How technology is changing university admissions
- Much of the change is positive but to reap the benefits, the student must control the technology and not vice versa
‘Whatever Happened to the 2-Day Week?’ This was the theme of a BBC documentary, itself several decades old, that recalled the widely held belief that the advance of technology and automation would mean that we would all have to work much less and that our biggest challenge would be to decide what to do with all that extra leisure time. We all know what happened: we’re all working longer and harder than ever.
Is it a similar story with University Admissions: has technology made things easier or more difficult? The answer is a mixed one.
Access to Information
It’s undeniable that this is the main effect and benefit of the technological revolution that has been taking place (and picking up speed) over the past decade or two. For a student applying to university, this means that every morsel of information on any course or college in the world is available at the click of a mouse. Gone are those printed prospectuses that were several months out of date by the time they were distributed (or are they?).
Does this leave applicants better informed or simply overwhelmed by the sheer volume of choice they are faced with? That’s a dilemma many adults are faced with in using the same technology to research jobs, holidays or even a new romantic friendship. Have we developed the skills to keep up with the technology and benefit from it rather than succumb to the agony of excessive choice?
Access to Opinion
If the internet was only a source of factual information, teenagers wouldn’t have their faces buried in their smartphones for several hours each day. The Higher Education equivalent of hotel and food reviews can be found on student review sites and message boards such as College Confidential and the Student Room. University Rankings purport to be based on objective data and criteria but the choice of the latter is a form of opinion and ‘reputational’ status is often one of the key elements. We love lists and are so readily seduced by university rankings that they multiply by the year.
Access to Apply
University applicant numbers have multiplied year on year and, as a consequence, acceptance percentages or admit rates have plummeted to around 5 per cent for the most selective US colleges. Take a look at these admit stats for Northwestern University.
