In the midst of a national conversation on college admissions scandals, we’ve all been reminded how important it is for highly competitive colleges to have a system of admissions that truly reflects our highest values and our commitment to top-quality and accessible higher education. College admissions is a complicated practice aimed at identifying young people who can together explore, develop, and refine their talents in an intellectually demanding and lively environment. What personal characteristics and achievements should make an applicant stand out, and how should we ultimately decide which students to admit?
At Carleton, we give top priority to academic ability. It is our responsibility to admit the most intellectually talented, committed, and serious students. In addition to students’ high school record, we also pay significant attention to affirmations of their achievements and potential from teachers and advisers.
Second, we consider our applicants’ personal character. Their integrity, ability to overcome adversity, and dedication to community should have a meaningful effect on their prospects for admission. We can assess character through personal recommendations, essays, and volunteer and life experiences.
Further, we value and consider diversity. Our campus must reflect the world in which our graduates will live and work, and effectively prepare all students to flourish and succeed. So, we do not consider only an incoming applicant, but also the entire class. This is especially important at a residential college such as Carleton, where building and sustaining a community of people who want to learn from one another is central to the academic and social experience. We intentionally assemble a student body comprised of individuals from all socioeconomic groups, ethnicities, genders, religions, political views, geographic locations, and academic interests, and then make sure they have the tools and support they need to succeed here.
Only after we’ve considered an applicant’s academic ability, character, and background do we factor in other attributes that can contribute to a robust and vibrant college community. These include athletic and artistic skills, participation in student government and clubs, and other activities. Musical and artistic talents are, of course, directly connected to the academic programs we offer. For some singularly gifted applicants, those talents might make a difference in their admissions profile. However, for most students, these cocurricular pursuits shape the experiences and passions they bring to the student body, but are not primary determinants in admission.
In the same way, legacy does not accord a significant advantage. Within the pool of academically qualified applicants—and with all other characteristics being relatively equal—legacy status could legitimately merit a modest plus. There is genuine value in reinforcing the positive attributes of a campus history and culture, and legacy students can help ensure the preservation of good values and ongoing engagement in the life and health of the institution.
And, finally, to the last and perhaps most vexing case: family giving. We share a visceral disgust at the notion of a rich parent buying an unqualified child’s way into a school. As a general guiding principle, family giving is irrelevant to admissions decisions, yet it is wise to leave some room for discretion here. What is the right decision in the case of an indisputably academically qualified student whose family has supported the institution in transformative ways? A strong case can be made that this long-lasting philanthropic family relationship merits a modest plus in the admissions calculus. It bears repeating that no one is admitted—no matter what other circumstances—if there are genuine doubts about the student’s ability to flourish and succeed at the college.
College admissions teams are responsible for fostering a smart, curious, and diverse community of students; giving them access to the best teachers; providing opportunities to encourage their growth; and launching them into the world with the drive and abilities to make it better. We can only achieve this by carefully and thoughtfully admitting each year a class of students who will learn from faculty members as well as from each other, and—at the end of four years—leave their alma mater a better place than they found it.