Why and how to use direct admission
This week, let’s look at the increasingly popular enrollment strategy of direct admission, under which more institutions are proactively accepting large numbers of pre-screened students. The practice isn’t a solution for declining enrollment (sorry), but it can bring in some students who might not otherwise enroll.
The concept gets support from both equity advocates and proponents of efficiency, said Taylor Odle, an assistant professor of educational-policy studies at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, where since 2018 he has researched the practice and its effectiveness in increasing college-going rates.
On the equity front, he said, it eliminates several of the classic barriers that deter would-be college-goers, like application forms, transcript requests, standardized testing, and fees or fee waivers.
With regard to efficiency, the vast majority of institutions in this country are open-access or admit at least 75 percent of applicants, Odle said, so why make them jump through all those hoops?
The paradigm shift may feel unsettling at first, he said, but it has clear benefits. “People are worried about giving up control, whether it’s control of accepting students or reviewing their essays,” he said. “So we just really need to reframe in our mind what is the point of the admissions process — and if it’s to promote opportunity for higher ed, then the way we are doing this now probably isn’t really doing that.”
Over years of examining direct-admission programs, Odle has noted the hallmarks of the most effective ones, and he shared some tips for leaders who might be developing their approach.
One key point, he said, is that this works best to reach students who are deciding between college and no college, not those who are deciding among multiple institutions.
And don’t expect direct admission to completely turn around declining enrollment. “Any little bit helps,” Odle said. For example, research he did in Idaho showed that campuses there saw enrollment increases of between 4 and 8 percent, or 50 to 100 students per institution.
Here are six insights from Odle. You can also read more of his research on using the practice to promote equity here and on simplifying the application process here.
Direct admission is not guaranteed admission. People often confuse guaranteed admission for a top percentage of high-school graduates with direct admission, in which a college reviews the performance of many high-school seniors, then accepts everyone who meets the criteria.
Creative partnerships can overcome privacy concerns. Data privacy quickly arises as an issue when you consider a college reviewing the records of large groups of high schoolers, Odle said. But institutions have developed creative ways around this, including through data vendors or statewide data-sharing arrangements.
Another arrangement he has seen work well is for a school district to determine who is admissible. Partner with one or more feeder high schools, share with them your admissions requirements, then let them evaluate their own students by those criteria and send the acceptance letters. If students decide to enroll, that is when they’ll opt in to share their data with the college. Crucially, Odle said, do not make students complete that step before they are admitted, because you’ll limit your pool.
Include family and make acceptance an event. Send letters to the student, the parents or guardian, and the high-school counselor, as well. This helps show the family the offer is legitimate, and surrounds the student with trusted adults who will congratulate them and help them through the rest of the process.
It’s best to admit students during the fall of their senior year — conditional on their graduation, of course — to give those who might not be considering college time to adjust to this new option, and those who are applying elsewhere peace of mind. In Idaho, juniors get a postcard to let them know their letters are coming, building anticipation and awareness of the program.
Give students choice, and re-examine your criteria over time. If possible in a state system, admit students to both two- and four-year institutions, or colleges in different parts of the state, and let them choose where to go.
As direct admission becomes more common, Odle said, states are inching down selectivity requirements, because students with a 2.8 or 2.75 GPA are often equally successful.
Direct admission can streamline financial aid. Once a student accepts an offer, Odle said, a financial-aid counselor from the college can reach out, help them fill out the FAFSA, and share information about institutional scholarships. Some states are trying to simplify the financial-aid process further, he said, by telling students in acceptance letters about state grants they qualify for.
Keep the process simple. It can be tempting to ask students to fill out a form or share additional application materials once they are accepted, and ironing out your partnership with the very compliance-oriented world of K-12 can be difficult, Odle said. But the only way this type of program works, he said, is if it remains truly simple.
