ProPublica, an investigative news organization, named The Hatchet’s story on GW’s misrepresentation of an admissions policy one of the year’s best pieces of education reporting.

From ProPublica:

For years, George Washington University said it practiced “need-blind” admissions. In fact, the university had long been taking students’ financial resources into account when making final admissions decisions and would opt to accept students with more resources over poorer students with comparable – or even better – qualifications, the student newspaper, the GW Hatchet, reported.

The story, reported and written by Jeremy Diamond, was the most-read in Hatchet history, generating nearly 58,000 unique pageviews. As a result of the reporting, GW pledged more transparency in the admissions process.

Only one of the other 13 stories listed by ProPublica was published by a college newspaper. The Crimson White, University of Alabama’s student newspaper, uncovered a Greek system still segregated along racial lines.

Other stories recognized include: the New York Times report on New York University’s extension of mortgage loans for administrators’ second homes, and This American Life’s radio series on fears of violence in a Chicago public school.

Here’s our complete coverage on the need-blind controversy:
Oct. 21: GW misrepresented admissions and financial aid policy for years

Oct. 21: GW no longer calls itself need-blind. How’d we get here?

Oct. 22: As GW officially becomes ‘need-aware,’ senators question lack of transparency

Oct. 23: After storm of outrage, Knapp says admissions office will clean up messaging

Oct. 24: Pushing for transparency, enrollment manager quietly tried to fix admissions messaging

Oct. 24: Across U.S., colleges turn toward need-aware policies to manage financial shortcomings

Oct. 24: STAFF EDITORIAL: Knapp fails to take responsibility for GW’s ethical lapses

Oct. 28: The messy science of GW admissions