Admissions Committee Charge: Make evidence-based recommendations to Congress regarding policies that will maximize student success Method: analyzed sources including UCLA HERI study based on CIRP data that included 56,818 students in 262 universities IRO documents (UHH and other institutions) Detailed outcomes for our incoming 2003 first- time freshmen Peer-reviewed, published research

Higher Education Research Institute (HERI) study on Cooperative Institutional Research Program (CIRP) data ~ 700 two-year colleges, four-year colleges and universities administer the Freshman Survey to over 400,000 entering students during orientation/registration. Survey covers a characteristics including: parental income and education, ethnicity, financial aid, HS achievement / activities; educational and career plans, and values, attitudes, beliefs, and self-concept. “How good is your retention rate?” 2/3 of retention and graduation rate explained by student, not institutional characteristics. “the best way to evaluate any institution’s actual degree completion rate is to compute an “expected” degree completion rate based on the characteristics of the students when they first enroll.” ( )

How good is our retention rate? Worst among best-prepared students Students with 3.3 GPA / 900 SAT or above lag the expected rate by thirty percentage points.

What if students had expected rates? 6 yr grad rate would be 50 %, not 30-33% freshmen would have earned 32 more UHH degrees

What predicts retention? 1/3 of variance in retention rate predicted by institutional factors Student characteristics explain 2/3 of variance in graduation rates; eightfold difference between highest and lowest group A given student more likely to graduate from: A private institution A selective institution An institution with required freshman residency A given student is less likely to graduate: If s/he majors in engineering From a larger institution Source:Astin & Oseguera, Degree Attainment at American Colleges and Universities Higher Education Research Institute, Graduate School of Education, UCLA

Which factors predicting retention are under our control? Higher selectivity Required freshman residency Source:Astin & Oseguera, Degree Attainment at American Colleges and Universities Higher Education Research Institute, Graduate School of Education, UCLA

HSGPA / SAT still predicts grad rate at UHH even with underperformance among top students Our data suggest a cutoff at 3.3 HSGPA and 900 SAT SAT < 900 OR GPA < 3.3SAT > 900 AND GPA > % graduated within 6 years SAT < 900 OR GPA < % graduated within 6 years 40% 29 %

Recommendations Student/ dorm ratio sufficient for a true residential campus and first year residential program Applicants with 3.3 HSGPA and 900 SAT or equivalent are admitted automatically. Applicants not meeting this guideline would submit a 1- 2 paragraph essay with application Investigate reviving honors program 43% of our 2009 incoming freshmen meet 3.3 and 900 New process, if publicized widely, will attract more and higher-achieving students, and will increase retention of current students (Belanger,C.,Mount,J.,&Wilson,M Institutional Image and Retention.Tertiary Education and Management,8: )

Admissions at HI schools BYUH: “Academic and personal factors are used to evaluate each applicant for the purpose of finding the right student fit for our university. To be competitive for admissions, we encourage applicants to possess the following: ACT/ SAT of 25/1130 or higher and a cumulative GPA of 3.50 or higher.” Chaminade: “GPA 2.5, SAT 900 (critical reading and math) or ACT 19” UHM: 510 on each section of SAT or 22 ACT, 2.8 GPA, top 40% HS Rank HPU: “We do not use a formula of your GPA, class rank and SAT I /ACT score to make an admission decision. We take a more holistic approach. When reviewing your transcripts we consider not just your GPA but also the strength of your class schedule, SAT I and or ACT results, extracurricular activities, the personal statement you provide and your academic area of interest. An admission decision is made based on all of these factors.” UHH: 3.0 GPA, no SAT requirement. If GPA is below 3.0, SAT can be used for admission on a sliding scale basis e.g. 2.6 GPA and 820 SAT PROPOSED UHH: 3.3 GPA, 900 SAT. If either is below, application will include an essay to be evaluated by the Admissions Committee

Proposed essay requirement Only applicants with GPA under 3.3 or SAT under 900 will be required to submit an essay –more information on applicants including level of engagement in HS, which predicts NSSE scores ( UGA Institutional Research Office –may increase commitment to UHH ( Aronson E. & Mills,J. The effect of severity of initiation on liking for a group, Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology 59 (1959), pp. 177–181.) –May raise the perceived value of admission: communicates “selectivity.” –Research will expose applicant to positive info about UH Hilo. –Applicants who turn in no essay or a plagiarized essay are likely to be a poor fit at UH Hilo –Compensating committee members: way to make up cancelled course? Those not admitted to UHH will be welcomed to 2+2 program starting at HCC

Implementation  Only institution in the system with an essay option for those who don’t meet automatic requirements; both good (distinctive, personal) and bad (implementation hassle)  The essay will be evaluated based on a rubric. Identifying information will be redacted where possible.  Yearly training/norming sessions  Release, or option for faculty with a cancelled course?  The Admissions Committee will return the results to the Admissions Office  possibility for flexibility managing freshman enrollment numbers, but “admitting one percentage point more of those who apply for undergraduate admission results,on average, in a decline of.295 percentage point in graduation rates” (Hamrick,F.A.,Schuh,J.H.,&Shelley,M.C Predicting higher education graduation rates from institutional characteristics and resource allocation. Education Policy Analysis Archives,12(19)

Recommendations: MATH WI program and new GE address writing; math skills must be addressed as well Recommend discrete math modules during the weeks before the start of the semester, as well as throughout the year. Refresher, not remediation Implementation: Content from math department, delivery in Kilohana, administration…? –1. Should the modules be optional, or mandatory? If they are mandatory, what is the enforcement mechanism? –2. Should the math placement test be mandatory, and should the results be used to refer students to modules? –3. Who signs off on successful completion of a module, and how is this completion entered into the student's record?

Recommendations: Information We don't know what happens to students who leave UH system – Institute systematic alumni tracking – Annual spring semester surveys to capture intention to leave Admissions Committee needs regular access to data

Summary Recommendations and to-do list: 1.Emphasis on highest “tier” has potential for highest gains in retention 2.Automatic admission to applicants with 3.3 HSGPA and 900 SAT or equivalent; committee evaluates essays and applications for the rest. a)Form next year’s Admissions Committee b)Integrate process with Registrar and Admissions Committee c)Design and norm rubric for evaluating student essays d)Publicize new admissions guidelines together with new GE 3.Math refresher modules. Expected outcome: improved performance and retention in math prerequisites that are required for many STEM majors a)Math department designs modules b)Discuss delivery and implementation with Kilohana, Registrar 4.Next year’s Admissions Committee focus: a)Committee needs access to data beyond what is publicly available b)Bringing graduation rates of the top half of freshmen up to expected rates c)Attracting and retaining high achieving students

Extra Info

Admissions requirements at UHH were relaxed about 10 years ago Pre-2000 requirement 2.5 GPA, 900 SAT Post-2000 guidelines added

HSGP A Sat< ExpectedActual% of 2003 incoming freshmen A, A %45.70%11.70% A %37.20%26.00% B %30.60%24.00% B %26.90%26.00% B %32.40%12.30% C C Graduation rate by HSGPA and SAT: National average and UHH

Attrition from STEM majors (not including Ag and Nursing) Attrition from STEM among men and women is similar.