Over the past several years the Office of Admission has had both successes and challenges in the area of diversity. Continued and consistent progress in attracting and enrolling a diverse class has been a challenge. Diversity, financial aid, and discount rate are intertwined, and this complexity needs to be continually evaluated and reviewed.
Goal: Enroll a more diverse class
- Strategy 1: Review annually the admission programs and initiatives targeting underrepresented students to determine what is effective. This includes Discover Scripps, our partnership with QuestBridge and the YES College Prep charter schools in Houston, and work with community- based organizations working with targeted populations.
- Strategy 2: Consider different ways to identify students from a variety of backgrounds (i.e. social media, online college search products, programs and organizations working with college bound students from diverse backgrounds).
- Strategy 3: Provide transportation to visit campus to as many admitted underrepresented students as possible.
- Strategy 4: Work with faculty and staff during the recruitment process and work to identify additional ways they can help in the recruitment and yield process.
- Strategy 5: Work with Scripps College Academy (a successful outreach program that applies to both access and admission) and enroll more SCA Scholars.
- Strategy 6: Explore options for working with current students and recent alumnae to build a winter break recruitment program.
- Strategy 7: Investigate models from comparison colleges for providing financial aid and other support for undocumented students.
Goal: Maintain the budgeted discount rate in order to enroll a diverse class
- Strategy 1: Work with Hardwick Day, a consulting firm that helps us fulfill our enrollment goals and manage various enrollment challenges, including diversity.
- Strategy 2: Meet the full demonstrated financial need of students and work with students to help them navigate the complex financial aid system. We are need-aware for a portion of the class, and will be for the foreseeable future. It is important we manage the discount rate so that we can meet full need, and attract and enroll students from all socioeconomic backgrounds.