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This study sought to understand criteria and procedures used for holistic admissions in graduate programs. The authors identified terms defining desired applicant qualities based on their experiences, attributes, and academic metrics. The authors also identified institutional diversity-related admissions priorities by analyzing institutional admissions webpages and tools. This work could inform future holistic admissions procedures and tools.
Teresa M. Ober, Ph.D., is an Associate Research Scientist at
ETS. She received a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from the Graduate Center
of the City University of New York (CUNY). Before joining ETS, she was an
Assistant Research Professor at the University of Notre Dame where she
conducted research on student engagement and learning. Throughout her
research, she maintains a focus on issues related to fairness and equity in
educational assessment.
Olasumbo O. Oluwalana, Ph.D., is a Research Associate/Psychometrician at
WestEd. She earned a Ph.D. in Educational Statistics, Measurement, &
Evaluation from Rutgers University, Graduate School of Education. With
expertise in assessment development, psychometrics, research, data analysis,
and curriculum development, Dr. Oluwalana has a strong foundation in
educational assessment. Her dedication to ensuring fairness and equity in
assessment aligns with her commitment to advancing the field.
Huidi Yan is the lab manager of Fox Lab at New York University. She holds an
M.A. and a B.A. in psychology from New York University. Her research focuses
mainly on the intersection of cognitive psychology domains and perception.
Reginald M. Gooch is a Research Associate at ETS. He holds an
M.A. in Second Language Education from McGill University and a B.A. in
International Studies from the University of Washington. His research
interests include equity in higher education admissions, culturally responsive
assessment, and English language teaching and learning. Prior to his time at
ETS, he worked as a test developer and English language teacher in South
Korea.
Addams, A. N., R. B. Bletzinger, H. M. Sondheimer, S.E. White, S. E., and L. M. Johnson. 2010. Roadmap to
Diversity: Integrating Holistic Review Practices Into Medical School Admission Processes. Washington,
D.C.: Association of American Medical Colleges.
AAMC. See Association of American Medical Colleges.
ACCN. See American Association of Colleges of Nursing.
American Association of Colleges of Nursing. 2020. Promising
Practices in Holistic Admissions Review: Implementation in Academic Nursing (white paper).
Washington, D.C.: Author.
Association of American Medical Colleges. 2022. Holistic Review.
Washington, D.C.: Author.
Balayan, A., C. Connor, and J. LaFave. 2022. The
evolution of graduate enrollment management. Strategic Enrollment Management Quarterly. 9(4):
35–46.
Barker, S., and A. Clobes. 2021. Work
in Progress: A Holistic PhD Admissions Rubric—Design & Implementation. 2021 ASEE Virtual
Annual Conference, July 26–29.
Bastedo, M. N., N. A. Bowman, K.M. Glasener, and J. L. Kelly. 2018. What are we talking about when we talk about holistic
review? Selective college admissions and its effects on low-SES students. The Journal of Higher
Education. 89(5): 782–805.
Bennett, C. T. 2022. Untested admissions: Examining changes in
application behaviors and student demographics under test-optional policies. American Educational
Research Journal. 59(1): 180–216.
Boske, C., C. Elue, A. F. Osanloo, and W.S. Newcomb. 2018. Promoting inclusive holistic graduate admissions in
educational leadership preparation programs. Frontiers in Education. 3: 17.
Burton, N. W., and M. M. Wang. 2005. Predicting
long‐term success in graduate school: A collaborative validity study. ETS Research Report
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Cano, A., L. H. Wurm, J. Nava, F. McIntee, and A. Mathur. 2018. Applicant
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Palazzo. 2022. Holistic admissions review integration in
nursing programs. Journal of Nursing Education. 61(7): 361–366.
DeWitty, V. 2018. Holistic review in admissions: A strategy
to diversify the nursing workforce. Journal of Nursing Education. 57(4): 195–196.
ETS. See Educational Testing Service.
Educational Testing Service. 2023. Navigating Holistic Admissions for
a Stronger Graduate Program. Princeton, NJ: Author.
Glazer, G., J. Danek, J. Michaels, K. Bankston, M. Fair, S. Johnson, and M. Nivet. 2014. Holistic Admissions
in the Health Professions: Findings from a National Survey. Washington, D.C.: Urban Universities for
HEALTH.
Grabowski, C. J. 2018. Impact of holistic review on student
interview pool diversity. Advances in Health Sciences Education. 23: 487–498.
Haviland, S., J. Paris, R. Gooch, and J. Sotelo. What’s Now and What’s Next in Graduate Admissions Policies:
Results From the ETS/NAGAP 2022 Admissions Survey. (in press). Overland Park, KS: NAGAP.
Highhouse, S., and J. A. Kostek. 2013. Holistic assessment for
selection and placement. In APA Handbook of Testing and Assessment in Psychology, Vol. 1: Test
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565–577. Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association.
Hossler, D. 2023. The Interconnectedness of issues confronting four-year colleges in the area of admissions,
transparency, and equity: Ethical considerations. In College Admissions and Admissions Testing in a Time of
Transformational Change, ed by Kurt F. Geisinger. 32–52. New York: Routledge.
Jung, D., C. Latham, K. Fortes, and M. Schwartz. 2021. Using holistic admissions in pre-licensure programs to
diversify the nursing workforce. Journal of Professional Nursing. 37(2): 359–365.
Kalsbeek, D., M. Sandlin, and W. Sedlacek. 2013. Employing
noncognitive variables to improve admissions, and increase student diversity and retention.
Strategic Enrollment Management Quarterly. 1(2): 132–150.
Kent, J. D., and M. T. McCarthy. 2016. Holistic Review in
Graduate Admissions: A Report from the Council of Graduate Schools. Washington, D.C.: Council
of Graduate Schools.
Klieger, D., J. Bochenek, C. Ezzo, S. Holtzman, F. Cline, and M. Olivera-Aguilar. 2022. Using third-party evaluations to assess socioemotional
skills in graduate and professional school admissions. International Journal of Testing. 22(1):
72–99.
Kuncel, N. R., D. M. Klieger, B. S. Connelly, and D. S. Ones. 2013. Mechanical versus clinical data combination in selection and
admissions decisions: A meta-analysis. Journal of Applied Psychology. 98(6): 1060–1072.
Kyllonen, P. C. 2008. The Research Behind the ETS Personal Potential Index (PPI). Princeton, NJ:
Educational Testing Service.
Linn, M. C., E. Palmer, A. Baranger, E. Gerard, and E. Stone. 2015. Undergraduate research experiences: Impacts and
opportunities. Science. 347(6222): 126.
Liu, O. L. 2022. Holistic admissions in higher
education: Challenges and promise. Journal of Postsecondary Student Success. 1(4): 1–19.
Lofaro, A. C. 2021. The Growth of the Test-Optional
Movement: Analysis of Test-Optional Admissions Policies in American Higher Education (doctoral
dissertation). Seton Hall University, South Orange, New Jersey.
Mattern, K. D., S. E. Woo, D. Hossler, and J. Wyatt. 2010. Student-institution
fit in college admissions. 2010. College and University. 85(4): 18–26.
Maude, J. M., and D. Kirby. 2022. Holistic
admissions in higher education: A systematic literature review. Journal of Higher Education Theory
and Practice. 22(8): 73–80.
Miller, C., and J. Posselt. 2020. Equitable Admissions in the
Time of COVID-19. Physics. 13: 199.
NCES. See National Center for Education Statistics.
National Center for Education Statistics. 2023. Integrated Postsecondary
Education Data System. Washington, D.C.: Author.
Oregon State University, Graduate School. 2021. Holistic Admissions. Corvallis, OR: Author.
Orlando, A. 2021. The inequality of holistic graduate enrollment management. Strategic Enrollment Management
Quarterly. 9(2): 29–36.
Posselt, J. R. 2015. Disciplinary logics in doctoral
admissions: Understanding patterns of faculty evaluation. The Journal of Higher Education.
86(6): 807–833.
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Harvard University Press.
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outcomes? A meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin. 130( 2): 261–288.
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skills needed in today’s workplace. Business Communication Quarterly. 75(4): 453–465.
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holistic admissions review. Journal of Nursing Education. 58(11): 669–673.
Salus University, Osborne College of Audiology. 2023. Application Process. Elkins Park, PA: Author.
Scheer-Cohen, A. R., L. Heisler, and S. Moineau. 2022. Holistic admissions: From paper file to live
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in the sciences: First findings from a three‐year study. Science Education. 88(4): 493–534.
Sotelo, J., R. M. Gooch, S. Cho-Baker, S.B. Haviland, H.J. Kell, G. Ling, and O.L. Liu. 2023. An exploration of
admissions-related practices from institutions’ admissions web pages and implications for equity. Strategic
Enrollment Management Quarterly. 11(2).
Stoll, H., and B. Bimber. 2023. A
case report of holistic review of graduate applications. PS: Political Science & Politics.
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Thomason, A., and S. Brown. 2023. U.S.
Supreme Court strikes down race-conscious admissions nationwide. The Chronicle of Higher
Education. June 29.
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A psychometric perspective. Perspectives on Psychological Science. 18(1): 3–31.
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exploration of the connection between participation in academic peer leadership experiences and academic
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