Harvard University issued a report last week calling for widespread changes in the college admissions process and how to evaluate prospective students. Over 85 institutions across the United States have endorsed the report, including the University, Dean of Admission Greg Roberts said.
“This was a report that a number of schools and deans signed on to support because it addressed some issues that we are all interested in and concerned with,” Roberts said.
Titled “Turning the Tide: Inspiring Concern for Others and the Common Good Through College Admissions,” the report was created by the Making Caring Common group, or MCC, from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. It emphasizes increased ethical engagement among college applicants.
“Turning the Tide” is the initial part of a two-year campaign to reform the college admissions and selections process. The report recommends colleges and universities promote community service, consider students’ ethical engagements across races and cultures and reduce “excessive achievement pressure” among students.
The report also addresses a lack of transparency in the admissions process, trying to find ways to reduce the amount of stress and anxiety among applying students and further promoting citizenship and service, Roberts said.
While Roberts agrees with the main components of the review, he said the Office of Admission’s holistic application review is effective in considering qualities such as good character and service in applicants.
“The logical question that is being asked is, ‘Are there plans to change anything in our review in light of this report?’” Roberts said. “I would say that this report identified some low-hanging fruit that schools might consider such as alteration to essay questions and reducing the amount of space for extracurricular activities.”
The MCC hopes to increase equality among economically disadvantaged students and recommends applications ask students to list no more than two or three extracurricular activities and to discourage students from repeatedly taking standardized tests.
“Too often, today’s culture sends young people messages that emphasize personal success rather than investment in others or our collective future,” Richard Weissbourd, co-director of the MCC project said in the report.
Weissbourd said high school students often believe colleges simply value their academic achievements, and dozens of recently published articles examine the adverse effects of the intense and often self-inflicted stress on students, including articles in The Atlantic and The New York Times.
Although the MCC hopes to enact immediate change with its “Turning the Tide” campaign, Roberts said it will take at least a year for such reforms to be adopted at the University.
“We’re in the middle of our review with 32,000 applications. Any changes for next year’s application would be considered in the spring or summer,” Roberts said. “It’s an important issue, but we haven’t really committed to changes. We’re always open to exploring better ways to do things and this could be a start to a larger conversation and how we make admissions decisions.”
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