Opening a side-gate: engaging the excluded in Chilean higher education through test-blind admission

Abstract

The article describes a test-blind admission initiative in a Chilean research university aimed at expanding the inclusion of talented, albeit educationally and socially disadvantaged, students. The outcomes of the test-blind admission cohort were compared with those of students admitted via the regular admission procedure to the same academic program. The outcomes of interest were first-term college grade point average, dropout rates, graduation rates and the quality of the first-year university experience. Given the extremely adverse entry conditions of the test-blind cohort, the results of their academic performance are encouraging. In terms of graduation rates within a time lag of one calendar year, no significant difference was observed between the regular admission and the test-blind admission.

Keywords:

• higher education
• admission
• university
• remedial education