By Stephanie Krusemark
The college admissions process, as it stands today, is increasingly disconnected from the realities of the modern world. It remains deeply rooted in a historical framework designed for a different time, one that assumes a standardized approach to evaluating student potential. This system, while still prevalent, has become ill-suited to the complexities of contemporary life, especially in a society that places greater value on diverse experiences and skill sets (Hurtado and Siringi 2021). Although strides have been made to diversify student populations, the traditional admissions system remains fundamentally broken (Ludwig 2020). The reliance on academic transcripts, standardized test scores, letters of recommendation, and personal essays as the primary means of evaluation is inherently flawed. These metrics, while useful to some extent, cannot capture the full range of experiences, talents, and personal growth that shape a student’s potential to succeed in college and beyond. They also assume that a student’s worth can be reduced to a few simple, standardized metrics, thereby ignoring the multidimensional nature of human potential and experience (Selingo 2021).
The Limitations of the Traditional Admissions System
The traditional college admissions process of submitting an application, letters of recommendation, transcripts, and test scores often fails to account for the nuanced, lived experiences of students. While GPA and SAT/ACT scores are important indicators of academic ability, they do not fully represent the qualities that enable students to succeed in higher education (Bastedo and Bowman 2020). In fact, many of the factors that contribute to college readiness—such as resilience, creativity, emotional intelligence, and adaptability—are not measurable through grades or test scores (Roderrick, Nagaoka, and Coca 2021). Moreover, these traditional metrics can often reinforce systemic inequities (Bastedo and Bowman 2020). Students from marginalized communities may face challenges that impact their academic performance, such as limited access to resources, family obligations, or financial instability, yet these challenges may not be reflected in their academic records (Pérez and McKinney 2023).
Furthermore, the reliance on standardized tests has come under increasing scrutiny for perpetuating bias (Binns 2020; Sacks 2020). Research has shown that these tests disproportionately benefit students from higher socioeconomic backgrounds, who can afford expensive test preparation services (Lhamon and Fudge 2021). As a result, students from historically excluded or lower-income backgrounds may be unfairly penalized, despite demonstrating significant potential through other avenues (Chetty, Friedman and Saez 2021). The admissions process, therefore, becomes less about identifying the students who are most capable of succeeding in college and more about who can navigate an outdated system that privileges certain kinds of knowledge and preparation.
A Call for Change
Rather than continuing to force students into an outdated and restrictive mold, I propose a fundamental shift in the way we assess their likelihood of success. The questions I pose are simple but profound: How can college admissions meet students where they are? More importantly, how can it recognize the varied and complex factors that contribute to a student’s ability to succeed in higher education? How can we encourage students to provide evidence of their ability to succeed in ways that reflect their lived experiences and are relevant to their environment? The admissions process must evolve to better reflect the diversity of student experiences, capabilities, and potential, especially as we continue to move toward a more interconnected and rapidly changing global society (Kahlenberg and Potter 2021).
In an age where technology is rapidly evolving and artificial intelligence is reshaping the way we interact with the world, it is time to imagine new ways of assessing a student’s readiness for college (Bergman and McKinney 2022). We need to think beyond the constraints of online applications and static transcripts and consider how technology can help us build a more holistic, equitable, and personalized admissions process. One potential approach that has gained traction in recent years is the creation of a digital portfolio—a multimedia representation of a student’s journey and personal growth (Goff and Gutiérrez 2021; Johnson and Weng 2023).
Historical Roots of The Digital Portfolio
The New Media Consortium (which was an influential think tank and research organization) promoted the use of digital portfolios as early as the mid-2000s, particularly in relation to education and admissions. The NMC’s work helped shape how digital portfolios could be used to capture students’ abilities, accomplishments, and experiences, moving beyond static metrics like test scores and GPAs. They emphasized the potential for digital portfolios to include multimedia components such as videos, blogs, artwork, and interactive media that provide a fuller picture of a student’s growth and capabilities.
In 2014, the College Board encouraged students to showcase their learning experiences and achievements through digital platforms. This program was designed to better assess skills like critical thinking, communication, and research, providing a foundation for integrating digital portfolios in future college admissions. In 2017, UC President Janet Napolitano expressed interest in moving away from standardized testing (such as the SAT and ACT) and incorporating more holistic assessment methods, including digital portfolios. In 2019, UC proposed a new admissions framework that envisioned using digital portfolios as part of the admissions process, particularly to assess non-academic qualities such as creativity, leadership, and resilience (though this initiative is still in the exploratory phase).
Educators and researchers in the digital learning and design community have been instrumental in promoting the idea of digital portfolios for college admissions. Academics such as David Wiley (known for his work in open education) and Chris Dede (who studies digital learning and technology integration) have advocated for the use of technology to better capture a student’s educational journey and strengths in a more comprehensive way than traditional metrics. John Spencer, an educator and author, has advocated for the use of digital portfolios to enable students to demonstrate deeper learning, creativity, and personal growth. Kathleen Cushman (with the What Kids Can Do organization) has written extensively about the role of digital tools and multimedia in capturing student learning, which includes how students’ digital portfolios could be used in college admissions.
In addition, the ePortfolio movement, which focuses on using digital tools to create online portfolios that capture a wide range of student learning, has been a key driver of efforts to integrate digital portfolios into college admissions. The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) and the Association for Authentic, Experiential, and Evidence-Based Learning (AAEEBL) have been central in promoting digital portfolios as a way for students to demonstrate various competencies beyond traditional exams and grades.
Therefore, the concept of a digital portfolio for college admissions has evolved from the collaborative efforts of educational innovators, universities, and tech companies.
One innovative example of utilizing a digital portfolio to assess a student’s college readiness has been in practice at Bennington College for the past decade. Bennington utilizes a “dimensional application,” an “open-forum application that empowers first-year students to choose the materials and format to demonstrate their readiness for a Bennington education” (Bennington College 2024).
Digital Portfolios: A More Holistic Approach
Imagine a world where students can curate a digital portfolio that showcases their unique experiences, talents, and aspirations. In this portfolio, students could use a variety of media—videos, photos, artwork, music, or even interactive elements—to tell the story of their lives. Rather than relying solely on test scores or letters of recommendation, this approach would allow students to demonstrate their resilience, creativity, and adaptability in their own voices and formats.
For example, instead of submitting a traditional essay on a life-changing event, a student could create a video that highlights how they overcame a personal obstacle, showing not just their academic journey but their personal growth, the skills they developed, and how they learned to navigate adversity. This allows us to see the student’s emotion and to hear their authentic voice. To ensure students have the tools needed to create a digital portfolio, colleges could provide access to digital portfolio software or simply encourage students to use their cell phones to create content. Alternatively, a student might choose to include a digital art piece or a poem that illustrates their creativity and unique perspective. They could even provide interactive content—like a digital timeline or map—showing how they’ve contributed to their community or how they’ve pursued a passion over time. This would allow admissions officers to engage with students’ stories more holistically by immersing themselves into the lived experiences of students through their digital narratives.
Moving Beyond Standardized Metrics
Such an approach would allow students to express themselves authentically and personally, free from the constraints of standardized application requirements. It would also enable colleges to better assess the broad spectrum of qualities that contribute to success in higher education, such as “grit.” By creating a digital portfolio, students can present evidence of their readiness for college in a way that speaks to their individual strengths. Whether it’s through an artistic project, a blog detailing their volunteer work, or a series of personal reflections, the portfolio would help admissions officers better understand each student as a whole person, not just as a sum of test scores and grades.
Additionally, a digital portfolio system would reduce reliance on letters of recommendation, which can be biased or fail to capture a student’s true potential. Teachers and mentors may write glowing recommendations for students they know well, but what about those students who don’t have strong relationships with teachers or who come from less advantaged backgrounds? A portfolio system would give these students an opportunity to tell their own story, in their own words, without relying on third-party endorsements. This would be particularly beneficial for first-generation students or those from communities with less access to educational support.
One may ask, “What about a college essay?” The essay is one-dimensional, meaning it lacks give-and-take between the author and the reader. Often, students are given general prompts related to the college’s admissions requirements, values, or mission. While essays have made progress, they do not provide a 360-degree or three-dimensional perspective on a student’s life journey. Think about reading a book versus seeing a film.
Rethinking College Admissions: A More Inclusive Model
This shift would also require a radical rethinking of the way colleges shape their incoming classes. Currently, college admissions often focus on academic merit, geographic diversity, and identity factors such as race, socioeconomic status, and gender. While these are important considerations, they risk oversimplifying the diverse array of experiences that contribute to a student’s potential. For example, two students from the same background may have vastly different life experiences that have prepared them for college. One may have grown up in a low-income neighborhood but spent years developing leadership skills by organizing community events; the other may have come from a similar background but had fewer opportunities for personal growth. A digital portfolio would help admissions officers see these nuances, allowing them to select students who are not only academically capable but also prepared to contribute meaningfully to campus life.
Rather than prioritizing academic merit alone, the digital portfolio would allow colleges to assess students based on a more holistic set of criteria. This would include the richness of their lived experience, their creative potential, and their ability to reflect on and learn from their challenges. By moving beyond traditional metrics like test scores and GPA, colleges could prioritize the qualities that contribute to a student’s success in a rapidly changing world. In order to evaluate a student’s potential success at a college or university based on a digital portfolio, the institution could create a rubric that assesses the diversity of one’s lived experience, including an adversity a student has overcome alongside their technical and creative aptitude to create a compelling narrative while identifying a student’s ability to clearly communicate a cohesive theme in their story. While some may wonder how an institution can create a rubric based on qualitative data input, the institution could provide a model digital portfolio that sets expectations for each of the key areas that will be assessed.
Potential Drawbacks of a Digital Portfolio
A major drawback of digital portfolios is their susceptibility to technical problems (e.g., website glitches, broken links, or file corruption), which can hinder access or functionality. Additionally, there may be access barriers for individuals without reliable internet connections or who are unfamiliar with technology (Taylor 2019). Digital portfolios often contain sensitive personal information, such as academic records, work samples, and contact details. Without robust security measures, these portfolios could be vulnerable to data breaches or unauthorized access (Boulton and Kellogg 2020). Additionally, students or professionals may struggle to navigate platform privacy settings, which can lead to accidental exposure of confidential information. Digital portfolios require a certain level of technological proficiency, which can be a barrier for those with limited experience using digital tools or platforms. The process of creating and maintaining a digital portfolio may become overwhelming, leading to stress or frustration (Prensky 2021). Additionally, platforms and software can be complex, and changes to interface design or features can lead to user confusion. Digital portfolios often place significant emphasis on aesthetics and design, sometimes at the expense of the quality of content or work presented. As portfolios increasingly become visually driven, there is a risk that they prioritize style over substance, undermining their ability to effectively communicate skills, accomplishments, and expertise (Schaeffer 2018). There is no universal standard for digital portfolios, which can lead to inconsistency in how they are created, presented, and evaluated. The lack of standardization can make it difficult for employers or admissions officers to assess portfolios across platforms effectively, leading to subjectivity and inconsistency in evaluation (Liu 2022). Maintaining a digital portfolio can be time-consuming and requires ongoing updates to ensure it remains relevant and reflects the individual’s current skills and achievements. For busy professionals or students, finding time to keep the portfolio updated may be difficult, leading to outdated or incomplete content (Eaton 2020).
Conclusion: A New Vision for College Admissions
Ultimately, this proposed shift in college admissions would challenge the entrenched systems that prioritize institutional convenience over student-centricity. By embracing a more dynamic, technology-driven approach, colleges could create a more inclusive and empathetic admissions process—one that recognizes and values the full spectrum of human experience. The digital portfolio system would provide a more accurate measure of a student’s potential, enabling colleges to build richer, more diverse student bodies. It would also foster a deeper understanding of students, not just as future scholars, but as creative, resilient, and adaptable individuals capable of contributing to the world in unique ways.
As we look to the future, college admissions must evolve to meet the needs of a diverse, ever-changing world. For example, we know that Gen Z, Gen Alpha, and soon Gen Beta are and will be digital natives who utilize virtual reality and AI tools to create new environments for social networking and community (Palfrey and Gasser 2019). The next generations will use technology not only as a tool but also as a way of life. By incorporating innovative, technology-driven methods like digital portfolios, we can create a more inclusive and personalized approach to higher education that truly honors the full scope of student potential (Gorski and Pothini 2020a, 2020b; Grant 2021). In doing so, we can build college communities that are not only more reflective of the world we live in but also better equipped to prepare students for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead (Johnson 2020).
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About the Author
Stephanie L. Krusemark, Ph.D., is a seasoned higher education leader with more than 20 years of experience in strategic enrollment management, student success, and advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion. She holds a Doctorate in Higher Education with a specialization in Diversity and Higher Learning from the University of Denver’s Morgridge College of Education and has dedicated her career to creating environments where all students can thrive.
Dr. Krusemark has held leadership roles at spiritually- and religiously-affiliated institutions, including Iliff School of Theology, Naropa University, Santa Clara University, Trinity Washington University, and the University of Portland. In each of these settings, she has championed transformative initiatives grounded in social justice and inclusive excellence, advancing enrollment strategies that promote access, belonging, and student success.
A published scholar, Dr. Krusemark’s research focuses on mentorship, access, and equity in higher education. Her work has appeared in the Journal of Research on Women and Gender and Liberal Education. She is an active contributor to national conversations on enrollment strategy and student success through her service on the American Association of College Registrars and Admissions Officers Strategic Enrollment Management Editorial Board and the National Association of Graduate Admissions Professionals Experts Bureau.
As the next President of Starr King School for the Ministry, Dr. Krusemark brings a deep commitment to spiritual leadership and institutional growth. She is honored to build upon the legacy of those who came before her and is dedicated to guiding Starr King into its next chapter—grounded in love, equity, and bold vision.
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