<p>It's TOTB (think outside the box) time, folks. IMO, a great deal of CC's forum is devoted to dealing with the PROBLEMS of college admissions. What I'd like to see here are your thoughts on SOLUTIONS -- IOW, your version of the "ideal" college admissions process. If you were Supreme College Admissions Czar, what admissions rules would you impose on all the colleges under your command?</p>
<p>Remember: TOTB! Who knows? Someone may come up with such a great idea that we can advocate it to improve things for future applicants.</p>
<p>If materials could be written which would make the financial aid processes clearer that would help. This goes from informational materials before families even fill out the FAFSA and profile, all the way through the incomprehensible FA award letters from colleges, to which kinds of loans are actually available to whom and how to get them and how to select a loan provider. People have to do enough research to get a Ph.D just figuring out this stuff. Many families never figure it out.</p>
<p>Every school would have an on-line calculator like Princeton's, which would provide a very accurate estimate of what that student could expect in financial aid from the school.</p>
<p>And if the school offered merit aid, too, the student could plug his/her stats into the on-line calculator and get an accurate estimate of what kind of financial aid and merit awards the student could expect to receive.</p>
<p>Okay, I'll give it a try. The common app is great !! However, there is no way to submit standard supplements. As an example, an art portfolio, published works/writing samples, or music clips. I know there are potential virus issues, but the common app site should be screening for those anyway.</p>
<p>Some schools do not accept supplements - they could indicate on the common app website that they will not upload the digital supplement info.</p>
<p>It would be great if colleges would develop a uniform website interface which would allow all of the application paperwork which has to be sent to the college to be accomplished online to one account. For example: High schools could logon to the college website, sign in to Suzy Smith's account and electronically submit her high school transcript, the counselor recs, the teacher recs. SAT/ACT could be sent electronically to Suzy's account by College Board and ACT. Suzy's family could send the FAFSA this way. And later the same account could be used to submit tuition payments, etc., like online banking. One-stop shopping. Is this already in the works?</p>
<p>Of course, security safeguards would have be put in place, but these processes have been developed and are well known.</p>
<p>How about a Lending Tree feature - where banks compete for you ? A student could submit their common app. The 3rd/4th tier schools that are still vying for students in April/May could "bid." They could respond with their school marketing info, cost of attendance and scholarship offers.</p>
<p>Okay, one more thought - then it's back to work. When the common app is submitted, there needs to be a HUGE informational screen telling the student to fill out the FAFSA !! The student has to scknowledge it or something before their app is submitted.</p>
<p>Every GC in America needs to tell EVERY student to fill out the FAFSA. My d received/negotiated $$ that are "preferential need based packaging". She says a lot of her friends didn't apply for aid b/c they just "know" they don't qualify. Many of these families make less than us and the students & parents do not understand that a lot of merit money is distributed through Fin Aid.</p>
<ol>
<li> I don't have any issue with requiring standardized tests. But superscoring should be limited. There should be a limit on the number of SATs they'll consider. For example, we'll superscore from your last 2 sittings. Yes, I know kids who took the SATs over 5 times. Also, a straight sitting SAT should "outrank" a superscored SAT.</li>
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<p>Also, SAT IIs should not be superscored. Sit for it once - that's it.</p>
<ol>
<li> Regarding AA, there needs to be some verification. Or drop traditional race/ethnicity based AA and replace it with socio/economic AA - which is the real issue.</li>
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<p>Rolling admissions would eliminate the long wait until April/May, but it would make the app season worse. Our HS doesn't start until after Labor Day - Imagine having the entire Senior class trying to get their apps in a as quickly as possible.</p>
<p>I have always favored a quick reject option. If a college knows in January that there's no hope for your application - send that rejection letter sooner, rather than later.</p>
<p>I think high schools can help by having a standard form of calculating GPA. I prefer the European system of giving grades of 1-10, with 10 being the highest. If schools standardized GPA, comparing students would be much easier. There should also be a standard system of weighting for AP/IB/honors courses.</p>
<p>I really like the idea of colleges competing for students. This is a great way for students to get a cheaper education at a school they might not otherwise attend, due to a lack of name recognition.</p>
<p>When a college accepts you, in your letter, they write a paragraph about why they accepted you and include some of your accomplishments. ("We felt you were a particularly strong candidate for admission . We especially enjoyed reading about [insert accomplishment]) I feel that would personalize the acceptance process a little more.</p>
<p>Skyhook's idea is great. It would just make life simpler</p>
<p>i think one reason that the college application process hasn't shifted as much to the internet as it possibly could is that it would further alienate the disadvantaged groups that many colleges are already taking so many pains to include. First let the government carry out their plan to make high-speed internet available to everyone and then start talking about a 1-stop shop online for college apps.</p>
<p>On a bank statement ad tax stuff, couldn't there just be a box where we check it and the FAFSA is filled out for us. The only reason to edit it would be if we had to add something.</p>
[quote]
Regarding AA, there needs to be some verification. Or drop traditional race/ethnicity based AA and replace it with socio/economic AA - which is the real issue.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>That is what a lot of older Americans incorrectly believe. To them affirmative action was all about making up for past grievances between African Americans and whites.</p>
<p>Affirmative action nowadays is merely a tool used to promote diversity of all kinds: geographical, racial, ethnic, gender, etc. It also allows schools that practice holistic admissions to better assess the achievements of applicants.</p>
<p>OP:
My ideal college admissions process would eliminate the SAT and replace it with a test that is more like the ACT/SAT Subject Tests/AP Tests.</p>
<p>Colgate does something like that. On the acceptance letter they wrote a little note, mine referenced the two essays that I wrote for them. It was so unexpected and personal, it really did add a nice touch.</p>
<p>When one buys a house, there is a standard form (its name escapes me at the moment) that lists all the closing costs, fees, etc. and exactly how much money each party brings to the table.</p>
<p>Do that for financial aid award letters -- a standardized format used by all schools that details what is grant $$, what are loans assumed as part of FA, what is merit money, etc. That way, it's clear what money one is getting vs. the school assuming you will take $30K in PLUS loans and calling it "aid."</p>
<p>How about a Common Application that is truly common ... i.e., no supplements? I applied to college before the Common App era, and most of the applications I encountered were shorter than many of today's so called "supplements" are.</p>
<p>If a college requires specific information (e.g., Will you live on campus? Will you apply for financial aid? Are you applying to a specific department or program?) then a very brief additional form would be okay. But all these supplements that demand extra essays (especially those "Why This School?" annoyances that typically spawn such disingenuous responses) defeat the whole purpose of the Common App.</p>
<p>But from a college's standpoint, supplements make a lot of sense. They serve as a screening device to help protect yield. Don't expect colleges to get rid of them any time soon.</p>