Drawn by Brett E. Kennedy and Photography by Little Dream Garden
by Brett E. Kennedy, Managing Director
I argue that the college admissions and aid process is broken. For solution oriented folks like me, the natural next step is to ask: What actions would it take to fix the process and make it simpler and easier for students? Sadly, the answer to that question is incredibly complex.
From my perspective, one of the complicating factors is the number of stakeholders within the college admissions and aid process that have conflicting agendas. To craft an implementable plan of reform, you would need the support of college faculty and the governing boards, and the buy-in of members of state legislatures and state government officials. You would need the help of the federal regulators who manage federal student aid or other federal grants, the members of the U.S. Congress who authorize the federal programs as a whole and even the U.S President who has to enact the laws. You would need to have any reform ideas pass muster with accreditation agencies, the specialized associations in academic disciplines, and the national associations that govern areas like admissions and aid. Alumni may have perspectives and coaches will want to understand how these reforms will impact their ability to win. Donors will have opinions.
I could keep going with the list of stakeholders. The important point about so many interested parties is that they have competing agendas. Building a consensus among so many different stakeholders would tax the skills of any leader. I am hopeful that we can improve the college admissions and aid process in years ahead. But the question that I worry most about is: How do we build a shared vision with so many competing agendas and competing values?