In the educational community, the term “student profile” has several meanings. A student profile provides information about a student in all cases, but the data can be presented and used in a variety of ways. Student profiles can include information provided students as well as information added educational institution staff members to provide a complete picture of the student. Due to security and privacy concerns, many types of student profiles are restricted.
A student profile is used in a financial aid office to determine financial aid eligibility and to keep track of the student’s accounts and history at the college. Several financial aid offices use the College Board’s PROFILE® as part of their financial aid applications, with students filling out the document to provide information about themselves and their financial situations. A typical financial aid profile includes demographic and financial information about the student and parents, as well as a complete account history.
When students apply to a school, admissions offices create student profiles. The profile is frequently electronic so that it can be easily tracked and forwarded to various members of the admissions office. The profile includes basic demographic information from the student, as well as admissions essays, educational records from previous institutions, and letters of recommendation. Transcripts of interviews, records of interactions with the applicant, and other relevant data can be included in admissions profiles. If the student is accepted, the admissions profile will be used to create a student profile for recordkeeping purposes, which will include grades, courses taken, and other information, and will be maintained the registrar and bursar’s offices.
To entice potential applicants, many universities and colleges include casual profiles of their students in admissions brochures and on their websites. These student profiles are focused on the students’ interests and courses of study at the school, providing a snapshot of a typical student at the school that applicants can use to determine if the school is a good fit for them. Because these student profiles are public, they are only published with the student’s permission and do not contain sensitive information.
The media may profile students as well. Many small town newspapers publish student profiles around graduation time so that community members can learn more about the students who are graduating and their future plans. A journalist can profile a student who is doing something interesting, such as organizing a community group, volunteering abroad, or excelling in sports competitions, to create a public interest story.