In this post (two posts down) I noted that, unexpectedly, Grutter has caused many colleges to eliminate their racially exclusive programs. That’s not the only unexpected consequence.
Beginning last spring many colleges began expressing concern, or even alarm, at the declining numbers of minority applications and then enrollment for the incoming freshman classes. (I discussed some of these here, here, and here.) Admissions officials at the University of Michigan and Michigan State now have an interesting theory that points to another unanticipated consequence of Grutter. As the headline of a recent article in the Michigan State State News just put it, “Laziness could be cause of ‘U’ applicant drop.”
A smaller number of applicants to Michigan’s Big Ten schools this year could be the result of student apathy and laziness, admission officials at MSU and the University of Michigan say.
When compared to 2003 statistics, both U-M and MSU saw a decline in applications this school year. Preliminary numbers show there was almost a 14 percent drop in East Lansing and Ann Arbor saw an 18 percent decline.
Both Jim Cotter, senior associate director of admissions and scholarships at Michigan State, and University of Michigan spokeswoman Julie Peterson point to the new “personal essays” instituted in order to allow admissions officers to make “holistic” evaluations of each student and that (as a by-product or purpose, depending on your point of view) allow students to put their race or ethnicity into play by discussing the obstacles they’ve overcome, how they would contribute to “diversity,” etc.
Cotter said before the court decision regarding affirmative action, admission officials considered high school schedules and class rank in addition to GPA.
But as a result of the court decision, MSU now requires students to write a personal statement, he said. The statement asks students to outline the qualities they bring to MSU’s table.
Although Cotter said GPA and test scores continue to be driving factors in the admissions process, the personal statement offers officials a chance to delve deeper into a student’s personality, Cotter said.
But broadening a university’s admission factors comes with a price, U-M spokeswoman Julie Peterson said.
Because writing samples, which U-M now requires, take more time and work, students could simply not want to put in the extra effort, Peterson said.
