By Karen Gutierrez
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Applying to Ohio's biggest university used to be a breeze. You'd fill in your grades, race, test scores and activities, then let Ohio State University's point system do the rest. Not anymore.

In response to the U.S. Supreme Court's June ruling on affirmative action, Ohio State has tossed out its old system in favor of a more personal approach. Now, for the first time, its applicants must describe the education levels attained by their parents, grandparents and siblings. They also must answer four provocative essay questions, each with no more than 150 words.

Ohio State is one of just a few universities nationwide to make such significant changes because of the court ruling. It will spend an extra $200,000 a year processing the new applications.

For most students, it won't be any harder to get into Ohio State, which accepts 73 percent of those who apply. But it will take more thought.

In Greater Cincinnati, where 1,800 students gained admittance to the university last year, some high-schoolers confirm they're procrastinating over completing OSU's online application.

"I was ready to click and send it," says Erin St. George, a senior at Mother of Mercy High School in Westwood. "Then I got to the essay page, and I'm like, 'What is this?'"

Weeks later, she still hasn't found time to answer the questions.

The most complex question - No. 3 - asks students to name a public figure who is different from them in race, religion, sexual orientation or the like. Then they must describe what they have learned from this person.

"You think I'm not worried about this?" jokes Mabel Freeman, Ohio State's assistant vice president for undergraduate admissions.

So far this fall, applications for next year's freshman class are down compared to the same time last year. This is probably because the new application wasn't available until later than usual, OSU says.

Still, "Most universities will tell you, you add anything and it cuts into your applications for at least a year," Freeman says. "You hope you don't lose any good students because they're turned off by it."

Diversity uncertainty

Until now, OSU had used a point system to help sort through the 20,000 applications it receives each year. In keeping with the university's diversity goals, minority students automatically received extra points towards admission.

University officials were proud of the results. Last year, 19 percent of incoming freshmen were minorities, one of the highest percentages of any public university, Freeman says.

With the new process, she can't be certain that trend will continue.

In June, the U.S. Supreme Court outlawed point systems in a case involving the University of Michigan.

Race can still be considered by colleges, the court said, but it can't automatically propel certain students above others. Instead of awarding points, universities must do individualized reviews of applicants, the court said.

The ruling had little effect on most colleges in Ohio and Kentucky because they weren't using points.

In most cases at Ohio State, the essays and information on relatives' education levels won't have any impact on whether a student gets in. Each year, about 80 percent of the freshman class is accepted on academic merit alone.

The remaining 20 percent are borderline students who bring something else to the mix. In such cases, students who are first in their family to attend college might get special consideration. So might those with strong essays.

"You're looking for people who can be reflective, who can be thoughtful," Freeman says.

Oprah and Saddam

So far, the essay submissions have run the gamut. For the public figure who is different from them, some students have chosen gay people they know, others Oprah Winfrey.

"We're getting a lot of people talking about Saddam Hussein," Freeman says. "So far, they're all saying they're not like him."

Whatever ideology they express is irrelevant, Freeman says.

One critic isn't so sure.

Roger Clegg, general counsel for the national Center for Equal Opportunity, chuckled when he heard the topics.

"Well, you know, I'm glad Ohio State has gotten rid of the point system," he said. "It's too bad that instead we now have a requirement that students write a politically correct essay."

Some young people in Greater Cincinnati acknowledged that they carefully considered whom their answers might offend.

"I don't want to pick something where, if they disagree, they're going to get upset and hold it against me," says William Jeter, a senior at Princeton High School.

Another senior, Justin Reimer of Edgewood High School, said he avoided any "bashing" in his essay on Al Gore, whose abortion views differ from Justin's.

At Hamilton High, senior Chris Minnich-Weber tackled another politician: George W. Bush. If Chris were president, he wouldn't be making so many religious references in public speeches, he says.

Chris tried not to get too bogged down with his answers to OSU's questions. But at Edgewood High, senior Justin Platt hasn't been so lucky. He's still wrestling with question No. 3.

"I don't know," Justin says, sighing heavily. "It has to come from your heart, so I've been putting that one off."

Four questions

These questions were added to Ohio State University's application this year. Answers are to be no more than 150 words each:

• Describe the expectations you have for your college academic experience.

• Describe a character in literature or film with whom you identify. Why does this character resonate with you?

• Identify a living, public figure whose background, race, gender, sexual orientation, religion or ideology makes the person substantially different from you and indicate what you've learned from your awareness of this person and his/her background, views or experiences.

• Looking ahead to the next five to 10 years, what personal, social or political issue concerns you most and why?

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E-mail kgutierrez@enquirer.com