Image: Increasing campus diversity is a pressing issue in higher education, and many institutions are exploring many different solutions. In a recent Hechinger Report article by Jill Barshay, Dr. Kelly Rosinger (IHE PhD) discussed her research on how test-optional policies affect—or rather, do not affect—diversity in college enrollment. Dr. Rosinger’s research shows that both students of color and low-income students are not affected by test-optional admissions. Instead, she says, other aspects of the application, such as extracurriculars and an advanced course load, “privilege the same students who are privileged by test scores,” which leads to the student body not changing much. She draws on work she conducted with another IHE graduate Dr. Andrew Belasco and professor Dr. James Hearn. They find that rather than increasing diversity, test-optional policies instead cemented inequalities by improving the perceived status of these institutions. While there is a correlation between privilege and standardized tests, the researchers find that removing tests entirely is not an effective solution. From a policy perspective, these findings signal the need for more innovative and holistic admissions practices. It seems that if institutions want to diversify their student body, they will have to diversify their solutions. Read the news article here: https://hechingerreport.org/proof-points-test-optional-policies-didnt-do-much-to-diversify-college-student-populations/ Read the original research paper here: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.3102/0162373714537350 Type of News/Audience: Alumni
