Tighter Rules in Wake of College Admissions Scandal.

• Author: Smalley, Andrew

The extremely low percentage of applicants who get into elite schools was exposed when federal prosecutors indicted more than 30 wealthy parents for bribery last year. In the scandal that became known as Operation Varsity Blues, the parents paid an admission consultant to rig standardized tests or bribe coaches to help their children gain admission to several top American universities.

Across the country, high school students submitted more than 10 million applications to colleges and universities in 2017, an increase of more than 10% since 2014.

As that number continues to grow, and the likelihood of being admitted to an elite school declines, institutions and states alike are focusing on admission policies.

After news of the scandal broke, California lawmakers scrambled to introduce legislation to address admissions practices. By session's end, legislators had enacted measures that:

* Require institutions that receive state financial aid to report any preferential treatment in admissions to the legislature every year. This includes admissions based on relationships to donors or alumni.

* Prohibit those found guilty in the federal investigation from claiming tax deductions based on contributions they made to charities involved in the scandal.

* Prohibit admission by exception--a special talent in athletics or the arts--without the approval of at...