Holistic Admissions Guidance and Best Practices

Resources

There are a number of resources available to aid in furthering knowledge about Holistic Admissions. We encourage faculty and staff involved in the evaluation of prospective graduate students to explore further by looking at these resources.

Holistic Admissions Guidance

• Supporting Fair and Inclusive Graduate Programs: A Resource for Faculty & Universities, Counsel of Graduate School’s (CGS)
• Understanding Holistic Review in Higher Education Admissions: Guiding Principles and Model Illustrations, Arthur L. Coleman & Jamie Lewis Keith, supported by the College Board and Education Counsel
• Measuring Noncognitive Variables: Improving Admissions, Success and Retention for Underrepresented Students, William Sedlacek
• Holistic Review of Applications for Admission to Graduate Degree Programs, University of Michigan, Rackham Graduate School
• Holistic prompt example: Statement of Purpose and Personal History Statement, UC Berkeley Graduate Division

Rubric Resources

• EGE Rubric Checklist, Equity in Graduate Education
• Using a Rubric in Graduate Admissions, ETS
• Colorado State University examples & resources:
  • Comprehensive Admissions Review Criteria
  • Sample Template Rubric available for download
  • Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI)
    • Example MMI Questions with a rubric

Legal/Compliance

• Guidance for Any Programs, Events, & Activities Related to Precollege, Admissions, and Scholarships, CU Enrollment Management (access by logging in with your identikey)
• Wise Courage: A Framework for Higher Education Leadership in the Face of Federal Overreach, EducationCounsel
• Records Retention Schedule, CU Registrar’s office

Implicit Bias Awareness

• Bias Breakers Toolkit (be sure to download the appendices available)
• Implicit Bias Training, CU Boulder Human Resources
• Check your Implicit Bias, Harvard University

GRE Guidance

• Using GRE Scores in a Holistic Approach, ETS GRE
• Connecting Graduate Admissions Practices with Goals: Questions to Consider, ETS GRE
• GREs Don’t Predict Grad School Success. What does? Beryl Lieff Benderly, Science

Holistic Admissions

Holistic review in graduate admissions is the practice of evaluating applicants as whole individuals rather than relying solely on metrics like GPA or test scores. It challenges the notion that quantitative measures alone predict success and offers a more inclusive, contextualized approach to selection.

Programs using holistic review often de-emphasize standardized scores, focusing instead on qualities like persistence, creativity, and resilience. They use rubrics to ensure consistency, maintain clear records, and regularly assess their processes using application, admission, and yield data. Since each program has unique goals, holistic review varies across disciplines.

This “whole file” approach considers all aspects of an applicant’s background, achievements, and challenges. It helps identify talent, reduce bias, and promote inclusive excellence—aligning with the University of Colorado Boulder’s mission to shape future leaders, foster innovation, and positively impact humanity.

The CU Boulder Graduate Admissions Application also prompts prospective students to provide a wide spectrum of information that may well indicate the applicant’s persistence in and commitment to educational success, as well as their potential for contributing to the community of the department. These may be found in responses to questions about:

• Parental educational attainment;
• Personal statement;
• Curriculum vitae or resume;
• Volunteer activities;
• Work experiences;
• Recommendations addressing student promise and achievement;
• Educational background that is underrepresented in graduate education
• Participation in undergraduate research programs 

Getting Started with Holistic Admissions

If your program is just beginning to implement holistic review, start with a department-wide conversation about graduate admissions and your program’s goals. Consider:

• What counts as success in your field?
• What qualities predict graduate student success?
• Does your current admissions process evaluate these qualities?
• If not, what changes could help align your process with your program’s mission and objectives?

Reflection Questions for Programs

Before reviewing applications, programs may find it helpful to reflect on:

• How do we define our program’s mission, values, and objectives to identify candidates who can contribute positively to our academic community?
• How do we measure “success” in our program?
• What does our ideal graduate student or cohort look like?
• What criteria are we currently using to evaluate applicants?
• Where can we find evidence of these criteria in the application materials?
• Are our evaluation criteria and processes consistent across faculty reviewers?