Ethics

Today the world of higher education faces ethical challenges like never before.

The cost of higher education is ever-rising. Meanwhile students take on record debt to finance their education. The behavior that we see in college admission merely reflects what is at stake: an extraordinarily important decision, and a significant investment of both resources and time.

Major changes are unfolding in US college and university admission practices. A global pandemic caused disruption in every facet of college and university operations. International student visas were on hold. Top colleges and universities eliminated standardized test requirements. Recent supreme court cases challenged the way colleges and universities select students and the US DOJ sued the National Association of College Admission Counselors changing the way that colleges limit competition both during and after the recruitment process.

In 2019, Harvard University and the University of North Carolina were sued by an activist group alleging that their admission policies treated Asian students unfairly. In June of 2023, the court issued a ruling against Harvard and UNC, causing new turmoil and uncertainty in the already opaque admission process. The court ruling brought increased scrutiny of the proprietary and secretive selection processes used by admission offices.

In 2017, The US Department of Justice began investigating the National Association for College Admission Counseling for alleged anti-competitive practices. In 2019 the DOJ Antitrust Division filed a formal complaint against the association for "violat[ing] the Sherman Antitrust Act by restricting colleges’ ability to compete freely for student applicants." These legal actions increase the likelihood of both healthy competition, but also novel (and potentially unethical) ways for colleges to try to influence students and families.

The 2019 "Varsity Blues" admissions fraud case involving celebrities and renowned institutions was a wake-up call. Rankings continue to exert disproportionate influence on not just students and families, but also institutions. Scandals in the areas of standardized testing and admission consulting have shaken the public's sense that college admission is a fair process for all participants. Now, more than ever, we must restore ethical practices to college admission and make central the service to adolescents and young adults - to students.

Now in 2024, students experience whiplash as highly selective colleges and universities reverse their move to test-optional and reinstate a requirement to submit SAT or ACT scores.

In sum, what we see is an environment that favors colleges and universities at every stage of the college search, application, and admission process. An ethical college counselor helps students and families navigate the opaque and Byzantine landscape of US college and university admissions.

Marr Education International is an exponent of ethical behavior in the college and university admission process.

The last decade has seen increasing, unprecedented, and unacceptable behavior in the college admission arena:

• Sophisticated digital marketers target students and inundate students and families with marketing materials

• College administrators manipulate or falsify data to boost college rankings

• Colleges outsource more and more of their admission process to enrollment consultants

• Students submit inauthentic applications

• Criminal behavior on the part of independent college counselors

It doesn't have to be this way.

I believe that students want to compete for admission on a level playing field. I believe that students want to see colleges acting fairly and ethically. I believe that students are willing to accept the results of a fair process - and that all participants will benefit from a re-commitment to ethical business practices in college admission.   

By developing robust guidance resources and healthy college-going culture, we push back against unfair practices that undermine the institution of higher education.