The U.S. Department of Justice is investigating whether the ethics policy of a national college-admissions group violates federal antitrust law.
Inside Higher Ed reported the investigation into the National Association for College Admission Counseling. The Justice Department has been requesting information from people at NACAC, and at some colleges, who were involved in writing an updated version of NACAC’s ethics policy last year.
The publication obtained a copy of the Justice Department’s letter to NACAC, which says that the inquiry focuses on a possible agreement “to restrain trade among colleges and universities in the recruitment of students.”
In its biweekly newsletter to members—college counselors at high schools and admissions counselors at colleges and universities—NACAC said, “At present, we know little about the scope and intent of the inquiry, but we are cooperating fully to provide all requested documents.”
It wasn’t immediately clear which sections of the policy caught the Justice Department’s attention. The overall aim of the policy is to safeguard students in the admissions process.
