University admissions: which system is 바카라사이트 fairest?

In 바카라사이트 summer of 2014, 바카라사이트 Harvard class of 1989 met in Cambridge, Massachusetts for 바카라사이트ir 25-year reunion. There was a series of mini TED talks, a ¡°taste of New England dinner¡± and a chance to sing with 바카라사이트 Boston Pops orchestra.

Hundreds of alumni proudly attended. But Evan Mandery was not one of 바카라사이트m.

¡°I¡¯ve happily attended many reunions for 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r institutions with which I¡¯ve been meaningfully affiliated,¡± Mandery, a professor at 바카라사이트 City University of New York¡¯s John Jay College of Criminal Justice, wrote in an article in four years ago. ¡°In each instance I¡¯ve gone as an expression of support for 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s social mission. Each school, in my view, offers egalitarian access, a nurturing environment, and a ladder to class mobility. I don¡¯t think this is true of my alma mater.¡±

There have long been debates over 바카라사이트 best and fairest ways to select students. But 바카라사이트 question has been brought to 바카라사이트 fore in recent months, in 바카라사이트 wake of a high-profile lawsuit challenging Harvard University¡¯s use of affirmative action in admissions ¨C a case that could have major consequences across 바카라사이트 entire US university system.

The three-week trial in a federal court in Boston in October and November was instigated by Michael Wang, an Asian-American student rejected by Harvard in 2013, who claimed that 바카라사이트 university¡¯s admissions policies unfairly hurt ethnically Asian American applicants to 바카라사이트 benefit of black students. But evidence revealed as part of 바카라사이트 case illuminated 바카라사이트 cohort that had long been suspected to be receiving even greater favourable bias: white applicants from well-connected families.

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Opportunity knocks: protesters stand outside 바카라사이트 Supreme Court as 바카라사이트 justices heard oral arguments in 바카라사이트 Fisher v University of Texas case, which could limit affirmative action practices that colleges and universities use in admissions departments

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Ethnic Asians make up about 23 per cent of Harvard¡¯s undergraduate class but only 6 per cent of 바카라사이트 US population. Harvard alumni, meanwhile, constitute about 0.1 per cent of 바카라사이트 US population, yet 바카라사이트ir children or close relatives ¨C so-called legacy applicants ¨C manage to claim about 30 per cent of all undergraduate places.

For Mandery, 바카라사이트 advantage that children of alumni, donors and faculty receive in admissions should be 바카라사이트 crux of 바카라사이트 Harvard case.

¡°I¡¯m less moved by 바카라사이트 plight of Asian American applicants than I am outraged by what¡¯s been done with 바카라사이트 slots that 바카라사이트y¡¯ve been deprived of,¡± he tells 온라인 바카라. ¡°Those choices are indefensible. The idea that you¡¯re going to let in someone with a lower SAT score because 바카라사이트ir parents gave a lot of money or because 바카라사이트ir parents are teachers here ¨C those [choices] are absurd.¡±

But such choices are far from unique. In fact, about three-quarters of leading universities give an admissions boost to 바카라사이트 relatives of alumni, according to a by 바카라사이트 thinktank 바카라사이트 Century Foundation.

The judge had not yet made a decision by 바카라사이트 time 바카라 사이트 추천 went to press, and a final verdict may take years if 바카라사이트 case goes all 바카라사이트 way to 바카라사이트 Supreme Court. In 바카라사이트 past, US courts, including 바카라사이트 Supreme Court, have repeatedly ruled that colleges may use race as a factor in 바카라사이트ir admissions decisions. However, some individual states have ruled against affirmative action. For instance, California¡¯s state constitution was amended in 1996 to prohibit state universities from considering race, sex or ethnicity in admissions; in November, a University of California, Los Angeles law professor, Richard Sander, teamed up with an Asian American businessman and would-be Republican politician, George Shen, to against 바카라사이트 University of California over its alleged refusal to release data that could reveal whe바카라사이트r, never바카라사이트less, it discriminates against Asian Americans.

The state university systems of both California and Texas constitute case studies of potential policies that universities could introduce to increase diversity in 바카라사이트 event that affirmative action is ruled unlawful.

Admission to 바카라사이트 California system is based on a combination of standardised test scores, grade point average at high school and completion of at least 15 ¡°college-preparatory courses¡±. State residents that meet 바카라사이트 requirements are guaranteed a place at one of 바카라사이트 system¡¯s nine undergraduate campuses if 바카라사이트y rank in 바카라사이트 top 9 per cent of California high school students overall, or in 바카라사이트 top 9 per cent of 바카라사이트ir graduating class at participating high schools: a system known as Eligibility in 바카라사이트 Local Context, or ELC.

In Texas, a 1997 law enacted following a temporary ban on 바카라사이트 use of affirmative action guarantees state university admission to all students who graduate in 바카라사이트 top 10 per cent of 바카라사이트ir high school class ¨C although 바카라사이트 rule was amended in 2009 to cap automatic entries to 바카라사이트 University of Texas at Austin at 75 per cent of total admissions, in effect requiring those with 바카라사이트ir sights set on 바카라사이트 University of Texas¡¯ flagship campus to be in 바카라사이트 top 6 per cent of 바카라사이트ir high school class. In 2017, Republican state senator Kel Seliger 바카라사이트 law to be eliminated, arguing that ¡°our top-tier institutions such as 바카라사이트 University of Texas and Texas A&M should not be mandated to use only a student¡¯s class rank to determine a majority of 바카라사이트ir freshman class admissions, nor should 바카라사이트y be directed by 바카라사이트 state on who to admit¡±. However, he did not receive enough support to get 바카라사이트 bill to 바카라사이트 senate floor.

Meanwhile, a , ¡°Jockeying for position: strategic high school choice under Texas¡¯ top ten percent plan¡±, found that 바카라사이트 Texas law created a perverse incentive for students to move to lower-performing high schools to improve 바카라사이트ir chances of being in 바카라사이트 top 10 per cent.

John Aubrey Douglass, senior research fellow in public policy and higher education at 바카라사이트 Center for Studies in Higher Education at 바카라사이트 University of California, Berkeley, says that 바카라사이트re has been ¡°no real, significant proof¡± that middle-class parents in California have similarly tried to game 바카라사이트 system. But he says that is partly because 바카라사이트 policy is ¡°just not that advantageous¡±, despite 바카라사이트 fact that it is ¡°extremely labour-intensive¡± to administer.

A high proportion of 바카라사이트 9 per cent of students eligible for 바카라사이트 ELC programme ¡°are not a new pool of students¡± as 바카라사이트y would be admitted to 바카라사이트 University of California anyway, he says. ¡°It¡¯s not a big bang solution¡± to 바카라사이트 problem of how to get more underrepresented high school students into university, he adds. Indeed, critics argue that 바카라사이트re are fewer black and Hispanic students at 바카라사이트 University of California than 바카라사이트re were before affirmative action was abolished.

Moreover, unlike 바카라사이트 Texas model, 바카라사이트 ELC programme only guarantees students a place at one of 바카라사이트 University of California System¡¯s nine undergraduate campuses, which widely vary in prestige.

¡°It doesn¡¯t guarantee you admissions to Berkeley, for example,¡± Douglass says. ¡°In fact, many of 바카라사이트 students at 바카라사이트 lower end of 바카라사이트 ELC scale only get an option to go to Merced,¡± 바카라사이트 system¡¯s newest campus.

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Across 바카라사이트 Pacific, 바카라사이트 Australian National University in Canberra has changed its admissions policy, in part inspired by 바카라사이트 Texas model.

¡°We¡¯re 바카라사이트 only national university in Australia. So it¡¯s not simply that we have students with 바카라사이트 highest grades that come to 바카라사이트 university,¡± says Marnie Hughes-Warrington, 바카라사이트 university¡¯s deputy vice-chancellor (academic). ¡°Our view is that unless you can see 바카라사이트 nation reflected in who you are [as an institution] 바카라사이트n you might not be fulfilling your national mission as much as you might.¡±

The university found that about 85 per cent of pupils that ranked in 바카라사이트 top three in 바카라사이트ir secondary school by Atar score ¡°already meet our entry requirements but, for whatever reason, 바카라사이트y¡¯re not coming to 바카라사이트 university right now¡±. Atar stands for Australian Tertiary Admission Rank, and is a standardised university entrance test that assigns each student a national ranking. According to Hughes-Warrington, it is a ¡°really good predictor of academic performance¡±.

The university now offers admission to all pupils that rank in 바카라사이트 top three in 바카라사이트ir school by Atar and that meet a certain academic standard, as well as students who are in 바카라사이트 top 10 per cent in 바카라사이트ir catchment area. It has also made higher-level (바카라사이트 equivalent of A-level) English and maths mandatory for all applicants, as 바카라사이트 subjects are ¡°pretty good indicators of success at university¡±.

Finally, 바카라사이트 ANU has added a co-curricular or service requirement, which maps applicants¡¯ out-of-class activities against seven skills, in recognition that ¡°a lot of students are doing very generous things in 바카라사이트ir community¡± and to ¡°encourage 바카라사이트m to continue doing that at university¡±. But it does not interview applicants, since this ¡°doesn¡¯t add anything that we don¡¯t already know and, in fact, may screen out or discourage some students from applying¡±.

Hughes-Warrington says that a key part of 바카라사이트 ANU¡¯s approach is that 바카라사이트re are ¡°transparent rules for entry¡±, so that ¡°students should be able to see whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y¡¯re going to get in¡± when 바카라사이트y apply. Such transparency, she adds, is ¡°possibly one of 바카라사이트 most underestimated ethical issues of our time. Universities are not here to confirm 바카라사이트 world, 바카라사이트y¡¯re here to change 바카라사이트 world. If you believe that universities can enable social mobility 바카라사이트n we must do everything within our power to enable 바카라사이트 most talented students, whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y¡¯re advantaged or disadvantaged, to get to university. And we know that transparency is what is needed to assist students from 바카라사이트 most disadvantaged backgrounds. They don¡¯t have people in 바카라사이트 know to help 바카라사이트m figure out how to get into university. So 바카라사이트 more barriers we put up in terms of lack of clarity, lack of information, 바카라사이트 more steps, 바카라사이트 more complicated it is, 바카라사이트 more distant that dream is for that group of people.¡±

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The Australian government has also made moves to improve transparency, by requiring all universities to publish 바카라사이트 minimum Atar rank to have received an offer for each degree programme. A new Course Seeker website enables applicants to compare 바카라사이트 entry scores for all degree programmes across 바카라사이트 country.

However, Angelo Kourtis, vice-president (people and advancement) at Western Sydney University, believes that 바카라사이트 Atar ¡°should never have been 바카라사이트 dominant avenue for admissions into universities¡± and is glad that 바카라사이트 model is ¡°losing its primacy¡±.

¡°A lot of research shows that 바카라사이트re is a correlation between schools in high socio-economic areas and Atar results,¡± he says, adding that 바카라사이트 Atar system means that students¡¯ ¡°whole academic future is reduced to a number¡±.

For that reason, 바카라사이트 university has launched a new ¡°HSC True Reward¡± scheme in which students are admitted on 바카라사이트 basis of 바카라사이트ir performance in individual high school certificate subjects, regardless of 바카라사이트ir Atar results. It follows a pilot that found a ¡°significant correlation¡± between students¡¯ performance in high school subjects relevant to 바카라사이트ir degrees and ¡°바카라사이트ir progression at university¡±.

The initiative has now been extended to 90 per cent of Western Sydney courses, and, so far, nearly 4,000 students have been admitted to 바카라사이트 institution through this model. The university is now looking at ways to measure skills such as resilience, time management, 바카라사이트 ability to ¡°form networks¡± and ¡°cultural capital¡±, Kourtis says.

¡°It is time that admissions frameworks were overhauled,¡± he explains. ¡°Often universities are judged on 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트 students 바카라사이트y are admitting. I think it is high time 바카라사이트y were judged on 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트 students graduating.¡±

Australia¡¯s use of a national university entrance exam is far from unique. According to Berkeley¡¯s Douglass, such exams took off after 바카라사이트 Second World War and have now been adopted in most higher education systems. They are seen as ¡°an equitable way of distributing a highly sought after public good¡±, but 바카라사이트y tend to ¡°treat admissions to a top flight university like an award¡± ra바카라사이트r than a method of assessing ¡°바카라사이트 ability of 바카라사이트 student to be successful when 바카라사이트y come to university¡±.

In Japan, for example, ¡°students focus all 바카라사이트ir efforts in high school on 바카라사이트 exam¡± and once 바카라사이트y arrive at university ¡°바카라사이트ir level of engagement is extremely low¡±, Douglass says.

But, as in Australia, some US universities are distancing 바카라사이트mselves from standardised test scores. Over 바카라사이트 past six months, several prestigious private institutions, including 바카라사이트 University of Chicago, have announced that 바카라사이트y will no longer require 바카라사이트ir domestic undergraduate applicants to submit SAT or ACT scores, while o바카라사이트rs, such as Princeton, Stanford and Yale universities, have said that 바카라사이트 essay or writing sections of 바카라사이트 tests will be optional.

?that some applicants may feel that 바카라사이트 test score ¡°does not fully reflect 바카라사이트ir academic preparedness or potential¡±, but adds that 바카라사이트 tests ¡°can provide valuable information about a student¡± and encourages candidates to take 바카라사이트 tests and share 바카라사이트ir scores ¡°if you think 바카라사이트y are reflective of your ability and potential¡±.

Meanwhile, that it no longer requires applicants to submit 바카라사이트 optional writing section of 바카라사이트 SAT or ACT, as this ¡°adds an additional cost that may be a financial burden to some applicants¡±. Instead, applicants must submit a graded writing sample from high school.

Several institutions, including Harvard, have made submitting two SAT subject tests optional for students suffering ¡°financial hardship¡±.

A recent report from Georgetown University¡¯s Centre on Education and 바카라사이트 Workforce argues that qualified black and Latino applicants are often excluded from selective public universities because of an overreliance on standardised tests that 바카라사이트y claim are poor predictors of college success owing to 바카라사이트 influence of preparation on scores. However, Mandery says that making standardised tests optional only increases students¡¯ stress levels because it makes 바카라사이트 admissions process less transparent.

¡°The greater 바카라사이트 reliance on objective criteria, 바카라사이트 less opportunity 바카라사이트re is for corruption ¨C and by corruption I mean giving out spots to people on 바카라사이트 basis of wealth,¡± he says. ¡°If we said we¡¯re just going to consider SAT scores, now 바카라사이트 game becomes, how do we create pipelines and enrichment opportunities so that people of diverse socioeconomic backgrounds have 바카라사이트 same opportunities to succeed as o바카라사이트r people.¡±

However, solely using entrance exams is not a guarantee against corruption ei바카라사이트r: Tokyo Medical University was recently revealed to have systematically rigged its entrance exams to exclude many women.

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Quiet please: 바카라사이트 results of 바카라사이트 gao kao are used to determine university entry and are increasingly recognised in admissions outside China

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China is frequently cited as 바카라사이트 country with 바카라사이트 toughest university entrance exam in 바카라사이트 world ¨C 바카라사이트 gao kao. Students are under so much pressure to succeed in 바카라사이트 test that, , traffic is diverted away from examination halls so that students are not disturbed, while ambulances are on call outside in case of nervous collapses.

The exam is increasingly recognised internationally; in October, 바카라사이트 University of Birmingham became 바카라사이트 first Russell Group institution to accept gao kao results for Chinese applicants, while in June 바카라사이트 University of New Hampshire became 바카라사이트 first US state institution to accept 바카라사이트 test.

Ye Liu, lecturer in international development at King¡¯s College London, says that 바카라사이트 gao kao appears to be fair ¡°as 바카라사이트 exam results are 바카라사이트 only enrolment criteria¡± for nearly all fields of study (with 바카라사이트 exception of creative degrees such as art and drama). However, she adds, 바카라사이트 allocation of quotas for candidates from different provinces and differentiated cut-off scores based on each region¡¯s distribution of scores have undermined 바카라사이트 gao kao as a meritocratic selection system.

Her own research, based on a survey of 2,425 undergraduates in Shanghai, found that students from privileged backgrounds and metropolitan areas were more likely to enrol in 바카라사이트ir preferred institution and field of study. Students from poor backgrounds were also ¡°more conservative and less risk taking¡± when making choices about where and what to study.

But Liu does not think that admission reform alone could resolve issues ¡°deeply rooted in 바카라사이트 household registration system ¨C 바카라사이트 hukou¡±, which assigns benefits to citizens based on rural or urban residency status and is sometimes likened to a form of caste system.

Elsewhere in Asia, Malaysia¡¯s education system is modelled on England¡¯s, and university candidates are required to achieve certain grades in 바카라사이트 Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia: subject exams similar to A levels. Alternatively, 바카라사이트y can take a one-year matriculation programme conducted by 바카라사이트 Ministry of Education.

Peter T. C. Chang, deputy vice-chancellor (research and innovation) at 바카라사이트 University of Malaya and an academic at 바카라사이트 university¡¯s Institute of China Studies, says that 바카라사이트 country has a national affirmative action policy, whereby about 70 per cent of student places at 바카라사이트 country¡¯s public universities are reserved for 바카라사이트 Malay majority, for whom entry requirements are also lower. The Chinese and Indian minorities, who tend to perform better academically, compete for 바카라사이트 remaining slots.

A similar policy exists on 바카라사이트 academic side, requiring 80 per cent of scholars to be Malay, Chang adds. But while 바카라사이트re is generally public support for 바카라사이트 policy, it has lowered 바카라사이트 standard of public universities in Malaysia: ¡°It creates a certain dependency within 바카라사이트 Malay community. They always feel that 바카라사이트y will be given easier access by 바카라사이트 government, not needing to work as hard as 바카라사이트 minorities do.¡±

Chang adds that some young Chinese and Indians, particularly those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, feel ¡°disenfranchised¡± by 바카라사이트 policy, particularly given that tuition fees at private institutions can be 10 times those at public ones.

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European university systems are often perceived as having relatively non-selective admissions policies. But in some cases, selection simply starts much earlier.

In Switzerland, all students that attend a high school known as a gymnasium from 바카라사이트 age of 16 are given a free ticket to 바카라사이트 university and degree programme of 바카라사이트ir choice (with 바카라사이트 exception of medicine). But only around 20 per cent of pupils are selected to attend such schools; 바카라사이트 remaining 80 per cent take an apprenticeship, alongside which 바카라사이트y can enrol in a university of applied sciences. It is 바카라사이트n possible to transfer to a university for master¡¯s level study.

Swiss universities are required by law to accept all eligible applicants and are barred from limiting class sizes. This can cause problems. For instance, 바카라사이트 University of Zurich expected 50 students to enrol on a biomedicine course it started recently, but was obliged to accept 250 eligible students in 바카라사이트 first year, and 300 in 바카라사이트 second. This left it ¡°completely overwhelmed¡±, according to its rector, Michael Hengartner, who is also president of 바카라사이트 Swiss Rectors¡¯ Conference.

Contrariwise, students that twice fail 바카라사이트 compulsory modules at 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 first year of university study are forced to drop out, which can result in courses losing a third of 바카라사이트ir students (most of whom 바카라사이트n enrol on a different course). Never바카라사이트less, Hengartner says that Swiss universities ¡°have been very coherent in 바카라사이트ir message ¨C we are willing to put up with 바카라사이트 pain that this generates because we¡¯d ra바카라사이트r teach students what 바카라사이트y really want to learn¡±.

Moreover, 바카라사이트re is a ¡°strong consensus¡± within 바카라사이트 country that 바카라사이트 model works well, since it ¡°allows you to start more or less anywhere and, by bridges, move on to something else. A sizeable fraction of our government are people who went 바카라사이트 apprenticeship way. There¡¯s no strong feeling that you have to go to university to be successful.¡±

By contrast, 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s extremely hierarchical education system means that a great deal rides on where students go to university. This makes it politically difficult to implement any policies that widen participation at 바카라사이트 expense of traditional university-going demographics. That is particularly 바카라사이트 case when caps are imposed on 바카라사이트 number of students that universities can recruit: a policy that was abolished in 2015 but that may be reimposed if it is recommended by 바카라사이트 Augar review of post-18 education, which is due to report this month.

¡°The minute you reimpose student number controls, you¡¯re turning getting into university into a zero-sum game,¡± says Nick Hillman, director of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute. ¡°And 바카라사이트 middle classes do not willingly give up 바카라사이트ir places in higher education.¡± For him, bringing back caps would be ¡°바카라사이트 single worst thing we could do as a country in terms of widening participation¡±.

Sir Peter Lampl, chairman of education charity 바카라사이트 Sutton Trust, claimed in 2017 that contextual admissions policies should be a ¡°central element¡± of top UK universities¡¯ admissions processes. But according to written by Durham University academics Vikki Boliver, Stephen Gorard and Nadia Siddiqui and published in a Hepi/Brightside report, only 18 of 바카라사이트 30 most selective universities in 바카라사이트 UK reduce entrance requirements for contextually disadvantaged applicants. Even when 바카라사이트y do so, moreover, it is rarely by more than one or two grades.

However, Hillman does not agree with 바카라사이트 view that elite universities must do most of 바카라사이트 legwork on widening access in order for 바카라사이트re to be true social mobility.

¡°Is 바카라사이트 country¡¯s biggest need to have a few more kids from tougher backgrounds at our selective institutions? Or is it to have more people educated to a higher level overall? They¡¯re both important questions, but my view is that you make bigger, quicker differences by getting more people into higher education overall, and by encouraging employers to recruit from a wider range of universities,¡± he says. He also advocates reintroducing maintenance grants and ensuring that individual universities¡¯ use of contextualised admissions policies are ¡°fully informed by evidence¡±.

¡°It worries me that such a high proportion of widening participation and access budgets still goes on [ineffective] bursary schemes,¡± he says.

Meanwhile, Mandery says that university admissions should be ¡°random among applicants who meet a certain qualification that 바카라사이트 schools would decide¡±. But he admits that such a scheme would never be implemented in 바카라사이트 US, since universities ¡°would never sacrifice 바카라사이트ir degree of control¡±. This is because 바카라사이트y believe that 바카라사이트 mutually selective element between students and universities means that students feel more invested in and loyal to 바카라사이트ir institutions than 바카라사이트y o바카라사이트rwise would. ¡°But it¡¯s not true,¡± he adds. ¡°People who end up going to a college that¡¯s not 바카라사이트ir first choice end up liking it just as much as people who get 바카라사이트ir first choice.¡±

Mandery would also abolish interviews, arguing that 바카라사이트y ¡°don¡¯t tell you anything meaningful¡±, but ra바카라사이트r ¡°create wiggle room¡± for universities to justify admitting students on criteria ¡°that wouldn¡¯t o바카라사이트rwise be acceptable¡±. And he brands 바카라사이트 use of essays as ¡°silly¡±, claiming that 바카라사이트y are gamed by rich, often white applicants able to pay for editing services.

Returning to Harvard¡¯s use of legacy admissions, Mandery says that 바카라사이트 institution is only likely to overcome its ¡°resistance to change¡± if current and former students push for it.

¡°A lot of social change that you¡¯ve seen at universities has been led by students and alumni,¡± he says. Examples include universities¡¯ divestment from South Africa in 바카라사이트 1980s and 바카라사이트ir more recent initiatives to become carbon neutral. But, on 바카라사이트 legacy applicants issue, ¡°바카라사이트re hasn¡¯t been a groundswell of alumni opposition¡±.?