在线英语听力室

Colleges Look to Change Admission Process

时间:2016-02-21 17:04:50

搜索关注在线英语听力室公众号:tingroom,领取免费英语资料大礼包。

(单词翻译)

Colleges Look to Change Admission Process

Educators across the U.S. are calling for major changes to the admissions process in higher education.

The National Center for Educational Statistics1 (or NCES) reported that U.S. colleges and universities received more than 9 million applications between 2013 and 2014. The schools admitted more than 5 million students in that time.

But the problem is not in the number of students that the schools admitted, a new report says. The report is called “Turning the Tide – Making Caring Common.” The Harvard School of Graduate Education released the report, with 80 other schools and organizations, in January.

Current admission process causes major problems

The report argues that the process schools use to choose students causes major problems.

David Hawkins is the Executive2 Director for Educational Content and Policy at the National Association for College Admissions Counseling3 (or NACAC). Hawkins says that most colleges and universities require many things from students when they apply.

Schools usually require an essay describing a student’s interests or why they want to study at that school. The schools also ask for letters from teachers or other adults describing why a student is a good candidate.

But, Hawkins says, schools are most concerned with a student’s high school grades and standardized4 test results.

"Your academic record is the most important factor that a university will consider when they review your application."

The report suggests that giving the most attention to academic success works for some students but hurts others. Also, academic success is not the most important quality a student should have, the report says. More attention should go to evidence of whether or not a student wants to do good in the world.

Hawkins says that academic records are still the best indicator5 for how students will perform in college.

But academic resources are not as available in poorer communities, the report argues. Also, too much attention on academic success puts pressure on young people. This pressure can be bad for their health.

College rankings add to the problem

The Education Conservancy is an organization that fights to make higher education equal and available for everyone.

Lloyd Thacker is the Executive Director of the Education Conservancy. He also helped write the Harvard report. Thacker says the college admissions process has changed a lot over the years.

"Over the past 30 years, college admissions has become more complex... more consequential6… And it’s become more costly7 because people are applying to more colleges, which costs more money..."

Thacker says that ranking systems for colleges and universities are a big part of the problem.

U.S. News and World Report is a media company that creates a list of what it calls “America’s Best Colleges.” The company bases the list on information collected from colleges and universities across the country.

This information includes results of standardized tests like the SAT from all of a school’s students. Higher average test results help put schools higher on U.S. News and World Report’s list.

Thacker says that higher rankings on those kinds of lists makes the schools more popular. More popularity8 means the schools become more selective.

Bob Schaeffer is the Public Education Director for the National Center for Fair and Open Testing (or NCFOT). The NCFOT is an organization that works to show the problems in standardized testing.

Schaeffer argues that tests like the SAT do not truly show how students will perform in college.

"Independent research shows the SAT is a very weak predictor of how someone will do in college. They under predict for females, for students whose home language is not English. And they’re simply not needed."

Thacker claims when schools become more selective, they cause students to worry less about being good people.

"Too many students are learning to do whatever it takes in order to get ahead, even if that means sacrificing their own individuality, their health, their happiness, their ethical9 principles and behavior..."

Harvard University only accepted 5.3 percent of students who applied10 in 2015. This a record low for the school.

That is why Thacker says it is important that students look past rank to find the right school.

"The impact on students and on parents is that college is all about where you go. The rank has nothing to do with the quality of education that goes on at the college."

Report calls for change in admission process

The Harvard report states that the best way to change the admissions process is by changing college applications. The report suggests that schools should ask for evidence that students care about other people.

Admissions officers should look for examples of students working in their communities for long periods of time, the reports says. Applications should also include questions about why students feel diversity and community service are important.

Moving attention away from academic ability will make the process less about competition, the report says. Students will feel less stress about meeting higher and higher expectations.

Also, poorer students will have the same chances as students who can pay for test preparation classes. The report also says students whose schools do not offer high-level classes need the chance to show their abilities.

Thacker says it is important to show students that caring about others is just as important as personal success.

"As adults we need to do a better job of making sure kids are hearing better signals about what really matters."

But the report does have its critics.

Schaeffer says that every few years, someone makes the same argument for change. He says that no real change has happened yet.

Hawkins says that many of the schools that agree with the report still make no changes.

"Many of the institutions that have supported the findings in the report are the very institutions that have the most competitive11 admissions processes in the country."

Thacker argues it is very difficult for one or even a small number of schools to make changes themselves. Until a majority of schools agree to these changes there will still be problems.

But, he says, the admissions process was better in the past. If bad changes can affect the process, so can good ones. 

Words in This Story

admissions – n. the act or process of accepting someone as a student at a school

application(s) – n. a formal and usually written request for something, such as a job or admission to a school

apply – v. to ask formally for something such as a job or admission to a school, usually in writing

grade(s) – n. a number or letter that indicates how a student performed in a class or on a test

standardized test – n. any form of test that requires all test takers to answer the same questions, or a selection12 of questions from common bank of questions, in the same way, and that is scored in a consistent13 manner

academic – adj. of or relating to schools and education

factor – n. something that helps produce or influence a result

consequential – adj. having serious meaning or worth

ranking – n. a list of people or things that are ordered according to their quality, ability, size

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

principle(s) – n. a moral rule or belief that helps you know what is right and wrong and that influences your actions

diversity – n. the state of having people who are different races or who have different cultures in a group or organization

stress – n. a state of mental tension and worry caused by problems in your life or work

institution(s) – n. an established organization


分享到:


点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 statistics iGyzb     
n.统计,统计数字,统计学
参考例句:
  • We have statistics for the last year.我们有去年的统计资料。
  • Statistics is taught in many colleges.许多大学都教授统计学。
2 executive Ymlxs     
adj.执行的,行政的;n.执行者,行政官,经理
参考例句:
  • A good executive usually gets on well with people.一个好的高级管理人员通常与人们相处得很好。
  • He is a man of great executive ability.他是个具有极高管理能力的人。
3 counseling GvQzb6     
n.咨询服务
参考例句:
  • A multimillionaire media magnate has shocked his employees with his candor by telling them all that he's putting his business affairs on hold to enter an alcoholism-counseling program. 一位身份数百万的媒体大亨,坦诚地告诉他全体员工他将暂时搁置他的事业以便参加戒酒班,令员工大为惊愕。
  • She will need medical help and counseling to overcome the tragedy. 她将需要医疗帮助和心理咨询来平复这场悲剧。
4 standardized 8hHzgs     
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。
5 indicator i8NxM     
n.指标;指示物,指示者;指示器
参考例句:
  • Gold prices are often seen as an indicator of inflation.黃金价格常常被看作是通货膨胀的指标。
  • His left-hand indicator is flashing.他左手边的转向灯正在闪亮。
6 consequential caQyq     
adj.作为结果的,间接的;重要的
参考例句:
  • She was injured and suffered a consequential loss of earnings.她受了伤因而收入受损。
  • This new transformation is at least as consequential as that one was.这一新的转变至少和那次一样重要。
7 costly 7zXxh     
adj.昂贵的,价值高的,豪华的
参考例句:
  • It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
  • This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用,左不过贵了些。
8 popularity bO4xU     
n.普及,流行,名望,受欢迎
参考例句:
  • The story had an extensive popularity among American readers.这本小说在美国读者中赢得广泛的声望。
  • Our product enjoys popularity throughout the world.我们的产品饮誉全球。
9 ethical diIz4     
adj.伦理的,道德的,合乎道德的
参考例句:
  • It is necessary to get the youth to have a high ethical concept.必须使青年具有高度的道德观念。
  • It was a debate which aroused fervent ethical arguments.那是一场引发强烈的伦理道德争论的辩论。
10 applied Tz2zXA     
adj.应用的;v.应用,适用
参考例句:
  • She plans to take a course in applied linguistics.她打算学习应用语言学课程。
  • This cream is best applied to the face at night.这种乳霜最好晚上擦脸用。
11 competitive yOkz5     
adj.竞争的,比赛的,好竞争的,有竞争力的
参考例句:
  • Some kinds of business are competitive.有些商业是要竞争的。
  • These businessmen are both competitive and honourable.这些商人既有竞争性又很诚实。
12 selection EZ3xX     
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。
13 consistent hYwyU     
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。

本文本内容来源于互联网抓取和网友提交,仅供参考,部分栏目没有内容,如果您有更合适的内容,欢迎 点击提交 分享给大家。