How can admission policies promote social justice in higher education?

The admissions process is the entry point to higher education. The admissions policies should be clear and equitable. Social justice is provided by way of reservation in India. Higher Education institutions can provide and should provide for scholarships to make education inclusive. Everyone child is special and deserves a chance to excel should be the motto.

A big access and equity barrier that women, parents, and especially low income/disadvantages mothers face is access to affordable, quality daycare or babysitters and flexible/nontraditional scheduling/format (not always solved by online classes) for coursework and graduation. It would be groundbreaking if well funded colleges, especially technical/community college and univerities (especially universities targeted to working adults) simply did the right and needed thing and establish free or low-fee daycare centers on their campuses. Then watch enrollment, graduation and tuition revenue soar.

Admission policies can promote social justice in higher education by ensuring equitable access for underrepresented and marginalized groups. This can be achieved through holistic evaluation processes that consider socioeconomic background, race, and other diversity factors, alongside traditional academic metrics. Implementing affirmative action, need-based financial aid, and targeted outreach programs can help address historical inequalities. Policies should include support systems for admitted students to ensure retention and success. By integrating these measures, institutions can foster a diverse and inclusive academic environment, which not only reflects societal diversity but also enhances the educational experience for all students.

Analyzing the numbers can help to understand the demographics being targeted by the educational institution. Hypothetically, the undergraduate student population could be comprised of 58% minority students. However, analyzing this could prove that only 23% is of Hispanic/Latino descent and 17% are of Asian descent, but other minorities could be quite sparse. For example, the Black student population might be 2%, indicating poor representation. It's important for the institution to determine why that discrepancy exists. It would serve that institution well to include minority authors in the books and research material required. There also needs to be a concerted effort to hire minority faculty members.

Train the admissions team to be aware of and avoid unconscious bias during the evaluation process. Also making the application process as accessible as possible, considering the needs of applicants with disabilities, linguistic differences, or other challenges.