I was having a conversation with a friend at a restaurant this week, and they said something important about an area I’ve previously researched: the usability of online admissions application systems.
They said, “You know, I hadn’t thought about the possibility of a community college admissions application being a filter. I remember applying with my daughter to four-year colleges and thought they were all standardized. But now that I think of it, I had to sit down with one of her friends to help her as she wasn’t going to pursue it further.”
By the way, the friend didn’t have parents to help them or motivate them. They weren’t exposed to college terminology. They probably would have struggled to assemble the documentation needed, as well. In this case, someone more privileged and predisposed to higher education had to intervene.
What about those without an intervener?
And while standardized doesn’t mean equity by default, the lack of standardization almost guarantees inconsistent usability. A quick search of your LLM of choice about whether community college apps are consistent will tell you that they are not.
Now, how does that translate into other intake systems, such as those for healthcare?
You’ll see the issue appear in other areas beyond colleges, and some folks will be affected to varying degrees by that initial departure.