Michigan State University Extension
Diversity and Pluralism - 20493023
12/95/
ERIC TITLE NUMBER: ED189935 AUTHOR: Lay, Robert; Maguire, John
TITLE: Toward Improving the Quality of Incoming Students
While Maintaining Fairness in Admissions. AIR Forum 1980
Paper.
YEAR PUBLISHED: 1980
NOTE: 28 p.; Paper presented at the Annual Forum of the
Association for Institutional Research (20th, Atlanta, GA,
April 27-May 1, 1980).
ABSTRACT: The problem of improving the quality of incoming
college students and practicing fairness in admissions was
studied at Boston College. The study sample was over 2000
accepted applicants who completed an admissions
questionnaire. A systematic admissions procedure is
described that provides an index of applicant "quality,"
and the rating process is explored using a path model to
measure the contributions of background and achieved
characteristics of applicants to their rating. The way
questions of bias may be raised and pursued is considered,
and applicants are profiled to show how the effects of
policy adjustments may be monitored. Six segments were
defined by crossing three levels of quality (top, high, or
medium) with two values of enrollment status (matriculation
or nonmatriculation). Factor analysis was used to model the
differing images of Boston College across the six segments.
Discriminant analysis was applied to represent two
dimensions, "decision" and "quality" in ratings of both
Boston College and of the named competitor. Some specifics
of a differentiated policy are considered as examples, and
implications of this integrated approach are discussed.
(Author/SW)
KEY DESCRIPTORS: Academic-Ability; Affirmative-Action;
College-Choice; Factor-Analysis; Higher-Education;
Qualifications-; Rating-Scales; Reputation-
KEY DESCRIPTORS: *Ability-Identification; *Admission
Criteria; *College-Admission; *College-Applicants; *Equal
Education; *Selective-Admission
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