Monday, January 5, 2009

Need-Sensitive Admissions: A Follow-up

Yesterday's New York Times has a "data" piece in the Education Life section titled "How Sensitive Are They?" It lists private schools with need-blind and need-sensitive policies, and statistics on the % of incoming freshmen who have their need fully met by an aid package, and the average % of need met (across all incoming freshmen with any need as determined by the college). In most cases, it looks like need-sensitive schools meet close to 100% of the need of incoming freshmen, and in turn most of their students have their need fully met. In contrast, schools that are need-blind meet a smaller % of demonstrated need and have lower proportions of their freshmen with need fully met.

Ok... again, duh: With fewer low-income kids to serve, you can meet more of their need. Why, oh why, didn't the Times include a column indicating the % of incoming freshmen receiving Pell grants, and the graduation rates of their minority (proxy for Pell in absence of another) students??? Talk about taking a one-sided approach to the story...

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