Princeton - PWB 101298 - Faculty group assesses admission process

Princeton Weekly Bulletin October 12, 1998

Faculty group assesses admission process

A special faculty Study Group chaired and convened by President Shapiro last spring to review Princeton's undergraduate admission process has issued a 13-page report that commends the work of the Admission Office, identifies a number of challenges that Princeton must meet to sustain the long-term excellence of its undergraduate student body, and makes several specific recommendations for changes in admission policy and practice.

The Study Group's most far-reaching recommendation is that Princeton should increase the size of its entering class by as many as 125 to 150 students per class and use the additional places "to increase the proportion of academically excellent students at Princeton and to further diversify the student body."

While recognizing that the Admission Office "is asked to pursue a variety of goals" and to perform "a highly (indeed, increasingly) complicated balancing act in enrolling a freshman class," the Study Group described the overall goal of Princeton's admission process as "ensuring the long-term academic excellence of the undergraduate student body, drawn from the widest possible variety of backgrounds and interests, with the capacity and desire to take the best advantage of the distinctive features of undergraduate education at Princeton."

Specific challenges

Among the specific challenges Princeton faces in accomplishing this goal, the Study Group identified the following:

• Attracting exceptional applicants from a wide variety of secondary schools and enrolling students with the highest potential.

• Increasing the number of intellectually engaged students pursuing such extracurricular activities as playing a musical instrument, acting, writing poetry, painting and playing chess. Increasing the representation of such students, the Study Group suggested, "would likely enrich the quality of intellectual life on the campus" and "with a significant proportion of the class already recruited to participate in varsity athletics might result in a better overall balance."

• Continuing to expand and intensify minority recruiting and continuing to work to make Princeton more attractive to minority candidates.

• Making our best effort to identify and recruit highly qualified candidates from a broad range of socioeconomic backgrounds.

• Continuing to increase the representation of international students in the undergraduate body.

The Study Group also noted the special challenges of recognizing and evaluating high school students' talents in the humanities, where there are fewer established markers for outstanding aptitude and achievement than in the sciences and mathematics. The Study Group "felt strongly that the Admission Office should continue to work assiduously to spot such talent, with the continuing advice and counsel of members of the faculty."

As part of its review, the Study Group examined all written materials sent to applicants, reviewed a detailed account from Dean Hargadon of the policies and practices of the Admission Office, analyzed extensive statistical data, and read a subset of the applications for the Class of 2001. The group "was impressed by the quality of the materials and by the thoughtfulness and thoroughness with which the Admission Office reviews applications and makes decisions."

Increase in applications

Chart. Academic 1's and 2's as percentage of enrolling class, from the faculty Study Group report

In its review of historical data, the Study Group noted that applications to Princeton (and therefore Princeton's selectivity) have increased dramatically over the last three decades. Princeton's yield (the percentage of admission offers accepted) has risen steadily over the past decade. Academic 1's and 2's (the academically most qualified applicants) are the most rapidly growing part of Princeton's applicant pool, and yields on academic 1's and 2's have been increasing significantly. Minority enrollment has improved slowly over the last two decades. While alumni children and recruited athletes are still being admitted at higher rates than most applicants, their representation in the entering class has declined over the past decade. And Princeton has become an increasingly national university.

Reading actual folders "proved to be extremely instructive, both in conveying the challenge and complexity of the task and in allaying the reservations of those who came to the Study Group with some skepticism about the focus on academic quality in the admission process. While there was no quarrel about the students who were admitted what struck the Study Group most forcefullywas the depth of academic talent, intellectual curiosity, and life experience in the applicant poolhow many more outstanding applicants could have been admitted if spaces had been available. Put simply, Princeton is turning away too much exceptional talent."

In recommending that Princeton should increase the size of its entering class, the Study Group emphasized that any increase should be accomplished carefully, "without in any way damaging the close personal interactions between faculty and students that characterize the Princeton experience."

Recruitment efforts

The Study Group also recommended that Princeton continue to expand its recruitment efforts by enlisting faculty whenever possible in visiting schools, contacting admitted students and other activities; providing financial assistance where necessary to enable admitted students to visit the campus; and developing "new initiatives that could yield gains in racial and socioeconomic diversity."

The Study Group also called for "work to support Princeton's reputation for providing the very best, most challenging undergraduate education." This involves "continuously improving the educational experience for the students we enroll"; doing "the best job we can of telling the story of Princeton's remarkable academic strengths and the high quality of its students"; and facing up to "some difficult, long-term issues concerning campus climate such as the limited range of dining and social opportunities, the alcohol-centered nature of social life, and the less than fully comfortable climate for minority students."

Two additional working groups

The Study Group suggested that President Shapiro convene two additional faculty working groups, one on issues relating to dining and social life on campus, and the other on issues relating to minority student satisfaction and alienation. The Study Group also recommended that the Faculty Committee on Undergraduate Admission and Financial Aid be charged with providing continuing faculty oversight of the University's admission goals.

The Study Group included nine senior faculty members, Dean of the College Nancy Malkiel and Dean of Admission Fred Hargadon, with President Shapiro serving as chair.

The faculty members were Miguel Centeno (Sociology), Bradley Dickinson (Electrical Engineering), John Gager (Religion), Anthony Grafton (History), Amy Gutmann (Politics), Arnold Rampersad (English), James Sturm (Electrical Engineering), Shirley Tilghman (Molecular Biology) and David Wilkinson (Physics).

Characteristics of excellence

The faculty Undergraduate Admission Study Group identified the following "characteristics of excellence" that Princeton should seek in the students it admits.

1. Qualities of mind

• High intelligence
• Demonstrated capacity to excel academically
• Originality; creativity
• Joyful engagement in learning; passion for intellectual inquiry, whatever the field
• Mental discipline; perseverance; willingness and ability to take on difficult challenges
• Self-motivation; eagerness to venture beyond the boundaries of assignments and stated expectations
• Ability to challenge and contribute to the learning of others by offering differing perspectives
• Disposition to make the best use of the educational resources that Princeton has to offer

2. Qualities of character

• Integrity; responsibility; sense of values
• Demonstrated ability to look beyond oneself; concern for the well-being of others; concern for and contributions to the quality of life of the community

3. Capacity to enrich and contribute to the University community

• Effective commitment to an activity or activities outside the classroom, whether intellectual, artistic, athletic or service-oriented in nature
• Energy
• Capacity for leadership

4. Potential for life-long leadership and service in one's community and profession

The Study Group agreed, further, that diversity is an essential component of long-term excellence. By diversity it means that the men and women who study at Princeton should be drawn from the widest possible variety of backgroundssocioeconomic, racial, religious and otherand should bring to the University a wide range of values, beliefs, experiences and interests. In the view of the Study Group, diversityand the experience of dealing with diversity are integral elements in the preparation of effective citizens and leaders.

See the full text of the report from the faculty Study Group