Trust me, there’s no such thing as a “hail Mary” to the U of C. The supplemental essays alone (on top of the Common App or Coalition App or Universal App ) create far too much work for students to just “throw in” an app. I don’t see any problem with the self-report, then verify policy and I do think it will save underserved students money, which is the point. And no application fee only applies to students who qualify based on a financial needs test, if my information is correct.
As for whether all these changes since Nondorf arrived have changed the “flavor” of the student body, my sense is that it is still a place full of “Chicago-types”, but that there is a not insignificant percentage of students who are comfortable there now who would likely not have been 15 years ago. Small details like adding the number of sororities on campus to meet need are indicative of both a larger undergraduate student body and changing student interests. As a parent of 2 UC grads with three degrees among them (BA2007, BA2011, JD2016), I hear them lament some of the changes but they do recognize that it’s a different world of college admissions since they applied.
Independent of the institution involved or the motivations, I am all in favor of this move.
And I don’t think this has anything to do with test optional. Self reporting is not the same as not reporting. Also, DDs HS school has all her scores listed on her transcript uploaded by her counselor so would be impossible to lie/make a mistake about it. I do realize not all HS have this policy and not all kids have their scores sent to the HS.
While we are not financially disadvantaged, I think it’s ridiculous to pay and repay to have official reports sent to all the schools one is simply applying to. UChicago had 30,000+ applications, even if one assumes only one SAT being reported, that’s >$300,000 spent on reporting scores to that one college alone.
Also, IIRC, ACTs require separate payment for each test for ‘report all scores’ schools, which I vehemently disagreed with.
I am curious to see what the response of ACT/College Board will be if this becomes more widespread.
I wonder if other schools will adopt the same report your own scores policy too. Harvard, Princeton, Stanford, and MIT haven’t released info for next years applicants that I see.
Easy. College contacts applicant. Applicant explains. Applicant sends scores that were self-reported or college allows use of higher scores. No need to rescind someone over this.
In fact I’d think UC could use judgement in most of the cases that would arise from mistakes.
“Trust me, there’s no such thing as a “hail Mary” to the U of C. The supplemental essays alone (on top of the Common App or Coalition App or Universal App ) create far too much work for students to just “throw in” an app.”
Precisely. I hypothesize that any bump in total applications is going to be matched or exceeded by an increase in yield. Applying to Chicago already requires enough genuine interest in Chicago qua Chicago that a flood of disinterested “lottery ticket” applications is extremely unlikely. The school seems to be looking for a targeted increase in apps and matriculations from students of lower socioeconomic status, and I expect that’s what they will get.
While the policies aren’t identical (report-on-admission vs test scores not accepted at all), Hampshire’s recent experience seems relevant. They increased the essay requirement of their application to Chicago-like levels simultaneously with their change to a no-test-scores admissions policy, and they reported a subsequent increase in yield, class diversity, and first-generation attendees despite a drop in total applications.
California publics use the “trust (on application), but verify (on matriculation)” method for high school courses and grades. They still require official test score reports on application, but only one test score report needs to be sent to each system (i.e. one for UC and one for CSU if the student applies to campuses in both systems).
SUNY has allowed students to self report grades for years through their SOAR system on the SUNY application for years without any significant problems.
This year students (at least in NYC) will have their grades sent directly to SUNY using the common app or the SUNY app by simply entering their student ID number. The transcripts to be uploaded directly from the NYC DOE.
Good (Great) Point. But, unlike test scores, figuring out how to add the classes/grades can be tricky; does that gifted class go in as an honors or standard class? Do I count this class as “academic”? Blah…blah…blah…and then you stress over a mistake causing your admissions in being rescinded…
Here’s a thought, this is a policy meant to increase the number of low income students that apply, but could it have a larger impact on middle/higher SES student applicants? Those that are more likely to apply to multiple competitive (schools like UChicago) colleges and are more likely to be aware of the new policy?
If so, doesn’t that make admissions even more competitive, especially for lower income students? What if this policy increases low SES applicants by, say 10%, but it increases the number of middle/high SES applicants by 30%?
Sometimes actions meant to help one group, end up being a bigger boon to another group.
For example, a recent study showed that colleges that adopted policies to stop the tenure clock to help professors who are new parents, especially mothers, may have helped fathers far more than the mothers. Impacting women (mothers or not) chances at tenure.
This is often misunderstood. Both GPA and test scores are useful predictors of undergraduate outcomes.
If everyone had to take an ACT or SAT test but that score was not used in admission, you would see a strong correlation of test scores to undergraduate outcomes. The fact that there is a loose correlation means that the test is largely doing its job of sorting students into the right colleges. Ideally, there would be zero correlation.
Someone upthread mentioned that New York streamlines it even more, in that New York high school records can be automatically uploaded in standardized form to the SUNY application.
Self reporting scores in the application should be the norm. The official report should only be sent to the school that offers a place and that you choose to go. College board and ACT have a very good business there, not to mention the collaterals
) create far too much work for students to just “throw in” an app. I don’t see any problem with the self-report, then verify policy and I do think it will save underserved students money, which is the point. And no application fee only applies to students who qualify based on a financial needs test, if my information is correct.