The recent college admission scandal, nicknamed College Varsity Blues, is a subject about which many Americans have opinions---including the workforce community that is questioning whether shortcomings exposed in the the admission process extend all the way through the collegiate experience and impact the quality of the degree holders they are interviewing for employment.  At the core of the scandal that exploded in the print and electronic media this spring were a series of indictments----charging dozens of parents, test officials and athletic coaches---who prosecutors allege to have committed criminal acts to manipulate the college admission process. 

 

NORC Take Pulse of the Public

 

Following the explosive headlines, a survey was conductedby the Higher Education Analytics Center at NORC and the AP-NORC Center to determine how the public felt about the scandal and where it stood on general admission procedures and practices. Among the findings:

The question about the levelness of the college admission playing field hit just as most U.S. colleges and universities were reviewing the applications that they received from applicants for the fall semester. The scandal has created an "itch" that many institutions and organizations are seeking to scratch. One example follows.

 

NACAC Offers Podcast Series on the World of College Admission

 

Developed in the wake of the Varsity Blues bribery scandal, the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) launched its  College Admission Decoded podcast series. The series examines how the college admission process works for the approximately 20 million students who apply each year, as well as challenges to the process that the scandal brought to light. The series also spotlights how college access and college admission in the US can continue to make progress toward more inclusivity, transparency, and service to students.