The Common Application will no longer ask veterans about their military discharges, reports Inside Higher Ed. The move, announced on Veteran's Day, intends to encourage more veterans to apply and enroll in college.
According to research by a Vassar College student, who was an Air Force veteran and interned with the Common App through the Posse program, a large majority of veterans who skipped the question about their discharge did not submit an application, reported Inside Higher Ed. According to the study, most of the applicants indicated that they received an honorable discharge. Of those who did not, the reasons for discharge varied and included medical discharges. Jenny Rickard, president and chief executive officer of Common App, told Inside Higher Ed, that such discharges were not an indication that the person would be a poor student.
A Common App survey of its 921 members found that 16 percent said it was always necessary to know discharge status when making admissions decisions, while 59 percent said it was never necessary.
Rickard said this week's decision was part of a broad effort to address "issues of race and equity," reported Inside Higher Ed. The Common App decided last month to stop asking students about their high school disciplinary records.
Related Link
Inside Higher Ed
https://www.insidehighered.com/admissions/article/2020/11/11/common-app-will-no-longer-ask-veterans-about-their-discharges