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.
- Which of the
following is NOT a Core Value of NACAC's SPGP:
- Professionalism
- Education
- Collaboration
- Social
Responsibility
- 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.
- Which of the
following is NOT a Member Convention of NACAC’s SPGP:
- Members will
make protecting the best interests of all students a primary concern in
the admission process
- Members will
provide accurate admission and financial aid information to students,
empowering all participants in the process to act responsibly.
- Members will be
ethical and respectful in their counseling, recruiting and enrollment
practices.
- Members will
look to provide confusing and inaccurate information to students and families
in order to make the admission process as intimidating as possible.
- 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?
Want to submit a case for consideration? Please e-mail the
PCACAC AP Committee Chair at jtalmage@stpaulsschool.org
