Admit One: Simulation of Factors that Influence College Admissions

Abstract

This activity simulates the college admissions process to help students explore what factors shape access to higher education. Working in groups as admissions officers, students evaluate six hypothetical applicants, making decisions about who to admit, waitlist, or deny. As they deliberate, they examine the roles of race, class, merit, privilege, and...

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Details

Subject Area(s):

Education, High School Sociology, Introduction to Sociology/Social Problems, Race, Class and Gender

Resource Type(s):

Assignment, Class Activity, Essay

Class Level(s):

College 100, High School

Class Size(s):

Any

Usage Notes

Students will work in small groups to examine real-world factors that influence access to higher education, including class disparities, racial dynamics, and social capital. This activity provides an interactive way for students to engage with peers, consider diverse student experiences, and apply sociological concepts such as stratification,...

Learning Goals and Assessments

Learning Goal(s):

1. I. Critically analyze how college admissions processes reflect and reinforce broader systems of social inequality, including race, class, and access to resources, especially in light of recent changes to affirmative action policies.
2. II. Evaluate the intersection of merit, privilege, and opportunity in educational institutions, considering how terms like “merit” are socially constructed and influenced by cultural capital, access to preparation, and systemic advantages.
3. III. Apply sociological concepts such as social capital, cultural capital, institutional bias, and the myth of meritocracy to contemporary developments in college admissions (e.g., test-optional policies, affirmative action rollbacks, legacy admissions, and admissions scandals).

Goal Assessment(s):

1. 1. In small group discussions, students will debate the role of merit in college admissions, considering how privilege and opportunity intersect. Ultimately, they are tasked with determining who would be accepted, wait-listed, and denied. Constructed handout has been attached.
2. 2. Students will write a short essay analyzing their decision-making process and how the college admissions practices (e.g., legacy admissions, standardized testing, affirmative active) contribute to or challenge social inequalities. They will reference two of the hypothetical students and an external source.
3. 3. Student will assume the role of a stakeholder involved in or impacted by a college admissions process and write a 1 to 2 page letter of appeal. You can take on the role of a student who was waitlisted or denied, a parent or donor, or a community advocate. Your letter should clearly explain your role and how you were affected, defend your position using...