Some higher education advocates have long sought transparency in college admissions data, but President Trump’s latest actions to bring that dream to reality comes with trepidation in how the administration will use the information.

In a memorandum signed Thursday, the president moved to require universities to give the Department of Education more admissions data. Education Secretary Linda McMahon is then instructed to build it into a database easily accessible to parents and students.

While the information could be eye-opening into how institutions are choosing students, it comes with a backdrop of fear the president will target universities that produce unfavorable data in his view.

“I'll say lots of folks in the space, researchers and think tanks alike, have wanted more transparency on the black box that is college admissions. So, I think that from that perspective, lots of folks would be interested in seeing this data. What I question with this administration is the intention around the collection of the data,” said Wil Del Pilar, senior vice president of EdTrust.

McMahon has 120 days to expand the scope of reporting requirements, leaving universities with the options to submit or fight in the legal the system.

The move was........

© The Hill