An Exploration of Holistic Admissions Protocol in Graduate School: Implications for Access and Equity

Historically, graduate admissions policies at higher education institutions have heavily relied on standardized testing, which limits access to graduate and professional degrees for underrepresented demographic and gender groups. Recently, movements toward holistic graduate admissions processes and strengths-based evaluations of applicants have shown promise in equitably recruiting and admitting candidates. However, the field currently lacks common best practices and strategies for enhancing equity in the evaluation of applicant credentials. Furthermore, recent federal challenges to campus diversity and inclusion efforts have complicated these initiatives. To address these issues, this qualitative comparative case study examined five university graduate schools that are implementing holistic admission processes. Alongside data from interviews with institutional administrators, the study collected and analyzed policies, tools, training, and assessment efforts aimed at promoting equitable consideration of applicants. The findings revealed specific organizational frameworks that effectively support the operationalization and sustainability of holistic admission efforts: lateral coordination of efforts; coalitions that recognize power and privilege; empowerment and motivation in training; and the development of evaluation rubrics that reflect an institution's mission and vision.