College Admissions

Op-ed contributor Carlene Buccino's argument against the objectivity of SAT scores is compelling but flawed ("The best test scores money can buy," Dec. 13). There is a robust literature that supports the use of SAT scores in the admissions process. Generally, institutions of higher learning are well-versed regarding literature that suggests the cultural, socio-economic and gender biases of the SAT and other standardized exams. In fact, some institutions tier the SAT bottom-line in adherence to the literature.

Op-ed contributor Carlene Buccino's argument against the objectivity of SAT scores is compelling but flawed ("The best test scores money can buy," Dec. 13). There is a robust literature that supports the use of SAT scores in the admissions process. Generally, institutions of higher learning are well-versed regarding literature that suggests the cultural, socio-economic and gender biases of the SAT and other standardized exams. In fact, some institutions tier the SAT bottom-line in adherence to the literature.

It may be time to say farewell to affirmative action in higher education admissions and to the aspirations that went with it. The U.S. Supreme Court will soon hear arguments in Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin, a case challenging the sliver of consideration the university gives to race and ethnicity when deciding whom to admit. It is already being billed as "the case that killed affirmative action. " That may prove true, as the make-up of the Supreme Court has changed considerably since the last time it looked at this heated issue, in 2003.

It may be time to say farewell to affirmative action in higher education admissions and to the aspirations that went with it. The U.S. Supreme Court will soon hear arguments in Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin, a case challenging the sliver of consideration the university gives to race and ethnicity when deciding whom to admit. It is already being billed as "the case that killed affirmative action. " That may prove true, as the make-up of the Supreme Court has changed considerably since the last time it looked at this heated issue, in 2003.

The U.S. Supreme Court takes up the issue of racial preference in college admissions on Wednesday, and that ought to be a concern for those who believe such policies have provided countless opportunities for minorities - and enriched the educational experience for whites. There is a growing movement in this country to eliminate affirmative action on the grounds that it's no longer needed - or was even helpful in the first place. Granted, this can be a complex issue, and even the most liberal interpretations of the race-conscious policy acknowledge that a balance must be struck to make colleges diverse but also keep the admissions process fair and merit-based.

Steven got nearly perfect SAT scores, but he didn't get into Princeton. Suzanne has straight A's, but Brown rejected her. And Samantha — Samantha! — got into both schools, even though her scores and grades are pretty mediocre. Can you believe it? Welcome to an average school day in April, the cruelest month of the calendar for America's upper-middle-class teens. If you live in a leafy American suburb, as I do, you simply can't escape the drudgery and the drama of the college admissions sweepstakes.

School officials fear that college admissions were compromised for more than a dozen seniors at Baltimore's prestigious Western High School because the school failed to send complete application materials. "Shortly before the spring break, I learned that some college admissions materials required from the school — transcripts, school profiles, and recommendations — were not received by all of the colleges to which our students applied," Principal Alisha Trusty wrote in a letter, posted Friday on the school's website and sent home with students who may have been affected.

WALNUT CREEK, Calif. - The percentage of minority students admitted to the University of California has nearly reached affirmative action levels, according to figures released this week. In addition, the system admitted 10 percent more Californians than last year. Of the students the UC system admitted for the fall 2001 freshman class, 18.6 percent were black, Latino, Chicano and American Indian. That's a percentage point increase over last year and just shy of 1997's 18.8 percent, the last time the university used racial preferences in admissions.

College admissions officers did not know what to expect heading into this year's application period. They wondered if the recession would drive students toward in-state or public colleges and away from more expensive ones - or committing to any college at all. Despite evidence that such trends occurred nationally, Maryland admissions officers are generally relieved at how little change they have observed in the state. Students applied and committed to Maryland colleges and universities, public and private, at robust levels this spring.

Jovan Edmunds has guided 316 seniors through the college admissions process as a school counselor for the Class of 2006 at Dundalk High School. She presented college information to all senior classes, wrote recommendation letters for at least 100 students and reminded others to sign up for college entrance exams. Next fall, she and other counselors at Dundalk and Woodlawn high schools will have a little more help, thanks to a new program coordinated through 100 Black Men of Maryland. The 100 College Access Program will hire a part-time counselor for each school to assist next year's juniors and seniors in meeting deadlines and overcoming economic barriers to higher education.

As the Supreme Court once again takes up the issue of affirmative action in college admissions, The Sun's view that this discriminatory practice should be preserved is wrong in both theory and practice ("Race and admissions," Oct. 10). At its core, affirmative action discriminates against a group of people based upon the color of their skin, presumably with the noble goal of helping another group of people with a different skin color. The problem with such a practice is that it legitimizes discrimination.

The U.S. Supreme Court takes up the issue of racial preference in college admissions on Wednesday, and that ought to be a concern for those who believe such policies have provided countless opportunities for minorities - and enriched the educational experience for whites. There is a growing movement in this country to eliminate affirmative action on the grounds that it's no longer needed - or was even helpful in the first place. Granted, this can be a complex issue, and even the most liberal interpretations of the race-conscious policy acknowledge that a balance must be struck to make colleges diverse but also keep the admissions process fair and merit-based.

The number of Baltimore City high school graduates enrolling in four-year colleges and universities has dropped in recent years as more head to two-year institutions where they are far less likely to graduate. The Baltimore Education Research Consortium at Johns Hopkins University found the percentage of city public school graduates heading to two-year-institutions rose 12 percentage points over four years to 52 percent in 2010, while the percentage of students enrolled in four-year-colleges declined 12 percentage points to 49 percent.

School officials fear that college admissions were compromised for more than a dozen seniors at Baltimore's prestigious Western High School because the school failed to send complete application materials. "Shortly before the spring break, I learned that some college admissions materials required from the school — transcripts, school profiles, and recommendations — were not received by all of the colleges to which our students applied," Principal Alisha Trusty wrote in a letter, posted Friday on the school's website and sent home with students who may have been affected.

Steven got nearly perfect SAT scores, but he didn't get into Princeton. Suzanne has straight A's, but Brown rejected her. And Samantha — Samantha! — got into both schools, even though her scores and grades are pretty mediocre. Can you believe it? Welcome to an average school day in April, the cruelest month of the calendar for America's upper-middle-class teens. If you live in a leafy American suburb, as I do, you simply can't escape the drudgery and the drama of the college admissions sweepstakes.

College admissions officers did not know what to expect heading into this year's application period. They wondered if the recession would drive students toward in-state or public colleges and away from more expensive ones - or committing to any college at all. Despite evidence that such trends occurred nationally, Maryland admissions officers are generally relieved at how little change they have observed in the state. Students applied and committed to Maryland colleges and universities, public and private, at robust levels this spring.

I suffer from an acute case of admissionitis gravis (n. Abbr. AdGrav. 1. A disease of high school seniors characterized by severe anxiety, often developing into writer's block, mental paralysis and overall paranoia. 2. A state of anxiety experienced by adolescents facing the need to craft powerful personal essays for college admissions, despite having lived relatively brief, less-than-powerful lives. From Latin admissio, admission, and gravitas, heavy). The definitive, telltale symptom of my disease?

It is not unusual for high school seniors to complain of meddling parents telling them where to go to college and nagging them about their applications. But for the 40 students who spent this weekend at Goucher College, such a complaint is a luxury. The students, mostly from Washington high schools, receive little application advice from their parents -- most of whom didn't go college -- or from their guidance counselors, who are swamped with large caseloads. Instead, the students rely on College Summit, a 10-year-old program that trains low-income students in negotiating the application process.

In college admissions it is the year of unprecedented uncertainty. Akua Abrah, a talented senior at Annapolis High School, tried to guess how many top schools she would need to apply to in order to get in somewhere she really wanted to go. She chose 10. Admissions deans such as John Latting at the Johns Hopkins University walked a tightrope as they tried to estimate how many students to accept to fill their freshman classes. What was the probability that students such as Abrah, who might be accepted by competitors, would choose Hopkins?