The Ohio State UniversityThe Ohio State University

Promoting Access and Diversity in a Competitive Admissions Environment

Mabel Freeman, PhD Assistant Vice President, Undergraduate Admissions

and First Year Experience

Jefferson Blackburn-SmithSr. Associate Director, UAFYE

Freshman Class Profile – Columbus CampusSelective Admission Process• AU06 admit rate: 65%• SAT middle 50%: 1120 - 1380• ACT middle 50%: 24 – 29• 46% AU06 admits came from top 10% of

class• 81% of AU06 admits came from top 25% of

class• 16% AU06 enrollment students of color

What does Promoting Access Mean for Ohio State?

A) Provide college awareness and financial literacy outreach for families with elementary and middle school age children.

B) Develop the “pipeline” of targeted students* through community engagement

C) Increase applicants and enrollments, through recruitment activities, among targeted students* who may not believe Ohio State is a real option.

These are not mutually exclusive efforts

*Targeted students may be

• Racial/ethnic minorities• Low income students• First generation students• Ohio Appalachian students• Gender/major combinations (i.e.

women in engineering, men in nursing)

• Majors (i.e. Agriculture)

Early College Outreach

• Consortium of 6 local institutions serving 3 urban school districts with student /parent/advocate college planning sessions

• Ohio State effort working with local community centers to provide student/parent/advocate sessions and develop lasting relationships.

College Outreach: Raising Public AwarenessDevelop a web presence

• www.osu.edu/access

“Educational Minutes” partnership with Radio One, Ohio’s #1 urban radio corporation

• Daily 60 second educational tip featuring OSU faculty, staff or local high school student with college aspirations

• Non-promotional

Developing the “Pipeline”Young Scholars Program • founded 1988, enrolls targeted 1st generation

students from 9 Ohio cities in 6th grade with an opportunity to have all financial need met by the university upon enrollment as an undergrad

Metro High School • founded 2006 in partnership between OSU,

Battelle and Columbus Public Schools focusing on math and science education

Developing the “Pipeline”Ohio State P-12 Project• The P-12 Project is a university-wide partnership

created to assist in improving Ohio's schools with a special focus on the education of Ohio's underserved children and youth.

The Office of Economic Access• Connects key players in a way that can be

replicated by other higher ed advocates• Serves as a catalyst for academic research

Increasing Enrollments: RecruitmentBuild your prospect/inquiry pools so

they contain significant numbers of under-represented students:– 60% of search names are students of color– 26% of search names (from sources that

allow income as a criteria) are low income students

– Ohio State recruits more broadly for under-represented students than others

Increasing Enrollments: RecruitmentDifferentiate your communication flows:

– Make your messages population specific• High ability, low income students hear about

“stacking” merit and need-based aid

– Add touches for targeted students• Making Our Voices Heard mailings & dvds• Joint Minority Affairs/Honors & Scholars mailing• Special college mailings• Call out cards in invitations highlighting sessions of interest

Increasing Enrollments: Admission Process• Holistic review process also considers

race/ethnicity, socio-economic status, first generation status, residents of Appalachian counties

• Two independent reads of application• Ohio residents can select a second

choice regional campus and change to Columbus after completing 1 year with a 2.0 gpa on a regional campus

Increasing Enrollments: Financial AidVisible Access Scholarships

Pathways Scholarship: for minority and/or Pell eligible students earning other merit awards; December 1 deadline; $2,100

Morrill Scholars Program: for minority, low-income, first generation, or Ohio Appalachian students; Dec 1 deadline; Tuition+

Ohio Land Grant Opportunity Scholarship: for one high ability, high need student in each Ohio county; minimum 88 per year; Feb 1 deadline and FAFSA by March 1; full-ride

Outcomes

YearRace

Applications 2004 - 2006

Enrollment 2004 - 2006

% of NFQF 2004

% of NFQF 2006

African American

16% increase

3.4% decrease

7%393

6%380

Hispanic

19.8% increase

13.2% increase

3%166

3%187

Native American

21.6% increase

38.1% increase

< 1%21

< 1%29

AsianAmerican

18.7% increase

11.4% increase

6%341

6%380

Yield for Needy Students Increases

The Ohio State University: First-Year Students

15.0%

25.0%

35.0%

45.0%

55.0%

65.0%

75.0%

85.0%

Fall 1998 Fall 1999 Fall 2000 Fall 2001 Fall 2002 Fall 2003 Fall 2004 Fall 2005

Entering Term

Yie

ld

Very high need High need Medium need Low need No-need/merit Full-pay