Colleges Should Take More Time When Looking at Students Application Essay Example

Schools such as Harvard have a higher acceptance rates for students that are children or grandchildren of alumni.  This is an important topic because so many people are discouraged from applying to college due to low acceptance rates or the fear of having a test score that is too low.  Everyone should have an opinion on this topic because, if you're not going into college you may one day have a child going into college.  Colleges should take into consideration where their applicants are coming from, what these applicants are posting on social media, and lastly what their application should include, not only test scores and GPA’s but projects and community service hours. Colleges should revamp their application processes.

 Kids who come from privileged backgrounds get more opportunities than kids who come from nothing.  Firstly, in an article written by Elissa Nadworn and Anya Kamentez, we are introduced to the fact that it's no surprise that wealthy people have more advantages than poorer people (Nadworn, 1).  This information helps us see how people who come from privilege may have more opportunities as they have more advantages.  Next, in the same article we are told about how some rich families are able to put in absurd amounts of money into schools to help pay for new buildings and such (Nadworn, 1). 

Schools may be more likely to admit a student if they know their parents will donate money to the school or if the school knows the can benefit in some way from this student coming to their school.  Finally, in this article the fact that many prestigious schools such as Harvard are more likely, nearly five times more likely, to admit students that are children or grandchildren of alumni than anyone else  (Nadworn,1).  Prestigious schools such as Harvard are extremely difficult to get into and they are extremely expensive, therefore not many poor people attend.  Just because someone comes form a better background, or someone comes from more wealth doesn’t mean they should have advantages getting into college.

Colleges should be able to look at students social media when taking them into consideration when accepting them.  My first reason for this is, in an article written by Scott Jaschik we learn about a student who get accepted into The University of Rochester by lying about her transcript, saying she was homeschooled, she was later kicked out almost immediately upon arriving on campus (Jaschik, 4).  Without looking on her social media the university may have never found out about her scheme to get in.  Next, in the same article we are told about ten Harvard students who got their acceptance revoked because they were on a facebook group called “Harvard memes for horny bourgeois teens."

This group included racist jokes and jokes about abusing children (Jaschik, 3).  These students who are associating Harvard's name with a racist organization could've been going to this school and dragging its name through the mud.  Finally, Jaschik tells us how many schools see that social media is fair game to look at when admitting students, as many jobs look at it when hiring people, although many don't look at it (Jaschik, 7-11).  If a job can look at your social media to see if you can work for them why wouldn't a college be able to look at your social media to see if you can go to school there?   People need to be careful on social media because you never know whos looking at it or how it could affect your future.  

Colleges should look at a whole portfolio about their students.  This portfolio will include past projects, test scores, community service, and GPA.  First, we are told the story of a girl named Chynna Krouser in an article by Catherine Gewertz, Chynna Krouser is a very intelligent girl who was trying to get into CUNY, City University of New York, but her test scores fell a little short for her acceptance.  Luckily for her CUNY was running a pilot to allow students to submit a larger portfolio allowing her to get in due to a project she did sophomore year (Gewertz, 16). Without CUNY doing this pilot Chynna Krouser wouldn't have gotten into their program, and she probably wouldn't have been as well off as she is. 

Next, in the same article it states that  performance based assessments are a good way for admission staff to look at how a student will perform at certain places (Gewertz, 5).   If admission staff took more time to look at students past projects and achievements there would likely be higher acceptance rates.  Then, From the article by Catherine Gewertz we learn that these students that are admitted even though their test scores are slightly lower they fair just as well as students with higher test scores (Gewertz, 14).  This shows us that test scores aren't an accurate enough representation of how a student will succeed at college and we should look at more than just those simple scores.  Even though many schools use transcripts to track students records more should be recorded then just grades.  

Some people may think that because everyone one has the same opportunities colleges should only look at test scores when admitting students.  This is because in an article by Jessica Velasco we learn about how test scores are important to help with class placement Velasco, 5-6).  Without test scores we may not know how to group students into classes.  Although, In a different article written by Catherine Gewertz we are told about the students who immigrate into this country, who know multiple languages, therefore their english isn't as good, but they're still very intelligent  (Gewertz, 22-25).  These students who have fled dangerous countries are just as smart as students from our country they may just struggle with english as its not their first language.  Lastly, In the same article We learn how students can contribute more to a school then just their brain, they have kind hearts and many hours of community service, and other attributes that help the community (Gewertz, 13).  Just because someone has high test scores doesn't mean they are better then someone with lower scores, someone with a score that is barely too low could be a big attribute to the community.  Contrary to what some people may believe Colleges should look at more than just test scores when admitting students for multiple reasons.

When considering students colleges should consider how privileged the student was while going through high school, if the student is going to represent the school well on social media, and lastly if a test score that is just barely too low really matters when it comes to the rest of the students achievements. 

People who come from a wealthy background, or a better school may have more opportunities to get higher GPA or test scores, but that doesn't necessarily make them smarter.  Students who try to cheat their way in and students who post things on social media that aren't good for the publicity of a school should not be accepted just because they got good scores on a test.  Just because someone's test score isn't he highest doesn't mean they aren't smart enough to go to a certain school, their other hard work should also be put into consideration.  Test scores should not be the only thing schools look at while admitting students for these various reasons.