Starting with this entry, we will begin a month long introduction to the various members that make up the Johns Hopkins Admissions Committee. We hope you will enjoy reading through these Q&A profiles and that we will be able to provide some insights into the people who are reading and evaluating your applications.
First up is the newest member of the Admissions committee...
Name: Shannon Miller
Territory: the “leftover states” (which by the way, are the best to have!): Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Nebraska, Nevada, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Wisconsin, Wyoming.
Education (College - Major/Minor): Gettysburg College in Gettysburg, PA - Español major / History minor.
Johns Hopkins Start Date: August 2005
Years in Admissions: 6 months - I'm the "chica nueva."
Why did you choose to enter the profession of College Admissions?: When I was at Gettysburg, I worked in the Admissions Office as a tour guide, receptionist, day and overnight visit coordinator, and helped out with information sessions. It’s safe to say I was bitten by the Admissions bug and then discovered that it really is something I love doing.
Favorite Animal?: Monkey – who doesn’t love monkeys?!?!
Why did you choose to work for Johns Hopkins?: Because they chose me. :o) I also liked the idea of representing a school that was in some ways similar to mine – no core curriculum, a great study abroad program (I went to Sevilla and had an awesome time), a small campus with tons of stuff to do, and a variety of majors to choose from.
What do you enjoy most about your job?: Being around people all the time…I’m a people person. It really is fun to do college visits, fairs, receptions, and information sessions and meet different people all the time. Plus, with my territory being so grande, I get to travel to some pretty cool places.
How do you approach reading an application?: I’ll read it in whatever order it comes to me in the folder. I like variety when I’m reading. Once I’ve gone through all of the information, I’ll go back and look at the academic side (GPA, test scores, course selection), the extracurricular side (what the student has done outside the classroom), and the personal side (the recommendations and the essays). With all of this information, I can then make a decision recommendation.
When not reading applications, what do you do for fun?: I’ll do just about anything. I love going to the beach, traveling, hanging out with friends, going out Downtown, watching movies…you name it, I probably like to do it.
What are your Admissions pet peeves? (What drives you crazy?): Although I understand that technology can be temperamental and would never hold it against a student, it drives me crazy when I get an email that says “For my online application, when I typed my essay it was in paragraph form with indentations at the beginning of each paragraph…however, when I submitted it, lines were shifted and indentations were taken away.” Don’t worry about it folks…I know you understand simple paragraph structure and won’t penalize you for it!
Favorite College Essay: Being that it is my first year and all decisions haven’t gone out yet, I can’t tell you much about my favorite essay. However, my favorite so far was quite creative and involved a BURRITO.
What three things would you want with you if you were stranded on a deserted island?: Vince Vaughn, chocolate, and a cell phone – so when being stranded wasn’t much fun anymore, I could make a phone call and get off.
If you would like to contact Shannon directly, please feel free to post a message on her discussion thread in the "Ask Admissions" forum of the new Johns Hopkins Message Boards. Click here!
Check back at the end of the week for Profile II: Jameel Freeman...
Nice to meet you!
Good luck this round!
Posted by: Victoria | January 18, 2006 at 03:06 AM
Yea! I agree! who doesn't love monkeys!??
Nice to meet you Shannon! :)
Posted by: Dodam Lee | January 18, 2006 at 03:15 PM
muahaha. i think i met her at one of the info sessions in dallas.
Posted by: Monica | January 19, 2006 at 11:33 PM
Do you guys usually reject someone if they happen to commit one of your "admissions pet peeves"?
Posted by: Dana | January 24, 2006 at 08:29 PM
Don't worry Dana. We would never reject a person soley because they committed one of our "admissions pet peeves." We are just throwing them out there as tips for future applicants.
Posted by: Admissions_Shannon | January 25, 2006 at 01:57 PM
I like monkeys too, and traveling, watching movies, and Vince Vaughn.
Nice to meet you Ms. Miller.
Posted by: Ashela | February 23, 2006 at 10:56 AM