Survey Consent Form
Project Title: Test Optional Admission Policies in the Time of COVID-19
Purpose of the Study
This research is being conducted by Dr. Julie Park and Dr. OiYan Poon at the University of Maryland, College Park and funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. You are invited to participate in this research project because you are either:
A current college admissions professional working at a selective public or private nonprofit, four-year institution with admission rates at 50% or lower and have at least 3 years of experience
A former college admission professional who worked during the COVID-19 pandemic (2019-2022) at a selective public or private nonprofit four-year institution with admission rates of 50% or lower and have at least 3 years of experience.
The purpose of this survey is to ask rank-and-file college admissions professionals and senior admissions leaders about how their institution designs and makes decisions about admission policies and practices during the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey will also include optional questions about participant demographics. Your responses will be used as part of a research study to examine the relationship between college entrance testing policies and admissions and enrollment outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
Procedures
This survey will ask you about your perspectives on any changes made to your institution’s admission processes since 2020. The survey should take no more than 20 minutes to complete. Survey respondents who meet our eligibility criteria for interviews can provide their contact information to participate in follow-up interviews.
Potential Risks and Discomforts
We anticipate minimal risks from participating in this study. Some questions may ask about participants’ thoughts on their institution’s decisions regarding admission policies during the COVID-19 pandemic. These questions may elicit sensitive emotions. Participants can choose to stop completing the survey at any time or skip questions as necessary.
There is a risk of loss of confidentiality of your information that is used in this study. Any potential loss of confidentiality will be minimized by storing data in a password protected computer using UMD Google Drive. Only members of the research team will have access to data.
Potential Benefits
There are no direct benefits from participating in this research. However, you may benefit from contributing to research that explores the impact of test optional policies on college access as well as the development of a public tracking tool that would provide prospective college students, their families, and high school counselors with updated information on application requirements and testing policies.
Confidentiality
There is a risk of loss of confidentiality of your information that is used in this study. Any potential loss of confidentiality will be minimized by storing data in a password protected computer using UMD Box. Only members of the research team will have access to data.
Names and contact information will be collected for respondents interested in participating in a follow-up interview. However, no names or identifying information will be included in the report or publication of findings. All participants will be referred to as “Participant #”.
If we write a report or article about this research project, your identity will be protected to the maximum extent possible. Your information may be shared with representatives of the University of Maryland, College Park or governmental authorities if you or someone else is in danger or if we are required to do so by law.
Data collected through survey responses will be held until 10 years after any publications from the project have passed.
Compensation
You will receive a $20 virtual gift card via Tango through Qualtrics upon completion of the survey. This integration allows researchers to send payment to you anonymously and immediately.
Right to Withdraw and Questions
Your participation in this study is completely voluntary. You may choose not to take part at all. If you decide to participate in this research, you may stop participating at any time. Survey participants who complete 75% of the survey questions or more will receive a $20 virtual Tango gift card.
If you decide to stop taking part in the study, if you have questions, concerns, or complaints, or if you need to report an injury related to the research, please contact the investigator:
Dr. Julie Park & Dr. OiYan Poon
3214-B Benjamin Bldg
cafcolab@umd.edu
Participant Rights
If you have questions about your rights as a research participant or wish to report a research-related injury, please contact:
University of Maryland College Park
Institutional Review Board Office
1204 Marie Mount Hall
College Park, Maryland, 20742
E-mail: irb@umd.edu
Telephone: 301-405-0678
For more information regarding participant rights, please visit:
This research has been reviewed according to the University of Maryland, College Park IRB procedures for research involving human subjects.
Statement of Consent
Proceeding forward with this interview indicates that you are at least 18 years of age; you have read this consent form or have had it read to you; your questions have been answered to your satisfaction and you voluntarily agree to participate in this research study. You will receive a copy of this signed consent form.
If you agree to participate, please download and sign your name on the form.