Hopkins Insider

Advice to Parents ... from Admissions Daniel's Mom

As I am pre-occupied with the emotional roller coaster that has become rooting on my New York Mets this weekend, I thought it is a perfect time for the Hopkins Insider blog to turn to its second Guest Author. This time you all get to enjoy the journalistic stylings of a very important person in my life ... my Mom.

Yes, Admissions Daniel's mother has penned a blog entry. This past summer, "Admissions Mom Rachel" joined me during a series of summer college fairs in New England. This was her second time shadowing me as I performed the recruiting aspects of my job and this year she was much more involved then just helping me keep the college fair tables stocked with materials and keeping me company while stuck in New England traffic. This year we actually chatted a lot about the big issues of my profession and while sitting in traffic our collective light bulbs went on. What a great idea to have my Mom write a blog entry for the parents out there ... sharing her thoughts and her advice. So with out further adieu, I turn this blog over to Mom. Enjoy!

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Greetings readers of my son's blog. My name is Rachel and I am Admissions Daniel's mother. This past summer I accompanied my son on one of his recruitment trips to New England. This was the second year I went with him, and what an amazing experience. Besides getting to see my son perform, I also had the chance to be a witness once again to the college search process in action for so many students and their parents. My first conclusion; things have really changed in the last 15 years since my children were looking at colleges.

As we drove around from college fair to college fair we chatted a lot about how things have changed and how chaos and stress seemingly have taken over on all fronts. However, as we chatted I also sensed a lot of clarity could be gained if students and more importantly parents, paused, took a deep breath, and patiently looked at the big picture from all sides. As we continued to chat, it was clear I had a lot to say and what better way to say my peace then taking over the Hopkins Insider blog.

(So this is blogging. Hmmm...No big deal.)

I write to the PARENTS out there. This is my advice to you all as you shadow your children as they proceed through their personal college searches. Hopefully you will find my advice helpful ... and most importantly keep reading my son's blog because I truly believe he is really good at what he does. He puts his heart and soul into what he does!

#1 - LET YOUR CHILD SPEAK

This may seems obvious, but after what I have witnessed it clearly isn't. You need to let your child speak for themselves. More importantly, encourage them to speak up and ask questions. As I watch my son do his job at the college fairs, he is much more engaged when the student is involved in the conversation. This doesn't mean that parents shouldn't ask questions, just don't dominate.

Remember, they are the ones going to college. I know it is tempting to live vicariously through your children, especially with all the opportunities available to them now, compared to what was available to us back then. But you need to let them make their own choices. Your role is to guide them, make suggestions, encourage them, at time prod them into action, and let them know what is financially available to them. Be their cheerleader, but also step back and let them grow. I guarantee, they will surprise you.

#2 - DON'T BUY INTO THE HYPE

There is so much information out there today about the college search process. However, in my opinion, so little of it is accurate or the truth.

Today's students have an abundance of information with the Internet, college guide books, guidance counselors, counselors for hire, their peers, the media ... I could go on. It seems everywhere you turn now there are stories about college admissions and finding the right college. Everyone now has an opinion. There really is a “Yin & Yang” feeling to all of this. On the one hand so much information opens up so many doors. But on the other hand you can drown in so much information.

I was shocked by how many questions and comments from both parents and students could be described as "college admissions gossip”. At times those questions seemed more prevalent. Instead the questions should have focused more on whether the college was the right fit for the student. Watching Daniel interact it seemed like lots of his time was spent dispelling myths.

Help your children to sort through all this information and decipher between factual information, personal opinions, and ridiculous myths. There are credible sources in the mix, it just takes some time and patience to ignore the hype.

#3 - GO BEYOND THE NUMBERS

If there is one thing I have seen watching Daniel read all those application year to year, it is that the numbers are just one of many factors. Your child will learn nothing about whether Hopkins is the right school for them (or other schools for that matter) by focusing on average SATs and GPAs.

Today's college bound students need to expand their searches and ultimately that will expand their horizons. If your child is considering Hopkins, he or she is probably quite gifted. One of the true pitfalls of looking at highly selective colleges is the strong tendency to focus on getting in. The gaming of the admissions process has unfortunately gotten out of hand, and is replacing what students should really be doing ... investigating the "right fit." It is a four year commitment, and how can some statistics determine fit?

Experiencing the college fairs, the students who got the most information from Daniel were the ones who wanted to discuss what was available to them such as the as the arts, sports, classes, clubs, research, etc. Those who asked questions about social life and academic fit seemed so much more adjusted, than those who focused on the numbers. There was an excitement, more confidence, and a more optimistic point of view of these students than those discussing “how to get in” questions. My advice is to make sure your son or daughter focuses their college search on questions of “fit” rather than how to gain admission.

At the same time I say this, I also understand how competitive it is to get in. So I advise way in advance of decision time, you should have a conversation about dealing with rejection. Remember again also to speak openly about the financial commitment that must be made by the whole family. Make sure they realize there is not just one school that fits, and in the end there are perfect schools for everyone.

Let me leave you with this final suggestion ... now is the time to watch in amazement as your child continues to mature and tackles this task with gusto. Your children have so much more than we did: more resources, more opportunity, more choice. Guide them and advise them, but cherish this time and this decision too. This is the time for you to LISTEN to your children, to have confidence in them, and begin to assist them with their futures. Continue to support and protect them, while at the same time enjoying the ride in the passenger seat.

And one final note ... if I was a parent of a college-bound child considering Johns Hopkins University, here are the types of questions I would have him or her asking Admissions Daniel. (Give this list to your children, it will help.)

1. You have to ask about Baltimore. Everyone has heard the rumors and concerns about life in Baltimore. I have visited many times and it is a great city that continues to improve. The Hopkins campus is beautiful, part of an extension of the city is Baltimore. Make sure to find out more about "Charm City."
2. Please ask about something other than medicine. Hopkins is so much more than medicine. I wasn't aware of their amazing programs in writing, international studies, engineering, etc. until I listened to Daniel speak about the place. Plus, you will make my son happy if you don't ask about the pre-med major.
3. Ask tons of questions about social life. Some of the best students who chatted with Daniel during the college fairs were a young lady who wanted to know more about the Hillel program and a young man who wanted to know about the baseball program. Ask whether Hopkins has your extracurricular passions. Ask about the campus, the students, and what people do for fun. Hopkins is not the place where fun comes to die, make sure you find out why that is just a myth.
4. Asking about what learning is like. Don't just ask if Hopkins has your intended major. Ask about how students learn, how they interact with faculty, how they work with each other. Statistics like class size, student to faculty ratio, number of students are all important, but you want anecdotes too. Each school has an overall academic philosophy and you need to see if that matches with the way you want to learn.
5. Ask about Hopkins Interactive. It is a great site, and more students should use all its features. (Sorry I had to put in a plug for my son.)

Well, I hope I have done the Hopkins Insider blog justice, and you all found my words insightful and helpful. Maybe Daniel will invite me back for another guest blogging stint ... I'll make sure to share baby pictures and any embarrassing stories of Daniel's childhood.

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Well, we hope you enjoyed this entry. Since I have had a few requests for an update on my niece Lilly (and my mom's granddaughter), here are some new pictures from the end of the summer and her first day of pre-pre-pre-school. She has learned so much already that she has moved to teaching Soze. Hopkins Class of 2028 here she comes!!!

Exploring Hopkins with 201 Close Friends

Greetings all. I hope you enjoyed last week's entry by our first Guest Author. Stay tuned for a second Guest Author later this week. In between those two entries, I thought I would update you all with what I have been up with this past week.

One major caution though: It is late on Sunday night ... I am in a hotel room in Waltham, MA that I have been calling "home" for the last 7 days (the walls are closing in on me) ... I am addictively watching the final two hours of last season's So You Think Can Dance? (Thanks MTV for the marathon) ... I am over tired after one very long week of travel ... AND I really need to pack as I am checking out tomorrow morning. What does all that mean? This is going to be quite a random entry ... sorry in advance.

So, I guess the first bit of news is what led to this entry's title. This afternoon I spent two hours entertaining (hopefully) 201 students, parents, and friends during my Boston Explore Hopkins program. This is the fifth one of these programs I have done in my years at Hopkins, and by far it was the best one. A great crowd, great questions, most of my jokes worked, and all the new slides for my PowerPoint presentation worked perfectly. (Reading my entry from last year's Explore Hopkins in Boston here.) I spent a bit of time hyping Hopkins Interactive and the Hopkins Insider Blog, so I hope some of the program attendees will be reading this soon. Can you see yourself in the picture? Make sure to leave a comment!

Prior to the Explore Hopkins program this afternoon, I spent the past week visiting high schools throughout Rhode Island and the Boston metro area. I have one more day in Boston tomorrow, and then it is over to Worcester for one day and up to New Hampshire for a couple of more days. I return to Baltimore at the end of the week and I can't wait. Not because I am back home, but because I will be moving into my new office in Mason Hall. WOO HOO!

While on the road, I typically jot down notes of random thoughts that run through my mind. I thought I would share some from this past week:

• You know how I know I am old? The radio station I listed to when I was in college has a mid-day Retro Lunch hour. Well, they are playing popular songs from when I was in college. How can these songs be Retro?
• I know the definition of ABSURD ... Boston traffic. Oy vei.
• I find it funny that I am truly a neat freak when it comes to my apartment, my office, my hotel ... but when it comes to a rental car I am a slob. Every day I have to clean up my materials and throw away garbage strewn throughout the car. Definitely a strange thing.
• For the Guidance Counselors out there ... want to know how you can get me to visit your school every year. Make sure the visitor parking spots are easy to find and available, and always provide me with a bottle of water. I also like it when you spend time chatting with me ... I'm not just there to visit your students.
• Wow, I am so jealous of high school students of today. Compared to my high school experiences, you all have so many resources available to you. Don't waste them.
• I continue to wonder whether High School Visits are effective? Still no final conclusions yet.
• Once again ... I can't stand Boston traffic ... it makes no sense.
• My Mets are really stressing me out ... I don't need this anxiety!

Just a few thoughts ... Hey, I warned you; this is going to be a random entry. Oh yeah one other thought to add - HEROES IS BACK ON MONDAY. So excited!!!!!!!

Well, my eyes are beginning to get really heavy so it is off to bed for me. I do have two things to leave you all with ... one Hopkins related and one completely random.

First, any of you watch Beauty and the Geek. Well, if you don't, you should and you should root for Tony. He is one of the "geeks" this year and he is a recent Biomedical Engineering graduate from Hopkins. Check out Tony here:

(1) http://cwtv.com/cw-video/beauty-and-the-geek/short/?play=427-1636

(2) http://cwtv.com/cw-video/beauty-and-the-geek/short/?play=427-1635

Oh, and by the way Tony's partner is Amanda (click here) ... Tony is one lucky geek.

And finally ... I have found the one thing that truly disturbs me in this world. Here it is, thanks to The Soup:

AAAAHHHH!

Let's finish all this randomness with some new pictures of Soze.

How Do I Get There From Johns Hopkins?

As I alluded to at the end of my last entry, there's just one more item as part of the "new things" theme of my most recent entries. Drum roll please ... Welcome to the first Hopkins Insider entry written by a Guest Author. Yes, over the coming months we will have some guest authors providing you all with another point-of-view of the Hopkins world of Admissions. Today's Guest Author is my colleague Mark Butt (read profile here). We hope you enjoy this new feature, and stay tuned later next week for our second Guest Author -- my Mom.

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To any member of an admissions team, New Jersey can be one of the most daunting territories in which to travel and from which to review applications.  The excessive entanglement of roadways and traffic are enough to deter anyone of sound mind and thought.  Upon closer review, however, New Jersey is a conglomeration of 21 counties which, as a whole, graduates outstanding students from both private and public high schools.  Despite being a state recognized for high rates of urban crime, lofty taxes and a history of political duplicity, New Jersey students in general are exceptionally well-prepared and attend four-year colleges at one of the highest rates in the United States.

Charles Dudley Warner once said "There is no moment of delight in any pilgrimage like the beginning of it."  So this is where I am:  the start of travel season.  As the regional admissions counselor for New Jersey and Delaware I am fortunate enough to enjoy the scenic New Jersey Turnpike during my travels.  However, in addition to a domestic region, I am one of the few counselors that specialize in foreign educational systems.  So yes, this means that this year I am making my way to Europe.  For my entire travel season, which is four weeks in total, I will cover over sixty locations in nine different countries.  Yes, that is fast. 

Travel season presents some challenges especially when traveling to new schools which I do every year.  In addition to school visits, this year I am conducting two major regional presentations which we call “Explore Hopkins” presentations.  Most of my colleagues will conduct these presentations around the country.  Both of mine are in New Jersey:

Tuesday September 18, 2007 at Dwight-Englewood School – 7PM
Sunday, October 14, 2007 at the Cherry Hill Crowne Plaza – 2PM

(Register here if interested in attending.)

This year my schedule is generally an international travel stint for two weeks sandwiched by two individual weeks in New Jersey and Delaware.  Planning for travel season is most definitely an adventure but it becomes easier the longer one travels and reads for a specific region.  Presentations and college fairs act as “anchors” for travel – the times cannot be moved.  Over time one becomes more familiar with high schools, their locations, the high school counselors and most importantly, the location and how far it is from another school.  Therefore, schedules for regional travel have to be made around them.  For example, when I first began, I had scheduled four visits in one day – which is fairly normal (sometimes I make efforts to do five of six if the schools are close enough).  However, I made my first and last appointment at schools that were literally across the street from each other!  So yes, I was driving all over the place that day!  Now, if I am visiting both of those schools in the same year, I always schedule them back to back. 

I do not anticipate my New Jersey travel to be too crazy as I’m familiar with most of the areas but I do have some new schools on the map for this year so I get to be slightly adventurous in finding new schools.  One thing that is always hard to discern is the traffic in a particular region.  Some schools make look just minutes apart (for example Teaneck and Tenafly) however, with traffic in the morning it can take an extended amount of time. 
In all, you have to be able to roll with the punches and try your very best to be on time for all the visits!

Once the schedule is planned and the schools have been scheduled and arranged in an order that is efficient, flights, hotels and cars must be booked.  Flights, hotels and cars must be affordable and must work with the schedule.  It’s a very intricate dance between all the accommodations that must be made in order to make a travel season successful.  For me, international travel is very exciting.  This is my second international trip on behalf of Johns Hopkins.  I truly enjoy international travel and I love the challenge of finding new things in new places and exploring the cultural flavor of new places.  I made a trip to Costa Rica in May to speak with prospective students which was a great trip.  This fall, Europe is the target.  In addition to school visits, I have three fairs which are listed here:

http://apply.jhu.edu/visit/collegefairs.html

We at Hopkins will enroll nearly 100 international students every year from many different countries.  It most definitely adds flavor to the freshman class and students here have the chance to meet people from all over the world.  Seeing that our most popular major here is International Studies, I think it is very important to have students from all over contributing to the classroom discussions about our world, global politics, the environment, and international development among others.  Students would lose out if they were not to hear from students from other countries.  That said, this year I will be traveling to the United Kingdom, France, Greece, Italy and Turkey and help them understand the admissions requirements for international applicants and Johns Hopkins University.  Having been a foreign student myself at the undergraduate and graduate level, I understand the challenges presented to students with examinations, foreign credential transfer and immigration paper work!

So travel season is set to be an adventure.  Wish me luck and if you happen to be in New Jersey, Delaware or Europe, perhaps I will see you on the road. 

It's New To Us (and You Too)

A couple of weeks ago I wrote a "re-run" entry that looked back at all the great blog content over the last four months. Then earlier this week I wrote about the big move to Mason Hall later this month. I thought I would keep with the theme of "new stuff" and talk about some of the big changes to the Admissions Office and the campus for the 2007-08 cycle:

New Students: 

The Class of 2011 arrived over Labor Day weekend and they have already made their mark on Hopkins. An enjoyable Orientation week included an active Freshman Day of Service and culminated with the Student Involvement Fair throughout the Mattin Center. (Click on the links to read some interesting stories from the past couple of weeks.) If selections for the new students to be featured on Hopkins Interactive later this fall is any indication, this incoming class is one of the strongest, most diverse, most unique, and most impressive Hopkins has ever had. Now enjoy some pictures of move-in and scroll to the bottom of this entry for TWO VIDEOS taken on day one of move-in 2007.

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Academic Changes:

On the academic front, the 07-08 year ushers in a number of new things:

• New Provost: On September 1st, Kristina M. Johnson became the 12th provost in the history of Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Johnson left Duke University's Pratt School of Engineering, to assume the role as Hopkins' second highest ranking official and first female Provost in history. This new era also ushers in a new academic direction from Hopkins under the tutelage and expertise of one amazing scholar. Read more about Hopkins' new Provost here.
• New Faculty: The Writing Seminars faculty was one of the departments to expand this year with the addition of the highly successful couple of Mary Jo Salter and her husband Brad Leithauser. Read more in this Baltimore sun article.
• New Programs: Humanities programs continue to expand at Hopkins with the addition of a new minor in Museums and Societies. Check out the program description here.
• Construction: Speaking of the Humanities at Hopkins, the greatest change for the upcoming semester, academically speaking, will be the start of the renovation of Gilman Hall. The project is scheduled to be completed in 2010 and will truly create a center for the study of the Humanities at Hopkins. Read all about the "transformative renewal" here.

Admissions Updates:

More pertinent to my world, are the changes and updates to Admissions for the 2007-08 application cycle. The big change will be the new home of the Admissions Office in Mason Hall, but that's not everything. Here are some of the other "new things":

• New Staff Members: At the end of August the Admissions Counseling Team welcomed three new members ... Dag, Chloe, and Celeste. During the reading cycle we will once again do the staff profiles, but for now you can see the complete re-aligned Admissions staff here.
• Essays: We've got new essays and a new essay policy for the 2007-08 Admissions cycle. Check out this Hopkins Forums discussion thread for all the details, and feel free to ask any questions about essays on the forum thread.
• New Deadline: For those considering applying to Hopkins under our Early Decision plan ... well you have 14 days less this year. So that the Admissions staff can have more time reviewing our Early Decision applicant pool we have changed the ED deadline to November 1st (it was previously November 15th). Learn more about applying ED to Hopkins with this handy-dandy FAQ list.
• New Application Type: As always, you can apply to Hopkins with our own application, our own online application, or the Common Application (both paper and online). Well this year Hopkins will also be accepting the new Universal Application. Haven't heard about the Universal Application, check out the details here. And see all the ways to apply to Hopkins via our Applications page.
• New Materials: See the pictures below. We've got a whole new array of publications and materials, including a snazzy new viewbook, a red covered application, and new tote bags for our visitors.

That should wrap-up the discussion of "new things" on the Hopkins Insider blog for a while ... oh wait ... one more new thing ... but you will have to wait for the next two blog entries.

How about that teaser???

***Now enjoy our Move-in videos...woo hoo!***

Visit Hopkins ... After September 25th

Many of you may have already visited the Homewood campus during last fall, the spring, or over this past summer. I hope you enjoyed your visit, but if possible I recommend coming back ... after September 25th.

Others of you have yet to set foot on the amazing Homewood campus. I hope you will have the chance soon, and I strongly encourage you to schedule a visit ... after September 25th.

And even for the rest of you who may visit campus regularly (maybe you even live/work here), I urge you to plan a visit ... after September 25th.

O.K. I hear you. Why should everyone wait until after September 25th to plan their first time, return, or multiple time visit? Simple ... two words:

MASON HALL

Yes, on September 26, 2007, Mason Hall, part of the new Decker Quad, will become the new home of the Johns Hopkins University's Undergraduate Admissions Office.

This entry is my yearly post to encourage all of you to come visit Baltimore and Hopkins and to share with you the many visit options the Admissions Office offers. But unlike in previous years, there is an increased excitement to welcome our fall visitors because they will be the first to enjoy the masterpiece that is Mason Hall.For those not familiar with Mason Hall, I suggest checking out some of my previous blog entries: November 1, February 14, and June 6.

A few weeks ago, some colleagues and I got to take a hard-hat tour of the new Mason Hall as the construction team was busy with final touches. The building is more impressive than I imagined and I can't wait to abandon "the Annex" and move into the new digs. So you all can get psyched too, I have posted through this entry a selection of photos I took during the tour. I am personally giddy about the move to Mason Hall because I will have my own office (for the first time in 10 years), I will have a window that opens and overlooks the new Quad, and I will finally be in the same building as the whole Admissions team (long story). My excitement is only dampened that I will not be able to share in the opening day as I will still be traveling in New England.

Now on to the ways you can visit Hopkins this Fall, to not only check out Mason Hall, but also to learn more about the educational and social opportunities of attending Hopkins.

Open Houses

The most encompassing visit option is to attend one of our two Fall Open Houses. We will hold our Engineering and Natural Sciences Open House on Saturday, October 20 and then our Humanities and Social Sciences Open House one week later on Saturday, October 27. Both events run from 9:30 a.m - 3:30 p.m. and include the opportunity to connect with faculty, current students, student life and student services staff, take a tour, and learn more about admissions and financial aid. Comprehensive is the best word to desribe these programs. More information, click here.

Overnights

If you are going to attend an Open House, then you may also want to consider staying overnight on the Friday evening before the Open House. We will offer overnights on October 19 and October 26 on a first-come, first-serve basis. Here is your chance to see Hopkins life from behind-the-scenes. The registration form for overnights will launch at the end of September. Click here for further details.

Weekday Visits

On almost every weekday throughout the Fall, the Admissions Office is open for tours, information sessions, class visits, and interviews. Check here for the schedule of campus tours and information sessions. No reservations required, and we suggest you plan to spend a minimum of 3 hours on-campus - one hour for the information session, 1.5 hours for the tour, and the other half hour to grab some lunch. If you want to expand on your visit, you can check at the front desk of Mason Hall to review the class visit binder. Also, you may want to pre-schedule an interview by calling 410-516-8171. (Further details about our optional interviews can be found here.)

Saturday Sessions

Not able to visit during an Open House or during a weekday, the Admissions Office is also open from 11:00am - 1:00pm on selected Saturdays. These visits include an information session and campus tour. For the list of dates and registration form, click here.

Off-Campus Events

Now we know that not all of you can plan a visit this fall, so that is why the full Admissions staff will be spanning the globe in a variety of off-campus events.

• Check out the various locations for our regional presentations, known as Explore Hopkins programs; click here. I recommend the September 23rd event in Boston, as yours truly will be the presenter.
• If you are in New England, you should check out one of our Group Travel programs. These are joint regional presentations with representatives from Northwestern, Rice, and UVa.  Click here for more details. I recommend these events also because once again I will be representing Hopkins. (Come meet Admissions_Daniel ... so cool. O.K., not really.)
• Check out the list of International College Fairs; click here.

We hope to see you visiting campus this fall, or maybe at one of our off-campus events. If not, remember the best source of Hopkins information is Hopkins Interactive (http://apply.jhu.edu/hi).