Embedded Files
The Common Application (Common App), the largest platform for college applications in the United States serving over 1,000 institutions, banned the box in 2018. However, many universities still include questions about criminal history as additional queries on the platform. In other words, while the Common App no longer includes these questions by default, individual institutions can still ask about criminal history if they choose. This website compiles information on the top five universities in each state (according to U.S. News and World Report) and their criminal background questions, ranking them based on how stigmatizing these questions may be for justice-involved applicants.
How to Read the Scores: The higher the Stigma Score, the less stigmatizing the language of the question; the lower the score, the more stigmatizing the phrasing.
Disclaimer: This research focuses exclusively on the criminal background questions provided by each institution through the Common App.
1. Auburn University
Stigma Score: -2.7
2. University of Alabama at Birmingham
Stigma Score: -10.1
3. University of Alabama
Stigma Score: 0.85
4. Samford University
Stigma Score: 0.90
5. University of Alabama in Huntsville
Stigma Score: -14.4
Arizona
1. University of Arizona
No Box!
2. Arizona State University
No Box!
3. Northern Arizona University
Not on Common App
4. Emry Riddle Aeronautical University
Not on Common App
5. Grand Canyon University
Not on Common App
University of Arkansas
Stigma Score: -3.2
2. Harding University
Not on Common App
3. Arkansas State University
Not on Common App
4. University of Central Arkansas
Stigma Score:
5. Hendrix College
Stigma Score:
Yale University
Stigma Score: -0.95
2. University of Connecticut
No Box!
3. Fairfield University
Stigma Score: 0.15
4. Quinnipiac University
Stigma Score: 0.15
5. Sacred Heart University
Stigma Score: 0.15
Delaware
University of Delaware
No box!
2. Delaware State University
Only asks about stalking/sexual offense
3. Golden-Beacom University
No box!
4. Wilmington University
Not on Common App
5. Delaware Technical Community College
Not on Common App
Research Limitations
Research Limitations
To complete this project, I used the syuzhet package in R, which scores a .txt file based on the emotional valence of its words using a predefined sentiment lexicon. That said, this technology is unable to account for issues such as a criminal background question's scope, readability, etc., which I outlined in the case study on my "Resources for Avoiding Stigmatization" page.
Due to concerns about RStudio’s capabilities and personal limitations related to time and formatting, I have temporarily put this project on hold. If your state is not listed above, you can still find each state's top five universities’ criminal background questions—as well as their associated “Stigma Score” (labeled Sentiment Vector)—in the Google Doc embedded below:
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