Universities increasingly rely on holistic applications in wake of grade inflation

In the wake of grade inflation, Daina Lawrence of the Globe and Mail reports that several institutions are using a more holistic application approach. Queen’s University introduced a personal statement requirement, Dalhousie University’s BScN program includes a computer-based online assessment, and the University of British Columbia’s Peter A Allard School of Law and Western University’s Ivey School of Business have both launched broad-based admissions approaches that go beyond grades. “We’ve started to [expand] what we mean by leadership experiences, because individuals that may come from a different socioeconomic background may not have the opportunity to play and be a leader in competitive sports, for instance,” explains Western Ivey Executive Director of Recruitment and Admissions John-Derek Clarke. Lawrence reports that there is a gap, as high schools typically do not train students in the soft skills needed for holistic applications.