a></span>
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<p>In an article explaining the point of view of 35 military officers who have asked the Supreme Court to continue to allow affirmative action, <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/travis-knoll-1377873">Travis Knoll</a>, a historian at the University of North Carolina - Charlotte, looked to the nation’s – and the military’s – racial experience during the Vietnam War.</p>
<p>“[I]n 1962, when U.S. involvement was starting to grow in Vietnam, <a href="https://theconversation.com/conservative-us-supreme-court-reconsidering-affirmative-action-leaving-the-use-of-race-in-college-admissions-on-the-brink-of-extinction-190313">Black commissioned officers</a> represented only 1.6% of the officers corps,” he wrote. “Military academies remained virtually segregated, with Black people making up less than 1% of enrollees. As a result, the number of Black officers didn’t grow much.”</p>
<p>That led to unrest in the ranks: “Over the next five years, the number of Black soldiers fighting and dying on the front lines grew to about 25%. Racial tensions between white and Black soldiers led to at least 300 fights in a two-year-period that resulted in 71 deaths,” Knoll wrote. “Fueling those fights was the belief among Black soldiers that the largely white officers didn’t care about their lives.”</p>
<p>That experience, Knoll explained, drove home to the military the idea that diversity in leadership was extremely important. “It also began the military’s use of affirmative action, including race-conscious admissions policies at service academies and in ROTC programs.”</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/conservative-us-supreme-court-reconsidering-affirmative-action-leaving-the-use-of-race-in-college-admissions-on-the-brink-of-extinction-190313">Conservative US Supreme Court reconsidering affirmative action, leaving the use of race in college admissions on the brink of extinction</a>
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<p><em>Editor’s note: This story is a roundup of articles from The Conversation’s archives.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/193694/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
Scholars explain what affirmative action is – and isn’t – as well as what its effects are, and why, among others, the military has supported it for decades.Jeff Inglis, Politics + Society Editor, The Conversation USJamaal Abdul-Alim, Education Editor, The ConversationLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1771872022-04-18T11:52:36Z2022-04-18T11:52:36ZHigh school grades matter for post-secondary study, but is pandemic assessment fair?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/458635/original/file-20220419-20-8hs99h.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=1429%2C367%2C3898%2C2707&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">It's possible that COVID-19 has created an opportunity to introduce more pass/fail grading options.
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span></figcaption></figure><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100px; border: none; position: relative; z-index: 1;" allowtransparency="" allow="clipboard-read; clipboard-write" src="https://narrations.ad-auris.com/widget/the-conversation-canada/high-school-grades-matter-for-post-secondary-study--but-is-pandemic-assessment-fair" width="100%" height="400"></iframe>
<p>As COVID-19 <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/unvaccinated-travel-canada-1.6393668">restrictions recede</a> across <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-00620-7">much of the world</a>, students have navigated changes in modes of learning (from virtual to in-person) and social protocols (for example, no masks).</p>
<p>Even as societies gradually return to normal, we are constantly reminded that COVID-19 <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/inspq-quebec-6th-wave-1.6402880">is still very much in our communities</a>. Regions are no longer <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/covid-19-ontario-jan-24-2022-school-absence-rate-data-1.6325314">reporting publicly on COVID-19 cases</a>, but in schools, the continued circulation of the virus still means the possibility of <a href="https://kitchener.ctvnews.ca/schools-in-waterloo-region-dealing-with-staff-shortages-due-to-covid-19-1.5854780">ongoing extended absences for both teachers</a> and students. </p>
<p>In response to pandemic schooling challenges, schools and school boards have implemented policies to <a href="https://theconversation.com/parent-teacher-relations-were-both-strained-and-strengthened-by-the-covid-19-pandemic-163054">minimize the negative impact of COVID-19 on students’ grades</a>. Some have frozen students’ grades based on windows of uninterrupted learning, or made exams optional. </p>
<p>Yet the inconsistencies in these policies has undoubtedly led to challenges in terms of equity and fairness. Some high school students <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/secondary-finals-patchwork-omicron-1.6336645">have voiced concerns about how their post-secondary choices</a> could be affected as a result. University students have also raised issues <a href="https://kitchener.ctvnews.ca/students-asking-for-compassionate-grading-at-uw-amid-covid-19-pandemic-1.5263936">about the fairness of grades</a>.</p>
<h2>The learning and assessment connection</h2>
<p>A key priority in education is to provide children and youth with the <a href="https://www.tcrecord.org/Content.asp?ContentId=2839">opportunity to learn</a> and to demonstrate that learning. As researchers who explore the role of assessment, student outcomes and education policy, we know that <a href="https://evaluationstandards.org/classroom/">assessment matters</a> not only to monitor students’ ongoing progress, but also to report on that progress and inform future instructional and educational decisions. </p>
<p>COVID-19 has been a reminder of the important factors that are beyond students’ control that influence achievement. It has put disparities between disadvantaged students and their more affluent peers into sharper focus: for example, educators have witnessed the learning barriers and inequities some students have faced due to differences in internet connectivity or supportive home learning environments. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/student-achievement-depends-on-reducing-poverty-now-and-after-covid-19-153523">Student achievement depends on reducing poverty now and after COVID-19</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Given these challenges, <a href="https://www.oecd.org/education/the-impact-of-covid-19-on-education-insights-education-at-a-glance-2020.pdf">educators have sought alternate ways to provide students with opportunities to learn and to fairly report on that learning</a>. </p>
<p>Despite these efforts, researchers project that <a href="https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X20965918">COVID-19 has resulted in lower levels of learning in math and literacy</a> in grade school students. If these trends are accurate, similar concerns could be valid for senior secondary school students.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Students seen walking up steps to a high school." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/457430/original/file-20220411-23-2nsa6f.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C586%2C4276%2C2604&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/457430/original/file-20220411-23-2nsa6f.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=430&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/457430/original/file-20220411-23-2nsa6f.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=430&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/457430/original/file-20220411-23-2nsa6f.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=430&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/457430/original/file-20220411-23-2nsa6f.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=540&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/457430/original/file-20220411-23-2nsa6f.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=540&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/457430/original/file-20220411-23-2nsa6f.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=540&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The pandemic has put student inequities into sharp focus: Not all students have access to the same resources to support their learning.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Grade inflation?</h2>
<p>It’s also likely that shifts in grading and reporting practices have led to significant grade inflation. Some anecdotal evidence from teachers we’ve talked to suggests students’ grade distributions have shifted, with increases in both higher and lower grades, and fewer “average” grades in the middle. This could be one sign of <a href="https://doi.org/10.1139/facets-2021-0084">inequities exacerbated by the pandemic related to lost hours at school and with teachers</a>. </p>
<p>Mainstream western education systems <a href="https://www.solutiontree.com/ca/get-set-go.html">are largely driven by grading systems</a>. Students use grades to determine if they have the skills and abilities to predict the likelihood of success in subsequent years. They use grades to direct their future education choices, and teachers are aware of this.</p>
<p>Rightly or wrongly, secondary school students are caught in a competitive learning environment. Letter grades and percentages are most commonly used to report student achievement in ways that significantly impact their futures. </p>
<h2>The pass/fail alternative</h2>
<p>Teachers have continually wrestled with the negative impacts of grades, <a href="https://www.ascd.org/el/articles/does-this-count">wanting students to focus on learning rather than being consumed with attaining marks</a>. Long before the pandemic, education researchers have criticized commonly used <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/44668237">methods of grading</a> that can entrench a competitive focus and negatively <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/003172171409500604">impact students’</a> learning. </p>
<p>One approach to address the inconsistencies in students’ grades during the extraordinary circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic has been to shift to pass/fail grading. This approach has been most commonly seen in some university programs which already had a history of pass/fail grading. </p>
<p>Studies show that <a href="https://www.edweek.org/education/opinion-assessments-and-grading-in-the-midst-of-a-pandemic/2020/04">pass/fail grading is fair and can help students and teachers focus on learning</a>. Concerns that <a href="https://tguskey.com/should-we-consider-pass-fail-grading/">pass/fail grading leads to less student effort can be resolved through clearer learning expectations for achievement</a>, and by creating a learning environment where each student is able to succeed. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A student is seen sitting on the floor doing work giving a thumbs up." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/454253/original/file-20220324-19-cg2rjb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/454253/original/file-20220324-19-cg2rjb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/454253/original/file-20220324-19-cg2rjb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/454253/original/file-20220324-19-cg2rjb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/454253/original/file-20220324-19-cg2rjb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/454253/original/file-20220324-19-cg2rjb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/454253/original/file-20220324-19-cg2rjb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Research shows that pass/fail grading can help students focus on their actual learning and less on grades.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Since the start of the pandemic, pass/fail grading has increased with prominent examples in <a href="https://www.edweek.org/education/opinion-assessments-and-grading-in-the-midst-of-a-pandemic/2020/04">both the United States</a> and Canada. </p>
<p>The University of Alberta, for example, <a href="https://www.ualberta.ca/covid-19/students/winter-2020/index.html">moved to a credit/no-credit system where no grades were assigned for courses in winter 2020</a>. Brock University presented students <a href="https://brocku.ca/brock-news/2022/01/alternate-grade-options-now-available-for-2021-fall-term">with options to choose between a letter-based or numeric grade; a designation of “credit during disruption” or “no credit during disruption;” or a “withdrawal during disruption”</a> without academic penalty. </p>
<h2>Pass/fail university admissions?</h2>
<p>There has also been a recognition of pass/fail grades for university and college admissions, especially in the United States where high-stakes examinations, secondary grades or a combination have long been the primary methods to determine university entrance. <a href="https://achieve.lausd.net/ab104">Some school districts have shifted to optional pass/fail grades</a>, and some post-secondary institutions have started to recognize <a href="http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/eligibility_center/COVID-19_Fall2022_MI.pdf">pass/fail grades for admissions</a> purposes.</p>
<p>What would a shift to pass/fail grading mean for university admission? It would require using other forms of information such as personal statements, reference letters and for students to demonstrate critical thinking and communication skills. </p>
<p>Even before the pandemic, such practices were <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/28/us/coronavirus-college-pass-fail.html">used alongside grades for admissions</a>. They do require additional effort by students, and by those in charge of post-secondary admissions. <a href="https://www.macleans.ca/education/canadian-universities-with-the-highest-and-lowest-graduation-rates/">Nevertheless, given that more than half of Canada’s universities had graduation rates below 75 per cent prior to the pandemic</a>, the previous reliance on secondary school grades could hardly be considered foolproof. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Students seen sitting in a classroom." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/457431/original/file-20220411-15-p4wmpo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/457431/original/file-20220411-15-p4wmpo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=464&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/457431/original/file-20220411-15-p4wmpo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=464&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/457431/original/file-20220411-15-p4wmpo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=464&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/457431/original/file-20220411-15-p4wmpo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=583&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/457431/original/file-20220411-15-p4wmpo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=583&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/457431/original/file-20220411-15-p4wmpo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=583&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">University admissions policies already rely on factors beyond grades to help determine admissions.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>After the pandemic</h2>
<p>It is unlikely classrooms will look the same after this pandemic. COVID-19 has required students to take greater ownership of their learning, and both <a href="https://theconversation.com/bullying-racism-and-being-different-why-some-families-are-opting-for-remote-learning-regardless-of-covid-19-165063">students and parents have expressed becoming more attuned to children’s learning needs</a>. </p>
<p>At the same time, teachers have had to more clearly articulate what students need to accomplish to demonstrate their learning. </p>
<p>It’s possible that COVID-19 has created an opportunity to revise our focus on student grading and reporting, to ensure our educational systems can better focus on learning and help students’ identify the learning expectations they have, and those they still need to develop.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/177187/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Don A. Klinger has previously received funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council in Canada. Currently he serves as an advisor to the Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) in Ontario, and as a technical advisor to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and to the New Zealand Quality Assurance (NZQA). </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Corrie has previously received funding from, Kentucky Teacher Intern Program Grant, Commonwealth of Kentucky ($411,446), Teacher Quality Enhancement Grant ($411,446), Teacher Education Model Programs Grant from Kentucky ($714,000), Kentucky Center for Economics Education, and Teaching with Primary Resources from the Library of Congress USA.
And is affiliated with the Consortium for Research on Educational Assessment and Teaching Effectiveness, the Joint Committee on Standards for Educational Evaluation and the Pegasus Institute.
</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Louis Volante receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC).</span></em></p>COVID-19 has challenged teachers’ abilities to provide students with chances to learn and to report on student learning.Don A. Klinger, Pro Vice-Chancellor of Te Wānanga Toi Tangata Division of Education; Professor of Measurement, Assessment and Evaluation, University of WaikatoCorrie Rebecca Klinger, Senior Research Fellow, University of WaikatoLouis Volante, Professor of Education, Brock UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1717212021-11-17T18:57:52Z2021-11-17T18:57:52ZBridging programs transform students’ lives – they even go on to outperform others at uni<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/432289/original/file-20211116-19-3j7530.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C8%2C5615%2C3724&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><blockquote>
<p>“I remember how hard the words hit me – ‘you’re not smart enough’.” </p>
</blockquote>
<p>Dylan, a proud Bundjalung man in his 30s from northern New South Wales with South Sea Island heritage, shared with us what high school staff had told him during year 12. </p>
<blockquote>
<p>“My childhood dream was crushed. My grades were terrible and my future was not looking bright. I hit rock bottom with no university acceptance, no career trajectory and no plan. I entered the workforce and bounced around.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Years later, Dylan is publishing research on coral reefs while completing a PhD, thanks to completing the <a href="https://www.scu.edu.au/study-at-scu/courses/preparing-for-success-at-scu-program-2307160/">Preparing for Success (PSP) program</a> at Southern Cross University. </p>
<p>PSP is an award-winning, fee-free bridging or enabling program that provides an entry pathway into a wide range of undergraduate degrees. Our <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/07294360.2021.1990222">recent research</a>, which included comparing academic achievements over six years, shows students who completed the PSP are more successful in their studies than students who gained admission by other means such as an ATAR score. They are also more likely to complete their undergraduate studies. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1452946428897095680"}"></div></p>
<h2>How do these programs work?</h2>
<p>University <a href="https://enablingeducators.org/enabling-education/">enabling programs</a> such as PSP are offered across Australia. These programs are designed to equip students who don’t meet standard university entry requirements with the key academic literacy skills. By preparing students for successful transition into university study they can open the way to exciting careers and brighter futures. </p>
<p>Anyone who has completed year 10 of school can apply for Southern Cross’s PSP. Other universities offer versions of bridging programs to students without year 10. </p>
<p>These programs are typically fee-free across Australia. At Southern Cross, there are three intakes a year in March, July and November. </p>
<p>Students can complete PSP full-time in 12 weeks over two six-week terms, or part-time over a year. They can study completely online or on campus. </p>
<p>A shorter six-week version, <a href="https://www.scu.edu.au/study-at-scu/courses/transition-to-uni-2309905/2022/">Transition to Uni</a>, is now available for students who have completed year 12 with an ATAR. Both programs are delivered in the new <a href="https://www.scu.edu.au/southern-cross-model/">Southern Cross Model</a>, which delivers a deeper, more focused learning experience in six-week terms. Transition to Uni has a January intake so students can start their undergraduate degrees with their peers in March. </p>
<p>The empowering teaching style engages students in an active learning experience. <a href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/higher-education/southern-cross-uni-will-expand-its-new-teaching-model-to-all-students/news-story/9bf5b68e2a3ac30eb23bc8df6643fa27">Active and empowering learning experiences</a> encourage and reward students who are actively contributing, questioning and stretching their thinking. It allows them to develop independent learning and critical thinking skills. These skills ensure later success in degree study.</p>
<p>The approach is very different from most of the students’ previous experiences. In school, students often felt they had to follow teachers’ directions – sit, listen and learn, instead of question information.</p>
<p>Programs like PSP achieve the government’s aim of increasing participation in higher education of people from targeted equity groups, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, regional and remote students. They also help produce more job-ready graduates.</p>
<h2>5 reasons to protect enabling education</h2>
<p>Despite its successes, enabling education is facing challenges in Australia. The <a href="https://www.dese.gov.au/job-ready">Job-Ready Graduates</a> legislation has changed the higher education funding landscape in 2021. </p>
<p>Dedicated funding for enabling programs was removed from legislation and from universities. Despite growth in enrolments in many institutions, enabling funding has not substantially increased since 2017. </p>
<p>It is now up to the universities to decide how they will allocate their limited funding. Our <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/07294360.2021.1990222">research</a>, including interviews with former PSP students, identifies five good reasons to support enabling education.</p>
<p><strong>1. It provides access to higher education for students who would otherwise miss out due to disadvantage or past schooling attainment.</strong></p>
<p>Ella, a first-in-family student who dropped out of school in year 11, described her experience of the enabling program. </p>
<blockquote>
<p>“It just really switched that light bulb for me. I’m about to graduate my Bachelors in Midwifery and I’ll be the only person in my entire family ever to graduate from university.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p><strong>2. It prepares students to succeed and complete their undergraduate studies.</strong> </p>
<p>Aimee, now studying to be a teacher, thought she would go no further than being a cleaner.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“It was amazing to be using my brain again after four years of mindlessly scrubbing toilets. I gained enough confidence and enough understanding of what being at uni is like.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p><strong>3. It contributes to the government’s goals of increasing national participation in higher education and producing more job-ready graduates.</strong> </p>
<p>Neve was offered multiple interviews for graduate midwifery positions. This is a scenario she had not previously considered possible. </p>
<blockquote>
<p>“If it wasn’t for the enabling program I couldn’t see myself being in the position I am now, doing all these interviews and completing my degree.”</p>
</blockquote>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Mother and daughter sitting at a table as they study" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/432288/original/file-20211116-27-1wf1a0t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/432288/original/file-20211116-27-1wf1a0t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/432288/original/file-20211116-27-1wf1a0t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/432288/original/file-20211116-27-1wf1a0t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/432288/original/file-20211116-27-1wf1a0t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/432288/original/file-20211116-27-1wf1a0t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/432288/original/file-20211116-27-1wf1a0t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">When a parent succeeds at university it can transform their children’s attitudes to education.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><strong>4. It promotes inter-generational changes in attitudes to education.</strong></p>
<p>Leanne’s progress in an Indigenous Studies degree helped give her daughter the courage to pursue a university education.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“My youngest daughter said she was definitely not going to uni. She just was too scared. And having seen me do it, she’s now in the middle of session 2 . So that was a direct effect of me doing it and gaining confidence.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p><strong>5. It develops students’ critical thinking skills in a world of misinformation.</strong></p>
<p>Wade saw just how much he had developed as a person. He uses the skills he learnt in the enabling program to analyse information and support his views in an informed way.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“Rather than just listen to one person’s opinion on a topic, I can actually go and find different evidence.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Enabling education opens up a much-needed academic pathway. It allows students from a diverse range of backgrounds to get into and succeed in higher education. It equips them with the skills and confidence they need to fulfil their academic potential and achieve previously unimaginable careers.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/171721/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>New research shows university students who gained entry via bridging programs outperform others who gain admission through ATARs and other means. They are also more likely to complete their degree.Thomas Roche, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Academic Quality), Southern Cross UniversitySuzi Syme, Associate Dean (Education), Southern Cross UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1716742021-11-16T19:07:43Z2021-11-16T19:07:43ZFair access to university depends on much more than making students ‘job-ready’<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/431889/original/file-20211115-15-40xg5o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C249%2C6941%2C4631&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Today is <a href="https://worldaccesshe.com/">World Access to Higher Education Day</a>, but Australia is still a long way off fair access for students from all backgrounds. </p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.ncsehe.edu.au/research-database/ncsehe-briefing-note-equity-student-participation-in-australian-higher-education-2014-2019/">enrolment share</a> of students from low socio-economic, regional and non-English-speaking backgrounds fell in 2019. And that was before the COVID-19 pandemic hit these students hard, affecting both their <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/APXBVWRICUHVUKUKDPYP/full?target=10.1080/1360080X.2021.1933305">expectations and pathways to higher education</a>. Access rates of other equity groups, such as students from remote areas, remain low. </p>
<iframe title="Domestic undergraduate enrolments by equity group" aria-label="Grouped Column Chart" id="datawrapper-chart-5pNnH" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/5pNnH/2/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="border: none;" width="100%" height="400"></iframe>
<p>Achieving equitable access is a complex challenge. Our <a href="https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9780367854171-2/becoming-university-student-sally-patfield-jennifer-gore-leanne-fray">longitudinal study of school student aspirations</a> shows we need to think more broadly about how young people see the meaning and value of higher education. </p>
<p>Of course they see its value for getting a job. But they also value higher education for intellectual enquiry, social interaction, personal growth and the desire to just experience “university life”. And students from equity groups in particular valued these last four aspects the most.</p>
<p>Higher education policy has often focused on the economic goals of participation. However, our research suggests that policies to support fair access need to do more than funnel students into degrees and aim to make them “job-ready”. </p>
<p>To appeal to a more diverse range of young people, equity policy must take heed of what higher education actually represents to prospective applicants.</p>
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<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/pandemic-widens-gap-between-government-and-australians-view-of-education-148991">Pandemic widens gap between government and Australians' view of education</a>
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<h2>Equity and ‘Job-Ready Graduates’</h2>
<p>The federal government has long had policies targeted at widening participation, including measures in the 2020 <a href="https://www.dese.gov.au/job-ready">Job-Ready Graduates Package</a>. Australian universities have also long had a <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-australian-idea-of-a-university-17433">vocational focus</a>. </p>
<p>The “Job-Ready Graduates” reforms include <a href="https://www.dese.gov.au/job-ready/improving-higher-education-students">new funding supports</a> for students from equity groups. For example, there is a <a href="https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/individuals/services/centrelink/tertiary-access-payment">Tertiary Access Payment</a> for regional and remote students and a new <a href="https://www.dese.gov.au/access-and-participation#:%7E:text=The%20Indigenous%2C%20Regional%20and%20Low,Participation%20and%20Partnerships%20Program%20(HEPPP)">Indigenous, Regional and Low SES Attainment Fund</a>.</p>
<p>To <a href="https://theconversation.com/3-flaws-in-job-ready-graduates-package-will-add-to-the-turmoil-in-australian-higher-education-147740">influence course choice</a>, fees have been reduced in “national priority” areas and increased in areas deemed to not directly benefit the labour market. </p>
<p>This particular change, however, is not about equity. It’s about meeting perceived workforce needs. It may well decrease diversity in certain degrees. The impacts on the workforce profiles of different industries could have <a href="https://www.ncsehe.edu.au/job-ready-graduates-package-student-equity/">wide-ranging consequences</a>.</p>
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<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/3-flaws-in-job-ready-graduates-package-will-add-to-the-turmoil-in-australian-higher-education-147740">3 flaws in Job-Ready Graduates package will add to the turmoil in Australian higher education</a>
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<h2>What matters to prospective students</h2>
<p><a href="https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9780367854171-2/becoming-university-student-sally-patfield-jennifer-gore-leanne-fray">Our longitudinal study</a> of young people’s post-school aspirations looked at the way school students start to form ideas about university during late primary and secondary school. The study drew on focus groups with 310 university aspirants from 30 government schools in New South Wales.</p>
<p>We found young people were interested in higher education for many reasons. But there were important differences in their interest depending on background.</p>
<h2>A way to get a job</h2>
<p>While students did value higher education for employment, these students tended to match the profile of the “traditional” university applicant – high-achieving and from a higher socio-economic background. </p>
<p>Young people who mentioned employment often focused on the need for a qualification in today’s job market. This view reduced the experience of university to the degree awarded at the end. As one student put it:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“I would definitely go to uni because you can’t really get a job without a piece of paper.”</p>
</blockquote>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Line of graduates holding their degree certificates" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/431884/original/file-20211115-23-1gz3w2o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/431884/original/file-20211115-23-1gz3w2o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/431884/original/file-20211115-23-1gz3w2o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/431884/original/file-20211115-23-1gz3w2o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/431884/original/file-20211115-23-1gz3w2o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/431884/original/file-20211115-23-1gz3w2o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/431884/original/file-20211115-23-1gz3w2o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">That ‘piece of paper’ needed to get a job tends to be important for the sort of students who traditionally have dominated university enrolments.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/students-choice-of-university-has-no-effect-on-new-graduate-pay-and-a-small-impact-later-on-what-they-study-matters-more-171491">Students' choice of university has no effect on new graduate pay, and a small impact later on. What they study matters more</a>
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<hr>
<h2>Its inherent value</h2>
<p>Students from a wide range of backgrounds saw inherent value in higher education. But those living in lower socio-economic circumstances tended to focus on this intrinsic value rather than employment. For example, one student told us:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“I’ll definitely go to university, that’s the thing – the top of the list. And that’s the thing with university […] there’s so much that’s being offered to attract more students, it ticks all your interests […] I adore history and geography, and all sorts of things that are not going to be focused on my career, but I’ll still do them anyway.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Many of these students saw university as an opportunity to meet people who share similar interests and passions. This was particularly the case for young people attending relatively disadvantaged schools:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“It’s going to be a lot of learning opportunities with like-minded people that are open-minded […] They care and they want to do something, not be with people that don’t care and don’t want to do anything.”</p>
</blockquote>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Group of university students enjoying a discussion around a table" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/431883/original/file-20211115-27-11qzsli.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/431883/original/file-20211115-27-11qzsli.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/431883/original/file-20211115-27-11qzsli.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/431883/original/file-20211115-27-11qzsli.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/431883/original/file-20211115-27-11qzsli.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/431883/original/file-20211115-27-11qzsli.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/431883/original/file-20211115-27-11qzsli.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Many young people saw university as an opportunity to meet people with similar interests and passions.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/in-this-job-ready-era-its-worth-looking-at-how-a-us-style-broader-education-can-benefit-uni-students-160461">In this ‘job-ready’ era, it's worth looking at how a US-style broader education can benefit uni students</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Equity is much more than being ‘job-ready’</h2>
<p>The social justice and economic goals of higher education have long been <a href="https://apo.org.au/node/15776">in tension within policy</a>. Employability agendas, such as “Job-Ready Graduates”, narrowly link the value of higher education to economic objectives. In doing so, they obscure important <a href="https://theconversation.com/we-are-losing-sight-of-higher-educations-true-purpose-73637">philosophical questions</a> about the purpose of higher education, particularly for those from equity groups.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/07294360.2020.1830039">Other research</a> has similarly shown that university students link the purpose of higher education to employment, personal growth and societal change. University students from equity target groups can also have much <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/07294360.2018.1463973">more expansive views of “success”</a> than what is portrayed in policy.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/whats-the-purpose-of-university-your-answer-may-depend-on-how-much-it-costs-you-151526">What's the purpose of university? Your answer may depend on how much it costs you</a>
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</em>
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<hr>
<p>There is a clear need, therefore, for the intrinsic value of higher education – not just its economic value – to be more widely promoted in equity policy and practice.</p>
<p>Universities often use outreach activities such as <a href="https://theconversation.com/six-ways-to-improve-equity-in-australian-universities-61437">campus visits and mentoring programs</a> to spark interest among young people from equity groups. Such activities should not just narrowly focus on degrees and jobs.</p>
<p>We also need to continue to ask questions about <a href="https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/openu/jwpll/2011/00000013/00000001/art00002">the nature of higher education</a> today, and what young people from equity groups are being asked to participate in, rather than just the outcome of participation.</p>
<p>A more equitable higher education sector can play a critical role in creating a more just society. Again, this is not just in terms of economic value, but in terms of how students see themselves and society. On World Access to Higher Education Day, our research challenges the sector to think more genuinely about fair access.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/171674/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The Aspirations Longitudinal Study was funded by the NSW Department of Education and the Australian Research Council.</span></em></p>Students matching the ‘traditional’ applicant’s profile see university as a stepping stone to a good job. Those from less-well-represented groups care more about higher education’s intrinsic value.Sally Patfield, Postdoctoral Fellow, Teachers and Teaching Research Centre, University of NewcastleLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1429632020-11-09T18:07:24Z2020-11-09T18:07:24ZUniversity admissions tests like the SAT are under scrutiny especially in the age of COVID-19<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/367979/original/file-20201106-23-pw9rjk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C104%2C5000%2C3203&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Many people are wondering if COVID-19 could spell the end of university admission testing. Young people at the Autonomous University of Barcelona on July 7, 2020. </span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Many Grade 12 high school students are now looking ahead to post-secondary studies next fall. Those wishing to attend universities in the United States will see that the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the growing shift to test-optional university admissions policies — <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/education/2020/09/02/university-california-colleges-barred-using-sat-act-results/5689307002/">or scrapping entrance tests altogether</a>. </p>
<p>Due to COVID-19, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/coronavirus-sat-act-admission/2020/06/15/18c406dc-acca-11ea-a9d9-a81c1a491c52_story.html">many U.S. universities</a>, <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/susanadams/2020/06/12/yale-announces-test-optional-admissions-for-its-next-class/#6ec3fa8a50ca">including Yale, Cornell, Columbia and the University of Pennsylvania</a> have announced they won’t require applicants for fall 2021 to write either the SAT or ACT.</p>
<p>But even before the pandemic, entrance examinations were under scrutiny. The <a href="https://www.insidehighered.com/admissions/article/2020/05/18/university-california-president-proposes-dropping-satact">University of California</a> voted in May to phase out <a href="https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/sat">both the SAT</a> and <a href="http://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act.html">the ACT</a> as <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/05/21/university-california-sat-act-admissions-requirements/5241427002/">requirements for university admissions</a>, largely due to concerns over racial and cultural bias. Other universities have made similar pronouncements.</p>
<p>Many people are wondering if the <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/coronavirus-sat-act-admission/2020/06/15/18c406dc-acca-11ea-a9d9-a81c1a491c52_story.html">COVID-19 pandemic will spell the end of university admission testing</a> altogether, and what the implications are for Canadian universities and the approximately <a href="https://wenr.wes.org/2017/09/education-in-canada">25,000 Canadian students</a> that attend post-secondary institutions in the United States each year. </p>
<h2>History of admissions testing</h2>
<p>In England, <a href="https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203930502">some universities first adopted examinations as the basis for admission in the 1800s</a>. It was not long until university admission testing spread to other parts of the world. A large number of countries now use some form of testing for admission to undergraduate education.</p>
<p>In the United Kingdom, A-level exams across subjects are administered by the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofqual">Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulations</a>. In New Zealand, the <a href="https://www.nzqa.govt.nz/ncea/understanding-ncea/how-ncea-works/">National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA)</a> uses internal and external assessments to determine students’ achievement of standards, and subsequent admission to post-secondary education and employment. </p>
<p>In Canada, several provinces including <a href="https://journalhosting.ucalgary.ca/index.php/cjeap/article/view/42757">Alberta and British Columbia have used senior level subject exams as indicators for university entrance, and often in conjunction with teacher grades</a>. In Australia, universities may ask some applicants <a href="https://stat.acer.org/au">to write the STAT</a>, a scholastic aptitude test. However, many people are beginning to question the appropriateness of testing for equitable admissions decisions, particularly now in the COVID-19 era. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Students writing an exam." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/367865/original/file-20201105-18-g17fpr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/367865/original/file-20201105-18-g17fpr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/367865/original/file-20201105-18-g17fpr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/367865/original/file-20201105-18-g17fpr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/367865/original/file-20201105-18-g17fpr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/367865/original/file-20201105-18-g17fpr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/367865/original/file-20201105-18-g17fpr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Many people are beginning to question the appropriateness of testing for equitable admissions decisions, particularly now in the COVID-19 era.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>A common metric?</h2>
<p>Advocates of admissions testing say there is a need to compare students using a common metric. Their chief rationale for using a common benchmark to make admittance decisions is wanting reliable and valid assessments, rather than depending on the <a href="https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654316672069">idiosyncratic nature of classroom teachers’ assessment practices</a>.</p>
<p>Supporters of admissions testing argue that these external examinations provide an <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/may/22/university-of-california-sat-act-tests-admission">objective metric that may help disadvantaged pupils</a>. </p>
<p>Well before the pandemic, some argued that <a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/education/do-canadian-universities-need-an-admissions-test/article17342171/">admissions testing at some of Canada’s universities</a> would help ensure students have the necessary abilities for post-secondary success in their targeted programs.</p>
<p><a href="https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000370940">Digital companies are beginning to take a vested interested in testing</a> — particularly in light of COVID-19, which has forced several assessments into remote proctored environments. Some companies have advanced new technologies that enable responsive test questions, secure online test distribution and administration. Some are currently integrating virtual and alternative digital realities to create more authentic testing environments. </p>
<h2>What opponents say</h2>
<p>Opponents of admissions testing argue that using external exams for high-stakes decisions creates <a href="https://www.gse.harvard.edu/news/uk/17/11/when-testing-takes-over">pressure to raise test scores</a> and degrades rather than improves instruction and learning in schools. </p>
<p>Although this criticism is most often made in relation to high-stakes secondary school testing, the pressure to <a href="https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ848235">teach to the test</a> also applies when governments track students’ admissions testing performance from year to year.</p>
<p>Last year’s <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/former-sat-act-test-administrator-pleads-guilty-college-admissions-scandal-n1081196">college admissions scandal</a> in the U.S. highlighted how high-stakes admissions exams can lead to improper and even illegal actions that impact the legitimacy of testing.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/u-s-college-admissions-scandal-means-more-skepticism-of-genuine-invisible-disabilities-115502">U.S. college admissions scandal means more skepticism of genuine invisible disabilities</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Critics have also suggested tests have <a href="https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2010/06/21/new-evidence-racial-bias-sat">racial</a>, <a href="https://www.fairtest.org/sat-math-gender-bias-causes-consequences">gender</a> and <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2014/03/05/these-four-charts-show-how-the-sat-favors-the-rich-educated-families/">economic biases</a> as different groups may interact <a href="https://books.google.ca/books?hl=en&lr=&id=iQbZDwAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PA48&dq=SAT+test+bias&ots=7QELYeLWaZ&sig=j2FGR-cc5MRM-YyAdfK2Vo7BsV0#v=onepage&q=SAT%20test%20bias&f=false">with specific test items in different ways, putting them at an unfair disadvantage</a>. Allegations of bias have sparked <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/kimelsesser/2019/12/11/lawsuit-claims-sat-and-act-are-biased-heres-what-research-says/#65a06eb33c42">legal action</a> against some testing organizations. </p>
<p>As with any high-stakes tests, admissions testing can provoke anxiety, worry and concern in students, leading to significant well-being and wellness challenges. Admission tests reflect broad skills, competencies and aptitudes for higher education, yet are not directly aligned to standards where student applicants may be studying. Hence students may have different levels of preparation for such tests. </p>
<p>Similarly, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2017/05/09/can-coaching-truly-boost-sat-scores-for-years-the-college-board-said-no-now-it-says-yes/">coaching</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2397.2011.00812.x">preparatory courses</a> can help boost performance for people who can afford such services. </p>
<p>Collectively, these points underscore critical equity concerns related to admission testing and suggest an unequal playing field.</p>
<h2>Levelling the field</h2>
<p>Testing organizations have increasingly focused their efforts on methods to account for social and economic background characteristics (known as an <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/sat-to-give-students-adversity-score-to-capture-social-and-economic-background-11557999000">adversity score</a>) to address bias. </p>
<p>The SAT adversity score includes 15 variables in three different areas: family environment, neighbourhood environment and secondary school environment. Characterized as a <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-sats-new-adversity-score-is-a-poor-fix-for-a-problematic-test-117363">poor fix</a>, the adversity score has been criticized for not accounting for unique student circumstances. </p>
<p>Moving tests into online platforms has enabled more responsive question formats, additional accommodations for students with disabilities and, most recently, remote invigilation practices. </p>
<p>In the absence of external admissions exams, universities are turning towards alternative metrics. Some universities look at test results students have written throughout their formal schooling. There have been calls for professional development to ensure <a href="https://doi.org/10.2304/pfie.2012.10.4.447">teacher grades lead to reliable and valid information about students’ achievement</a>, and many American colleges and universities are exploring ways to develop their own admissions tests.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/365947/original/file-20201027-15-1c44fcd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Students sit in an outdoor stadium writing entrance exams." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/365947/original/file-20201027-15-1c44fcd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/365947/original/file-20201027-15-1c44fcd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/365947/original/file-20201027-15-1c44fcd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/365947/original/file-20201027-15-1c44fcd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/365947/original/file-20201027-15-1c44fcd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/365947/original/file-20201027-15-1c44fcd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/365947/original/file-20201027-15-1c44fcd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Prospective students wear face masks and shields as they take the entrance exam for Mexico’s National Autonomous University in the University Olympic Stadium in Mexico City, Aug. 19, 2020.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Perhaps the ultimate arbitrator of the use of admission tests is whether students’ test performances actually predict student success. Unfortunately, the research about this is somewhat mixed and suggests students’ first-year university grades may be both <a href="https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2016/01/26/new-research-suggests-sat-under-or-overpredicts-first-year-grades-hundreds-thousands">over- and under-predicted</a> by test scores. </p>
<p>Regardless of whether or not universities rely on entrance exams, admissions decisions are supplemented by students’ activities, such as completion of specific programs like the International Baccalaureate. At least one <a href="https://globalnews.ca/news/4405495/waterloo-engineering-grade-inflation-list/">Canadian university</a> has adjusted student grades depending on the high school students attended.</p>
<p>The fact that some students will access more “enriched” secondary opportunities will do little to address <a href="https://theconversation.com/culturally-responsive-teaching-in-a-globalized-world-109881">concerns of cultural bias</a> and the fact that COVID-19 may have further <a href="https://voxeu.org/article/covid-19-widening-inequality-higher-education">exacerbated school-based inequities</a>.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/school-fees-undermine-public-educations-commitment-to-equity-120058">School fees undermine public education’s commitment to equity</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>With more and more institutions phasing out admission testing, there will be an increasing need to rely on teachers’ judgements to make university admissions decisions. </p>
<p>Accordingly, it will become even more important that teachers have sound assessment skills to provide <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/0969594X.2012.745702">valid judgements of their students’ achievement</a> of learning. With the increasing shift to online learning environments, teachers will need expanded competencies in assessing students. Teachers’ <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/00131881.2020.1839353">assessment literacy is key and must be a critical focus of what teachers need to learn</a> in their university education and in professional development. </p>
<p><em>This is an updated version of a story originally published on Nov. 9. It clarifies that in Australia writing the STAT isn’t a mainstream requirement for all university applicants.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/142963/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Louis Volante receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC).</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Christopher DeLuca receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Don A. Klinger has received funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. </span></em></p>The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically accelerated a growing shift to test-optional admissions policies or scrapping entrance tests altogether.Louis Volante, Professor of Education, Brock UniversityChristopher DeLuca, Associate Dean, School of Graduate Studies & Associate Professor, Faculty of Education, Queen's University, OntarioDon A. Klinger, Pro Vice-Chancellor of Te Kura Toi Tangata Division of Education; Professor of Measurement, Assessment and Evaluation, University of WaikatoLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1355692020-04-07T08:45:20Z2020-04-07T08:45:20ZCoronavirus and school exams: despite plan for grading pupils, there may be trouble ahead<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/325678/original/file-20200406-74206-16rp5pm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=8%2C0%2C5694%2C3805&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/teacher-checking-student-homework-assignment-report-1216241752">NuPenDekDee/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Two weeks after the A-level and GCSE exams were cancelled, English assessment authority OFQUAL has decided how grades will be decided for these qualifications. They will be awarded by teachers in the first instance, and these recommendations will then be <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/how-gcses-as-a-levels-will-be-awarded-in-summer-2020">moderated by exam boards</a>.</p>
<p>The fact that this announcement was delayed twice suggests that the prime minister was not aware of the problems raised by the exam cancellation when he announced it. This demonstrates the chasm of understanding between those who work in it and those who govern it. </p>
<p>The prime minister closed England’s schools in a <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/pm-statement-on-coronavirus-18-march-2020">press conference</a> on March 18. This was accompanied by the almost casual announcement that exams would be cancelled for summer 2020. With no indication given of how awards would be determined, students with their futures dependent on the outcomes of these exams were cut adrift. Kevin Courtney, leader of the <a href="https://neu.org.uk/?source_campaign=%7Bbrand%7D&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI67T9m8zT6AIVQUPTCh3zsQ8QEAAYASAAEgJ2X_D_BwE">largest teaching union</a>, acknowledged on that night’s <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bL54LgOlqlw&feature=emb_title">Channel 4 News</a> that his organisation had only just been consulted by the education secretary about the closures.</p>
<h2>Latest of many battles</h2>
<p>The award of exam grades has long been a <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2203826/Michael-Gove-New-rigorous-exams-abolish-GCSEs.html">contentious issue</a>. Successive governments have changed their format and grading system several times. Restricting exam boards to only overseeing this process unleashes a trial of strength between a number of actors in the field. Each of these is vulnerable to, or has its own, strong vested interests.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/325675/original/file-20200406-74206-c0ina3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/325675/original/file-20200406-74206-c0ina3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/325675/original/file-20200406-74206-c0ina3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/325675/original/file-20200406-74206-c0ina3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/325675/original/file-20200406-74206-c0ina3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/325675/original/file-20200406-74206-c0ina3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/325675/original/file-20200406-74206-c0ina3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">This year, A-levels and GCSEs will not be decided by exams.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/empty-exam-hall-chair-desk-paper-744395434">fairuz othman/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Teachers know the exam candidates best, of course. But they may feel strong pressure to raise the assessment grades from understandably anxious students, sharp-elbowed parents, and in some cases their own employers. In this competitive market, schools use exam results to recruit future students and to hold teachers accountable. This is one of the reasons the government <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/education/2013/jun/11/michael-gove-gcse-reforms">became sceptical</a> of examinable coursework marked by teachers and mostly ended it in <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-40946785">recent reforms</a>.</p>
<p>Exam boards are pulled in opposing directions. They are effectively businesses in competition with each other, and want to avoid a reputation for severity in assessing students for fear of losing their customers – schools. </p>
<p>On the other hand, they work in harness with government agencies. The government will seek to stop grades being exaggerated – but will also want to avoid a scandal <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/education/2003/jan/09/schools.uk">like that of 2002</a>, when A-level pass marks were pushed up to stop an increase in A grades. In moderating the 2020 results, exam boards use schools’ prior performance as a guide. This will punish students who attend schools with a record of poor performance, and reinforce their disadvantage.</p>
<p>The universities and colleges to which A-level and GCSE candidates hope to go on have varying interests depending on their place in the market. Less popular institutions will worry that inflated grades will cause them to lose students, as candidates turn to universities which they had previously thought were out of their league. </p>
<p>Popular institutions may fear that their practice of making more offers than they have places will backfire. If higher grades on average are awarded, all of the students they offered places to will arrive, when some would normally not reach the threshold. The government has already <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-52010858">admonished some universities</a> for rushing out unconditional offers to applicants in the lockdown. </p>
<h2>Competing interests</h2>
<p>The announcement about the 2020 process raises at least as many questions as it answers – how grades should be established, how their integrity will be guaranteed, and what the impact will be on the national education system.</p>
<p>Everyone in the education system is determined to be principled and reasonable. However, this approach has risks associated with it – this year more than ever. Everyone is aware of the possibility of “Wild West” behaviour by other actors and will be tempted to factor it into their own calculations: for example, schools changing their grades in anticipation of over-grading by other schools or sweeping downgrading by the exam boards. </p>
<p>Exam results are the currency of the education marketplace. It is telling that the government did not appear to grasp the impact of destabilising this currency. OFQUAL has still not established any appeals procedure for the exam grades to be awarded, though it recognises that one will be needed. Cancelling exams is the equivalent in an economic market of closing the central bank and inviting businesses to set interest rates and print money. The results will at the very least be unpredictable.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/135569/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Matthew Cole does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Exams are the currency of the education marketplace.Matthew Cole, Research Fellow, Department of History, University of BirminghamLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1265942019-11-26T18:41:42Z2019-11-26T18:41:42ZWhat actually is an ATAR? First of all it’s a rank, not a score<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/303065/original/file-20191122-112985-ltjwy9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Think of the ranking system like a queue. The closer you are to the front of the queue, the more likely you are to get a university spot.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">from shutterstock.com</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>The Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR) is a number mainly used by universities to select which students, out of high school, will be offered a place in a particular course.</p>
<p>The ATAR is not a score, it’s a rank. If a student gets an ATAR of 80, this doesn’t mean they averaged 80%. It <a href="https://www.uac.edu.au/future-applicants/atar">means they are</a> 20% from the top of their age group.</p>
<h2>How is an ATAR calculated?</h2>
<p>Each <a href="http://www.tisc.edu.au/static-fixed/statistics/ter-frequency/atar-technical-specification.pdf">state and territory</a> does <a href="https://www.uac.edu.au/assets/documents/atar/atar-technical-report.pdf">their own calculation</a> of students’ ATAR. Although differing in certain details, they follow the same principles. </p>
<p>A student must be studying a minimum number of subjects that can be used in the final calculation. The specifics depend on state and territory.</p>
<p>In <a href="https://www.tisc.edu.au/static/guide/atar-about.tisc">WA</a> the calculation is based on a student’s four ATAR subjects and the student has to satisfy English competency requirements. In <a href="https://www.uac.edu.au/future-applicants/atar/how-your-atar-is-calculated">NSW</a>, you have to study at least eight ATAR “units”, of which six have to be what are called Category A, plus two units of English. Category A units are <a href="https://www.uac.edu.au/assets/documents/atar/atar-technical-report.pdf">defined as having</a> “academic rigour” and a “depth of knowledge” required for tertiary studies. They <a href="http://www.gsu.uts.edu.au/academicboard/cabs/051/papers/c-listofcatacourses.pdf">include</a> maths, English, science and history, as well as some arts and physical education subjects. </p>
<p>Queensland traditionally used something called an Overall Position, not the ATAR, but is moving to an ATAR in <a href="https://www.qtac.edu.au/atar-my-path/atar">2020</a>.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/dont-stress-your-atar-isnt-the-final-call-there-are-many-ways-to-get-into-university-125429">Don't stress, your ATAR isn't the final call. There are many ways to get into university</a>
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</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>In most cases, students are marked on how they did in the school assessments that count towards the ATAR. Again, this can differ across states. </p>
<p>In NSW, the assessments that count form part of the Higher School Certificate (HSC). In Victoria, it’s the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE). In VCE, units 1 and 2 are generally taken in year 11, and units 3 and 4 in Year 12. Units 3 and 4 generally count for the ATAR, but sometimes the <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/what-counts-towards-the-atar-20161207-gt5lg5.html">first two units also count</a>, such as in some VET programs.</p>
<p>The purpose of providing these examples is to highlight how complicated the creation of an ATAR is and how much it is affected by local factors, including the state or territory you are in.</p>
<p>Using the relevant units, a raw score for each subject is created. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/303605/original/file-20191125-84231-jlb8ox.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/303605/original/file-20191125-84231-jlb8ox.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/303605/original/file-20191125-84231-jlb8ox.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=390&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/303605/original/file-20191125-84231-jlb8ox.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=390&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/303605/original/file-20191125-84231-jlb8ox.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=390&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/303605/original/file-20191125-84231-jlb8ox.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=490&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/303605/original/file-20191125-84231-jlb8ox.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=490&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/303605/original/file-20191125-84231-jlb8ox.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=490&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A raw score is then scaled to get a rank of where the student sits relative to their peers.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">from shutterstock.com</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>But remember, an ATAR is a rank, so the scores need to be re-interpreted as a rank. Each mark needs to be <a href="https://www.uac.edu.au/media-centre/news/5-facts-about-scaling">scaled</a>, which means adjusting it so it can be more fairly compared with the marks for other students and subjects. </p>
<p>Scaling takes into account how competitive, not how difficult, a subject is.</p>
<p>One type of scaling considers where each subject’s mark ranks the student compared to the other students at the same school doing the same subject. Say a student gets 85% for a subject, if the average mark for their class was 90%, they will be ranked lower.</p>
<p>Another type of scaling considers how many students take a subject, and their average marks, compared to other subjects. This is because some subjects have relatively small numbers of students compared to others. </p>
<p>Unfortunately, advice - often on the internet - on how to “game” the system and get a higher ATAR is mostly incorrect. The best advice to ensure your best ATAR is, in the words of one <a href="https://www.vtac.edu.au/results-offers/atar-explained/scaling.html">admission centre</a>,</p>
<blockquote>
<p>to choose your studies according to what you are interested in; what you are good at; and what studies you need for future study.</p>
</blockquote>
<h2>What is the ATAR used for?</h2>
<p>The main purpose of the ATAR is to determine who gets offered a place in a university course. Think of a queue. When places are limited, the closer to the front of the queue the student is, the more likely they will get in. </p>
<p>Some years there are less people in the queue, or more places in the course. These affect the ATAR required to get in.</p>
<p>Universities sometimes set minimum ATARs, either for a course or the university. So, the student can only apply to the university/course if they achieve this minimum. </p>
<p>A minimum might be set because the university believes this is the minimum ATAR required to succeed. It might also be a way of branding a course, or an entire university, as elite. </p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_NNx5NVFPQk?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
</figure>
<p>It could be a combination of both. And again, because it’s a queue, achieving the minimum still doesn’t guarantee a place.</p>
<p>Universities can and do sometimes make adjustments to its ATAR requirements. This might be due to special consideration - perhaps illness - or because the student received a <a href="http://www.tisc.edu.au/static/guide/atar-about.tisc">bonus</a> for studying a language other than English. </p>
<p>For example, for 2019 applicants, Curtin University published <a href="https://www.tisc.edu.au/static-fixed/statistics/cutoff-ranks/2019-lowest-ranks-cur.pdf">advice</a> the minimum ATAR for the Bachelor of Advanced Science (Honours) in Coastal and Marine Science was 95. The minimum selection rank for that course actually ended up being 98.9 – above the university minimum. But at least one student was selected with an ATAR of 94.25 – slightly below the published minimum.</p>
<h2>Why is the ATAR contentious?</h2>
<p>An ATAR is primarily designed, and works best when it is used, as an efficient way of allocating limited places in a course in a first-come, first-served basis. </p>
<p>But because it’s a rank, it is not a direct representation of a student’s academic ability or potential to succeed in higher education. However, there is a correlation. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/factcheck-does-your-entrance-score-strongly-correlate-with-your-success-at-university-16224">FactCheck: does your entrance score strongly correlate with your success at university?</a>
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<p>A <a href="https://www.uac.edu.au/assets/documents/atar/usefulness-of-the-atar-report.pdf">recent study</a> by the <a href="https://www.uac.edu.au/">University Admission Centre</a> found:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>the ATAR is the best available predictor of university success[…] The higher the ATAR, the higher the student’s first-year GPA is likely to be.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>It also cautioned:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>[…] the ATAR is not perfect. There will be instances where the prediction will ‘miss the mark’. Also, there will be cases where selection based on the ATAR alone would not be optimal.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>There are always exceptions to the rule that ATAR can predict success. And these exceptions are not just numbers on a spreadsheet but people. For this and other reasons, many would like to see the ATAR scrapped. </p>
<p>But so far, agreement has not been reached on an alternative system that is fairer than the ATAR or as efficient. </p>
<p>In the meantime, it’s important to have alternative pathways to higher education for students who do not have the required ATAR but nonetheless have the capacity to succeed in higher education.</p>
<hr>
<p><em>This article previously stated if a student had an ATAR of 80, it means they performed as well as, or better than, 80% of the other students also graded. This has now been clarified to say it means they are 20% from the top of their age group.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/126594/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Tim Pitman does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>The ATAR is mainly used as an efficient way for universities to decide which students can be offered a place in a certain course.Tim Pitman, Senior Research Fellow, Curtin UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1216712019-08-14T12:10:11Z2019-08-14T12:10:11ZA-level results: a minority of students achieve predicted marks, so yes the system should be reformed<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/288002/original/file-20190814-136230-rwl5kp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/two-girls-celebrating-exam-results-school-735915199?src=vCuSgjnf8sFlXDwu_4Ax9g-1-0">shutterstock/Monkey Business Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>With <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-north-south-divide-in-a-levels-explained-64317">A-level results day</a> come the countless pictures of jubilant students leaping in the air. But despite those jumping for joy, results day can also be a nerve-wracking time for those waiting to see if they got the grades needed to get into their first choice university. </p>
<p>It’s generally accepted that going to university plays a significant part in shaping lives, and the skills gained there help to sustain a thriving society. So it seems odd that at the heart of this process is guesswork – with the <a href="https://theconversation.com/should-students-apply-to-university-after-they-receive-their-a-level-results-110333">bulk of university offers based on predicted grades</a>. </p>
<p>Indeed, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/education/2019/aug/13/labour-wants-universities-to-offer-places-after-exam-results">Labour has announced</a> plans to replace offers based on predicted grades with a new “fairer” system of post-qualification admissions. Under Labour’s plans, students would apply for their higher education place after receiving their results instead of the current system of predicted grades – which the party says penalises <a href="https://theconversation.com/bright-poor-students-less-likely-to-get-into-elite-universities-28560">disadvantaged students</a> and those from minority backgrounds. </p>
<p>The plans also look to curb the rise in unconditional offers and bring an end to the <a href="https://theconversation.com/going-through-university-clearing-then-make-sure-you-do-these-four-things-82460">clearing process</a> – which <a href="https://labour.org.uk/press/labour-announces-radical-shake-higher-education-admissions-system/">the party says</a> can be an “incredibly stressful and worrying time for students”.</p>
<h2>The problem with predicted grades</h2>
<p>Care has to be taken to not create a crisis where there isn’t one. After all, most university applicants find a place to study and UCAS provides for “adjustment” allowing students who have “overachieved” to reconsider where to study. </p>
<p>But, according to a 2016 report from <a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/news/2016/dec/call-university-applications-overhaul-report-reveals-just-16-predicted-level-results-are-correct">University College London’s</a> (UCL) Institute of Education, only 16% of predicted grades are accurate. And less than one in five students gains the grades their university offers are based upon. Of the others, 75% are over-predicted and 9% of students are under-predicted. These figures show that this is not a marginal issue. The process of predicted grades is inaccurate for most applicants. </p>
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<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/should-universities-lower-entry-grades-for-disadvantaged-students-97142">Should universities lower entry grades for disadvantaged students?</a>
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<p>It would seem at first glance that the 75% of students with over-predicted grades have just been “lucky”, but it’s not that simple. The admissions process is designed to match academic potential and courses to maximise the chance of applicants thriving while studying. Over-predicting may place students “out of their depth”. So rather than benefiting from this “advantage” it may put students under academic stress that limits their potential. </p>
<p>Even if these students thrive, they act as place blockers for other students who may have been better suited to the course. Although there are <a href="https://theconversation.com/now-universities-can-accept-as-many-students-as-they-want-will-there-be-a-free-for-all-in-clearing-45633">no longer student number controls</a> and universities can, in theory, take as many students as they wish, real estate, student accommodation, and staffing mean that practically places are limited. So every extra student on a course who technically didn’t get the grades to be there, is taking up a spot.</p>
<h2>Massive disadvantage</h2>
<p>For the 9% of students whose projected grades were lower than their actual grades, this disparity tempers aspirations. These students’ true abilities would place them at higher ranking universities, but they may not be made offers – even if they do apply – because of their inaccurate projected grades. <a href="https://theconversation.com/ten-pieces-of-advice-on-clearing-from-an-admissions-tutor-30297">Going through Clearing</a> could be a way out of this, but emotionally these students may not want to make a late change to their place of study – and places at their ideal universities may already be filled by students whose grades were inflated.</p>
<p>UCL’s report also noted that the students most likely to be under-predicted on grades are those from disadvantaged backgrounds. Over the course of the study, 3,000 high performing students – those getting AABs or better – from disadvantaged backgrounds were under-predicted. This meant they applied to universities they were overqualified for.</p>
<p><a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/32412/11-1043-investigating-accuracy-predicted-a-level-grades.pdf">According to analysis</a> carried out by the Department for Business Innovation and Skills, black students were the most likely to have their grades under-predicted. <a href="https://www.suttontrust.com/newsarchive/admissions-process-barrier-poor-students/">The Sutton Trust</a> has also warned that poorer students are more likely to have their grades under-predicted – making them less likely to apply to the most selective institutions. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/288003/original/file-20190814-136190-17y7jad.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/288003/original/file-20190814-136190-17y7jad.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=374&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/288003/original/file-20190814-136190-17y7jad.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=374&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/288003/original/file-20190814-136190-17y7jad.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=374&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/288003/original/file-20190814-136190-17y7jad.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=469&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/288003/original/file-20190814-136190-17y7jad.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=469&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/288003/original/file-20190814-136190-17y7jad.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=469&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">England is the only country with over a million students where a pre-qualifications admissions system is used.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/belgrade-serbia-circa-june-2014-adults-198917669?src=DwH3LqIiaVdX2I5201gXRw-1-0">Shutterstock/bibiphoto</a></span>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/university-clearing-a-view-for-and-against-64081">University clearing: a view for and against</a>
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<p>All of which makes Labour’s most recent suggestions of reforming the system a step in the right direction. Indeed, a <a href="https://www.ucu.org.uk/media/10041/Post-qualification-application-a-student-centred-model---Jan-2019/pdf/PQA_report_Jan19.pdf">2019 report from The University and College Union</a> revealed that post-qualification admissions were the global norm, and that countries the UK often benchmarks against – such as Germany, Singapore, Australia and the US – all use this system.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.cnedu.pt/content/noticias/internacional/Education_at_a_glance_2018.pdf">The OECD’s top five countries</a> with the highest performing graduates also use post-qualification admissions – so it’s possible that students in those countries are being better matched to institutions and thriving accordingly. </p>
<p>The UK’s approach was designed in the 1980s and is becoming less fit for purpose. The system allows disadvantage to be compounded and the merits of a notable group of students to not be fully recognised. To move to a new system will not be easy but international examples show this is possible. And if we are to have a system of education that values, recognises and rewards merit it is an essential step. </p>
<p>A system where qualifications are assessed on what has been achieved and not what has been unreliably predicted would also help to move higher education access nearer to a transparent merit-based approach and at the very least would remove the clairvoyance that compounds disadvantage.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/121671/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Iain Garner does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Only 16% of predicted grades are accurate and the current system penalises disadvantaged students and those from minority backgrounds.Iain Garner, Head of the Department of Education, Childhood & Inclusion, Sheffield Hallam UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1103332019-02-18T10:37:15Z2019-02-18T10:37:15ZShould students apply to university after they receive their A-level results?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/258988/original/file-20190214-1726-8jumdo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Most students looking to start university in September have applied to their chosen universities by now. Some may have even received and already accepted unconditional offers. Students are increasingly likely to be offered an unconditional offer for a place on an undergraduate course, before they have completed their qualifications at school or college.</p>
<p>The number of unconditional offers made to 18-year-old students from England, Northern Ireland and Wales <a href="https://www.ucas.com/corporate/news-and-key-documents/news/increase-unconditional-offers-made-young-people-england-wales-and-northern-ireland">has risen massively over the past five years</a> – from 2,985 in 2013 to 67,915 in 2018. Last year, 7.1% of offers made to these students were unconditional, continuing the recent trend of annual increases.</p>
<p>It’s perhaps not surprising then that <a href="https://www.ucu.org.uk/article/9834/Report-says-students-should-apply-to-university-after-they-get-results">a recent report from the Universities and Colleges Union</a> suggests reforming the university admissions system for undergraduates in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. </p>
<p>Under the current system, potential students usually apply for degree courses during the year before they sit their A-level exams. Schools provide universities with predicted grades and these can then be taken into account to determine whether to offer a university place to an applicant. Students are then given offers that in most cases are conditional on attaining certain grades at A-level – though increasingly students are also being offered unconditional offers. </p>
<h2>Making the grade</h2>
<p>The report highlights the increased trend towards unconditional offers – which it suggests distort students’ decision making processes and removes transparency. It also says it is unhelpful for school teachers who deal with A-level students – many of whom have little motivation to work hard once they have accepted an unconditional offer. Arguably, the growth in unconditional offers is a symptom, and not a cause, of dysfunction in the current system.</p>
<p>Instead, the report advocates a move towards a system whereby applicants would not be offered a place on an undergraduate course until they have completed whatever qualification they need to join the course. </p>
<p>It also outlines measures to ensure students embark on their A-levels better prepared for the transition to university than they are at present. This could see school students focus on the university application process in the years leading up to their A-levels. Students would also receive detailed guidance about higher education options as early as year ten of secondary school, two years before they normally start on their university applications.</p>
<h2>Clearing nightmare?</h2>
<p>For this to work, the report says that A-level exams and the release of A-level results would need to be brought forward a few weeks. At the moment, exam results are released, prompting a frenetic period, known as clearing. This is when students who have done better or worse than their predicted grades battle it out to secure a place at a university.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/university-clearing-a-view-for-and-against-64081">University clearing: a view for and against</a>
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<p>As someone who works in university admissions, the proposed time frame of the new system seems problematic. Rather than placing the 12% of applicants who apply through clearing during the weeks between results day and the start of the university term, all applicants would need to be dealt with during that short period. This is a daunting prospect for many university managers.</p>
<p>It also introduces a challenge because, at present, universities are able to gauge the likely number of applicants for a course once students start to apply. This is often up to a year before they take their A-levels. So this would mean universities wouldn’t know very far in advance how many students were actually interested in attending a course (although the report does outline a process whereby potential students could express an interest before their A-level exams).</p>
<h2>How other countries do it</h2>
<p>It is also worth noting the context for the report. The authors have surveyed university admissions systems around the world and suggested that England, Wales and Northern Ireland are unusual in having a large, complex and highly developed university sector which is dependent on a “pre-qualification” admission. </p>
<p>So this move would bring English universities, which operate in an international market, more closely in line with those elsewhere in the world. It would probably also make it more straightforward for international students to apply to UK universities. This, the report argues, would lead to better prepared applicants who would in turn become more satisfied and engaged students. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/258989/original/file-20190214-1758-zq8m1n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/258989/original/file-20190214-1758-zq8m1n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/258989/original/file-20190214-1758-zq8m1n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/258989/original/file-20190214-1758-zq8m1n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/258989/original/file-20190214-1758-zq8m1n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/258989/original/file-20190214-1758-zq8m1n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/258989/original/file-20190214-1758-zq8m1n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">It can be a big transition, going from school to university.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
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<p>All in all, it would be a massive shift in how admissions are handled, affecting schools, universities, agents who recruit overseas students, and many others. It’s unlikely that these proposals, detailed as they are, would be adopted exactly as they stand, but the report has established the principle that the current system should be open to review and redesign. </p>
<p>From a university viewpoint, the argument about students being ready to move on from school is very powerful. Any change to admissions will have a better chance of success if it can result in better prepared applicants who stand to become more satisfied students. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/system/files/hub/download/threshold_concepts_introductory_tool_0.pdf">Research</a> into the transition from school to university and the first year experience, shows that students need to develop new techniques and new perspectives on knowledge, to enable them to learn more independently and in more depth than they did at school. So changing the admissions process would be a great way to help students cross that threshold. It would also help to ensure more students stay on at university and have a positive learning experience.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/110333/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Martin Rich has in the past received funding from the Higher Education Academy. </span></em></p>Why a recent report, backed by university staff, argues that institutions should start offering students places after they’ve received their A-level results.Martin Rich, Senior Lecturer in the Cass Business School, City, University of LondonLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/975332018-06-05T20:06:21Z2018-06-05T20:06:21ZANU’s new entrance criteria won’t do much to improve equity<p>The Australian National University recently <a href="http://www.anu.edu.au/study/apply/new-admissions-for-2020/co-curricular-or-service-requirement">announced</a> that from 2020 it will require all students to meet co-curricular requirements alongside the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) requirement. </p>
<p>The diverse <a href="http://www.anu.edu.au/study/apply/new-admissions-for-2020/co-curricular-or-service-requirement">list</a> of co-curricular requirements includes part-time employment, participation in the creative arts, sports, and community and service activities. Academic internships, international exchange, and scholastic activities such as the prestigious <a href="https://www.googlesciencefair.com/#!?modal_active=none">Google Science Fair</a> are also recognised under the scheme. </p>
<p>This represents perhaps the largest admissions policy shift from a <a href="https://go8.edu.au/">Group of Eight</a> university to date. It’s a clear indication the national university is looking beyond the ATAR to ensure it attracts the most suitable young people to its courses. But it will not do much to improve equity of access.</p>
<h2>Anti-ATAR sentiment</h2>
<p>Sentiment against the Australian Tertiary Admissions Ranking (ATAR) is <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/atar-should-be-simplified-or-even-abolished-says-chief-scientist-alan-finkel-20180423-p4zb74.html">rising</a>. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/should-we-scrap-the-atar-what-are-the-alternative-options-experts-comment-55501">Should we scrap the ATAR? What are the alternative options? Experts comment</a>
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<p>A <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/education/nsw-universities-taking-students-with-atars-as-low-as-30-20160126-gmdvr6.html">Fairfax report</a> in 2016 showed universities were accepting students with ATARs much lower than advertised cut-off scores. The report confirmed suspicions university admissions are <a href="https://myaccount.news.com.au/sites/theaustralian/subscribe.html?sourceCode=TAWEB_WRE170_a&mode=premium&dest=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/higher-education/year-12-and-atar-need-a-rethink/news-story/08187e86c4d8f26d7b514e23eb61e4c9&memtype=anon">opaque</a> and at risk of being gamed <a href="http://campusmorningmail.com.au/news/no-the-atar-cant-be-gamed-but-it-can-be-tuned/">by schools</a>.</p>
<p>Since then, there have been calls across the sector to <a href="https://theconversation.com/atars-you-may-as-well-use-postcodes-for-university-admissions-19154">increase transparency</a> around how ATAR is used for university entrance. And a rising chorus suggests the ATAR should be <a href="https://theconversation.com/should-we-scrap-the-atar-what-are-the-alternative-options-experts-comment-55501">scrapped all together</a>.</p>
<p>More recently, Australia’s chief scientist Alan Finkel has emerged as a fierce opponent of the ATAR system, going as far as to <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/atar-should-be-simplified-or-even-abolished-says-chief-scientist-alan-finkel-20180423-p4zb74.html">suggest</a> the system is “completely obscure” and results in students “being given poor advice” about their post-secondary options. </p>
<h2>What has changed?</h2>
<p>The majority of universities across the country already accept some students based on other-than-ATAR requirements. These include portfolios, interviews, and community service. Most also allocate a number of places to students from underrepresented communities, and specific pathways for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people. </p>
<p>What’s different about ANU Vice-Chancellor Brian Schmidt’s announcement last week is the specific commitment by a high status, research-intensive university to base admissions on more than “<a href="https://www.smh.com.au/education/community-service-as-important-as-atar-for-year-12s-in-anu-overhaul-20180529-p4zi7n.html">just a score</a>”.</p>
<p>The addition of a co-curricular or “service” requirement follows an announcement by <a href="https://www.canberratimes.com.au/national/act/australian-national-university-to-abandon-atar-as-sole-entry-requirement-20160801-gqi4ai.html?_ga=2.204029648.1351890709.1528065145-1249041768.1524834919">Professor Schmidt in 2016</a> that the national university was looking to “move away from judging students only on their year 12 ATAR results”. </p>
<p>The move will see students required to meet a threshold of out-of-class activities alongside the ANU floor ATAR of 80 for admission to most courses. ANU has two advantages which allow it to take this policy position: </p>
<ol>
<li><p>the lowest ATAR admitted to ANU in 2018 was close to 80.00, which means ANU draws almost exclusively from the top quintile of results overall</p></li>
<li><p>ANU enjoys a remarkably high completion rate, with <a href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/education/third-of-university-students-failing-to-complete-course/news-story/0c70435cf7690878811d957a51523a5b">over 80%</a> successful completions between 2009 and 2014. </p></li>
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<p>This policy may help to attract students with a “near-miss” on their admission into high-status degrees. By necessity, it will certainly encourage already high performing students to look beyond their academic studies and develop their whole selves in the final years of secondary school.</p>
<p>But it won’t dramatically alter the student cohort in terms of encouraging low-SES students to apply. These students are significantly <a href="https://theconversation.com/year-12-results-day-does-the-atar-actually-matter-that-much-48890">more likely</a> to achieve an ATAR under 80 than their more advantaged peers </p>
<p>Rather, ANU’s co-curricular or service requirement will increase competition for places at the lower-end of those students the university already accepts. It gives the university a powerful lever with which to allocate university places moving forward. This is especially important given the <a href="https://cdn.newsapi.com.au/link/9d7c304cafe37e80cf41a5e7b34f4e9c?domain=theaustralian.com.au">increased scrutiny</a> on the use of ATAR as the sole basis for university admissions. </p>
<h2>What does this mean for equity?</h2>
<p>ANU’s plan has <a href="https://psnews.com.au/2018/05/31/universitys-new-admission-plan-wins-praise/">drawn praise</a> from Federal Minister for Education and Training Simon Birmingham. He suggested the policy represents a “commitment to welcome, educate and accommodate the best and brightest Australians, regardless of their background”. </p>
<p>Professor Schmidt has positioned these changes as an access measure. But as higher education policy expert Andrew Norton notes, high-socioeconomic young people tend to <a href="https://andrewnorton.net.au/2018/05/30/will-extra-curricular-admission-requirements-improve-low-ses-access-to-the-anu/">perform better</a> on these kinds of co-curricular requirements than their less advantaged peers. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/your-atar-isnt-the-only-thing-universities-are-looking-at-93353">Your ATAR isn't the only thing universities are looking at</a>
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<p>Non-academic requirements are very common overseas. The US is the most prominent example, where students are required to apply directly to each institution. That system is widely <a href="https://www.theodysseyonline.com/income-students-disadvantage">criticised</a> as advantaging high-socioeconomic students who often enjoy far superior resources, time, and parental support in putting together their applications. There have been significant moves in recent times to address these issues, with the continued adoption of <a href="http://www.commonapp.org/search-colleges">common application</a> processes.</p>
<p>Multiple factors influence young people’s readiness for tertiary study. This is especially true for students from diverse, underrepresented, and low-socioeconomic backgrounds.</p>
<p>First, these young people are at a <a href="https://theconversation.com/career-studies-and-advice-start-early-or-dont-start-at-all-40563">significant disadvantage</a> in terms of the quality and availability of career planning and counselling.</p>
<p>Second, even after they’re admitted, young people from disadvantaged backgrounds are significantly <a href="https://www.ncsehe.edu.au/publications/completing-university-in-a-growing-sector-is-equity-an-issue/">more likely to drop out</a>. This is often due to beyond-academic reasons, such as balancing work and study, caring responsibilities, and social exclusion.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-atar-debate-students-need-to-be-able-to-finish-uni-not-just-start-it-36478">The ATAR debate: students need to be able to finish uni, not just start it</a>
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<p>Third, the tertiary admissions process, and the use of ATAR remain <a href="https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/call-rethink-australian-university-admissions">poorly understood</a> by the community more generally.</p>
<p>Finally, even if these students do succeed, they tend to find it <a href="https://pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/nice-work-if-you-can-get-it">more challenging</a> to secure work experience, and full-time employment after their studies. This is <a href="https://www.thesmithfamily.com.au/%7E/media/files/research/research-evaluation/research-disadvantaged-young-australians-learning-for-life.ashx">due to</a> more limited professional networks and parental support.</p>
<p>In short, less advantaged students require significant additional supports, well beyond acknowledging their diverse pathways for entry into a degree program. These challenges remain the key litmus test for any debate around the continued usefulness of the ATAR.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/97533/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Shane Duggan receives funding from the Department of Education and Training. </span></em></p>From 2020, ANU will require students to meet co-curricular requirements alongside ATAR. This significant policy shift is meant to improve equity of access, but won’t change much.Shane Duggan, Vice Chancellor's Postdoctoral research fellow, RMIT UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/933532018-03-20T19:05:52Z2018-03-20T19:05:52ZYour ATAR isn’t the only thing universities are looking at<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/211119/original/file-20180320-31602-1ygqphm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Many mainstream schools seem to reinforce the message that the ATAR is everything.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">from shutterstock.com</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Only a quarter of undergraduate university admissions for domestic students are made on the basis of an ATAR (Australian Tertiary Admission Rank), according to a new discussion paper from Victoria University’s Mitchell Institute.</p>
<p>The <a href="http://www.mitchellinstitute.org.au/papers/crunching-the-number/">paper</a> highlights a growing disconnect between the role the ATAR plays in schools and universities. In 2016, only 26% of domestic undergraduate university admissions were made on the basis of secondary education with an ATAR – down from 31% in 2014. </p>
<p>This would surprise many young people, as it seems at odds with the message reinforced by many schools, families and the media – that the ATAR is everything.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/so-youve-got-your-atar-now-what-here-are-some-options-88152">So you've got your ATAR, now what? Here are some options</a>
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<p>The ATAR is a commonly used criterion for admission to undergraduate study. It is a nationally comparable percentile rank (given between 0 and 99.95 in increments of 0.5) signifying a student’s position relative to other students.</p>
<p>The ATAR, and the state-based ranking systems that preceded it, were designed to facilitate transparent and efficient selection to limited places in higher education. But the ranking has arguably taken on a life of its own. As Chief Scientist Alan Finkel <a href="http://www.chiefscientist.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/Universities-Australia-dinner-address.pdf">said</a> recently:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>We…know the ATAR is a tool. <em>Students</em> treat the ATAR as the goal. </p>
</blockquote>
<h2>Multiple pathways to entry</h2>
<p>The introduction of the demand driven system in 2012 saw a removal of caps on Commonwealth supported undergraduate university places. Australia’s tertiary education sector has seen immense change since then, growing significantly and becoming more diverse and accessible. </p>
<p>Commencing <a href="https://www.education.gov.au/selected-higher-education-statistics-2016-student-data">higher education students rose</a> from around 410,000 in 2007 to nearly 600,000 by 2016. The 2017 Commonwealth decision to <a href="https://www.senatorbirmingham.com.au/sustainability-and-excellence-in-higher-education">freeze the funding</a> provided for Commonwealth supported undergraduate students may have some impact on this, although the extent is not yet known.</p>
<p>Regardless, we now have a flexible system, with multiple pathways to entry and more students applying directly to institutions. </p>
<p>Our new paper highlights that in 2017, around 60% of <a href="https://docs.education.gov.au/node/46066">domestic undergraduate university offers</a> were reported as non-ATAR or non-Year 12, showing a diversity of pathways to higher education. </p>
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<p>Non-ATAR admissions can be made on the basis of secondary school results (without ATAR), previous higher education or VET study, professional qualifications, and mature age or equity entry pathways. </p>
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<p>Universities are also turning to a number of <a href="https://docs.education.gov.au/system/files/doc/other/revised_20161115_pm_final_accessibility_version_hesp_admissions_transparency_report.pdf">alternative entry mechanisms</a> including aptitude tests, entrance exams and interviews. In 2017, <a href="https://docs.education.gov.au/system/files/doc/other/undergraduate_applications_offers_and_acceptances_2017.pdf">69% of undergraduate offers</a> in the fields of health and education were non-ATAR/non-Year 12. For nursing, this was 78%. </p>
<h2>Schools still strongly focused on ATAR</h2>
<p>Much of senior secondary schooling is still strongly focused on the ATAR, an emphasis that can result in unintended consequences. </p>
<p>A significant number of final year students report <a href="https://www.missionaustralia.com.au/news-blog/news-media/youth-survey-report-2017">alarmingly high levels</a> of stress and anxiety as a result of study pressures. </p>
<p>Students may choose subjects they think will <a href="https://www.cese.nsw.gov.au/publications-filter/why-aren-t-students-studying-higher-level-maths.">maximise their ATAR</a> over pursuing talents and interests. It also distorts student choice about which pathway to pursue. Some students see high cut-off scores as an <a href="http://melbourne-cshe.unimelb.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/2318085/Improv_Tertiary_Sel.pdf">indication of higher course quality</a>, and similarly, that to enrol in courses with cut-offs lower than their ATAR would be a “waste” of their scores.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/ideas-from-abroad-reforming-the-australian-university-admissions-system-63873">Ideas from abroad: reforming the Australian university admissions system</a>
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<h2>Symptom of a larger problem</h2>
<p>The reality is the ATAR is only one element of a larger and more complex picture. Many of the problems we associate with the ATAR are really symptoms of a broader disjuncture in the way we think about education and training pathways for young people. </p>
<p>To move forward, any reforms need to acknowledge that secondary and tertiary education form part of one ongoing learning pathway.</p>
<p>In education policy there is broad consensus on a number of high level goals – that education should:</p>
<ul>
<li>Develop the <a href="http://www.curriculum.edu.au/verve/_resources/National_Declaration_on_the_Educational_Goals_for_Young_Australians.pdf">foundation skills and broader capabilities</a> required to succeed in a changing world,</li>
<li>support effective transitions from school to post-school life, and</li>
<li>enable <a href="https://www.mq.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0013/135310/bradley_review_of_australian_higher_education.pdf">more school leavers to participate</a> in tertiary study or training. </li>
</ul>
<p>Yet our means of measuring success and facilitating access often seem at odds with these. This includes the ATAR.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/atar-found-to-be-a-poor-predictor-of-how-well-students-do-at-uni-41677">ATAR found to be a poor predictor of how well students do at uni</a>
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<p>The ATAR presents a challenging dilemma – it needs to measure and mark individual and school achievement, filter and sort applicants into appropriate pathways, and facilitate equity of access and equality of educational opportunity. </p>
<p>But given the changing role and purpose of both school and tertiary education, it’s timely to revisit how we facilitate young people’s pathways at this critical stage. </p>
<p>Collectively, governments, students and families are investing <a href="http://www.mitchellinstitute.org.au/reports/expenditure-on-education-and-training-in-australia-2017/">more than ever</a> in education and training in Australia. </p>
<p>There is a broad public benefit to ensuring this investment is spent wisely, and that we have the right framework in place to ensure as many students as possible make a good transition from schooling to the next steps in their lives. </p>
<p>It’s time to assess the ATAR and ask whether it helps or hinders us in achieving our shared education goals.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/93353/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>In 2017, around 60% of domestic undergraduate university offers were reported as non-ATAR, meaning there’s a diversity of pathways to higher education.Sarah Pilcher, Policy Fellow, Mitchell Institute, Victoria UniversityKate Torii, Policy Analyst, Mitchell Institute, Victoria UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/881522017-12-15T01:43:02Z2017-12-15T01:43:02ZSo you’ve got your ATAR, now what? Here are some options<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/199344/original/file-20171215-16428-3p3xwd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Regardless of your ATAR, it's important to keep vocational pathways in mind, not as a lesser option, but as a way of getting experience in an industry you're interested in. </span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Over the last week, year 12 students around the country received their Australian Tertiary Admissions Ranking (<a href="http://www.uac.edu.au/atar/">ATAR</a>). For many students, these results are accompanied by celebration and relief. </p>
<p>However, for those whose results are not what they were expecting or hoping for, there may be frustration and disappointment. </p>
<p>The release of ATAR results is a chance for all students who have put in a preference to study at university in 2018 to review their preferences, and think about where they want to go.</p>
<h2>Why do students receive an ATAR?</h2>
<p>The ATAR is a ranking used by universities to sort potential students for admission to their courses. </p>
<p>The ATAR has support from many experts and universities for three main reasons:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>it’s an efficient way to sort students quickly for admission to high demand courses</p></li>
<li><p>it uses a student’s final year subject scores, which makes it reasonably reliable</p></li>
<li><p>it’s fairly transparent, in that students can see what the minimum “cut off” score was for a particular course for the previous year. </p></li>
</ol>
<p>But there have been a number of complaints in recent times.</p>
<p>First, there’s <a href="https://www.ncsehe.edu.au/publications/completing-university-in-a-growing-sector-is-equity-an-issue/">evidence</a> the ATAR is not equitable for disadvantaged students. It’s well regarded ATAR results are biased toward high socio-economic students. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/should-we-scrap-the-atar-what-are-the-alternative-options-experts-comment-55501">Should we scrap the ATAR? What are the alternative options? Experts comment</a>
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<p>Second, universities have been <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/national/education/nsw-universities-taking-students-with-atars-as-low-as-30-20160125-gmdvr6.html">accused</a> of gaming the system by admitting students below the published cut off scores. </p>
<h2>What to do now you have your ATAR</h2>
<p>Whether you got the score you were hoping for or not, it’s important to keep in mind the ATAR is just one measure you will receive in your life. It does not determine your <a href="https://www.vu.edu.au/sites/default/files/cses/pdfs/the-academic-performance-of-first-year-students-at-VU-by-entry-score-and-SES-2009-2013.pdf">future grades</a>. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/atar-found-to-be-a-poor-predictor-of-how-well-students-do-at-uni-41677">ATAR found to be a poor predictor of how well students do at uni</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p><strong>Consider all of your options</strong></p>
<p>If you have your heart set on attending a particular university, the first step is talking to the admissions office. A number of universities now offer bridging programs for students who are not eligible for direct entry.</p>
<p>For example, if you wish to study Engineering at Monash University, you may be eligible to apply for <a href="https://www.monash.edu/engineering/future-students/how-to-apply/pathways-to-monash-engineering">Monash College</a>. Students who are successful in that program are guaranteed entry into the second year of the Bachelor of Engineering degree.</p>
<p><strong>Have a look at different institutions</strong></p>
<p>There are two main options if you’re set on a particular course:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>look at different institutions to see if they offer a similar course</p></li>
<li><p>look at different types of qualifications that match your interests.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>The tertiary education landscape has more options than ever before. There’s no longer a neat distinction between what is offered at TAFEs and universities. </p>
<p>Just as many universities now offer Advanced Diplomas and online credentials, many TAFE providers now offer industry-focused training that may be a bridge to employment, or to further study.</p>
<p><strong>Most of all, the ATAR is just one measure</strong></p>
<p>University isn’t the best option for everyone straight out of school. </p>
<p><a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01596306.2016.1173650">Studies</a> have shown <a href="https://pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/reigniting-higher-education-admissions-reform">many students</a> choose a university pathway because they feel they’re expected to, not because they really want to pursue that field. Too often, <a href="https://docs.education.gov.au/system/files/doc/other/review_of_the_demand_driven_funding_system_report_for_the_website.pdf">these students don’t complete their degrees</a>. </p>
<p>In Australia, a large number of university places are supported through the <a href="http://studyassist.gov.au/sites/studyassist/helppayingmyfees/csps/pages/commonwealth-supported-places">Commonwealth Supported Places</a> scheme. Recently, there’s been significant pressure placed on universities to improve completion rates, particularly for young people admitted with ATARs below 60.</p>
<p>Regardless of your ATAR, it’s important to keep vocational pathways in mind, not as a lesser option, but as a way of getting experience in an industry you’re interested in. </p>
<p>The premium placed on university entrance has been said to have contributed to a <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-11-30/concern-over-trade-skills-shortage-as-university-enrolments-rise/9210254">skills shortage</a> in many industries. Many of these industries offer <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-11-29/university-students-dropping-out-in-record-numbers/9203636">good prospects</a> for employment and personal growth into the future.</p>
<h2>Does the ATAR have a future in university admissions?</h2>
<p>There’s a lot of misinformation about what future employers look for in graduates. Recent <a href="https://grattan.edu.au/report/mapping-australian-higher-education-2014-15/">research</a> shows most employers aren’t particularly concerned about what institution you went to. </p>
<p>Many industries are relying <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/ryancraig/2016/10/01/competency-based-hiring-10-signals-the-shift-is-happening/#10c5758b14b0">less and less</a> on formal qualifications and more on relevant experiences, a good fit with their culture, and characteristics like <a href="http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_FOJ_Executive_Summary_Jobs.pdf">emotional intelligence</a>.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/demand-for-people-skills-is-growing-faster-than-demand-for-stem-skills-86754">Demand for people skills is growing faster than demand for STEM skills</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>With the release of this year’s result, high profile CEOs such as <a href="https://twitter.com/toddsampsonOz/status/941078168689041408">Todd Sampson</a> have hit out against the ATAR, suggesting factors such as the ability to make a difference are more important than scores.</p>
<p>It’s worth keeping in mind a young person graduating school today is <a href="https://www.fya.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/The-New-Work-Mindset.pdf">likely</a> to have around 17 changes in employers across five different careers. </p>
<p>As a graduating student in 2017, it’s also likely you’ll have multiple recurrent interactions with different types of education. Undergraduate university entrance is just one of those possibilities.</p>
<p>Receiving your high school certificate is a huge achievement that should be celebrated. </p>
<p>While there’s a tendency for the media to focus on the ATAR, it’s important to remember it’s just one number, and it doesn’t determine where you will go in the future.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/88152/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Shane Duggan receives funding from the Australian Government, Department of Education and Training. </span></em></p>Students should consider all their options and remember the ATAR is just one measure that doesn’t necessarily dictate how well they will do in future.Shane Duggan, Vice Chancellor's Postdoctoral research fellow, RMIT UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/824022017-08-15T01:21:46Z2017-08-15T01:21:46ZThe legal threat to diversity on campus<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/181984/original/file-20170814-28487-1pxsvu0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Could legal intimidation threaten race-conscious admissions in the U.S.?</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">AP Photo/Susan Walsh</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Last summer, the Supreme Court ruled that colleges and universities can use race as <a href="https://theconversation.com/after-supreme-courts-fisher-decision-what-we-need-to-know-about-considering-race-in-admissions-59784">one factor among many</a> in making admissions decisions. The court determined that such policies helped further an institution’s mission to attain the educational benefits of diversity.</p>
<p>A recent report by The New York Times, however, has brought affirmative action back to the forefront. <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/01/us/politics/trump-affirmative-action-universities.html">According to The New York Times</a>, the Trump administration may be considering a “project” to direct Department of Justice resources to investigate race-conscious admissions. While Department of Justice officials responded that the internal memo <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/justice-department-denies-personnel-posting-reflects-policy-affirmative/story?id=48987401">did not reflect new department policy</a>, the story has placed colleges and universities “on notice” that their efforts may face renewed scrutiny.</p>
<p>As an education and legal scholar of equity in higher education, I’ve <a href="https://www.civilrightsproject.ucla.edu/legal-developments/legal-briefs/amicus-brief-of-social-scientists-in-fisher-case/14-981-823-social-scientists-fisher.pdf">represented hundreds of social scientists</a> before the Supreme Court to support colleges’ use of race-conscious admissions. My belief – and that of <a href="http://diversemilitary.net/2017/08/08/colleges-plan-for-assault-on-affirmative-action/">many educators and civil rights advocates</a> – is that the alleged investigation by the Department of Justice is meant to intimidate institutions and, perhaps, sway admissions officers from considering race in their admissions policies. </p>
<p>Unintentional or not, the potential threat of legal action could have a dramatic impact on the diversity of college campuses across the country.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/182009/original/file-20170814-29240-j1sdh6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/182009/original/file-20170814-29240-j1sdh6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/182009/original/file-20170814-29240-j1sdh6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=454&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/182009/original/file-20170814-29240-j1sdh6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=454&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/182009/original/file-20170814-29240-j1sdh6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=454&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/182009/original/file-20170814-29240-j1sdh6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=570&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/182009/original/file-20170814-29240-j1sdh6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=570&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/182009/original/file-20170814-29240-j1sdh6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=570&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">University of Michigan student Ebrie Benton protests against the state’s ban on affirmative action.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">AP Photo/Al Behrman</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Legal intimidation</h2>
<p>Despite the Supreme Court’s ruling last year, conservative groups like <a href="https://studentsforfairadmissions.org/">Students for Fair Admissions</a> continue to press lawsuits against universities that employ race-conscious admissions. Cases against <a href="http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2017/6/8/judge-rejects-dismissal-admissions/">Harvard University</a> and <a href="http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/education/article9233270.html">UNC Chapel Hill</a> are making their way through the courts and could potentially bring affirmative action to the Supreme Court again.</p>
<p>However, Harvard and Chapel Hill have some of the <a href="http://www.nacubo.org/Documents/EndowmentFiles/2016-Endowment-Market-Values.pdf">largest endowments</a> in the country, with US$34 billion and $2 billion, respectively. Might institutions that lack the financial resources to defend against lawsuits begin changing admissions policies and practices in order to avoid potential legal threats?</p>
<p>A <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/GDJP6">recent study</a> found that over the last 20 years, a public commitment to race-conscious admissions has become far less common, particularly among institutions that are <a href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/moneybox/2017/08/03/outside_of_elite_colleges_affirmative_action_is_already_disappearing.html">relatively lower in the status hierarchy</a>. In 1994, 82 percent of “very competitive” public universities openly considered race as one of many factors in admissions decisions. By 2014, that number declined to just 32 percent. The “most competitive” universities, however, have continued their public commitment to race-conscious admissions practices unabated.</p>
<p>While the reasons for this trend haven’t been studied directly, it’s worth noting that the “most competitive” institutions are also the institutions that have more financial resources to defend against potential legal action.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/182008/original/file-20170814-28487-csunzj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/182008/original/file-20170814-28487-csunzj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/182008/original/file-20170814-28487-csunzj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/182008/original/file-20170814-28487-csunzj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/182008/original/file-20170814-28487-csunzj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/182008/original/file-20170814-28487-csunzj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/182008/original/file-20170814-28487-csunzj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/182008/original/file-20170814-28487-csunzj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Lawyer Bert Rein speaks to press during the 2015 affirmative action case. He’s joined by his client, Abigail Fisher, and legal strategist Edward Blum, founder of Students for Fair Admissions.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Why opposition exists</h2>
<p>In many ways, higher education provides a pathway to positions of power and influence in the United States.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/how-many-rich-powerful-people-went-to-elite-colleges-2014-6">Attending an elite institution</a> remains an important part of the trajectory for those in the ruling class. <a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2010/10/28/harvard-stanford-yale-graduate-most-members-of-congress">Harvard, Stanford and Yale</a>, for example, have graduated considerably more recent members of Congress than other less prestigious schools. </p>
<p>Elite institutions also provide <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2017/04/what-is-an-elite-college-really-worth/521577/">particularly high labor market returns</a> for students of color. Economists have shown, for example, that attending the most selective institutions made an especially big difference in the <a href="https://doi.org/10.3386/w17159">life earnings</a> for black, Latino and first-generation students.</p>
<p>Keeping the path to high-status positions open for people of color was one of the reasons the Supreme Court found race-conscious admissions to be constitutional. In <a href="https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/539/306/">the words of the court</a>, to cultivate a set of leaders with legitimacy in the eyes of the citizenry, “the path to leadership must be visibly open to talented and qualified individuals of every race and ethnicity.”</p>
<p>A <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/05/opinion/sunday/white-resentment-affirmative-action.html">recent opinion piece</a> by Emory professor <a href="http://aas.emory.edu/home/people/faculty/anderson-carol.html">Carol Anderson</a> made the compelling case for why opposition to affirmative action is grounded on the politics of white resentment – that is, a false view that opening the path to the ruling class for black and Latino students represents a “theft” of those resources from white students.</p>
<h2>A world without affirmative action</h2>
<p>What happens when colleges and universities cannot consider race as a factor in admissions?</p>
<p>Research shows that, without race-conscious admissions, the racial diversity of student bodies drops substantially. For example, African-American and Latino enrollment declined at the most selective undergraduate institutions in states with <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1162/REST_a_00170">bans on affirmative action</a>. Similar findings were reported in enrollment at <a href="http://www.nyulawreview.org/issues/volume-72-number-1/threat-diversity-legal-education-empirical-analysis-consequences">law schools</a> and <a href="http://www.ets.org/Media/Research/pdf/kidder_paper.pdf">business schools</a> after these bans were instituted. </p>
<p>My own research documents <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-supreme-court-case-on-race-in-admissions-matters-more-than-ever-51945">declines due to affirmative action bans</a> across a number of <a href="https://doi.org/10.3102/0002831212470483">graduate fields of study</a>, including engineering and natural and social sciences as well as <a href="https://doi.org/10.1353/jhe.2015.0009">medical schools</a>.</p>
<p>The decline in racial diversity across these educational sectors exacerbates the already disproportionately low number of students of color in these programs and reduces the <a href="http://press.princeton.edu/titles/8757.html">variety of perspectives that are needed</a> to foster innovation and advance scientific inquiry. </p>
<p>In short, <a href="https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X15615538">race-conscious admissions do make a difference</a> in campus diversity, allowing universities to address, rather than exacerbate, existing racial inequities. </p>
<h2>Next steps for universities</h2>
<p>Though the Fisher case cleared a path for race-conscious admissions, universities <a href="http://www.chronicle.com/article/How-Colleges-Can-Prepare-for/240835">must still do their part</a>. The court ruled that institutions must be able to connect racial and ethnic diversity to their mission and demonstrate why so-called “race-neutral” efforts are not as effective as race-conscious ones.</p>
<p>However, these steps alone are not enough for preserving true diversity in the face of ongoing attacks.</p>
<p>One of the very important aspects of the Fisher decision is that the Court’s rationale reflects a robust understanding of diversity: namely, that diversity is about more than the number of students of color; it’s also about fostering an environment in which students can benefit from diversity.</p>
<p>Research suggests that this means ensuring that students are engaging across racial and ethnic lines. In an analysis of decades of social science research, my co-author and I learned that realizing the benefits of diversity requires healthy, even if uncomfortable, <a href="https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X14529814">cross-racial interactions</a>.</p>
<p>Doing so requires attending to the ways that race, in explicit and subconscious ways, influences our interactions and shapes educational opportunity. It’s hard to see how institutions can do so without considering race in their educational policies and practices – including college admissions.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/82402/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Liliana M Garces has received funding from the Spencer Foundation, the William T. Grant Foundation, and the W.E. Upjohn Institute for her research. Opinions are her own and do not represent those of the foundations or the University of Texas at Austin.</span></em></p>For colleges and universities that lack the multi-billion-dollar endowments of schools like Harvard, the mere threat of legal action may be enough to put an end to race-conscious admissions policies.Liliana M. Garces, Associate Professor of Education, The University of Texas at AustinLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/821902017-08-08T00:59:03Z2017-08-08T00:59:03ZAffirmative action around the world<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/181263/original/file-20170807-25576-1vrldo5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Educafro, a Brazilian black activist movement, protested in 2012 to demand more affirmative action programs for higher education.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">AP Photo/Eraldo Peres</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>As reports have surfaced of the Trump administration’s intent to <a href="http://time.com/4883793/justice-department-college-admissions-affirmative-action/">investigate affirmative action admissions</a> in higher education, the debate over whether and how race should be considered in college admissions has emerged with renewed vigor.</p>
<p>In the past four years, United States Supreme Court cases like <a href="https://www.oyez.org/cases/2013/12-682">Schuette v. Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action</a> and <a href="https://www.oyez.org/cases/2015/14-981">Fisher v. University of Texas-Austin</a> have addressed this debate head on. </p>
<p>In what The New York Times called “<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/23/opinion/racial-equality-loses-at-the-court.html">a blinkered view on race in America</a>,” justices in the 2014 Schuette case ruled 6-2 (with Justice Elena Kagan recusing herself) that voters could eliminate affirmative action policies in state public education. Two years later, however, in the Fisher case, they ruled that the University of Texas-Austin’s affirmative action policy was constitutional, affirming that the goal of a diverse student body within selective colleges and universities is a “compelling interest” in the U.S. </p>
<p>Now it has emerged that President Trump’s <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/02/us/politics/asian-americans-complaint-prompted-justice-inquiry-of-college-admissions.html">Justice Department will be investigating</a> a yet-to-be-decided complaint challenging Harvard University’s affirmative action admissions policies, brought by a coalition of Asian-American groups. </p>
<p>So, is affirmative action in higher education on its way out? If you look beyond the U.S. and take a global perspective, the answer is no.</p>
<h2>A global perspective</h2>
<p>Our research has shown that about <a href="https://www.crcpress.com/Affirmative-Action-Matters-Creating-opportunities-for-students-around-the/JENKINS-Moses/p/book/9780415750127">one-quarter of the world’s countries</a> have some form of affirmative action for student admissions into higher education. Many of these programs have emerged over the last 25 years. </p>
<p>These policies may go by various names – affirmative action, reservations, alternative access, positive discrimination – but all are efforts to increase the numbers of underrepresented students in higher education. </p>
<p>A wide variety of institutions and governments on six continents have programs to expand admission of students from minority groups on the basis of race, gender, ethnicity, class, geography or type of high school. Several use a combination of these categories.</p>
<p>And given that U.S. policies are older than most, much of the cutting-edge thinking on affirmative action is now coming from other parts of the world.</p>
<h2>Affirmative action around the world</h2>
<p>Though <a href="https://www.oyez.org/cases/1979/76-811">affirmative action policies as we know them</a> have been in place in U.S. higher education since 1978, they are not the oldest: <a href="https://www.routledge.com/Identity-and-Identification-in-India-Defining-the-Disadvantaged/Jenkins/p/book/9780415560627">India’s policies for lower-caste students</a> take that prize. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.press.umich.edu/1181733/next_twenty_five_years">South Africa’s many, and varied, alternative access programs</a> not only admit underrepresented students – especially black female students – but they also provide special courses and mentoring to facilitate those students’ success. </p>
<p>The French are even more reluctant than many Americans to consider race directly, but some selective institutions have increased students of color by <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2012/04/one-french-schools-secret-for-making-affirmative-action-work/255612/">targeting neighborhoods or particular schools located in priority education areas</a>. Areas are classified as Zones d’Education Prioritaires – priority education zones – based on several criteria, including high percentages of immigrant students for whom French is a second language, students performing below grade level and low-income students. Students from these zones are eligible to compete to be part of special admissions programs, which are designed to give them greater access to selective higher education.</p>
<p>India is less coy about who is being targeted, coining the rather blunt term “other backward classes” as an official designation for one set of recent beneficiaries of affirmative action in higher education. India continues to recognize the importance of caste discrimination, but also <a href="https://www.routledge.com/Identity-and-Identification-in-India-Defining-the-Disadvantaged/Jenkins/p/book/9780415560627">includes economic criteria</a> when defining other backward classes. They exclude, for example, individuals whose family income or property exceeds certain limits. </p>
<p><a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-19188610">Brazil has been developing affirmative action programs</a> in its most prestigious public universities over the past two decades. The issue is often framed by human rights and social justice concerns; the Brazilian government first introduced the potential need for affirmative action as a “right thing to do” after years of denial of racial inequalities in the country.</p>
<h2>Beyond race</h2>
<p>Whereas the earliest forms of affirmative action focused on race and ethnicity, programs that started more recently are likely to include women. The inclusion of women has been particularly pervasive in the wave of policies that emerged around the world in the 1990s and 2000s. Affirmative action for women is now <a href="https://ejournals.bc.edu/ojs/index.php/ihe/article/view/5672">the most prevalent form of affirmative action</a> for students in higher education. </p>
<p>Countries that have some kind of affirmative action related to gender in higher education admissions are now <a href="https://www.crcpress.com/Affirmative-Action-Matters-Creating-opportunities-for-students-around-the/JENKINS-Moses/p/book/9780415750127">spread across world regions</a>, and include eight countries in Africa, seven in Europe and four in North America and the Caribbean.</p>
<p>Affirmative action based on geography (the place a student comes from) appeals to policymakers reluctant to give race, ethnicity or caste such a prominent and explicit role. Such policies are now catching on around the world: In addition to France, universities in <a href="http://www.ugc.ac.lk/downloads/admissions/local_students/Admission%20to%20Undergraduate%20Courses%20of%20the%20Universities%20in%20Sri%20Lanka%202011_2012.pdf">Sri Lanka</a>, for example, use geographic district as a targeted category because it’s less controversial than ethnicity or language.</p>
<h2>Looking beyond US borders</h2>
<p>In short, affirmative action is alive and well – and on the rise – around the world. Indeed, some of the most creative discussions and innovations are happening <a href="https://gemreportunesco.wordpress.com/2017/05/01/growing-demand-for-higher-education-puts-affirmative-action-in-the-spotlight/">outside the United States</a>.</p>
<p><em>This is an updated version of an <a href="https://theconversation.com/affirmative-action-should-be-viewed-in-global-context-33618">article</a> originally published on Nov. 13, 2014.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/82190/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Michele S. Moses receives funding from the Fulbright Scholar Program.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Laura Dudley Jenkins receives funding from the Fulbright Scholar Program.</span></em></p>‘Positive discrimination’ policies around the world are on the rise. What might other countries teach the U.S. about attaining racial, economic and gender equality in higher education?Michele S. Moses, Professor of Educational Foundations, Policy and Practice, University of Colorado BoulderLaura Dudley Jenkins, Professor of Political Science, University of Cincinnati Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/821312017-08-07T02:24:39Z2017-08-07T02:24:39ZThe missing elements in the debate about affirmative action and Asian-American students<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/181076/original/file-20170804-23934-u3juga.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Protest against racial quotas during a rally outside the Supreme Court in Washington in 2015.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Media reports have stated that the Justice Department under President Donald Trump is planning to investigate <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/education/2015/may/16/asian-american-groups-file-racial-quotas-complaint-against-harvard-university">a complaint of discrimination</a> against Harvard University brought by a coalition of Asian-American groups. </p>
<p>From our perspective as scholars who study affirmative action, race and diversity in higher education, the complaint reflects a <a href="http://www.chronicle.com/article/What-You-Need-to-Know-About/240820">flawed understanding</a> of race-conscious education policies like affirmative action.</p>
<p>How do affirmative action policies work, and whom do they affect? </p>
<h2>Fisher case</h2>
<p>Let’s first look at the legal wrangling that has been going on for some time on this issue. Since the 1978 <a href="https://www.oyez.org/cases/1979/76-811">Regents of the University of California v. Bakke</a> case, the Supreme Court consistently has affirmed that under certain conditions (e.g., no numerical set-asides or quotas, diversity is a compelling interest) it is constitutional for institutions of higher education to consider a student’s race in admissions processes. </p>
<p>Most recently, in a landmark judgment on June 23, 2016, the U.S. Supreme Court <a href="https://theconversation.com/after-supreme-courts-fisher-decision-what-we-need-to-know-about-considering-race-in-admissions-59784">upheld the constitutionality of race-conscious affirmative action</a> in university admissions in the <a href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-crucial-texas-case-on-race-considerations-in-college-admissions-44117">Abigail Fisher</a> case.</p>
<p>Fisher, a white woman, had sued the University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin) for its race-conscious admissions policy after she was denied admission. She had argued that the university violated the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment.</p>
<p>Supporters of race-conscious admissions programs were understandably gratified. But as the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/02/us/affirmative-action-battle-has-a-new-focus-asian-americans.html?emc=edit_tnt_20170803&nlid=78846674&tntemail0=y">recent discussion about affirmative action demonstrates,</a> the case did not resolve the larger moral and political disagreements over affirmative action.</p>
<p>Indeed, over the last 40 years, affirmative action opponents have repeatedly strategized anew after important Supreme Court decisions in favor of affirmative action.</p>
<h2>Harvard lawsuit</h2>
<p>It is perhaps no coincidence that Edward Blum, Abigail Fisher’s adviser and the executive director of the <a href="https://www.projectonfairrepresentation.org/">Project on Fair Representation</a>, is the one leading the most recent court challenge to affirmative action, the lawsuit challenging Harvard University’s race-conscious admissions policy. What is different about the <a href="http://studentsforfairadmissions.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/SFFA-v.-Harvard-Complaint.pdf">Harvard lawsuit</a> is that the lead plaintiff in the case is not a white student but Asian-American. </p>
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<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/130611/original/image-20160714-23365-137rvqu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/130611/original/image-20160714-23365-137rvqu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/130611/original/image-20160714-23365-137rvqu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/130611/original/image-20160714-23365-137rvqu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/130611/original/image-20160714-23365-137rvqu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/130611/original/image-20160714-23365-137rvqu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/130611/original/image-20160714-23365-137rvqu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Asian-Americans participate in an Advancing Justice conference.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/justiceconf/15364290448/in/photolist-ppG1gs-ppEvQx-ppKxNw-pE4tMS-fjpnxG-oKkpH2-oKioP3-ppHAfX-ppDjC4-pG9Svz-pG8YoZ-ppG1qf-pE4uUm-pE3uKL-oKmiSx-pG8XtT-ppGYWb-fjaaza-oKioG9-pFU68K-ppKtHh-ppJvdo-pFVaor-pGefe3-ppJxjY-fjoUu7-pE4oZA-ppHDCP-oKiruy-ppJowh-ppHBEa-ppEuFD-ppGTMy-pE3vFd-fjpa2y-pE4uiw-oKmmzg-pE4usQ-oKik3f-ppKtKG-oKisgd-pE3pYb-pE4qTf-pGeeEs-pFVbe4-pE4px9-ppKvjd-pGefJ1-pGedjw-ppGUdU">Advancing Justice Conference</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/">CC BY-NC-SA</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>“<a href="https://studentsforfairadmissions.org/">Students for Fair Admissions</a>,” an arm of the Project on Fair Representation, filed a suit against Harvard College on Nov. 17, 2014, on behalf of a Chinese-American applicant who had been rejected from Harvard. The lawsuit charges that the university’s admissions policy violates <a href="http://www.hhs.gov/civil-rights/for-individuals/race/index.html">Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964</a>, which bars federally funded entities from discriminating based on race or ethnicity.</p>
<h2>How it started</h2>
<p>This controversy over how Asian-Americans are being treated in selective college admission was jump-started in 2005, when sociologists <a href="https://www.princeton.edu/%7Etje/">Thomas Espenshade</a> and <a href="http://scholar.princeton.edu/sites/default/files/cchung/files/chang_y_chung.pdf">Chang Chung</a> published <a href="https://www.princeton.edu/%7Etje/files/webOpportunity%20Cost%20of%20Admission%20Preferences%20Espenshade%20Chung%20June%202005.pdf">findings</a> from their study on the effects of affirmative action bans on the racial and ethnic composition of student bodies at selective colleges and universities. </p>
<p>Espenshade and Chung found that if affirmative action were to be eliminated, the acceptance rates for black and <a href="https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2015/12/08/students-adopt-gender-nonspecific-term-latinx-be-more-inclusive">Latino</a> applicants would likely decrease substantially, while the acceptance rate for white applicants would increase slightly. </p>
<p>But more than that, what they noted was that the acceptance rate for Asian-American applicants would increase the most by far. </p>
<p>As the researchers explained, Asian-American students “would occupy four out of every five seats created by accepting fewer African-American and Hispanic students.” </p>
<p>Such research has been cited to support claims of admissions discrimination against Asian-Americans. </p>
<p>In the complaint against Harvard, Espenshade’s research was cited as evidence of discrimination against Asian-Americans. Specifically, the lawsuit cited research from 2009 in which Espenshade, this time with co-author <a href="https://www.rti.org/expert/alexandria-walton-radford">Alexandria Radford,</a> <a href="http://press.princeton.edu/titles/9072.html">found</a> that Asian-American applicants accepted at selective colleges had higher standardized test scores, on average, than other accepted students. </p>
<p>These findings, especially that Asian-American applicants seem to need a higher SAT score than white applicants or other applicants of color in order to be admitted to a selective college, are being used as proof that elite institutions like Harvard are discriminating against Asian-Americans in their admissions processes. </p>
<h2>The picture is more complicated</h2>
<p>Selective admissions processes are much more complicated than SAT score data can show. There are many factors that are taken into consideration for college admission. </p>
<p>For example, in the “holistic” admissions processes endorsed by the Supreme Court in Grutter v. Bollinger, standardized text scores are not the only, or even the main, criterion for admission. <a href="https://www.aamc.org/initiatives/holisticreview/about/">“Holistic” review</a> takes many relevant factors into account, including academic achievement, of course, but also factors such as a commitment to public service, overcoming difficult life circumstances, achievements in the arts or athletics, or leadership qualities.</p>
<p>So, why would the plaintiff in the Harvard case conclude that the disparities in SAT scores shown by Espenshade and Radford necessarily indicate that Asian-American applicants are being harmed by race-conscious affirmative action? </p>
<p>In fact, legal scholar <a href="http://apahenational.org/?page_id=402">William Kidder</a> <a href="http://media.asian-nation.org/Kidder-Negative-Action.pdf">has argued</a> that the way Espenshade and Radford’s findings have been interpreted by affirmative action opponents is not accurate. </p>
<p>Based on his analysis, Kidder concluded, </p>
<blockquote>
<p>“Exaggerated claims about the benefits for APAs [Asian Pacific Americans] of ending affirmative action foster a divisive public discourse in which APAs are falsely portrayed as natural adversaries of affirmative action and the interests of African American and Latinos in particular.” </p>
</blockquote>
<p>In our opinion as well, focusing on simplistic ideas about standardized tests as the primary evidence for who “deserves” to be admitted to elite institutions like Harvard may serve to stir up resentment among accomplished applicants who get rejected.</p>
<h2>Asian-Americans are not a monolithic group</h2>
<p>As the “Harvard Not Fair” website and accompanying lawsuit demonstrate, Espenshade’s findings have been used to fuel a <a href="http://www.jaconlinejournal.com/archives/vol26.1-2/banning-politics.pdf">politics of resentment</a> among rejected Asian-American applicants.</p>
<p>When speaking with reporters, Espenshade himself has acknowledged that <a href="http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2015/5/16/complaint-federal-harvard-admissions/">his data are incomplete</a> – given that colleges take myriad factors into account in admissions decisions – and that his findings have been overinterpreted and actually <a href="https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2009/11/03/elite">do not prove</a> that colleges discriminate against Asian-American applicants. </p>
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<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/130456/original/image-20160713-12389-1m8kj97.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/130456/original/image-20160713-12389-1m8kj97.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/130456/original/image-20160713-12389-1m8kj97.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/130456/original/image-20160713-12389-1m8kj97.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/130456/original/image-20160713-12389-1m8kj97.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/130456/original/image-20160713-12389-1m8kj97.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/130456/original/image-20160713-12389-1m8kj97.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Are Asian-American students a monolithic group?</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/brainchildvn/3005463222/in/photolist-5zzMvq-4E3x4k-gZVoyq-6fVSsc-hyi8DC-8x8MvT-dkX8eD-4E3x56-dkY496-dkX8gg-4Tenr6-gZWMk2-5zziDu-4TAeVw-5zzTqq-5zzX5C-gZWopW-5zzZ8G-5zviMz-4VFbik-bDyRg3-5zzbuG-5zzRBs-dkX8ec-r4DrgY-4WEYRg-5zzUpu-5zzhcm-5zvyzF-5zvdua-9wAUG5-5zvhUB-dkY4de-5zvpVg-5zuXBV-5zvQtz-5zv7a2-5zvoRZ-5zAbwj-5zvAs2-aEfpT3-reqP2q-foRaAe-5zvYLt-5zzY33-5zA4fL-5zv12i-5zvxrk-5zvagc-5zuUp2">Charlie Nguyen</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>In addition, in using <a href="http://harvardnotfair.org/">images of Asian-American students</a> to recruit complainants against Harvard and other highly selective institutions of higher education, the Project on Fair Representation <a href="https://www.upress.umn.edu/book-division/books/chains-of-babylon">relies on the idea</a> that Asian-Americans comprise a monolithic group. In fact, the term “Asian-American” refers to a <a href="https://theconversation.com/is-there-an-asian-disadvantage-in-higher-ed-44070">diversity of Asian ethnicities</a> in the United States, whose educational opportunities and achievements vary widely. </p>
<p>The 2010 census question on race included check boxes for six Asian groups – Asian Indian, Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean and Vietnamese – along with a box for “Other Asian,” with a prompt for detailed responses such as “Hmong, Laotian, Thai, Pakistani, Cambodian, and so on.” </p>
<p>Furthermore, by casting plaintiffs as meritorious and deserving of a spot at an elite university, it also conveys the <a href="http://press.princeton.edu/titles/10134.html">stereotypical received wisdom about Asian-American “model” students</a> who are wronged by race-conscious affirmative action programs. </p>
<p>In actuality, many <a href="https://secure-media.collegeboard.org/digitalServices/pdf/professionals/asian-americans-and-pacific-islanders-facts-not-fiction.pdf">Asian-Americans benefit from affirmative action policies</a>.</p>
<p><em>This is an updated version of an article originally published on July 14, 2016.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/82131/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Christina Paguyo receives funding from the National Science Foundation and in the past has received funding from the American Educational Research Association. She is a owner and consultant for Data Luminaries, LLC. She is affiliated with the Democratic Party and is a member of the American Educational Research Association, American Evaluation Association, American Society for Engineering Education, and the Association for the Study of Higher Education. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Daryl Maeda and Michele S. Moses do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Scholars argue that the complaint of bias against Harvard reflects a flawed understanding of affirmative action policies.Michele S. Moses, Professor of Educational Foundations, Policy, and Practice, University of Colorado BoulderChristina Paguyo, Post Doctoral Fellow, Colorado State UniversityDaryl Maeda, Associate Professor of Ethnic Studies, University of Colorado BoulderLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/796262017-06-27T01:04:06Z2017-06-27T01:04:06ZElite public schools that rely on entry exams fail the diversity test<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/175401/original/file-20170623-17473-1dgwqa0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Stuyvesant High School students arrive on the first day in 2015.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">AP Photo/Mark Lennihan</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>The jewels in many an urban school district’s crown are their exam schools, competitive public schools that base enrollment on test scores. With a school like New York’s <a href="http://stuy.enschool.org/">Stuyvesant</a>, <a href="http://www.bls.org/">Boston Latin</a> or <a href="http://www.wpcp.org/">Walter Payton</a> (in Chicago) on their transcript, students are grouped with other, high-achieving peers, receive rigorous instruction and complete several Advanced Placement courses – all helping to clear a straight path to college and career success.</p>
<p>Hailed as <a href="http://observer.com/2007/08/stuyvesant-high-school-the-ultimate-meritocracy/">promoting meritocracy</a>, exam schools in fact <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/22/opinion/the-truth-about-new-york-citys-elite-high-schools.html">promote inequity</a>, especially for black and Latino students.</p>
<p>Working for over 25 years at the K-12 and higher education levels (as both a faculty member and administrator), I’ve seen this skewed enrollment pattern play out over and over again. However, several elite U.S. colleges and universities are embracing new admissions policies – policies that, if also implemented by top-tier exam schools, could promote greater access for all students.</p>
<h2>The minority enrollment gap</h2>
<p>When it comes to student diversity, elite high schools leave much to be desired.</p>
<p>Take New York City, for example. This past spring, the city’s eight exam schools (among them <a href="http://stuy.enschool.org/">Stuyvesant</a>, <a href="http://www.bths.edu/">Brooklyn Tech</a> and <a href="http://www.bxscience.edu/">Bronx Science</a>) accepted 5,078 rising ninth grade students solely based on test scores. This, despite New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio’s <a href="http://nyckidspac.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/NYC-Kids-PAC-Questionnaire-Bill-de-Blasio.pdf#page=4">campaign promise</a> to base admissions to all schools on more “holistic” factors. </p>
<p>Black and Latino students will make up only <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/22/opinion/the-truth-about-new-york-citys-elite-high-schools.html">10 percent</a> of this year’s incoming class – though they account for 70 percent of public school students in New York City. At Stuyvesant this fall, only 13 students out of almost 1,000 incoming freshmen will be black.</p>
<p>Even with <a href="https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2017/05/09/admissions-boston-latin-school-other-exam-schools-lacking-diversity-advocates-say/hwlwBqU9zNm0ZfRzMQeSVJ/story.html">recent efforts</a> to improve racial and ethnic diversity among its exam schools, Boston has also faced enrollment equity challenges. At Boston’s flagship public exam high school, Boston Latin School, the student body remains significantly white and Asian. The school’s incoming seventh grade class, for example, is only eight percent black and 14 percent Latino, in contrast to district-wide rates of approximately 32 percent black and 42 percent Latino.</p>
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<h2>Rethinking admissions policies</h2>
<p>As long as admission to exam schools is based solely on test scores or grades, this pattern may very well continue indefinitely.</p>
<p>Black and Latino students are just as capable and deserving of exam classroom seats as other students. However, they must contend with a range of factors that often don’t impact their nonminority counterparts, including <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/04/100422153804.htm">poor-quality instruction</a> at lower grades; unequal access to <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2015/06/inequality-public-schools/395876/">tutoring, test prep and enrichment</a>; low <a href="https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2015/07/19/scrutiny-for-superintendent-tommy-chang-plan-expand-access-advanced-work-classes/ZHxmuOLCRvPTRgzrQJafjL/story.html">placement of elementary students</a> into advanced classes; and <a href="https://www.brookings.edu/blog/brown-center-chalkboard/2017/03/20/the-insidiousness-of-unconscious-bias-in-schools/">unconscious bias</a>. Minority students also can contend with <a href="http://www.apa.org/research/action/stereotype.aspx">stereotype threat</a>, a phenomenon where they conform – often unintentionally – to negative stereotypes about their race’s ability to perform well within academic settings.</p>
<p>These factors can all negatively affect success on the standardized tests and grades that exam schools use for admissions.</p>
<p>A solution to breaking this pattern may come from several elite colleges and universities that are rethinking their admissions policies. Led by <a href="http://mcc.gse.harvard.edu/">Making Caring Common</a>, a project of the Harvard Graduate School of Education, these institutions are piloting new admissions policies that focus less on numbers and more on “ethical engagement.”</p>
<p>In a report released in January 2016, Making Caring Common argued for elite colleges and universities to include opportunities for candidates to submit <a href="http://mcc.gse.harvard.edu/files/gse-mcc/files/20160120_mcc_ttt_execsummary_interactive.pdf">authentic demonstrations of empathy, service to others and commitment to the common good</a> as part of their application. They contend that these important values are worth promoting to students and families. In fact, research suggests that strength of character and “grit” are <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.92.6.1087">key determinants of future academic and career success</a>.</p>
<p>Importantly, these new metrics could weigh social and emotional attributes that students across all backgrounds could exemplify in some way.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/175392/original/file-20170623-29849-1b465u0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/175392/original/file-20170623-29849-1b465u0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/175392/original/file-20170623-29849-1b465u0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/175392/original/file-20170623-29849-1b465u0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/175392/original/file-20170623-29849-1b465u0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/175392/original/file-20170623-29849-1b465u0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/175392/original/file-20170623-29849-1b465u0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Bronx Academy for Software Engineering hosted a community service day in May 2017.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/jmannion/33788452493/">Jon Mannion</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/">CC BY-NC-ND</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>A movement gaining traction</h2>
<p>Since the report’s release, <a href="https://mcc.gse.harvard.edu/collegeadmissions">over 175 colleges and universities</a> – including Harvard, Yale, Boston College, MIT, Michigan State and the University of Chicago – have endorsed this admissions framework, with the goal of increasing student diversity. Boston public schools and several Boston-area private schools have endorsed the report as well.</p>
<p>Yet Boston, New York and other cities with exam schools must now “walk the walk” by implementing concrete approaches, such as asking for examples of ethical engagement or empathy as part of the application process. A school might give special consideration, for example, to candidates who worked to support their families at an early age, served as caregivers to younger siblings, organized efforts to support a needy classmate or led a food drive to help a local shelter.</p>
<p>Exam schools across the country could team with Making Caring Common and its growing list of higher education partners to determine how best to validly and reliably collect, evaluate and weight these types of student experiences. </p>
<p>If this new strategy to promote enrollment equity is gaining traction at Harvard and Yale, it should be considered by exam high schools as well. Otherwise, future incoming classes at Stuyvesant and Boston Latin will continue to look much the same.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/79626/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jake Murray does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Elite exam schools are some of the least diverse public schools in the US. Here’s how colleges like Harvard could teach high schools like Stuyvesant to improve their admissions process.Jake Murray, Faculty Director for Professional Education, BU School of Education, Boston UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/792242017-06-15T04:03:00Z2017-06-15T04:03:00ZDear students, what you post can wreck your life<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/173436/original/file-20170612-3809-okxd5n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/two-worried-roommates-reading-bad-news-556708990?src=jwiFJHKMkpaxMisAB8pyaA-1-0">Antonio Guillem/shutterstock.com</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Dear Student,</p>
<p>Harvard recently <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/harvard-rescinds-student-acceptances-over-obscene-facebook-memes-2017-6">rescinded admission offers</a> for some incoming freshmen who participated in a private Facebook group sharing offensive memes. The incident has sparked a lot of discussion: Was Harvard’s <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/09/learning/did-harvard-go-too-far-in-its-decision-to-rescind-admission-to-10-incoming-freshmen.html">decision</a> justified? What about the <a href="https://thefederalist.com/2017/06/07/harvard-rescinded-acceptances-private-facebook-posts-doesnt-violate-first-amendment/">First Amendment?</a> Do young people know the <a href="http://nypost.com/2017/06/06/how-can-harvard-kids-still-not-understand-that-what-happens-online-doesnt-stay-online/">dangers of social media?</a></p>
<p>I’m a business school lecturer, career services counselor and former recruiter, and I’ve seen how social media becomes part of a person’s brand – a brand that can help you or hurt you.</p>
<p><a href="http://press.kaptest.com/press-releases/kaplan-test-prep-survey-college-admissions-officers-say-social-media-increasingly-affects-applicants-chances">College admissions staff</a>, <a href="http://www.careerbuilder.com/share/aboutus/pressreleasesdetail.aspx?sd=4%2f28%2f2016&siteid=cbpr&sc_cmp1=cb_pr945_&id=pr945&ed=12%2f31%2f2016">future employers</a> and even <a href="http://www.pewinternet.org/2013/10/21/online-dating-relationships">potential dates</a> are more and more likely to check your profile and make decisions or judgments about you.</p>
<p>Here’s what you should know so you don’t end up like those Harvard prospects.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/173444/original/file-20170612-1873-1xuec6c.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/173444/original/file-20170612-1873-1xuec6c.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/173444/original/file-20170612-1873-1xuec6c.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/173444/original/file-20170612-1873-1xuec6c.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/173444/original/file-20170612-1873-1xuec6c.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/173444/original/file-20170612-1873-1xuec6c.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/173444/original/file-20170612-1873-1xuec6c.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The rescinded Harvard admissions have sparked debate over First Amendment rights to free speech.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/cambridge-ma-may-29-students-harvard-197551889?src=zzQ6Ds1FUrXmj9TF-xRVcg-1-48">f11photo/shutterstock.com</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>1. Social media posts disappear, right?</h2>
<p>Let’s be clear about one thing: You’ve been building your online reputation since your first Snapchat. Think the posts disappear? Think private pages are private? Think again.</p>
<p>You might feel like your life and opinions are no one’s business, but you can’t always control <a href="http://www.askamanager.org/2015/09/i-was-fired-after-a-stranger-sent-photos-of-my-private-text-messages-to-my-employer.html">who sees what you post</a>. Every photo, video, tweet, like and comment could be <a href="https://mic.com/articles/150198/people-are-dragging-miss-teen-usa-2016-karlie-hay-for-using-the-n-word-a-lot-on-twitter#.xfuFXLXqF">screenshotted</a> by your friends (or frenemies). You might make a mistake with your privacy settings or post to <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/04/kitchen-aid-twitter-tweet-obama-grandmother_n_1938031.html">the wrong account</a>. And a determined online sleuth can sometimes find ways around privacy settings, viewing photos and posts you might think are well hidden.</p>
<h2>2. Do employers and colleges actually look at this stuff?</h2>
<p>Your profile will very likely be scrutinized by college admissions officers and employers. According to CareerBuilder’s 2017 <a href="http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/number-of-employers-using-social-media-to-screen-candidates-at-all-time-high-finds-latest-careerbuilder-study-300474228.html">social media recruitment survey</a>, social media screening is through the roof:</p>
<ul>
<li>600 percent increase since 2006 in employers using social media to screen</li>
<li>70 percent of employers use social networking sites to research job candidates</li>
<li>34 percent of employers found online content that caused them to reprimand or fire an employee</li>
</ul>
<p>This trend is common with admissions as well. Kaplan Test Prep’s 2017 <a href="http://press.kaptest.com/press-releases/kaplan-test-prep-survey-college-admissions-officers-say-social-media-increasingly-affects-applicants-chances">survey of over 350 college admissions officers</a> found that 35 percent checked applicants’ social media profiles. Many who do said social media has influenced their admission decisions.</p>
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<h2>3. What are recruiters watching out for?</h2>
<p>So what are the potential hazards to avoid? These are some of the types of posts that left a bad impression on me when I used to recruit:</p>
<ul>
<li>References to illegal drugs, sexual posts</li>
<li>Incriminating or embarrassing photos or videos</li>
<li>Profanity, defamatory or racist comments</li>
<li>Politically charged attacks</li>
<li>Spelling and grammar issues</li>
<li>Complaining or bad-mouthing – What’s to say you wouldn’t do the same to a new school, company, boss, or peer?</li>
</ul>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"12944403659"}"></div></p>
<h2>4. What can I do to build a positive online reputation?</h2>
<p>Remember, social media is not all bad; in many cases it helps recruiters get a good feel for your personality and potential fit. The CareerBuilder survey found <a href="http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/number-of-employers-using-social-media-to-screen-candidates-at-all-time-high-finds-latest-careerbuilder-study-300474228.html">44 percent of employers</a> who screened candidates via social networks found positive information that caused them to hire a candidate.</p>
<p>From my experience, the following information can support and confirm a candidate’s resume:</p>
<ul>
<li>Your education and experiences match the recruiter’s requirements</li>
<li>Your profile picture and summary is professional</li>
<li>Your personality and interests align with the values of the company or university </li>
<li>Your involvement in community or social organizations shows character</li>
<li>Positive, supportive comments, responses, or testimonials</li>
</ul>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"869743954735939586"}"></div></p>
<h2>5. How do I clean things up?</h2>
<p>Research. Both the college of your dreams and your future employer could Google you, so you should do the same thing. Also check all of your social media profiles – even the ones you haven’t used for a while – and get rid of anything that could send the wrong message. Remember, things can’t be unseen. </p>
<p>Bottom line: Would you want a future boss, admissions officer, or blind date to read or see it? If not, don’t post it. If you already have, delete it.</p>
<p>Sincerely,</p>
<p>Your Career Counselor</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/79224/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Thao Nelson does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>To post or not to post? Colleges and employers are increasingly checking social media to get a sense of their candidates. Here’s what you should (and shouldn’t) post in order to secure your future.Thao Nelson, Lecturer, Kelley School of Business, Indiana UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/791632017-06-14T02:23:32Z2017-06-14T02:23:32ZMatchmaker, matchmaker, find me a school: College admissions in China<p>High school students in the United States work hard under great pressure to get into their chosen colleges. They must maintain high grades in challenging courses throughout high school, score well on ACT or SAT exams, painstakingly fill out applications – and then wait and hope.</p>
<p>It’s not easy, and it can be heartbreaking if students’ top choices reject them.</p>
<p>But at least they don’t have to go back to high school, repeat their senior year, retake their exam and then reapply to college.</p>
<p>For 40 years, that’s what routinely happened to <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=iRvlAAAAMAAJ&q=%E4%B8%AD%E5%9B%BD%E9%AB%98%E8%80%83%E5%8F%B2&dq=%E4%B8%AD%E5%9B%BD%E9%AB%98%E8%80%83%E5%8F%B2&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi5uu6toLvUAhVi0oMKHQFmDVYQ6AEIJjAA">millions of students</a> in China under a centralized, student-to-college matching system that only recently has been radically changed.</p>
<p>As a professor in the University of Michigan School of Information (UMSI), I worked with Onur Kesten from Carnegie Mellon University to analyze <a href="http://doi.org/10.1086/689773">these student-to-college matching systems</a> in China. We found that, in fact, things are getting better for Chinese students. And – perhaps surprisingly – the new Chinese system has implications for similar processes in the United States.</p>
<h2>Winning but losing</h2>
<p>In 1952, China instituted the National College Entrance Exam, also known as gaokao, taken by all high school seniors in the country over a grueling two-day period each year. After receiving their exam scores and learning their ranking, students apply to the universities of their choice. </p>
<p>The students select universities based on factors like exam scores, the schools’ prestige, how likely it is that they’ll be accepted and their own willingness to take risks.</p>
<p>Until 2001, there was just a single method used to assign students to universities. In this “sequential” system, a student would rank the schools in order of preference and receive immediate acceptance (or rejection).</p>
<p>Unfortunately, in this system, if students are denied acceptance by their top-ranked schools, their second, third or fourth choices might already be filled. (Those schools were likely the first choice of thousands of other students.) So, the system continues down a student’s list and, often, issues an acceptance from a low-ranked school – or worse, no acceptance at all – and the student is forced to repeat a year of high school.</p>
<p>This is, in fact, very similar to the kind of open enrollment plans that many U.S. states use to place students in public schools of their choice. In 2007, an estimated <a href="https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2010/2010004.pdf#page=19">16 percent of U.S. public school students</a> participated in a plan like this.</p>
<p>For instance, in Boston, students are allowed to submit preferences for which of the dozens of public high schools in the city they’d like to attend. Those preferences were once used in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1257/000282803322157061">a series of rounds</a> to assign students to schools. In the first round, only the first choices of the students were considered. Students left unassigned would have their second choices considered in the second round, and so on, until all students were assigned a seat. As in China, families would rank their choices and frequently find themselves <a href="http://doi.org/10.1016/j.jet.2004.10.006">pushed out of their top choices</a>.</p>
<p>In both China and Boston, this led to a number of students attempting to game the system: Top students frequently chose not to list their actual first choice, fearing that they wouldn’t be accepted and would be shut out of any desirable school. Instead, they would place a lower-ranked school at the top, with the hope that it would guarantee them an acceptance.</p>
<p>As one parent in China said:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“My child has been among the best students in his school and school district. Unfortunately… after his first choice rejected him, his second and third choices were already full. My child had no choice but to repeat his senior year.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Repeating their senior year is the most common way students can retake the gaokao and reapply for university acceptance.</p>
<h2>There’s got to be a better way</h2>
<p>In 2001, Hunan province was the first to roll out a different approach to college admission: the so-called “parallel” system.</p>
<p>The parallel approach allows students to submit several “parallel” desirable choices within a band, or tier, of choices. For example, a student could list three universities in the first band and three more in a second band, in decreasing levels of desirability within each band.</p>
<p>Allocation within each band is temporary until all students’ choices are considered. The system attempts to match as many students as possible in their first band before moving on to the second band.</p>
<p>We found that every newly adopted parallel system was <a href="http://doi.org/10.1086/689773">more stable than the sequential program it replaced</a>. That is, the resulting matches were more desirable and “envy-free.” For example, when Shanghai switched to a parallel mechanism in 2008, the number of students who refused to attend colleges they were matched with <a href="http://www.cnsaes.org/homepage/saesmag/jyfzyj/2009/7/gj090708.htm">decreased by 40 percent</a>.</p>
<p>We also found that the number of choices allowed in each tier matters. To date, the most successful parallel system is employed in Tibet, which allows up to 10 choices in the first band.</p>
<h2>Improving the odds</h2>
<p>Every June, 9 to 10 million high school seniors take the gaokao. They are vying for just <a href="https://doi.org/10.1086/689773">6 million college seats</a>.</p>
<p>This year, <a href="http://gaokao.chsi.com.cn/z/gkbmfslq/zszc.jsp">all but three of China’s 31 provinces</a> are using the new system, giving more students more satisfactory choices – and far less chance of having to repeat their senior year of high school. This, in turn, incentivizes truthful ranking and discourages students from attempting to game the system. It also avoids wasting scarce university seats when students unsatisfied with their matches decline admission.</p>
<p>There are lessons here for school choice programs in the U.S. and around the world.</p>
<p>Systems much like China’s sequential method are still being used in <a href="https://www.povertyactionlab.org/sites/default/files/publications/840%20Heterogeneous%20Preferences%20May%202009.pdf">Charlotte, North Carolina</a>; <a href="https://www.minneapolisfed.org/publications/the-region/gaming-the-school-system">Minneapolis</a>; <a href="https://doi.org/10.1257/aer.101.1.399">Seattle</a>; <a href="http://www.tampabay.com/news/education/k12/playing-the-school-choice-lottery-in-pinellas/2259893">Tampa</a>; and other cities where students have a choice as to which public school they attend.</p>
<p>However, for about 12 years, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1257/000282805774669637">Boston</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1257/000282805774670167">New York</a> have used an updated model more like China’s new parallel approach. These newer systems use an algorithm to grant temporary placement until all students have received one of their top choices. And these systems universally place more students in the schools they want to attend.</p>
<p>Our recommendation is that more places – including the remaining Chinese provinces – abandon the outdated sequential method. And, for those that have already adopted the new method, we hope that they will allow more choices within each tier.</p>
<p>Student-to-school matching has profound implications for the educational and professional outcomes for students. They deserve a system that’s more favorable – and more equitable – for all.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/79163/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Yan Chen receives funding from the National Science Foundation through grant number SES-0962492. </span></em></p>Every year, 9 million students in China compete for just 6 million college admission spots. The systems that match students with schools are being overhauled. But will that improve outcomes?Yan Chen, Professor of Information, University of MichiganLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/689182016-11-17T04:35:40Z2016-11-17T04:35:40ZMaking university admissions more transparent is important, but won’t improve equity<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/146330/original/image-20161117-13367-1q5bjo3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Universities will now need to use common language around their admissions processes.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">from www.shutterstock.com</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>The government <a href="http://www.senatorbirmingham.com.au/Media-Centre/Interview-Transcripts/ID/3321/Press-conference-Melbourne">has announced</a> it will accepted the <a href="https://education.gov.au/news/release-higher-education-standards-panel-report-improving-transparency-higher-education">recommendations</a> put together by the Higher Education Standards Panel earlier this year on making the university admissions process more transparent. </p>
<p>The changes will make it easier for young people to compare entry requirements for university courses and find out how to meet these criteria. </p>
<h2>Recommendations</h2>
<p>The government has accepted all recommendations put forward by the panel. These include:</p>
<ul>
<li>a new national admissions website</li>
<li>adopting a standard information template</li>
<li>ensuring common language is used between universities</li>
<li>making it easier to compare course admissions criteria between states and territories</li>
<li>publishing minimum entry and bonus point schemes for all courses</li>
<li>making information from admissions centres more easily available</li>
</ul>
<h2>Why we need a more transparent system</h2>
<p>The rapid expansion of the university sector has led to a disparity of admissions practices, with equivalent courses at different institutions potentially having wildly different admissions requirements. </p>
<p>Earlier this year, a <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/national/education/nsw-universities-taking-students-with-atars-as-low-as-30-20160125-gmdvr6">Fairfax media investigation</a> revealed up to 63.5% of students at some universities were being admitted to courses of study below the advertised Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) “cut off” scores. </p>
<p>However, <a href="http://www.theaustralian.com.au/higher-education/unsw-reveals-full-atar-story/news-story/4cfd51b5cee7fce1dc4b8720b8ba0e59">subsequent disclosure</a> by a number of prestigious universities has illustrated that this practice tends to be isolated to particular institutions, and courses of study. </p>
<p>In their recommendations, the panel was careful to point out that offers to students with an ATAR of “50 or less” made up slightly over 2% of all offers in 2016 – and more than half of these students <a href="https://docs.education.gov.au/node/36745">rejected</a> their offer. This fact is often overlooked in the broader debate around higher education admissions.</p>
<p>Across the sector, universities have been <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/atar-charade-universities-will-be-forced-to-increase-transparency-on-admissions-20161115-gspiod.html">accused</a> of not being transparent about how they deploy “bonus point” schemes. The review found that almost all providers offer bonus points of some kind. These points are commonly allocated for:</p>
<ul>
<li>high academic achievement in particular subjects;</li>
<li>participation in elite sport or arts;</li>
<li>students facing social, geographic, or economic disadvantage.</li>
</ul>
<p>The panel suggested that the opacity is at least in part the result of successive waves of expansion and diversification of the sector that have gone relatively unchecked since the 2008 Review of Australian Higher Education (the <a href="http://www.voced.edu.au/content/ngv%3A32134">Bradley Review</a>). </p>
<p>Education minister Simon Birmingham has flagged cuts to funding for those institutions that fail to publish accurate minimum entry and bonus point schemes for all courses.</p>
<p>The government has also agreed to adopt a common language around admissions processes across all higher education providers. However, in a diverse system of relatively autonomous providers and discrete state and territory admissions centres (TACs), this will be difficult.</p>
<p>The centrepiece of the government’s plan is the adoption of a national higher education admissions information platform. This is a good step, and aligns with a long held view to revamp the Quality Indicators of Learning and Teaching (QILT) website.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.smh.com.au/comment/we-need-to-scarp-the-atar-as-the-main-judge-of-student-potential-20160127-gmf87v.html">Substantial research</a> has shown that simply making information available does not necessarily address the challenges many young people face in completing secondary education and choosing higher education courses.</p>
<p>Too often, students from disadvantaged backgrounds are unaware of the options available to them. Commonly, they come from backgrounds with no history of higher education. </p>
<p>These students tend to have lower completion rates and report a <a href="https://docs.education.gov.au/documents/completion-rates-domestic-bachelor-students-2005-2013-cohort-analysis">poorer experience</a> of higher education. Many do not feel that higher education is for “<a href="https://theconversation.com/which-students-are-most-likely-to-drop-out-of-university-56276">people like them</a>”.</p>
<h2>Is the ATAR still useful?</h2>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/146318/original/image-20161117-13506-15b9l7y.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/146318/original/image-20161117-13506-15b9l7y.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=356&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/146318/original/image-20161117-13506-15b9l7y.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=356&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/146318/original/image-20161117-13506-15b9l7y.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=356&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/146318/original/image-20161117-13506-15b9l7y.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=447&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/146318/original/image-20161117-13506-15b9l7y.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=447&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/146318/original/image-20161117-13506-15b9l7y.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=447&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Four in ten students admitted to a course with an ATAR lower than 60 do not complete.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">from www.shutterstock.com</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>For many senior leaders, the ATAR remains an efficient and <a href="https://theconversation.com/should-we-scrap-the-atar-what-are-the-alternative-options-experts-comment-55501">convenient tool</a> for allocating Commonwealth supported higher education places.</p>
<p>However, researchers have <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/comment/ranking-the-best-and-brightest-for-varsity-intake-no-simple-operation-20151218-glqy2t.html">suggested</a> that the current policies contribute to “gaming” practices at some of the country’s most elite schools. </p>
<p>Research has <a href="https://www.mup.com.au/items/119746">shown</a> how academic success concentrates in elite public and independent schools through subject and curriculum selection, intensive test preparation, and academic tutoring.</p>
<p>While debate continues regarding the <a href="https://docs.education.gov.au/documents/completion-rates-domestic-bachelor-students-2005-2013-cohort-analysis">effectiveness</a> of the ATAR for <a href="https://theconversation.com/atar-found-to-be-a-poor-predictor-of-how-well-students-do-at-uni-41677">predicting success</a> for young people once they enter university, data does support the predictive power of the ATAR at a group level. </p>
<p><a href="https://docs.education.gov.au/system/files/doc/other/cohortanalysis2005-2013.pdf">Data shows that four in ten</a> students admitted to a course with an ATAR lower than 60 do not complete it.</p>
<p>But scholars have been at pains to point out that ATAR performance and retention rates both <a href="https://theconversation.com/which-students-are-most-likely-to-drop-out-of-university-56276">correlate strongly</a> with factors of disadvantage such as Indigenous, remote, part-time, and socio-economic status. </p>
<h2>Transparency won’t necessarily help to improve equity</h2>
<p>Equity of access to higher education remains an area of <a href="https://theconversation.com/there-is-more-agreement-between-the-parties-on-higher-ed-than-slogans-suggest-61510">broad agreement</a> between political parties.</p>
<p>Diversity schemes such as the <a href="https://www.education.gov.au/higher-education-participation-and-partnerships-programme-heppp">Higher Education Participation and Partnerships Program</a> (HEPPP) are currently being reviewed in line with the government’s intended shake up of the higher education sector. </p>
<p>Over the next three years, HEPPP is marked for a A$152 million cut. Along with the shift to a demand-driven system, targeted <a href="https://theconversation.com/has-the-push-to-get-more-disadvantaged-students-into-universities-been-a-success-65100">HEPPP programs</a> are thought to be partly responsible for the over 50% growth in low-SES participation in higher education since 2010. </p>
<h2>More information needed for school leavers</h2>
<p>The government’s decision to adopt these recommendations presents an opportunity to ensure young people have accurate information for making decisions about their intended courses of study. </p>
<p>But they will not address continued concerns about Year 12 completion rates. </p>
<p>It is <a href="https://theconversation.com/careers-education-must-be-for-all-not-just-those-going-to-university-49217">too late</a> to begin the careers counselling process at the point of applying for courses, no matter how clear and accurate the information provided.</p>
<p>Helping students make an informed choice about higher education is critical. However, information about the admissions process itself is not enough.</p>
<p>Greater attention must also be given to ensuring that students are provided with the <a href="https://www.ncsehe.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Completing-University-in-a-Growing-Sector.pdf">skills to navigate</a> higher education. </p>
<p>It is increasingly likely that for the majority of young people, this engagement will be a <a href="http://www.theage.com.au/business/the-economy/generation-y-overqualified-but-unprepared-for-work-20151106-gkt2ud#ixzz3r3DEImpa">lifelong activity</a>. </p>
<p>Beyond this, helping students to develop a <a href="http://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/L/bo3630345.html">sense of belonging</a> is key for boosting engagement and retention.</p>
<p>A successful reform must also include a more <a href="https://pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/reigniting-higher-education-admissions-reform">comprehensive approach</a> to working with young people to identify a diversity of pathways and opportunities. </p>
<p>It must actively <a href="https://theconversation.com/a-more-transparent-university-admissions-process-heres-what-we-should-be-talking-about-58414">challenge</a> and seek to redress the prioritising of university over technical and trade options. </p>
<p>It must be inclusive of broader questions of the benefits of having young people engage in education beyond school without reducing that discussion to one of “budget constraints”. </p>
<p>Despite recent concerns about the economic value of degrees, post-school qualifications are <a href="http://www.theage.com.au/business/the-economy/generation-y-overqualified-but-unprepared-for-work-20151106-gkt2ud#ixzz3r3DEImpa">more important than ever</a>.</p>
<p>Any reforms must enshrine principles of student equity both in how young people are supported to access higher education, and in their experiences in those institutions once they arrive.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/68918/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Shane Duggan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>The government has announced it will accept recommendations to make the university admissions process more transparent. But that alone isn’t enough.Shane Duggan, Lecturer in Youth Studies and Education Policy, The University of MelbourneLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/640352016-08-18T10:26:51Z2016-08-18T10:26:51ZHere’s what to do if you’re disappointed with your A-level results<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/134448/original/image-20160817-3592-cyrnt4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">'OMG, I've failed'.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Ana Ado/Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>The saying goes “<a href="https://theconversation.com/is-it-true-that-what-doesnt-kill-us-makes-us-stronger-63376">what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger</a>”, and while that may well be the case, you still need to have the right mindset to turn failure into success – especially on exam results day. </p>
<p>This means rather than being overwhelmed by a challenge, you need to find a way to overcome it and learn from the experience so you can succeed in the future. This builds what psychologists call “<a href="https://theconversation.com/winning-a-penalty-shootout-takes-mental-toughness-luckily-that-can-be-taught-24553">mental toughness</a>”, which basically means that you are able to deal with challenges, pressure, and competition irrespective of prevailing circumstances. </p>
<p>People with mental toughness bounce back after a disappointment and see failure as a challenge and a learning opportunity, rather than a setback. The good news is <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/17509840802705938">mental toughness can be learned</a> through experience, so there’s no better time to start than on exam results day – when mental toughness will help you get through the day and help you to assess your future options if you haven’t done as well as you expected.</p>
<h2>Time for self reflection</h2>
<p>You first need to reflect on why you missed the grades. Look at what went wrong and how you might learn from that. <a href="http://qz.com/757875/mo-farahs-third-gold-medal-is-a-win-for-multicultural-britain/">Think about Mo Farah in the Olympics 10,000 metre final</a>. He fell badly and it could have cost him the gold medal. But he got back up, put it behind him and carried on – eventually winning the race. </p>
<p>Don’t dwell on the “failure”. Work out what went wrong, put it to one side, and then start to look forwards. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/134449/original/image-20160817-3602-120daw7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/134449/original/image-20160817-3602-120daw7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=489&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/134449/original/image-20160817-3602-120daw7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=489&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/134449/original/image-20160817-3602-120daw7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=489&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/134449/original/image-20160817-3602-120daw7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=614&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/134449/original/image-20160817-3602-120daw7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=614&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/134449/original/image-20160817-3602-120daw7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=614&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">I have so much to do today, I will need to meditate for twice as long – so said Gandhi.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Almeida_Júnior_-_Moça_com_Livro.jpg">Jose Ferraz de Almeida Júnior//wikimedia commons</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>It’s good to talk</h2>
<p>However, the worst thing you can do is sweep a bad result under the carpet. Once you’ve worked out where you think you went wrong, it’s important to discuss what’s happened and why. </p>
<p>It’s natural to feel nervous about the future, especially if things haven’t quite worked out how you imagined, and chatting these thoughts and fears through with someone close to you can really help to take a some of the weight off your mind. </p>
<p>Parents, this is where you can step in and encourage your child to open up and let them know you are still there for them.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/134454/original/image-20160817-3573-10hi8p0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/134454/original/image-20160817-3573-10hi8p0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/134454/original/image-20160817-3573-10hi8p0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/134454/original/image-20160817-3573-10hi8p0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/134454/original/image-20160817-3573-10hi8p0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/134454/original/image-20160817-3573-10hi8p0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/134454/original/image-20160817-3573-10hi8p0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Trusted opinions can give invaluable support.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/127107506@N02/15106281058/in/photolist-p1TD4G-aq8ayp-mYdYma-7mK27x-FpYRb-7Huo5b-56xAhe-qNgikS-4DPdh2-b5vRDr-gCTts-BpQFk-4srdeK-6mPLZn-DREYB-58oHyn-eWqsUR-6Novsn-ftkikH-aW3ZF2-eyoUtV-FT4GQK-eysk6G-6TAeQ7-eysiV1-eyrZ9C-eys2oN-eyoRek-eyp35e-eypdir-eyoYhx-eyoVJR-eyoMTa-eys79m-eyp1LR-eyp6x2-eypfAt-eyrVEY-5Qp6zP-eypc8v-eys3w9-eyp5jx-eyoLPz-eys9L9-eyrTmq-eyp8xX-eypeDP-5nA6NP-eysoeG-eypf5V">Moiggi Interactive//Flickr</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/">CC BY-NC</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Don’t be overwhelmed by emotion</h2>
<p>It’s hard not to panic when your social media feeds are full of excited friends off to their first choice of uni. Results day is a big deal, but wallowing in emotion will affect your ability to make all those important decisions yet to come. </p>
<p>Speak to sensible people around you for practical advice and try to think positively. It might feel like everything rests on your grades but actually many universities look at the whole person. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/134463/original/image-20160817-3597-5c1yyh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/134463/original/image-20160817-3597-5c1yyh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=416&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/134463/original/image-20160817-3597-5c1yyh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=416&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/134463/original/image-20160817-3597-5c1yyh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=416&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/134463/original/image-20160817-3597-5c1yyh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=523&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/134463/original/image-20160817-3597-5c1yyh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=523&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/134463/original/image-20160817-3597-5c1yyh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=523&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">At times it pays to ditch social media.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:A_calm_moment_at_lake.jpg">Patrik Jones//Wikimedia Commons</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>But don’t trivialise</h2>
<p>This might be the first major failure you’ve experienced and with emotions running high it is easy to feel like this is the end of the world. Parents can help here by remembering the importance of taking the experience seriously without making things worse. </p>
<p>At this point it might be good to talk about how far you’ve come and how much there is still left to achieve. Not only is this good for confidence all round, but it could also help formulate some interview answers when you speak to universities. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/134468/original/image-20160817-3583-5mwnz4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/134468/original/image-20160817-3583-5mwnz4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/134468/original/image-20160817-3583-5mwnz4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/134468/original/image-20160817-3583-5mwnz4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/134468/original/image-20160817-3583-5mwnz4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/134468/original/image-20160817-3583-5mwnz4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/134468/original/image-20160817-3583-5mwnz4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The right path might not be immediately obvious.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/richardleonard/104835400/in/photolist-agiUU-3b2oHR-bz1VLS-a7BCA4-q3Qptb-4vmBfp-5CqLzF-eDg1NS-aF11rB-4ZFQDd-DoS3-iRLcB-6oyCaL-8bEnwt-gwjmB-5tnnY-oFPUQw-6PR9BQ-a6hu9C-5CqLLn-nuarvw-29Pqiu-4B7PTE-bVL95E-dBG7v-biqqB-dBbhvV-7YX3ZD-5hjGS1-5CwTuj-aAk6Ef-aNzUv-dDqjkZ-HkV91-kqYiT-pv7nEe-91pcVH-nKNmpE-72U3aV-7YZL2B-w2E7u-8obtZc-HF1k-7aioFT-ozz6Rf-6oVqJY-6ousMe-6U5Tu6-ecXPrv-iRLeF">Richard Leonard//flickr</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Work out your strengths</h2>
<p>Think about other achievements which show commitment and success, such as playing an instrument, being in a sports team, having a part-time job. Write them down and use them when you speak to universities. </p>
<p>If you’d been predicted high grades but were crippled by nerves on exam day, you’ve obviously got some academic ability and exams only provide a snapshot. Figure out what your strengths are and what makes you stand out against your peers.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/134472/original/image-20160817-3602-hr9eb8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/134472/original/image-20160817-3602-hr9eb8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/134472/original/image-20160817-3602-hr9eb8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/134472/original/image-20160817-3602-hr9eb8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/134472/original/image-20160817-3602-hr9eb8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/134472/original/image-20160817-3602-hr9eb8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/134472/original/image-20160817-3602-hr9eb8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Achievement, focus and dedication have diverse sources.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/hernanpc/23218164373/in/photolist-BnHamR-6x6CnY-ebNcEu-8kLvG5-doD1h2-s6r267-qaW2ab-8vw2Hj-frjSPF-tfNyzr-71d9vB-8vsCQR-dZ1K3a-qSRMd6-99VR7k-pfbnAB-8vwHnS-saT4m2-5qLiGA-9YpM12-et2ViJ-dd7MEk-jReTdF-cSCK9m-pbHKSD-8woHHf-bZiYqj-9xtoe3-oLPrGG-ef8B82-6rknAX-cegLH-sraQGW-eNQ2vu-47ks3X-hmii6e-4p4sUA-hsGCHD-8vtyRx-sdGQ6j-4UJwMq-jWRiVC-k5JM9b-qaqXgK-n5KB9K-wbbG1g-cfyXGq-m796hX-G7GHzo-bUj2u8">Hernán Piñera//flickr</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Think outside the box</h2>
<p>You may feel helpless but it’s important to use your time wisely and try and figure out some alternative options. If you’ve fixated on one particular university, does it offer other courses, or is there another university which has a similar feel? </p>
<p>If it’s all about the course, where else offers that programme or can you explore alternative routes like foundation degrees? The process of school, exams and results can feel like a treadmill and clearing can be an opportunity to step off and change direction. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/134459/original/image-20160817-3611-1ce58x5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/134459/original/image-20160817-3611-1ce58x5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=428&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/134459/original/image-20160817-3611-1ce58x5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=428&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/134459/original/image-20160817-3611-1ce58x5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=428&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/134459/original/image-20160817-3611-1ce58x5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=538&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/134459/original/image-20160817-3611-1ce58x5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=538&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/134459/original/image-20160817-3611-1ce58x5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=538&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Lateral thinking often holds the key.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/m0php/2321945037/in/photolist-4xbzn8-3fCzD8-afck5b-rozGfx-b8yAsK-GwkSXN-sATrK-hBXwSj-bSsKV6-q6Y2eP-oKwmZF-nFA2Z9-q4H5KA-546YSJ-71o1ZB-7RWaZ3-4LDadR-dxwaRr-dU4BRD-bPEMQc-qkSpGL-dgLNXi-pWrdqA-mVTyN-ggc3Pt-pW8qre-8QJjwj-cAgfZd-9YvBgo-axenEm-6v3fPX-rr7qQ5-pZauL1-axCR8j-cnhaJ7-6eKrFM-bDWKtm-9LWYEY-5AgXGH-nu1BCq-cykc15-d1NSAd-8f9dzb-6fZL7K-nDqCbS-TpVod-9yDDPg-9z12oJ-ax2qse-3jUG5Z">Craig Roday//Flickr</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/">CC BY-NC-ND</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Do lunch …</h2>
<p>Or dinner, or a film. Don’t stew at home alone all day as your friends post happy pictures on social media. Plan something low key but positive for the day like a meal at a favourite restaurant with your family – that way you can still have a nice time regardless of the results. </p>
<p>This will also give you a chance to take your mind off things and unwind a bit after the stress of the last few days.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/134464/original/image-20160817-3578-ndl3o6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/134464/original/image-20160817-3578-ndl3o6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/134464/original/image-20160817-3578-ndl3o6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/134464/original/image-20160817-3578-ndl3o6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/134464/original/image-20160817-3578-ndl3o6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/134464/original/image-20160817-3578-ndl3o6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/134464/original/image-20160817-3578-ndl3o6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption"></span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/streetmatt/15774169310/in/photolist-q2UJYo-8saPSr-a8zYco-9pmBT3-iQi928-71n9nG-GTnDjV-a8x6Sp-obkM9p-95LTxK-4NFf3c-uxoiUH-7DzYjT-vmauK-6yAm22-rBARi7-8vHxAq-8EPNNU-mQ1SY8-cXbGhs-aKL9x-9gwbj6-4AT5Np-p18huE-fj84n7-49MD7D-pbLprR-fiPTYv-6HNRj7-5zQeaX-oXoM7E-mizYr-5Wd4Wo-51WSzy-6Jcese-4G1m2v-kW4Xjv-4iaPHz-rrPjMw-jb65e-dUVchc-jhz8BU-8DvGqm-296eqv-5GRLYo-no5Pyn-2n4TYS-fKWK3J-bagPnt-kKWpV1">Matthew G//flickr</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Realise how far you’ve come</h2>
<p>If you’re struggling to get past your disappointment, think back to when you were doing your GCSEs – maybe even read an essay you wrote back then. See how far you have come. I get my students to keep one of their first year essays then re-read it in class in their final year. They cannot believe how much they’ve improved. </p>
<p>Your A-levels are a big leap from GCSEs and your degree is another step further. As hard as it feels now, once you are at university and having an amazing time this day won’t feel nearly as painful. Just make sure you learn from the experience and build that mental toughness.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/64035/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Myfanwy Bugler does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Not everyone will be celebrating this results day, so here’s a few words of advice for both students and parents, to help put things into perspective.Myfanwy Bugler, Lecturer of Psychology, University of HullLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/638732016-08-15T20:07:53Z2016-08-15T20:07:53ZIdeas from abroad: reforming the Australian university admissions system<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/133896/original/image-20160812-13397-5pexos.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">What are some alternatives to the ATAR?</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">from www.shutterstock.com</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Following the government’s decision to <a href="https://docs.education.gov.au/documents/driving-innovation-fairness-and-excellence-australian-education">undertake consultations</a> on how best to reform Australian higher education, one of the key areas up for debate is about how to create an effective university admissions system. </p>
<p>The <a href="http://www.uac.edu.au/atar/index.shtml">value of the ATAR</a> – where high school students receive an overall ranking that is often, although not solely, used as a way to select students for higher education courses – has been called into question. Vice-chancellors have called the model <a href="http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/universities-move-away-from-clearlyin-atars-20160119-gm98lh.html">“meaningless”</a> and <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/national/education/lets-end-the-atar-says-unsw-vc-ian-jacobs-20160127-gmerue.html">“too simplistic”</a>. Some have even called for the model to be <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-universities-can-redress-inequality-55158">scrapped entirely</a>.</p>
<p>There has been <a href="https://theconversation.com/should-we-scrap-the-atar-what-are-the-alternative-options-experts-comment-55501">lots of discussion</a> around whether the current model is working well. What are some alternatives?</p>
<p>Education is notorious for re-inventing the same policy wheels. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the <a href="http://www.topuniversities.com/system-strength-rankings/2016#sorting=rank+custom=rank+order=desc+search">world’s best-performing</a> higher education systems to see what they do differently to give us some inspiration – and possible guidance. </p>
<h2>The USA – elite model</h2>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/133897/original/image-20160812-20932-1jurf0j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/133897/original/image-20160812-20932-1jurf0j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=413&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/133897/original/image-20160812-20932-1jurf0j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=413&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/133897/original/image-20160812-20932-1jurf0j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=413&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/133897/original/image-20160812-20932-1jurf0j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=519&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/133897/original/image-20160812-20932-1jurf0j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=519&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/133897/original/image-20160812-20932-1jurf0j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=519&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">At Harvard University, six out of every 100 applicants are accepted.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">from www.shutterstock.com</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The US has no overall national university entrance system. But there are some areas of commonality across the states in how a large number of universities – both public and private – select and admit students.</p>
<p>Generally, each university sets its admission requirements within state legislative requirements. This includes an indication of academic performance as demonstrated by performance on either the <a href="https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/sat">SAT</a> or <a href="http://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act.html">ACT</a> – both standardised tests – and some demonstration of <a href="http://admissions.arizona.edu/how-to-apply/abor-course-competencies">high school competencies</a> based on specific subject combinations and levels of achievement in those subjects.</p>
<p>US universities typically provide opportunities for students to include information about their extracurricular activities to demonstrate their readiness for university. This may include evidence of leadership, service, work experience, motivation and personal experience. </p>
<p>Many universities also require or allow students to <a href="http://admissions.arizona.edu/how-to-apply/freshmen/application-review-process">submit an essay</a> or personal statement to further make their case for admission.</p>
<p>At Harvard University, where <a href="https://college.harvard.edu/admissions/application-requirements">six out of every 100 applicants</a> are accepted, the entrance requirements are demanding. Domestic and international applicants must complete the <a href="http://www.commonapp.org/">Common Application</a> or <a href="https://www.universalcollegeapp.com/">Universal College Application</a>. In addition, they must submit:</p>
<ul>
<li>Harvard College Questions for the Common Application or the Universal College Application Harvard supplement</li>
<li>ACT with writing, or old SAT or new SAT with writing</li>
<li>normally, 2 SAT subject tests</li>
<li>school report and high school transcript</li>
<li>two teacher reports</li>
<li>mid-year school report</li>
<li>final school report.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Alternative model to help disadvantaged students access university</strong></p>
<p>The Early College High School models are an increasingly popular alternative pathway into university for underrepresented students.</p>
<p>This movement began in 2002 and was originally funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and others to help students from disadvantaged and low-SES backgrounds <a href="http://www.jff.org/initiatives/early-college-designs/history">aspire to and gain affordable access to university</a>. </p>
<p>There are different models, but generally schools and universities partner to provide college classes replacing some of the traditional high-school classes. These may be delivered at the school or on the university campus. </p>
<p>Students who complete their Early College High School courses receive direct entry to the partner university and up to two years of college credit.</p>
<p>Findings from the <a href="http://www.air.org/sites/default/files/downloads/report/ECHSI_Impact_Study_Report_Final1_0.pdf">American Institutes for Research 2013 Early College High School Initiative Impact Study</a> found that:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Early College students had a greater opportunity than their peers to enrol in and graduate from college. They also appeared to be on a different academic trajectory, with Early College students earning college degrees and enrolling in four-year institutions at higher rates than comparison students. Early Colleges appeared to mitigate the traditional educational attainment gaps between advantaged and disadvantaged students.</p>
</blockquote>
<h2>The UK</h2>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/133899/original/image-20160812-18014-1eku0wl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/133899/original/image-20160812-18014-1eku0wl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/133899/original/image-20160812-18014-1eku0wl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/133899/original/image-20160812-18014-1eku0wl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/133899/original/image-20160812-18014-1eku0wl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=504&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/133899/original/image-20160812-18014-1eku0wl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=504&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/133899/original/image-20160812-18014-1eku0wl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=504&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Students who don’t get an offer can go through a process called Clearing, which allows applicants to contact universities directly to plead their case for places that have not yet been filled.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Gianni/flickr</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>School-leaver applications to universities in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are processed through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). The majority of UK universities use the UCAS systems for both domestic and international undergraduate applicants.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.ucas.com/ucas/undergraduate/getting-started/entry-requirements">UCAS requires</a> students to submit their predicted grades, achievements, a cover letter outlining skills and why they want to study that particular subject area. Some students will also be expected to do an admissions test and/or interview. Applicants submit their applications for up to five universities in order of preference.</p>
<p>Universities then make conditional or unconditional offers, sometimes based on the student meeting the required grades.</p>
<p>Students who don’t meet the required grades set by the university can go through a process called <a href="https://www.whatuni.com/advice/ultimate-guides/university-clearing-complete-guide/41459/">“Clearing”</a>. This allows applicants to contact universities directly to plead their case for places that have yet to be filled. Clearing occurs largely over the phone on a set day – but the process can take weeks. It can be a brutal process, particularly for students still coming to terms with the fact that they didn’t get in to their university of choice.</p>
<p>As many <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/9396122/More-students-forced-to-sit-university-admissions-tests.html">as half</a> of the UK universities require students to sit their own, additional admissions tests as they are losing confidence in the A-level grades as an accurate indicator of students’ academic capabilities. A greater diversity of students – more than 30% – are now entering through alternative pathways without A levels.</p>
<h2>Germany</h2>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/133901/original/image-20160812-14924-1asts2n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/133901/original/image-20160812-14924-1asts2n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/133901/original/image-20160812-14924-1asts2n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/133901/original/image-20160812-14924-1asts2n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/133901/original/image-20160812-14924-1asts2n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=533&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/133901/original/image-20160812-14924-1asts2n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=533&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/133901/original/image-20160812-14924-1asts2n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=533&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">In Germany, students apply directly to each university.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">from www.shutterstock.com</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>As in the US, responsibility for the education systems is state-based and applications are made directly to each university. </p>
<p>However, in Germany, higher education is free. </p>
<p>If candidates already have a European qualification, such as the Baccalaureate or A-levels, potential students may only be required to <a href="http://www.topuniversities.com/where-to-study/europe/germany/guide#tab=2">prove proficiency</a> in German and/or English depending on the course of study. </p>
<p>Previously, domestic students had to have completed a matriculation exam known as the Arbitur, which equates to the Baccalaureate or A-levels. </p>
<p>The Arbitur is losing its prominence as the defining entry point to German universities. Students are increasingly entering university via alternative pathways.</p>
<p>An essential difference in the German context requires an understanding of the school system. </p>
<p>From fourth grade, students are <a href="http://www.howtogermany.com/pages/germanschools.html">streamed into pathways</a> that can determine their future academic options. Traditionally, it was students who completed the Gymnasium high school pathway (out of three potential pathways, the other two being Hauptschule and Realschule) who were specifically prepared for university entrance during year 12 or 13. </p>
<p>This explains why entry into university appears to be a little less demanding than other countries. The sifting and sorting process has occurred earlier, right back in primary school.</p>
<h2>Options for Australia</h2>
<p>We have an opportunity. The most effective selection system to use will depend on what we are trying to accomplish with our higher education system. The question is what is our tertiary system most trying to do, and for whose benefit? </p>
<p>Like the rest of the world, we’ve massified and moved the focus to the private benefit of a university degree, creating an argument for users to pay more – private good versus public good. </p>
<p>The nature of the product has changed. When 40% of our population is getting a degree, the nature of what it is changes – as will the manner in which we select for it. This is a precursor for an analysis of how we should select students for entry.</p>
<p>The elites, who still have students banging on the door, want to leave the system as it is. They are taking the top 10-15%, as they have always done. Nothing’s changed for them. </p>
<p>The difference is that in previous times only the top 10-15% went to university. ATAR is efficient for them; 95.70 you’re in, 95.65 you’re out. Why change?</p>
<p>The ones at the other end of the rankings competition want a different system, because their supply of students has dried up and the ATAR system is laying bare their weakness – there are no longer any students they won’t take. They’re looking for alternative admission systems because the current one delivers them no students. </p>
<p>The ones in the middle are hedging their bets.</p>
<p>That’s the nub of the issue. There’s no “best” system for Australia unless we know what we are trying to do. At the moment, the discussion is being driven by universities for self-interest, not for what’s best for the country or the sector.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/63873/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Claire Brown previously received funding from the Higher Education, Participation and Partnerships Program (HEPPP) to implement and research the Advancement via Individual Determination (AVID) program in Australia. That funding has now ended.</span></em></p>In determining a replacement for the ATAR, it will be essential to consider the impacts of any such change on the school and vocational education systems.Dr Claire Brown, Associate Director, The Victoria Institute, Victoria UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/618992016-07-14T22:28:05Z2016-07-14T22:28:05ZAfter Fisher: affirmative action and Asian-American students<p>After eight years, the <a href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-crucial-texas-case-on-race-considerations-in-college-admissions-44117">Abigail Fisher</a> case finally <a href="https://theconversation.com/after-supreme-courts-fisher-decision-what-we-need-to-know-about-considering-race-in-admissions-59784">has been put to rest</a>. In a landmark judgment on June 23, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of race-conscious affirmative action in university admissions. </p>
<p>Abigail Fisher, a white woman, had sued the University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin) for its race-conscious admissions policy after she was denied admission. She had argued that the university violated the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.</p>
<p>Supporters of race-conscious admissions programs are understandably gratified. But has the case resolved the larger moral and political disagreements over affirmative action?</p>
<p>Roger Clegg, president of the <a href="http://www.ceousa.org/">Center for Equal Opportunity</a>, which supports colorblind policies, has already called the decision just “<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/24/us/politics/supreme-court-affirmative-action-university-of-texas.html?_r=0">a temporary setback</a>.”</p>
<p>Indeed, over the last 40 years, affirmative action opponents have repeatedly strategized anew after important Supreme Court decisions in favor of affirmative action. They did so after the 1978 decision in <a href="http://www.casebriefs.com/blog/law/constitutional-law/constitutional-law-keyed-to-chemerinsky/equal-protection/regents-of-the-university-of-california-v-bakke/">Regents of the University of California v. Bakke</a>, when the Supreme Court, while allowing race to be one of the factors in choosing <a href="http://nepc.colorado.edu/files/Moses_TheDiversityRationale.TheIntellectualRootsofandIdeal.pdf">a diverse student body</a>, held the use of quotas to be “impermissible.” </p>
<p>And they did so after the 2003 decision in <a href="https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/539/306/case.html">Grutter v. Bollinger</a>, when the high court again ruled that race-conscious affirmative action was constitutional.</p>
<p>We are scholars who study affirmative action, race, and diversity in higher education. We believe that the disagreement about affirmative action will not
end anytime soon. And it may well center on lawsuits on behalf of Asian-American college applicants. </p>
<h2>Here is what is coming next</h2>
<p>Through his organization, the <a href="https://www.projectonfairrepresentation.org/">Project on Fair Representation</a>, Abigail Fisher’s advisor, Edward Blum, is currently engaged in a <a href="https://studentsforfairadmissions.org/">lawsuit challenging</a> Harvard University’s race-conscious admissions policy. </p>
<p>What is different about the <a href="http://studentsforfairadmissions.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/SFFA-v.-Harvard-Complaint.pdf">Harvard lawsuit</a> is that the lead plaintiff in the case is not a white student. The plaintiff is an Asian-American student. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/130611/original/image-20160714-23365-137rvqu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/130611/original/image-20160714-23365-137rvqu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/130611/original/image-20160714-23365-137rvqu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/130611/original/image-20160714-23365-137rvqu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/130611/original/image-20160714-23365-137rvqu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/130611/original/image-20160714-23365-137rvqu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/130611/original/image-20160714-23365-137rvqu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Asian-Americans participate in an Advancing Justice conference.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/justiceconf/15364290448/in/photolist-ppG1gs-ppEvQx-ppKxNw-pE4tMS-fjpnxG-oKkpH2-oKioP3-ppHAfX-ppDjC4-pG9Svz-pG8YoZ-ppG1qf-pE4uUm-pE3uKL-oKmiSx-pG8XtT-ppGYWb-fjaaza-oKioG9-pFU68K-ppKtHh-ppJvdo-pFVaor-pGefe3-ppJxjY-fjoUu7-pE4oZA-ppHDCP-oKiruy-ppJowh-ppHBEa-ppEuFD-ppGTMy-pE3vFd-fjpa2y-pE4uiw-oKmmzg-pE4usQ-oKik3f-ppKtKG-oKisgd-pE3pYb-pE4qTf-pGeeEs-pFVbe4-pE4px9-ppKvjd-pGefJ1-pGedjw-ppGUdU">Advancing Justice Conference</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/">CC BY-NC-SA</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>“Students for Fair Admissions,” an arm of the Project on Fair Representation, filed a suit against Harvard College on November 17, 2014, on behalf of a Chinese-American applicant who had been rejected from Harvard. The lawsuit charges that Harvard’s admissions policy violates <a href="http://www.hhs.gov/civil-rights/for-individuals/race/index.html">Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964</a>, which bars federally funded entities from discriminating based on race or ethnicity.</p>
<p>The “<a href="http://harvardnotfair.org/">Harvard University Not Fair</a>” website greets readers with a photo of an Asian-American student accompanied by the following text: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>“Were you denied admission to Harvard? It may be because you’re the wrong race.”</p>
</blockquote>
<h2>How it started</h2>
<p>This controversy over how Asian-Americans are being treated in selective college admission was jump-started in 2005, when sociologists <a href="https://www.princeton.edu/%7Etje/">Thomas Espenshade</a> and <a href="http://scholar.princeton.edu/sites/default/files/cchung/files/chang_y_chung.pdf">Chang Chung</a> published <a href="https://www.princeton.edu/%7Etje/files/webOpportunity%20Cost%20of%20Admission%20Preferences%20Espenshade%20Chung%20June%202005.pdf">findings</a> from their study on the effects of affirmative action bans on the racial and ethnic composition of student bodies at selective colleges and universities. </p>
<p>Espenshade and Chung found that if affirmative action were to be eliminated, the acceptance rates for black and <a href="https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2015/12/08/students-adopt-gender-nonspecific-term-latinx-be-more-inclusive">Latino</a> applicants would likely decrease substantially, while the acceptance rate for white applicants would increase slightly. But more than that, what they noted was that the acceptance rate for Asian-American applicants would increase the most by far. </p>
<p>As the researchers explained, Asian-American students “would occupy four out of every five seats created by accepting fewer African-American and Hispanic students.” </p>
<p>Such research has been cited to support claims of admissions discrimination against Asian-Americans. </p>
<p>In the complaint against Harvard, Espenshade’s research was cited as evidence of discrimination against Asian-Americans. Specifically, the lawsuit cited research from 2009 in which Espenshade, this time with coauthor <a href="https://www.rti.org/expert/alexandria-walton-radford">Alexandria Radford,</a> <a href="http://press.princeton.edu/titles/9072.html">found</a> that Asian-American applicants accepted at selective colleges had higher standardized test scores, on average, than other accepted students. </p>
<p>These findings, especially that Asian-American applicants seem to need a higher SAT score than white applicants or other applicants of color in order to be admitted to a selective college are being used as proof that elite institutions like Harvard are discriminating against Asian-Americans in their admissions processes. </p>
<h2>The picture is more complicated</h2>
<p>As we know, selective admissions processes are much more complicated than SAT score data can show. There are many factors that are taken into consideration for college admission. </p>
<p>For example, in the “holistic” admissions processes endorsed by the Supreme Court in Grutter v. Bollinger, standardized text scores are not the only, or even the main, criterion for admission. <a href="https://www.aamc.org/initiatives/holisticreview/about/">“Holistic” review</a> takes many relevant factors into account, including academic achievement, of course, but also factors such as a commitment to public service, overcoming difficult life circumstances, achievements in the arts or athletics, or leadership qualities.</p>
<p>So, why would the plaintiff in the Harvard case conclude that the disparities in SAT scores shown by Espenshade and Radford necessarily indicate that Asian-American applicants are being harmed by race-conscious affirmative action? </p>
<p>Legal scholar <a href="http://apahenational.org/?page_id=402">William Kidder</a> <a href="http://media.asian-nation.org/Kidder-Negative-Action.pdf">has shown</a> that the way Espenshade and Radford’s findings have been interpreted by affirmative action opponents is not accurate. The interpretation of this research itself rests on the faulty assumption that affirmative action is to blame if an academically accomplished Asian-American applicant gets rejected from an elite institution. </p>
<p>Based on his analysis, Kidder concluded, </p>
<blockquote>
<p>“Exaggerated claims about the benefits for APAs [Asian Pacific Americans] of ending affirmative action foster a divisive public discourse in which APAs are falsely portrayed as natural adversaries of affirmative action and the interests of African American and Latinos in particular.” </p>
</blockquote>
<p>In our opinion as well, focusing on simplistic ideas about standardized tests as the primary evidence for who “deserves” to be admitted to elite institutions like Harvard may serve to stir up resentment among accomplished applicants who get rejected.</p>
<p>As the “Harvard Not Fair” website and accompanying lawsuit demonstrate, these findings have been used to fuel a <a href="http://www.jaconlinejournal.com/archives/vol26.1-2/banning-politics.pdf">politics of resentment</a> among rejected Asian-American applicants.</p>
<p>When speaking with reporters, Espenshade himself has acknowledged that <a href="http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2015/5/16/complaint-federal-harvard-admissions/">his data are incomplete</a> – given that colleges take myriad factors into account in admissions decisions – and his findings have been overinterpreted and actually <a href="https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2009/11/03/elite">do not prove</a> that colleges discriminate against Asian-American applicants. </p>
<figure class="align-right ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/130456/original/image-20160713-12389-1m8kj97.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/130456/original/image-20160713-12389-1m8kj97.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/130456/original/image-20160713-12389-1m8kj97.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/130456/original/image-20160713-12389-1m8kj97.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/130456/original/image-20160713-12389-1m8kj97.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/130456/original/image-20160713-12389-1m8kj97.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/130456/original/image-20160713-12389-1m8kj97.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Are Asian-American students a monolithic group?</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/brainchildvn/3005463222/in/photolist-5zzMvq-4E3x4k-gZVoyq-6fVSsc-hyi8DC-8x8MvT-dkX8eD-4E3x56-dkY496-dkX8gg-4Tenr6-gZWMk2-5zziDu-4TAeVw-5zzTqq-5zzX5C-gZWopW-5zzZ8G-5zviMz-4VFbik-bDyRg3-5zzbuG-5zzRBs-dkX8ec-r4DrgY-4WEYRg-5zzUpu-5zzhcm-5zvyzF-5zvdua-9wAUG5-5zvhUB-dkY4de-5zvpVg-5zuXBV-5zvQtz-5zv7a2-5zvoRZ-5zAbwj-5zvAs2-aEfpT3-reqP2q-foRaAe-5zvYLt-5zzY33-5zA4fL-5zv12i-5zvxrk-5zvagc-5zuUp2">Charlie Nguyen</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Moreover, in using <a href="http://harvardnotfair.org/">images of Asian-American students</a> to recruit complainants against Harvard and other highly selective institutions of higher education, the Project on Fair Representation <a href="https://www.upress.umn.edu/book-division/books/chains-of-babylon">relies on the idea</a> that Asian-Americans comprise a monolithic group. In fact, the term “Asian-American” refers to a <a href="https://theconversation.com/is-there-an-asian-disadvantage-in-higher-ed-44070">diversity of Asian ethnicities</a> in the United States, whose educational opportunities and achievements vary widely. </p>
<p>The 2010 census question on race included check boxes for six Asian groups – Asian Indian, Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese – along with a box for “Other Asian,” with a prompt for detailed responses such as “Hmong, Laotian, Thai, Pakistani, Cambodian, and so on.” </p>
<p>In addition, by casting plaintiffs as meritorious and deserving of a spot at an elite university, it also conveys the <a href="http://press.princeton.edu/titles/10134.html">stereotypical received wisdom about Asian-American “model” students</a> who are wronged by race-conscious affirmative action programs. </p>
<h2>The Harvard lawsuit comes next</h2>
<p>At this time, Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard College, filed in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts, is pending. </p>
<p>Now that Fisher has been decided, this case is the next front in the divisive politics surrounding race-conscious affirmative action in higher education admissions.</p>
<p>Relevant to the Harvard case is that a civil rights complaint alleging that Princeton University discriminates against Asian-American applicants was dismissed in 2015 after a long federal <a href="http://www.princeton.edu/main/news/archive/S44/30/14M00/index.xml?section=topstories">Office of Civil Rights investigation</a>.</p>
<p>Although public disagreement about the policy continues, affirmative action is an imperfect, but as yet necessary tool that universities can leverage to cultivate robust and diverse spaces where students learn. June 23’s <em>Fisher</em> ruling underscores that important idea. </p>
<p>Related to the coming public discussions about the Harvard lawsuit, we are of the opinion that race-conscious policies like affirmative action need to be supported. The fact is that “Asian-Americans” have diverse social and educational experiences. And many <a href="https://secure-media.collegeboard.org/digitalServices/pdf/professionals/asian-americans-and-pacific-islanders-facts-not-fiction.pdf">Asian-Americans benefit from affirmative action policies</a>.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/61899/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Christina Paguyo receives funding from the National Science Foundation and in the past has received funding from the American Educational Research Association. She is a owner and consultant for Data Luminaries, LLC. She is affiliated with the Democratic Party and is a member of the American Educational Research Association, American Evaluation Association, American Society for Engineering Education, and the Association for the Study of Higher Education. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Daryl Maeda and Michele S. Moses do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Here’s why disagreement about affirmative action will not end any time soon. Coming up next is a lawsuit brought by Asian-Americans challenging Harvard’s race-conscious policy.Michele S. Moses, Professor of Educational Foundations, Policy, and Practice, University of Colorado BoulderChristina Paguyo, Post Doctoral Fellow, Colorado State UniversityDaryl Maeda, Associate Professor of Ethnic Studies, University of Colorado BoulderLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/615592016-06-24T10:13:56Z2016-06-24T10:13:56ZEliminating inequalities needs affirmative action<p><em>The Supreme Court has upheld the affirmative action admission policy of University of Texas. Abigail Fisher, a white woman, applied to the University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin) in 2008. She sued the university after she was denied admission on the grounds that the university’s race-conscious admissions policy, violated the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.</em> </p>
<p><em>On Thursday, June 23, the Supreme Court ruled that the race-conscious admissions program was constitutional – a decision that the three scholars on our panel welcome. They tell us why existing educational inequalities need considerations of race and ethnicity in admissions.</em></p>
<h2>How else do you eliminate inequality?</h2>
<p><em>Richard J. Reddick is an associate professor in educational administration at University of Texas at Austin.</em></p>
<p>UT Austin’s history on legal decisions about race in higher education goes back to Sweatt v. Painter (1950), a case that successfully challenged the “separate but equal” doctrine articulated in Plessy v. Ferguson (1898). The landmark case helped pave the way for Brown v. Board of Education (1954), which <a href="https://www.nps.gov/nhl/learn/themes/CivilRights_DesegPublicEd.pdf">outlawed racial segregation</a> in education. </p>
<p>The next test, in the Hopwood v. Texas (1996) case, came <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-much-diversity-can-the-us-constitution-stand-51971">from the other direction</a>. Cheryl Hopwood was a white applicant who was denied admission. She challenged UT Austin’s use of race in its admissions decisions as unconstitutional. The Fifth Federal Circuit Court of Appeals eliminated the consideration of affirmative action in universities and colleges in Texas. This decision was overruled in 2003.</p>
<p>Fisher, then, was another challenge to the university’s renewed efforts to provide educational opportunity and access to underrepresented students at predominantly white institutions.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/127963/original/image-20160623-30272-4pava3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/127963/original/image-20160623-30272-4pava3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/127963/original/image-20160623-30272-4pava3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/127963/original/image-20160623-30272-4pava3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/127963/original/image-20160623-30272-4pava3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/127963/original/image-20160623-30272-4pava3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/127963/original/image-20160623-30272-4pava3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">UT Austin’s history on legal decisions about race in higher education goes back to Sweatt v. Painter.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/qmechanic/1355030048/in/photolist-34JTe3-p9bF94-6NjUzW-qB8UW2-dfE8LW-6NjVgW-88LNp-8ShHSk-5bukJd-7UDPHm-34EkyK-m3VrJF-55mnPE-sj213-aaSa9h-nASSWi-beapu-33L9GB-oPr4Cp-qYDCk-LEpq-qYDJv-8GQSAP-njFaY1-6tVNvY-bKyEjH-86n57A-njFhte-5nXGVV-9N2GjV-86j72V-cmwckh-7hY2of-7uabSk-ezX7pS-dAofyK-34EkvR-dpUQEN-dfE93W-djr52j-3c95g-4oBUCQ-dfE5ge-5HoYcg-qR7QQJ-qCa7Zy-9hGcom-dfEHWz-5G1JgB-dfE5e2">qmechanic</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/">CC BY-NC-SA</a></span>
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<p>Opponents of affirmative action often argue that metrics, such as test scores and class rank, that appear to be neutral, should be the method by which to admit students. </p>
<p>These arguments fail to <a href="https://www.apa.org/ed/resources/racial-disparities.pdf">consider the real impact</a> that racial and socioeconomic discrimination has on educational opportunity. School resources and teacher quality <a href="https://civilrightsproject.ucla.edu/research/k-12-education/integration-and-diversity/why-segregation-matters-poverty-and-educational-inequality/orfield-why-segregation-matters-2005.pdf">differ significantly</a>, and intangibles such as leadership opportunities often depend on subjective criteria such as teacher recommendations. </p>
<p>Furthermore, many students from underrepresented communities <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1111/0362-6784.00140">confront challenges in navigating school systems</a>. We additionally know that standardized testing <a href="http://hepgjournals.org/doi/abs/10.17763/haer.79.3.43n8521j3rk54221">can show bias</a> <a href="http://www.hepgjournals.org/doi/abs/10.17763/haer.73.1.8465k88616hn4757">in certain populations</a>.</p>
<p>In other words, these “neutral” measures actually reinforce social inequities. </p>
<p>The most selective institutions of higher education in the nation <a href="http://asr.sagepub.com/content/72/4/487.abstract">no longer rely solely</a> on these metrics. They seek out students with a variety of experiences – factors that may not always correspond to test scores and class ranking.</p>
<p>Today’s ruling is a reassurance, as fleeting as it might be, that the massive task of eliminating educational inequality – which correlates to many other forms of inequality – can be supplemented by approaches in college admissions that consider race and ethnicity. </p>
<p>It does not minimize the importance of eradicating racial discrimination in all walks of life: in the words of UT Austin president Greg Fenves, “race continues to matter in American life.” </p>
<p>However, emphasizing the significance of careful, narrowly tailored approaches to enhancing diversity at predominantly white institutions is a victory for the scholars, researchers, administrators and families who have demonstrated how diversity provides <a href="http://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED430514">significant educational benefits</a> for all students and American society.</p>
<h2>What are the implications for other colleges?</h2>
<p><em>Stacy Hawkins is an associate professor at Rutgers University, where she teaches courses in Employment Law and Diversity in the Law.</em></p>
<p>The Supreme Court’s <a href="http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/15pdf/14-981_4g15.pdf">decision</a> is cause for both celebration and circumspection. </p>
<p>Justice Anthony Kennedy, the court’s moderate swing justice, whose opinion was rightly <a href="http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/jurisprudence/2015/12/scalia_s_rant_and_alito_s_reasoning_in_the_fisher_supreme_court_oral_arguments.html">predicted</a> to be the key to the decision, undoubtedly shocked many by voting for the first time to uphold a race-conscious admissions policy. </p>
<p>However, the decision is more consistent with Justice Kennedy’s prior decisions, notwithstanding the difference in outcome, than might appear at first blush.</p>
<p>On the one hand, Justice Kennedy reaffirmed his commitment to diversity as a compelling educational interest in 21st-century America (a view he expressed in prior cases on diversity in <a href="https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/539/306/">higher education</a>, as well as in <a href="https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/551/701/">primary and secondary schools</a>). </p>
<p>On the other hand, however, Justice Kennedy also reaffirmed his long-standing belief that, notwithstanding this interest, race may play no more a role than is absolutely necessary to achieve the educational benefits of diversity.</p>
<p>In striking this delicate balance, Justice Kennedy sanctioned the University of Texas’ race-conscious admissions policy today, but gave fair warning that the future of this policy is by no means secure. </p>
<p>More important perhaps than the implications of this decision for the University of Texas is what, if any, implications this decision may have for other colleges and universities?</p>
<p>As Justice Kennedy acknowledged, the University of Texas is unique in its use of race to narrowly supplement a plan that admits the overwhelming majority of students (at least 75 percent) on the sole basis of high school class rank without regard to race, a feature that was critical to Justice Kennedy’s approval of the policy. </p>
<p>Thus, the vast majority of colleges and universities may still be left to wonder about the constitutionality of their own race-conscious admissions policies that operate more widely than Texas’ does. </p>
<p>With a similar <a href="http://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/usa-harvard-discrimination/">case</a> against Harvard University currently winding its way through the federal courts, the answer may not be far off.</p>
<h2>Affirmative action bans exist in many states</h2>
<p><em>Stella M. Flores is an associate professor of higher education at the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development at New York University.</em></p>
<p>Demography, economy and diversity are key issues facing the nation’s colleges and universities and should also be a part of their policy design.</p>
<p>In Fisher v. Texas today, Justice Kennedy’s opinion clearly states two outcomes. The first is that the university’s deliberation that race-neutral programs had not achieved their goals was supported by significant statistical and anecdotal evidence.</p>
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<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/127967/original/image-20160623-30242-rp5dav.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/127967/original/image-20160623-30242-rp5dav.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/127967/original/image-20160623-30242-rp5dav.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/127967/original/image-20160623-30242-rp5dav.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/127967/original/image-20160623-30242-rp5dav.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/127967/original/image-20160623-30242-rp5dav.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/127967/original/image-20160623-30242-rp5dav.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Admissions policies at universities play a key role in diversifying key areas.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="http://www.shutterstock.com/cat.mhtml?lang=en&language=en&ref_site=photo&search_source=search_form&version=llv1&anyorall=all&safesearch=1&use_local_boost=1&autocomplete_id=&searchterm=supreme%20court&show_color_wheel=1&orient=&commercial_ok=&media_type=images&search_cat=&searchtermx=&photographer_name=&people_gender=&people_age=&people_ethnicity=&people_number=&color=&page=1&inline=376433869">Supreme Court image via www.shutterstock.com</a></span>
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<p>The second is that universities have the obligation to periodically reassess their admissions programming using data to ensure that a plan is narrowly tailored so that race plays no greater role than is necessary to meet its compelling interests. This is in essence an <a href="https://www.ets.org/s/achievement_gap/diversity/index.html">accountability mechanism</a> for universities to follow using data and research.</p>
<p>Admissions policies at universities play an important role in the ability to diversify key fields relevant to the nation’s economy, including law, medicine, STEM, education and public policy, so that they can appropriately reflect and serve the unprecedented demographic expansion facing our country.</p>
<p>The decision ensures that pathways to the nation’s most critical educational and employment fields <a href="http://aer.sagepub.com/content/early/2013/01/14/0002831212470483">will stay open</a>.</p>
<p>But there are other considerations and realities that include the following. First, some of the nation’s most racially diverse states will still operate under affirmative bans due to state legislation and referenda. These include California, Florida, Michigan, Arizona and Oklahoma.</p>
<p>Second, there is still a clear need for additional effective policies and efforts beyond a consideration of race in college admissions to address the disconnect between the demographics of the nation and its public K-12 schools and who is represented at selective colleges and universities.</p>
<p>Retracting the use of race nationally would have been a step toward increasing racial and ethnic inequality in schools and society. But we’re in a time where race really matters in this country and in how we learn together as a diverse society in our classrooms. This decision reflects this reality.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/61559/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Richard J. Reddick receives funding from WT Grant Foundation. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Stella M Flores receives funding from the Ford Foundation as a evaluation consultant to a project examining the changes in affirmative action law. She also received funding from the Educational Testing Service on a project examining race-neutral alternatives. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Stacy Hawkins does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Three scholars reflect on the Supreme Court decision in the Fisher case and why institutions need to consider race.Richard J. Reddick, Associate Professor in Educational Administration, The University of Texas at AustinStacy Hawkins, Associate Professor, Rutgers UniversityStella M Flores, Associate Professor of Higher Education, New York UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/584142016-05-01T19:53:26Z2016-05-01T19:53:26ZA more transparent university admissions process? Here’s what we should be talking about<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/120657/original/image-20160429-20160-g4xeuo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">In 2014, less than a third of undergraduates were offered a university place on the basis of their ATAR score alone. </span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">from www.shutterstock.com</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>It’s been a tough year for the Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR). </p>
<p>First, a <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/national/education/nsw-universities-taking-students-with-atars-as-low-as-30-20160125-gmdvr6">Fairfax Media investigation</a> showed that large numbers of students are being admitted to university programs with scores well below the cut-off. </p>
<p>Then, federal Education Minister <a href="http://www.senatorbirmingham.com.au/Media-Centre/Media-Releases/ID/2951/New-member-directions-for-Higher-Education-Standards-Panel">Simon Birmingham told</a> the Higher Education Standards Panel that he is keen to explore “greater transparency measures” in university admissions processes.</p>
<p>Perhaps unsurprisingly, Birmingham’s call has won support from <a href="http://www.theaustralian.com.au/higher-education/group-of-eight-8-move-for-transparency-on-admissions/news-story/ac1ad28787027a5e7a477abbca03286d">Group of Eight (Go8) universities</a>, with University of New South Wales vice-chancellor Merlin Crossley <a href="http://www.theage.com.au/comment/university-admissions-aim-to-level-the-playing-field-says-unsw-20160412-go4f0m.html">suggesting</a> that the ATAR is, at best, a “finishing-line photo” of a student’s future ability. </p>
<p>It is worth noting, however, that according to the Fairfax investigation, Go8 universities were among those that offered the <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/national/education/nsw-universities-taking-students-with-atars-as-low-as-30-20160125-gmdvr6.html">fewest places</a> below published cut-offs.</p>
<h2>Transparency really about choice?</h2>
<p>In the minister’s <a href="http://www.senatorbirmingham.com.au/Media-Centre/Media-Releases/ID/2951/New-member-directions-for-Higher-Education-Standards-Panelhttp://www.senatorbirmingham.com.au/Media-Centre/Media-Releases/ID/2951/New-member-directions-for-Higher-Education-Standards-Panel">own words</a>, there is a need to “ensure that Australian students are provided real information on what they need to do to be admitted to a course at a particular institution”. </p>
<p>However, the language of transparency obscures pressing truths for the young people in our university system.</p>
<p>It masks the reality that the young people <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/comment/we-need-to-scarp-the-atar-as-the-main-judge-of-student-potential-20160127-gmf87v.html">most likely to be admitted</a> below the published cut-off are also often the most disadvantaged. </p>
<p>It ignores recent <a href="https://www.ncsehe.edu.au/publications/completing-university-in-a-growing-sector-is-equity-an-issue/">research</a> highlighting how these young people are also the most likely to face irregular study patterns and that this reduces their eligibility for many courses. </p>
<p>It disregards that for those outside all but the most prestigious sandstone institutions, there is a depreciating return for these students in particular around <a href="https://theconversation.com/ideas-for-australia-degrees-are-more-necessary-than-ever-before-but-the-rewards-arent-as-great-56912">how useful many degrees are</a>. </p>
<p>It neglects that, in 2014, <a href="https://docs.education.gov.au/system/files/doc/other/hesp_admissions_transparency_consultation_paper_april_2016.pdf">under one-third</a> of all undergraduate offers were made on the basis of ATAR alone. </p>
<p>The moniker of “greater choice” is less useful for many of these students, as their “choice” is already hamstrung by myriad social and economic factors.</p>
<p>Birmingham’s use of transparency here is code for making judgements about the capacity of those who are admitted to university degrees. </p>
<p>It mobilises the logic of the market as a fix-all for the continued <a href="https://theconversation.com/which-students-are-most-likely-to-drop-out-of-university-56276">poor retention</a> rates among those most vulnerable in our university sector. <a href="http://www.voced.edu.au/content/ngv%3A11782">It isn’t</a>, and it won’t be.</p>
<h2>A post-ATAR world</h2>
<p>Greg Craven, vice-chancellor of Australian Catholic University, has <a href="http://www.theaustralian.com.au/higher-education/call-for-transparency-in-postatar-world/news-story/57f2e146863665b556c3f61e3ecba1ff">suggested</a> that we live in a “post-ATAR environment”. </p>
<p>In 2014, special entry or non-ATAR admissions made up 30% of those offered to school leavers.</p>
<p>There are countless institution-specific variations of these in place across the country. </p>
<p>Most are focused on providing access for particular equity groups. These are relatively effective at raising participation among target groups, though it is <a href="http://www.voced.edu.au/content/ngv%3A11782">generally agreed</a> that more could reasonably be done to support these young people once they have been admitted.</p>
<p>A smaller number of special entry and <a href="http://www.theaustralian.com.au/higher-education/wa-unis-agree-maths-bonus-adds-up/news-story/10d888eea7c7574812744c2193b19b54">bonus point</a> schemes also exist for students studying in particular subject areas.</p>
<p>However, non-ATAR schemes are commonly <a href="http://www.theaustralian.com.au/higher-education/atar-bonus-schemes-misunderstood-nsw-uni-chiefs/news-story/80cee1a52046b88770e22fe7e40f9624">misunderstood</a>. Perhaps most significantly, young people’s access to them too often hinges on the quality of individual <a href="https://cica.org.au/wp-content/uploads/CICA-Infographic-A-Snapshot-of-Career-Practitioners-in-Australia-2.pdf">careers counsellors</a> in schools.</p>
<p>A souped-up version of the now-redundant MyUniversity website for comparing university courses — which seems to be the <a href="https://docs.education.gov.au/system/files/doc/other/hesp_admissions_transparency_consultation_paper_april_2016.pdf">minister’s preference</a> — won’t address these issues.</p>
<p>With the continued fallout from the Fairfax investigation, there are calls for non-ATAR admission measures to be extended well beyond those identified above. </p>
<h2>Re-thinking admissions</h2>
<p>Some have proposed the entire ATAR be <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/comment/we-need-to-scarp-the-atar-as-the-main-judge-of-student-potential-20160127-gmf87v.html">scrapped</a>. In partnership with a local university, at least one school has <a href="http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/school-dumps-cutthroat-vce-ranking-20160226-gn4gk0.html">already done so</a>.</p>
<p>It’s sensible for minister Birmingham to call for a review of admission processes and the place of ATARs in these. But it is unclear how this will interface with the anticipated increase in <a href="https://theconversation.com/government-still-wants-to-increase-students-contribution-to-university-funding-56041">student contributions</a> in this week’s budget.</p>
<p>However, we need to ensure we are having the right debate around the transparency of admissions processes, and the readiness and capacity of those who are admitted.</p>
<p>A sensible debate around transparency would focus on the quality of <a href="https://theconversation.com/careers-education-must-be-for-all-not-just-those-going-to-university-49217">careers advice</a> in schools that young people receive for making decisions about tertiary pathways. </p>
<p>A sensible debate around capacity would include an <a href="http://www.mitchellinstitute.org.au/reports/educational-opportunity-in-australia-2015-who-succeeds-and-who-misses-out/">expansive view</a> of the factors that limit young people’s ability to engage in education, and it would enshrine <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/comment/ranking-the-best-and-brightest-for-varsity-intake-no-simple-operation-20151218-glqy2t.html">principles of equity</a> in the selection of students and ongoing support provided to them.</p>
<p>We should be talking about what makes students <a href="https://pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/why-atar-averages-are-poor-measures-of-school-performance">ready</a> for tertiary study. These measures must form the basis of an open and equitable admissions process for all young people. Such a system must also expand the support provided to those admitted through equity measures throughout their degrees. </p>
<p>It sorely remains to be seen if either side of government is up to the task.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/58414/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Shane Duggan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>The government wants to make the university admissions process more transparent as a way to provide greater choice. But this fails to recognise how the system currently works.Shane Duggan, Lecturer in Youth Studies and Teacher Education, The University of MelbourneLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.