trending in college admissions; non cognitive assessments & more!
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GuidedPath special presenters Bill Dingledine (Clemson) and Blake Vawter (Oregon State) share their experience and insight with non-cognitive college admissions assessments. This presentation is recorded and can be found on GuidedPath's YouTube Channel.TRANSCRIPT
Non-‐Cogni(ve Factors in College Admission BILL DINGLEDINE, MS, CEP, INDEPENDENT COUNSELOR, GREENVILLE, SC
BLAKE VAWTER, M.ED, OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY, CORVALLIS, OR
Non-‐Cogni(ve Assessments History Robert Sternberg at Yale funded by College Board in about 2003
College Board dropped its support but Sternberg con<nued at Tu>s (and Choate-‐Rosemary Hall) as Dean of Arts & Sciences ◦ Developed ques<ons that reflected mo<va<on, crea<vity, integrity, intellectual curiosity, -‐-‐ “grit” ◦ As a result, Tu>s was first to offer “video” essay ◦ Choate began using non-‐cogni<ve assessments
Sternberg moved to Oklahoma State, Univ. of Wyoming, and is currently at Cornell
Non-‐Cogni(ve Factors Based on research of Sedlacek at U of MD, Oregon State, and now the Univ of Oregon, “Insight” ques<ons were developed and used.
Oregon State has seen some posi<ve results from their using these non-‐cogni<ve factors.
Non-‐cogni(ve variables
Blake Vawter, Associate Director of Admissions
Overview of Oregon State University
• 27,000 students • Oregon’s Premier Research University
• Carnegie I Classifica<on (Doctoral-‐Very High Research Ac<vity) • Public, land-‐grant ins<tu<on
• 12 academic colleges • 2013 enrollment
• Applica<ons: 18,583 • Admits: 14,510 (78%) • Enrolled: 6,090 (42% of admits)
Why did Oregon State look into non-‐cogni(ve variables?
• In 2000-‐01, enrollment was increasing drama<cally and the university inves<gated ways to manage the enrollment. • “They are not being selec<ve enough. They need to control admissions and raise the bar.”
• Land-‐grant status • Mission to serve State of Oregon • If we raise the GPA where do we stop?
• University of Bri<sh Columbia was facing a similar problem. It is a very selec<ve school and their GPA requirement climbed up to a 3.95.
• Enrollment growth à selec<ve admissions
• Affirma<ve ac<on challenges
• Limita<ons of tradi<onal admission criteria
• Data for Oregon State Students
Why did Oregon State look into non-‐cogni(ve variables?
AfAm APA Hisp NatAm Cauc Total HS 0.08 0.14 0.12 0.18 0.14 0.15 GPA 0.12 0.28 0.15 0.38 0.29 0.28 SAT 0.09 0.15 0.07 0.12 0.10 0.13
0.04 0.23 0.004 0.17 0.15 0.14 GPA+ 0.14 0.23 0.19 0.30 0.20 0.23 SAT 0.15 0.37 0.17 0.46 0.33 0.31
College Board* / OSU Data (2002) (Correla(on with 1st Yr OSU GPA; R-‐Squared Values)
* Answers in the Toolbox, 1985
Use of non-‐cogni(ve variables at Oregon State
• Dr. William Sedlacek • 30 years research dis<lled from Sternberg’s theories • Gates Millennium Scholar Program
• With consulta<on from Dr. Sedlacek, Oregon State created the ‘Insight Resume’ which uses the following non-‐cogni<ve variables as part of an evalua<on for admission to the university: • Self-‐ Concept • Realis1c Self-‐ Appraisal • Handling System/Racism • Long-‐ Range Goals • Leadership • Strong Support Person • Community • Nontradi1onal Learning
Dr. William Sedlacek, University of Maryland.
Insight Ques1ons (100 words or less)
Leadership/Group contribu1ons: Describe examples of your leadership experience in which you have significantly influenced others, helped resolve disputes, or contributed to group efforts over <me. Consider responsibili<es to ini<a<ves taken in or out of school. Knowledge in a field/crea1vity: Describe any of your special interests and how you have developed knowledge in these areas. Give examples of your crea<vity: the ability to see alterna<ves; take diverse perspec<ves; come up with many, varied, or original ideas; or willingness to try new things. Dealing with adversity: Describe the most significant challenge you have faced and the steps you have taken to address this challenge. Include whether you turned to anyone in facing that challenge, the role that person played, and what you learned about yourself. Community service: Explain what you have done to make your community a bener place to live. Give examples of specific projects in which you have been involved over <me. Handling systemic challenges: Describe your experience facing or witnessing discrimina<on. Tell us how you responded and what you learned from those experiences and how they have prepared you to contribute to your college community. Goals/task commitment: Ar<culate the goals you have established for yourself and your efforts to accomplish these. Give at least one specific example that demonstrates your work ethic/diligence.
The Insight Résumé
Six short-‐answer ques<ons (<100 words) asked as part of admissions applica<on: • Leadership / group contribu<ons
• Self-‐concept; community; leadership • Knowledge in a field / crea<vity
• Non-‐tradi7onal learning; self-‐concept • Dealing with adversity
• Strong support person; realis7c self-‐appraisal; handling system/racism; community • Community service
• Leadership; community; self-‐concept; long-‐range goals • Handling systemic changes / discrimina<on
• Self-‐concept; strong support person; realis7c self-‐appraisal; handling system/racism; community • Goals / task commitment
• Realis7c self-‐appraisal; community; self-‐concept; strong support person; non-‐tradi7onal learning
The Insight Résumé
• Each ques<on is scored from 1(low) to 3(high); 2 readers per IR • 6-‐18 total ‘points’
• Reading is done blind of all student informa<on • Scores and responses are used to inform some admission decisions
• Scores are used in general scholarship selec<on process • Occasional “red flag” responses are addressed
Oregon State’s current admission criteria
• Holis<c review of applica<ons • Strength of schedule
• 15 minimum core; AP or IB courses; concurrent credit
• Academic performance • High school GPA; test scores; class rank (to lesser degree)
• Insight Résumé
2009 Analysis -‐ Overview
• Measured correla<on of IR scores to reten<on and gradua<on • Looked at ability use models to accurately predict outcomes • Looked at Fall 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007 new freshmen cohorts
• Examined gender, ethnicity and Pell-‐status as variables
2009 Analysis -‐ Results
Scores posi<vely correlated with reten<on and gradua<on rates • 2004 cohort (pilot): One unit increase in IR score is associated with • Higher odds of reten<on (7%-‐15%), assuming all other characteris<cs the same
• Higher odds of gradua<on (3%-‐11%), assuming all other characteris<cs the same
2009 Analysis -‐ Results
Scores posi<vely correlated with reten<on and gradua<on rates • 2005 cohort (pilot): African Americans and Na<ve Americans showed increased odds of reten<on rela<ve to other ethnici<es with increase in IR score, assuming all other characteris<cs the same
• 2006 and 2007 cohorts: “no evidence of an effect on reten<on due to IR scores”*
2009 Analysis -‐ Conclusions
• “In no case does inclusion of IR scores offer substan<ve improvements in predic<ons.”
• “While some sta<s<cally significant effects are observed, these effects are small rela<ve to the effects of other factors, especially GPA.” • While no ‘silver bullet’, non-‐cogs offer more nuanced informa<on about applicants and allows for some differen<a<on amongst homogenous groups
Today’s Applicants: Who Gets Scored?
Scored Twice Scored Once Scored Twice
Admission Excep1ons Iden1fy “Red Flags” Scholarship
Selec1on
3.00 3.75
The Future?
• Iden<fying deficiencies in specific non-‐cogni<ve areas and providing support and programming to build competencies • U-‐Engage courses • Early alert monitoring • Advisor flagging and training • Inten<onal linking to exis<ng programs, services • Financial literacy (would require new ques<on)
The Future?
• More data, more study • Impact of competency in individual anributes • Changes from 2009? • Predictability of enrollment • Test effec<veness of competency building programs (from previous slide)
· Some students have a background or story that is so central to their identity that they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
· Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what
lessons did you learn? · Reflect on a time when you challenged a belief or idea. What prompted you to act? Would
you make the same decision again? · Describe a place or environment where you are perfectly content. What do you do or
experience there, and why is it meaningful to you? · Discuss an accomplishment or event, formal or informal, that marked your transition
from childhood to adulthood within your culture, community, or family.
Resources
Sedlacek, W. (2004). Beyond the Big Test: noncongni<ve assessment in higher educa<on. (1st ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-‐Bass.
(2007). Retrieved from hnp://oregonstate.edu/admissions/sites/default/files/gallerix/insight_resume_worksheet.pdf
Gitelman, A. (2009). Insight resume analysis. Unpublished raw data, Department of Sta<s<cs, Oregon State University, Corvallis,.
Buckley, N. (Director) (2013, January 16). Non-‐cogni<ve Variables in Ac<on: DePaul and Oregon State. A=ributes That Ma=er: Beyond the Usual in College Admission and Success. Lecture conducted from USC Center for Enrollment Research, Policy, and Prac<ce , Los Angeles.
Bill Dingledine, MS, CEP, Independent Counselor, Greenville, SC [email protected]
Blake Vawter, M. Ed, Associate Director of Admission, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR