What is an open-door institution? Providing the answer to this commonly-asked question is the purpose of our piece today. You may have heard this term’s use before and can probably get some basic ideas just from its name, but let’s take it further.
Open-Doors Defined
An open-door institution, or open admissions school is a college that is very basic in its requirements for application and subsequent entry. In other colleges, the student must have a GED or high school diploma, provable ethics in character, good grades, an outstanding admissions essay for the college of choice, and more. To say that college acceptance is easy to gain is a complete fallacy in nearly all, traditional schools.
Exercising quite the opposite theory, open admissions practice simply provides acceptance to those that have earned their high school diploma or GED. It is that simple. Another name for this type of entrance policy is “non-competition entrance policy,” much because of its theory in simply providing higher education to all of those who have moved beyond high school.
Criticism Vs. Triumph
Naturally, criticism over such seemingly lax entry requirements has before surrounded this practice. As to what percentage of these criticisms are born of competing, opposing administrations, there is no evidence. Should there be more requirements for entry into such forms of esteemed, higher education? Or should higher knowledge be accessible to all, despite things like entrance essays and previous grades?
The ultimate answer to such questioning, in this case, comes in the form of educational credibility and the successes of the overall industry in question. Institutions that have followed open admissions policy have performed at or above the level of their opposing, entry requirement-filled counterparts. Without credibility in criticism, such claims of any inferiority remain simple claims and opinions.
Examples of Open Admissions Schools
There are many open admissions schools in the US. Fully accredited and respected, students can expect a superior education from the lot. Let’s take a quick look at a few particular schools of relevant interest.
United States Merchant Marine Academy
Rated at number three in US News’ Best Colleges Rankings, Regional Colleges North, and number two in top public schools, USMMA is a highly respected, open admissions institution. Students here can expect to earn valuable degrees as well as the military benefits of attending one of the country’s five service academies. While traveling abroad and being stationed aboard naval vessel during much of their education, learners work toward degrees in areas such as naval science, marine engineering, humanities, and others.
Widener University
Widener University is a well-respected, open admissions school that offers students an opportunity to earn from among 40, individual degree choices. With its wide array of degree programs and highly diverse, student population, Widener is known for its successes in the promotion of the common person to virtually any career opportunity imaginable. It is also named as one of Newsweek’s 25 most service-minded institutions in the United States.
Despite any criticisms laid, schools with open admissions policies serve the same academic functions typical of schools with more restrictive entry policies. This is all done to the same quality and credibility levels as those schools as well. These are the basics of today’s open-door institution, the criticisms it has faced, and the entry policies therein.
