The Obama administration is urging universities and colleges to re-evaluate how questions about an applicant’s criminal history are used in the admissions process, part of an effort to remove barriers to education, employment and housing for those with past convictions, in many cases for minor crimes.

Education Secretary John B. King Jr. released a “Dear Colleague” letter to universities and colleges on Monday along with a guide, “Beyond the Box: Increasing Access to Higher Education for Justice Involved Individuals.” Among the guide’s recommendations is a suggestion that colleges consider delaying questions about criminal records until after admissions decisions to avoid a “chilling effect” on potential applicants.

Noting that an estimated 70 million Americans have some form of criminal record, Mr. King said people who have been involved with the criminal justice system “continue to face significant hurdles in obtaining access to higher education or career training.”

Most universities ask questions about an applicant’s criminal record as part of the admissions process. Requests for this information have increased in the past decade or so after several high-profile instances of campus violence.