Holistic Admissions Exploration

Background

Holistic admissions are mission-aligned selection processes that take into consideration applicants’ experiences, attributes, and academic metrics as well as the value an applicant would contribute to learning, practice, and teaching. 

The 2022 Admissions Process Review project suggested several opportunities to consider changes that might reduce bias and improve inclusivity in our undergraduate admissions practices. It was determined that a deeper exploration of these opportunities for applicant assessment was warranted. Through a request for proposal (RFP) process, the services of Michele Sandlin, Senior Consultant with AACRAO Consulting were retained. AACRAO is the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers and they have 20 years of experience, data, and research related to holistic admissions.

Scope

This project will engage with undergraduate admissions stakeholders across campus, including each of our Faculties and professional Schools, our Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Anti-Racism Office, and our Office of Indigenous Relations. The University currently uses several non-grades-based assessment tools for various undergraduate admissions programs and we believe these are working well. These existing tools will be examined against the research and best practices in AACRAO’s tool kit to determine whether or not there are opportunities for improvement.

Our goal is to ensure that our undergraduate applicant assessment approaches enable access and result in a class of future Warriors who are diverse and representative of the communities from which we recruit.

Project timeline

  1. 2023
    1. Apr
      1. Senior leadership approval to proceed with Holistic Admissions Exploration & Slate Implementation

        April to June

    2. Jul
      1. Project Steering Committee formed and RFP developed

        July to August

    3. Aug
      1. RFP posted and submissions reviewed

        August to September

    4. Oct
      1. RFP awarded to AACRAO

    5. Nov
      1. Project launch

        Background materials provided to Michele Sandlin

    6. Dec
      1. AACRAO-led information sessions

        Michele Sandlin on campus December 13-15 to deliver information sessions, meet with Project Steering Committee, and conduct deep-dive with existing tools in Math and Engineering

  2. 2024
    1. Jan
      1. Decision to proceed with AACRAO recommendations to be made

        The project team will make the decision to proceed or not with the AACRAO took kit and/or modifications to existing non-grades-based tools, and with which programs

    2. Feb
      1. Michele will work collaboratively with identified program stakeholders to craft, revise, and finalize tool kit (questions, rubrics) for applicants beginning October 2024

        Work to take place between February and June if decision to proceed is made

    3. Nov
      1. Michele will provide training to Waterloo assessors in how to use the rubrics and score applicant submissions using real data

        Work to take place between November and December if decision to proceed is made

Project team

Project Steering Group

Committee role

Name

Department

University Registrar

Catherine Newell Kelly

Registrar’s Office

Associate Registrar, Admissions

André Jardin

Registrar’s Office

Assistant Registrar, Admissions

Rhea Johnson

Registrar’s Office

Director, Centre for Education in Mathematics and Computing

Ian VanderBurgh

Faculty of Mathematics

Associate Dean, Undergraduate Admissions and Outreach

Troy Vasiga

Faculty of Mathematics

Associate Vice-President, Academic Operations

Paul Fieguth

Office of the Provost

Director of Admissions

Bill Bishop

Faculty of Engineering