The Common Application’s direct admissions experiment involving 13 institutions and 33,000 students showed promise. Students with direct admissions offers were twice as likely to apply to those colleges. However, only 6% of the pool applied through this model, focusing on marginalized groups. This resulted in a 4% increase in underrepresented minority applicants and a 3% increase in low-income neighborhood applicants. Researchers suggest that while direct admissions helps, simplifying financial aid processes and providing support are essential for improving higher education access.
