Friday, March 3, 2017

February AP Committee's Case Study WINNER!

As part of the PCACAC AP Committee’s desire to proactively discuss ethics, we are sending out monthly “case studies.” In these cases, we typically offer a situation and discuss whether the issue is in compliance with NACAC’s Statement of Principles of Good Practices (SPGP).

We have a winner! Not only did Barbara Connor, Director of College Counseling at Foxcroft School get all the answers correct, her name was chosen in a raffle of those with 100% correct answers. Thank you to everyone who participated. Below, please see the questions, the answers and reasoning. Watch for the next Case Study coming soon.
Remember, if you have a question about a situation or SPGP, please contact a member of the PCACAC AP Committee.

  1. Which of the following is NOT a Core Value of NACAC's SPGP:
    1. Professionalism
    2. Education
    3. Collaboration
    4. Social Responsibility
    5. All are core values of SPGP
Answer: E. According to the NACAC SPGP, there are 6 core values that represent the association’s vision and beliefs: Professionalism, Collaboration, Trust, Education, Fairness and Equity, Social Responsibility.

  1. Which of the following is NOT a Member Convention of NACAC’s SPGP:
    1. Members will make protecting the best interests of all students a primary concern in the admission process
    2. Members will provide accurate admission and financial aid information to students, empowering all participants in the process to act responsibly.
    3. Members will be ethical and respectful in their counseling, recruiting and enrollment practices.
    4. Members will look to provide confusing and inaccurate information to students and families in order to make the admission process as intimidating as possible. 
    5. Members will support a common set of admission-related definitions and deadlines.
Answer: D. The NACAC SPGP lists 9 Member Conventions. Not only is D not one, but the ideas in this statement would conflict with the association’s Core Value of Trust.

3.       NACAC’s SPGP does NOT provide an ethical framework for which constituents in the admission process?
a.       Admission Officers
b.      School Counselors
c.       Independent Counselors
d.      Students and Families going through the admission process
e.      Organizations that work with admission offices

Answer: D. While the SPGP advises members on how to treat and advise students, the NACAC SPGP addresses professionals who are NACAC members. There are over 15,000 members that include: admission officers, school counselors, independent counselors, profit/non-profit organizations that provide products or services to counseling, admission or financial aid professionals or students.

4.       You can contact the PCACAC Admissions Practices Committee for which of the following situations?
a.       You encounter a practice that seems weird and you wonder if it is ethical
b.      You encounter a practice that is clearly a violation
c.       You are concerned that the SPGP needs clarification
d.      Your office is considering a new practice and would like to explore ethical issues of the practice
e.      All the above

Answer: E. The AP Committee is charged with an annual review of SPGP (including recommending appropriate changes), to investigate allegations and educate members about SPGP.  

5.       If you make an allegation or a complaint, which of the following is true?
a.       The member against whom you make an allegation will be told your name
b.      Your name, professional affiliation, position and even gender will not be shared
c.       Your name will be published on the PCACAC website celebrating your ethical integrity
d.      You will receive a Certificate of Integrity to post on your office wall

Answer B: The process is completely confidential. Your information will be kept completely private to the AP Committee. Furthermore, any allegation is kept confidential meaning the AP Committee does not publicize specific cases or allegations.

6.       In an admission letter dated February 14, Great U writes to a student, “Congratulations. Because we love your community engagement, we would like to offer you a Service Scholarship for $5,000. Please reply within thirty days to confirm your acceptance of this scholarship.” What is the SPGP issue in this situation?
a.       The practice of thirty days reply is manipulating the May 1 common reply date
b.      Colleges should not be offering scholarship in an admission letter
c.       The letter needs to state May 1 explicitly
d.      There is no issue—colleges can have any deadline for a scholarship
e.      Both A and C

Answer: E. According to SPGP II B 3, “All postsecondary members agree they will permit first-year candidates for fall admission to choose among offers of admission and institutionally-affiliated financial aid and scholarships until May 1, and state this deadline explicitly in their offers of admission, and not establish policies nor engage in practices whose effect is to manipulate commitments prior to May 1.” This practice would be viewed as manipulating a commitment prior to May 1.An important note, this year, issues around May 1 have been the most common for the PCACAC AP Committee. 

7.       MostPopular U is looking at the options they have for the admission process and wants to be creative in the admission options they offer students next year. Which of the following application plans are NOT allowed by the Statement of Principles of Good Practice?
a.       MostPopular First Choice Commitment
b.      MostPopular Earliest Early Action
c.       MostPopular Restrictive Regular Decision
d.      MostPopular Last Chance Admission
e.      All of the above

Answer: E.  According to SPGP, Mandatory Interpretation 1.B.9.a, “The use of multiple admission plans may be confusing or potentially misleading, especially when postsecondary members define them inconsistently or identify them by other names. While members may use other application plans, since  the ones known as Regular Decision, Rolling Admission, Early Action, Early Decision, and Restrictive Early Action are in common use, members must identify them by those names and abide by the definitions and conditions below when implementing them.

8.       A university has required a housing deposit in order for admitted students to hold a space in on-campus housing prior to the National Candidate Reply Date of May 1. Is this a violation of SPGP?
a.       No, housing is not a purview of the admission office
b.      No, so long as the housing deposit is refundable
c.       Yes, regardless of whether or not the housing deposit is refundable
d.      It depends.

Answer: D. According to SPGP II B 5, “Postsecondary members agree they will work with their institutions’ senior administrative officers to ensure that housing options are not used to manipulate commitments prior to May 1.” But, the interpretations section II B 5 a. further explains, “While it is understood that institutions with limited housing may need to adopt a first-come, first-served policy for assigning on-campus housing, it is recommended that any enrollment or housing deposits they require to secure on-campus housing should be fully refundable if the student cancels admission by May 1. It is at the discretion of each institution whether to refund fees associated with applications/contracts, but deposits should be refunded.” Thus, if the college is trying to manipulate May 1, then this is a violation, but if the university has limited housing, this practice is understood.

9.       What does SPGP Mandatory Practice I. A. 2 state?
a.       All post secondary members agree that they will not use disparaging comparisons of secondary or postsecondary institutions
b.      All counseling members agree that they will not use disparaging comparisons of secondary or postsecondary institutions
c.       All members agree that they will not use disparaging comparisons of secondary or postsecondary institutions 
d.      All members agree that they will accurately represent and promote their schools, institutions, organizations, and services
e.       None of the above
Answer: C

10.   Joanie was crushed when she was put on the wait list at her first choice college. She deposited at her second choice which had offered her a nice financial aid package. On May 2nd, she was thrilled to receive a call from her first choice college. Which scenario is acceptable under the SPGP?
a.       The admission officer said there was not much money left in the financial aid budget so he could not tell her what her package would be, but he needed her to respond  by the end of the day on May 3rd.
b.      The admission officer followed up with a written email acceptance offer, but no award letter. He gave Joanie three days to respond.
c.       The admission officer let Joanie know she would receive an email the next day with her acceptance and award letter.  She would have a week to respond.
d.      All of the above.
Answer: D

Although A and B are not ideal, they are acceptable since these are SGPG Postsecondary—Best Practices, II. B. 1. provide in the notification letter or electronic communication of those applicants offered a place on the wait list a history that describes the number of students offered places on the wait lists, the number accepting places, the number offered admission, and the availability of financial aid and housing; 2. allow students a reasonable amount of time (at least 72 hours or May 1, whichever is later) to respond to an offer of admission from that institution’s wait list and gain admission to that institution’s incoming class. This offer of admission should be a written or electronic communication to the student. Postsecondary institutions should also strive to fully inform wait list students of their financial aid and housing opportunities, if different from their normal policies. Postsecondary institutions should not require a commitment from a student until the financial aid award and housing options, if any, have been provided.

If you wish to file a complaint, please complete a NACAC Confidential Complaint form. All personal information will be kept confidential, but the information will be forwarded to the appropriate affiliate AP Committee. This committee will follow up on the issue. 
Want to review previous case studies? 
View all of the Admissions Practices Case Studies on The Anchor here.
Want to submit a case for consideration? Please e-mail the PCACAC AP Committee Chair at jtalmage@stpaulsschool.org




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