Stanford University has recently been hit with student requests to see their educational records. These requests have been filled with the encouragement from a student group called Fountain Hopper. They are telling students they have the right to see their records under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (Ferpa).
On the one hand, access to your college records might be just the thing to reveal how one is accepted, what is being recorded about them, etc. One student was surprised to find in his records that every time he used his campus ID card had been logged, even the times he unlocked a door.
Also included in the Stanford records was how that student was admitted: written assessments and scores from admission officers, test scores, personal qualities, and interview assessments.
On the other hand, such revelations may simply mean less frankness in evaluations and more college admissions based solely on sheer numbers. For this reason, high school students are asked on college applications to check a box which waives their right to view their high school teacher and counselor recommendations. In fact, if you check this box, even your college records will not reveal those recommendations. But, colleges are more assured of honest evaluations from high school.
What do we recommend? Check the box!
