Diversity, Opportunity, and the Shifting Meritocracy in Higher Education

Abstract

This article uses four data sets to assess changes in the relative weights of test- and performance-based merit criteria on college enrollment during the 1980s and 1990s and considers their significance for affirmative action. Our results support the “shifting meritocracy” hypothesis, revealed by selective postsecondary institutions' increased reliance on test scores to screen students. This shift has made it difficult for institutions to achieve diversity without giving minorities a “boost” through race-sensitive preferences. Statistical simulations that equalize, hold constant, or exclude test scores or class rank from the admission decision illustrate that reliance on performance-based criteria is highly compatible with achieving institutional diversity and does not lower graduation rates. Evidence from a natural experiment in Texas after the implementation of the “top 10 percent” law supports this conclusion. The apparent tension between merit and diversity exists only when merit is narrowly defined by test scores.

Social origins, academic strength of school curriculum and access to selective higher education institutions: Evidence from Scotland and the USA

“…In Scotland, Iannelli et al (2011) found that, at the time in which Scottish HE expanded most, a process of diversion emerged where these new universities catered to less privileged students who would have otherwise not received a universitylevel education, while elite universities continued to attract individuals from privileged backgrounds. Similarly, Alon and Tienda (2007) found that in the USA, expansion was accompanied by increasing enrolments in lower-status institutions, such as non-selective 4-year institutions and community colleges. Moreover, social stratification by parental education remained, with students with more educated parents significantly more likely to attend 4-year institutions (including the most prestigious ones) and students with less educated parents significantly more likely to attend 2-year institutions.…”

Ação afirmativa nos Estados Unidos: breve síntese da jurisprudência e da pesquisa social científica

“…Universidades e Faculdades seletivas responderam aos seus extremamente baixos números de matrícu-las de negros e à percepção de que desigualdade e injustiça eram a causa disso, com a instituição de programas de ação afirmativa. Um programa típico fazia a busca ativa de estudantes afro-americanos, estimulando-os a candidatarem-se, e os candidatos considerados mais capazes de atender aos requisitos acadêmicos da faculdade eram admitidos, mesmo quando seus históricos escolares e notas nos exames de seleção fossem inferiores, e frequentemente muito inferiores, às qualificações acadêmicas da maioria dos estudantes brancos admitidos 3 . * Nos EUA, muitos dos cursos de formação profissional, como os de medicina, odontologia, direito, administração ou jornalismo, são exclusivamente de pós-graduação, e são administrados por faculdades específicas dentro das universidades (referidos como professional schools -law school, medical school, school of business administration, etc.).…”

“…O termo graduate school (pós-graduação), por outro lado, geralmente se refere aos cursos de pós-graduação acadêmicos, orientados para a pesquisa e a formação de professores universitários [Nota do organizador]. 3 Em alguns anos, havia menos de 40 estudantes negros em todo o país com notas no LSAT altas o suficiente para lhes propiciar uma boa chance de serem aceitos por uma das dez faculdades de direito mais seletivas, em seleções universais, e alguns desses podem ter tido sua admissão negada com base em seus históricos escolares da graduação. Mas muitos outros estudantes negros podem ter tido notas e classificação no LSAT melhores do que aquelas de alguns dos estudantes brancos admitidos, porque uma faculdade de direito altamente seletiva pode re-Pode-se dizer que, no início, as universidades e faculdades eram excessivamente otimistas quanto à capacidade dos estudantes negros aceitos, em apresentar um alto nível de desempenho.…”

Foreign Students, Immigrants, Domestic Minorities and Admission to Texas' Selective Flagship Universities Before and After the Ban on Affirmative Action

“…In light of existing research (Alon & Tienda, 2007;Long & Tienda, 2008) that examines how domestic minorities fare after the passage of the Top Ten Plan within the context of the wider white and Asian applicant pool, this study excludes whites and Asians in order to instead focuses on how foreign students compare to groups that are historically underrepresented at fouryear selective universities and are therefore targeted at least in part to increase college diversity.…”

“…Examining changes in admissions outcomes before and after the passage of the Top Ten Law provides a window through which to assess how state-mandated alternatives to racial preference systems may indirectly affect admission opportunities for foreign applicants (Alon & Tienda, 2007;Harris & Tienda, 2009;Long & Tienda, 2008;Tienda & Niu, 2006). Although foreign students comprise only a small fraction of students at selective flagship universities, Texas" two flagship universities place in the top 25 in the country for the size of their respective foreign student enrollments (Institute of International Education, 2008a;Institute of International Education, 2008c).…”