It is fair to say that admissions policies in higher-ranking universities and colleges have predominantly favored high-achieving applicants.
While much has been written about access, affordability, diversity and student loans, one can argue that the focus on GPA, aptitude tests and the reputation-enhancing concept of “selectivity” has negatively impacted minorities and underprivileged applicants.
These “underserved students” have now become the target of more progressive policies for a few reasons, one of significance being the decline in the number of high school graduates over the last several years. A recent Hechinger Report shows that for the sixth straight year, total enrollment in higher education continues to drop and there were more than 2.6 million fewer students enrolled in Fall 2017 compared to Fall 2011.
As a result, a new recruitment approach is underway at many universities, catering to these underserved students. This isn’t just a way for colleges and universities to increase student enrollment and, thus, improve their economic outlook. Fortunately, there continues to be a growing recognition of the value of diversity and social altruism – one long held by universities that have historically served these populations.
So, let’s examine the approach of my institution, Woodbury University, a small, private, non-profit institution in the San Fernando Valley. Founded in 1884, one of its core principles is gender and ethnic diversity. It is a Hispanic Serving Institution with 26 percent of undergraduates being Hispanic and about 23 percent representing more than 40 international countries.
How has Woodbury expanded educational opportunity and access?
First, some background. Many of Woodbury’s current students are from lower socio-economic status, many have had fewer opportunities in college preparedness and many are first-generation college students. What they bring is an earnest desire to learn, and a belief that through the attainment of professional and academic skills, they can advance their lives, their families’ lives and the communities they came from. At its essence, the university’s tradition is to provide the engine for upward mobility through a university education.
