College Admissions: Easing the Process through Open Enrollment

 

Whether it is mathematics or history, almost everyone has at least one subject they find to be more difficult to understand than other subjects.

Some students may not be strong academically, lacking the skills they need to succeed in writing or taking tests. Others may have a learning¹ disability or lack the study guides or other resources they need to support them in their learning.

But does that mean that a given person should not have the same chances as others to help themselves through higher education?

Scott Teichert says no. Teichert is the director of admissions³ at Weber State University, a public university in Ogden, Utah. He says his school and others like it were established with the idea that higher education should be open to all people.

How? Weber State accepts students through a process called open enrollment⁴.

Most colleges and universities in the United States require applicants⁶ to provide records of their academic performance in high school. Students are also required to provide results of standardized⁷ tests, lists of their activities outside of school and letters of support from former teachers.

Schools then decide to admit applicants based on how well they have performed academically and whatever other qualities school officials desire in a student.

Millions of people seek entry to the higher education system in the United States every year. And with only about 4,600 colleges and universities nationwide, competition for admission² can be intense⁸.

Most applicants apply to more than one school to give themselves a better chance of gaining acceptance⁹. In some cases, only the students with the strongest academic records or list of activities are admitted.

But Teichert argues that just because a highly¹⁰ selective school rejects an applicant⁵ does not mean that he or she is less intelligent. Nor does it mean the individual is less hard working or unworthy of higher education.

That is why some American states have established schools that use open enrollment in their admissions process, he says.

A school with open enrollment does not compare applicants in terms of their past academic performance. The main requirement is simply proof¹¹ that an applicant has successfully completed an American high school-level study program or something that is equal to it. This shows that the person is academically ready for a college environment and willing to do the work required of them, says Teichert.

Why is it so simple to enter a school with open enrollment? Teichert suggests it is because almost all of these colleges and universities receive some kind of public money. So they have a responsibility to help people improve their lives and support themselves.

“They … are built upon … the idea that education is a public good,” Teichert told VOA. “So … open enrollment institutions … want to make it affordable¹² and accessible to as many students as possible.”

Teichert notes that Americans might say community colleges do exactly that. After all, they are low cost, public schools with less selective admissions requirements. Yet community colleges only offer two-year degree programs. And many community college students start their higher education at these schools only to eventually move on to four-year institutions.

But many institutions with open enrollment offer four-year degrees, and some, like Weber State, even offer master’s degree programs. These degrees are awarded after one or two years of additional¹³ study.

Teichert adds that open enrollment can be very helpful for international students. At schools like Weber State, the only other major requirement for admission is the results of an English language skills test such as the TOEFL.

However, applicants should not lead themselves to believe that simply because the application process is easy the study program will be, too, notes Teichert.

Open enrollment institutions are accredited¹⁴ in the same way selective schools are. This means the education they offer must be of the same high quality. And the students are expected to perform just as strongly as they would anywhere else.

At Weber State, for example, students who enter into a given field of study may be asked to change study programs if they show signs they are struggling.

“You have to remember that open enrollment is simply about making … the institution as open as possible,” said Teichert. “Once you’re into the institution, you still need to make sure that you’re performing well. Selective admissions programs judge you coming into the institution. At open enrollment institutions … it’s mostly based on your performance after you’ve been admitted.”

Many of the colleges and universities in the United States are said to be among the best in the world. This is especially true of the eight highly selective, private institutions known as Ivy¹⁵ League schools. These eight have long been seen as offering the best education. Also, many people believe that having a degree from an Ivy League college or university would likely lead to them getting the best jobs.

So some people might ask that if one could possibly attend one of these schools, why consider a school that accepts almost anyone?

Teichert admits this is a fair question. But he argues that some of the professors at places like Weber State attended Ivy League schools themselves. As a result, they are able to share their Ivy League-level education with their students.

Also, he says, many employers¹⁶ care more about the kind of person they choose for a job than where that person went to school.

“Some people don’t even know the difference between open enrollment and a selective institution,” said Teichert. “So whether or not you pay three times as much at the research institution down the street as what you do at an open enrollment school in the same state, sometimes employers wouldn’t even know the difference.”

I’m Pete Musto. And I’m Dorothy Gundy.

Words in This Story

academically – adv. in a way that relates to schools and education

enrollment – n. the process of making someone a member of or participant in something

applicant(s) – n. someone who formally asks for something, such as a job or admission to a college

standardized test(s) – n. any form of testing that requires all test takers to answer the same questions, or a selection¹⁷ of questions from common bank of questions, in the same way, and that is scored in a consistent¹⁸ manner

selective – adj. careful to choose only the best people or things

affordable – adj. easily paid for

accessible – adj. able to be used or obtained

degree – n. an official document and title that is given to someone who has successfully completed a series of classes at a college or university

1 learning   

n.学问，学识，学习；动词learn的现在分词

参考例句：

• When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时，常会从车上掉下来。
• Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。

2 admission   

n.允许进入；承认；入场费，入会费，入场券

参考例句：

• We attached a condition to his admission to our school.我们对准许他入校附加了一个条件。
• By her own admission,she was responsible for the accident.她自己承认，事故应该由她负责。

3 admissions   

n.准许进入( admission的名词复数 )；入场费；入场券；承认

参考例句：

• a need-blind admissions policy 不考虑经济能力的录取政策
• He's the Dean of Admissions for the University of Michigan. 他是Michigan大学的新生注册主任。 来自辞典例句

4 enrollment   

n.注册或登记的人数；登记

参考例句：

• You will be given a reading list at enrollment.注册时你会收到一份阅读书目。
• I just got the enrollment notice from Fudan University.我刚刚接到复旦大学的入学通知书。

5 applicant   

n.申请人，求职者，请求者

参考例句：

• He was the hundredth applicant for the job. 他是第100个申请这项工作的人。
• In my estimation, the applicant is well qualified for this job. 据我看, 这位应征者完全具备这项工作的条件。

6 applicants   

申请人，求职人( applicant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There were over 500 applicants for the job. 有500多人申请这份工作。
• He was impressed by the high calibre of applicants for the job. 求职人员出色的能力给他留下了深刻印象。

7 standardized   

adj.标准化的

参考例句：

• We use standardized tests to measure scholastic achievement. 我们用标准化考试来衡量学生的学业成绩。
• The parts of an automobile are standardized. 汽车零件是标准化了的。

8 intense   

adj.认真的，专注的；强烈的；紧张的；热情的

参考例句：

• Susan was an intense young lady.苏珊是一个热情的年轻姑娘。
• The quarrel caused her intense unhappiness.争吵令她极其不快。

9 acceptance   

n.接受，接收，验收，接纳；承认，认可

参考例句：

• The new laws gained widespread acceptance.新法令受到广泛赞同。
• It took years for Einstein's theory to gain acceptance.爱因斯坦的理论经过多年才被人们接受。

10 highly   

adv.高度地，极，非常；非常赞许地

参考例句：

• It is highly important to provide for the future.预先做好准备非常重要。
• The teacher speaks very highly of the boy's behaviour.老师称赞这个男孩的表现。

11 proof   

adj.防...的，耐...的，能防护；n.校样，证据，证明；vt.检验，给...做防护措施

参考例句：

• He is living proof of the wonders of modern medicine.他是当代医学奇迹的活证明。
• The proof was fished up from some old papers.校样在旧文件中被找到了。

12 affordable   

adj.支付得起的，不太昂贵的

参考例句：

• The rent for the four-roomed house is affordable.四居室房屋的房租付得起。
• There are few affordable apartments in big cities.在大城市中没有几所公寓是便宜的。

13 additional   

adj.添加的，额外的，另外的

参考例句：

• It is necessary to set down these additional rules.有必要制定这些补充规则。
• I think we can fit in an additional room.我想我们可以再加建一间房子。

14 accredited   

adj.可接受的；可信任的；公认的；质量合格的v.相信( accredit的过去式和过去分词 )；委托；委任；把…归结于

参考例句：

• The discovery of distillation is usually accredited to the Arabs of the 11th century. 通常认为，蒸馏法是阿拉伯人在11世纪发明的。
• Only accredited journalists were allowed entry. 只有正式认可的记者才获准入内。

15 ivy   

n.常青藤，常春藤

参考例句：

• Her wedding bouquet consisted of roses and ivy.她的婚礼花篮包括玫瑰和长春藤。
• The wall is covered all over with ivy.墙上爬满了常春藤。

16 employers   

雇主( employer的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Employers must consider all candidates impartially and without bias. 雇主必须公平而毫无成见地考虑所有求职者。
• The onus is on employers to follow health and safety laws. 雇主有义务遵行健康安全法。

17 selection   

n.选择，挑选，精选品，可选择的东西

参考例句：

• We left the selection of the team to the captain.我们把挑选队员的工作交给了队长。
• The shop has a fine selection of cheeses.那家商店有各种精美乳酪可供选购。

18 consistent   

adj.坚持的，一贯的，一致的，符合的

参考例句：

• He has been a consistent friend to the Chinese people.他是中国人民始终如一的朋友。
• His action is always consistent with his words.他始终言行一致。