As a former college admissions officer I often struggled mightily with the notion of what defines a well-rounded student. Think about it for a second, isn’t the very notion of trying to create a definition for this based on our ingrained biases? Yet, across thousands of higher education institutions, admissions officers make acceptance decisions based on this concept.

In our discussions with regard to considering admission to applicants we addressed items like grades, test-scores, recommendations and of course extra-curricular activities. We took a formulaic approach to these points without giving much consideration to things like grade-inflation, standardized test bias, phony recommendations and students merely padding a resume. To me this process always felt like we were not getting to know students authentically and nowhere was this more pronounced that when dealing with first-generation students.

You see, when our society talks about first-generation college students I feel like we do so with a deserved sense of admiration but without a real understanding of what these students have gone through in order to reach the point of applying to college. I think that a large part of this is because our society does not want to fully pull back the veil and really know the truth because it does not conform to the standard of what we value. Take extra-curricular activities as just one example.

Our society places a great deal of value in extra-curricular participation – athletics, student government, clubs and community service. We impart value on the notion of a student taking the onus to use their free-time for these endeavors. We hold these students in high-regard – and as a reflection of society so does the college admissions process. I agree that there is a lot to be said about commitment for these students.

Yet, I ask myself do we place the same value on those responsibilities that preoccupy the time of many of our first-generation college applicants. Where on an application can Esmeralda address the fact that she babysat her three siblings every night while her parents worked and yet still maintained a 3.8 GPA? Where can James talk about working after-school every day to help his parents pay the rent? Where can Elisa talk about coming home every day to take care of her ailing mother?

Of course they can address these challenges on their essay but the point is that our system does not recognize these students in the same way. You would be hard-pressed to find many admissions officers that would say that they see a student taking care of their siblings every night in the same way as a another who is student body president, but I challenge you to really look at what responsibilities each of these entails and ask yourself which might result in a better-rounded student.

I understand that it is always a challenge to view the world from a different perspective but I am asking you to. Let’s work together to tell first-generation students that we value their experiences as much as students with ten extra-curricular activities on their resume. Let’s give them the opportunity to showcase who they really are and what they can bring to our institutions. This is not an issue of trying to balance the scales, it is an issue of understanding that our view of the balance is distorted.

I would love to hear your thoughts and experiences as it relates to this or any topic of educational equity so please add your comments here or any of the social media platforms above.

I would love to hear your thoughts and experiences as it relates to this or any topic of educational equity so please add your comments here or any of the social media platforms above.