Hopkins Insider

A Post for the Wait Listed Applicant

College admissions wait lists have been compared by many as a state of purgatory -- not yet admitted and not denied. I often feel that a wait list decision is harder to deal with than a deny decision because there is no closure yet, no definitive answer. The college admissions process is defined by waiting, and now some students must wait for another month or two for their final decision. I have written previously that this wait list process is one of the most discussed topics in my field. Just do a quick Google search and you will find countless articles about the subject and also "supposed" services or advice columns on how a wait list works. Personally, since I find the media so far off base when they report on college admissions, and I have an overwhelming fear of students buying into "how to get off college wait list" schemes, I sit down and compose this post for those on the Johns Hopkins wait list every year.

Wait list decisions exist because of the sheer competition to get into college these days, and they work as a form of protection for schools to make sure they yield their class each year. It would be wonderful to exist in a world with definitive decisions and no wait lists, but unfortunately that ideal just doesn't exist.

So what to do? Well first it is important to know that being placed on the Johns Hopkins wait list is NOT a rejection of you and your abilities. It is a statement about the exceptional quality of our applicant pool and the limited number of spots we can offer to make our class. We respect the frustration and apprehension that exists with being placed in a state of limbo, so to assist we try to provide as much information as we can along the way.

Over the years, I have composed as extensive of a list as possible of frequently asked questions and answers about how the Hopkins wait list works. This list is posted below to attempt to assist you along the way. I also have created a Wait List Discussion Thread on the Hopkins Forums for you to ask additional questions, and for me to post updates when they become available. I hope this helps.

How does the wait list work?
Our enrollment target is 1,225 new freshmen. Based on our estimates we have admitted a percentage of our applicant pool that we expect will yield a class that size. However, it is quite hard to exactly predict the number of students who will accept our offer of admissions, hence the existence of the wait list. If we miss our target, then we will admit students off of our wait list to assure that we enroll a complete class.

I still really want to go to Hopkins. What should I do if I want to remain on the wait list?
To remain on the wait list we ask that you complete and mail back the blue Wait List Reply Card that is included with your decision letter. Send this card back as soon as possible – it needs to be postmarked by May 1. We do not have an online form for submitting this information and we would prefer to receive the reply card back rather than fielding “remain on wait list” responses through email or phone. Just be patient, your decision letter was mailed on Friday (March 27th) and should arrive shortly.

For students living abroad, you may send an e-mail titled “Remain on the Wait List” to <gotojhu@jhu.edu>, since international postal times do vary so much. Please include your full name (that you used when you applied), your birth date, mailing address, and your school name. Just make sure that you do send the blue card back when you receive your decision.

Finally, it is very important to note that only those who select to remain on the wait list option will be considered for a spot in the class if spaces become available.

My wait list letter did not contain a blue card? OR I lost my blue card, what to do?
Traditionally, we request that students submit the blue wait list reply card to officially accept a place of the Johns Hopkins wait list. In such cases where a student has lost or not received the wait list card with their decision letter, we do have a process of allowing students to request to remain on the wait list. To do such, please send an email to gotojhu@jhu.edu with the subject line of "Remain on the Wait List." Please include your full name, birth date, mailing address, and school name in this email.

Should I do anything else besides sending back the card? I heard we can update our applications. Is that true, and what kind of updates can we submit?
You may certainly send updates that you would like added to your application. Such information can assist the Admissions committee if we do review wait list candidates for admission. We suggest the following if updating your application:

• A Letter of Interest – A one or two page letter to the Admissions Committee that states why you are interested in Hopkins, why you feel it is the right school for you, and why you should be admitted from the wait list.
• Updated resume – Let us know what you have gotten involved with during your senior year. This should include updated information not in your original application.
• Recommendations - One or two additional or updated letters.
• Updated transcript – Your most recent grades, even beyond the mid-year report can be helpful. Ask your guidance counselor to submit them if possible.

Please DO NOT send the following: (1) additional writing samples; (2) supplemental materials such as CDs, slides, portfolios, etc.; (3) research or term papers. Just stick to the list above. Along these same lines, I like what one of my fellow bloggers from another university (Matt at MIT) write:

Here are some things you should not do: Fly to campus to make the case in person. Send us ridiculous items or bribes. Submit a whole new application. Bombard our office with way too much stuff. Be pushy. Be sketchy. Let your grades drop. Not choose another college to attend by May 1.

Do note that you are not required to submit any additional materials, just the postcard. Also it important that if you choose to submit updates to your file, make sure that they will contribute in a substantive way or provide new information. All updates should be sent to the Admissions Office either via postal mail or fax (410-516-6025). We can not process application updates submitted through email. When mailing, do include your full name, birth date, school name, and a note that the materials are to be used as a wait list update.

Why was I wait listed? Was this just a way to break the bad news more gently?
Admissions decisions are comprehensive decisions that take into account many factors included in each individual application within the context of the overall applicant pool. In every application we are searching for the ideal fit with the university based on the information in the applicant files. The Admissions Committee is unable to discuss with applicants why we were not able to offer admission, but it is important to know that offering a student a spot on our wait list is not done out of a courtesy or to lessen the impact of our decision. Any student on the wait list who chooses to remain on the wait list will have a chance for admission if spaces in the class become available.

How big is this year's wait list? Is the wait list ranked?
We will not know the size of this year's wait list until we receive all wait list reply cards back. We expect that about 1000 students will request to keep their position on our wait list.

In no way, shape, or form is our wait list ranked. If spaces in the class become available, we will review the application of each and every student who selected to remain on the wait list.

What are my chances of being admitted from the wait list?
It is impossible at this time to predict any individual's chances of being admitted from the wait list. Admission will depend on how many admitted students accept their offer from Hopkins, how many students send back their wait list replay cards, and a series of other enrollment factors. There is just no way of telling, so we request your patience and understanding.

When will I hear if I've been accepted off the wait list? The other schools I was admitted to require a deposit by May 1 - should I wait until I hear from Hopkins?
Once again that all depends on the response from our admitted students. Our decision as to whether we will admit students off the wait list will not be made prior to May 1 and it is more likely we will make that determination closer to June 1. We strongly recommend that you submit your deposit to a school where you have been accepted. If you are later admitted to Hopkins from the wait list and choose to attend, you will withdraw your enrollment from the other school and forfeit the previous deposit.

How do you choose from the wait listed candidates? Do you choose people who will fit better at JHU than others; people who show the most interest, people who satisfy spaces open in certain academic areas, or a mix of all of this?
As I stated above, any student on the wait list who chooses to remain on the wait list will have a chance for admission if spaces in the class become available and admission off the wait list will depend on how many admitted students accept their offer from Hopkins. The main thing to note is that if we decide to use the wait list this year EVERY applicant who chose to remain on the wait list will be re-reviewed for admission. When re-reviewing students for admission off the wait list our priority will always be quality of the student and what will they contribute to Hopkins, but we may also have to factor in additional concerns dependent on the make-up of the enrolling class. It is that last note that I will try to expand on.

If the decision is made to select students for admission off the wait list than a determination is made that we have not hit our targets for the enrolling class. This means that we have not enrolled the set number of students we want to enroll. Removing students off the wait list helps us make our yield number but also helps us make sure there is diversity in our class in every way shape and form.

It might be decided that when selecting students off the wait list we specifically want to target one area of academic interest ... or we need to take students with no financial need because we have no aid ... or we want students with a specific demographic breakdown -- it all depends and unfortunately until we see the make-up of the class of 2013 we can not make a determination. Remember there is no guarantee that one will be admitted off the wait list just because they are a strong applicant, because there is no guarantee that we will need to take students off the wait list. Interest does matter but it is not the driving force of our decision making process.

I want to come see the campus in April. Can I visit, and what kind of visit programs can I participate in?
You are welcome to visit Hopkins in the month of April. Our offices are open Monday - Friday, 8:30am - 4:30pm. Tours are offered on weekdays at 11am and 2pm, and information sessions are available at 10:00am and 1:00pm. There are some exceptions, so check out the visit section on our web site: http://apply.jhu.edu/visit/guidedtours.html. We regret that we are unable to accommodate any requests for overnights and/or day visits from wait listed students. Additionally, our Open House programs in April are for admitted students only.

During my visit can I get an interview or meet with an Admissions counselor one-on-one?
Unfortunately, no. We are unable to grant interview or meeting requests for wait listed students. Instead, we ask that you put any information or updates in a written letter which will be added to your application file. If you do have a specific question, you may email your regional counselor: http://apply.jhu.edu/contact/staff.html.

If I am accepted off the wait list and I applied for financial aid, will I receive any financial assistance?
There is no guarantee of financial assistance for students accepted from the wait list. It all depends on whether there is available funding after the numbers are crunched from the admitted students who have chosen to enroll. If financial aid is still available, then students admitted off the wait list will have financial aid packages awarded to them. If financial aid is not available, then we will be unable to admit students off the wait list with financial need.

If I am accepted off the wait list, am I bound to enroll at Johns Hopkins?
No. If we offer places in the class to students on the wait list, those students will have the chance to select whether they want to enroll at Hopkins or stick with the other University that they had previously selected. We provide students with about a two-week deadline for responding to our offer of admission from the wait list. Submitting the Wait List Reply card and selecting that you want to remain on the wait list is not a commitment to enroll at Hopkins if admitted.

Do you have any historical data of how many students were admitted from the wait list in previous years?
Though every year is different and the numbers vary, here is what happened the past few years:

2008 - Approximately 50 student were admitted from the wait list.

2007 - Approximately 80 students were admitted from the wait list.

2006 - No offers of admission from the wait list.

2005 - No offers of admission from the wait list.

2004 - Approximately 150 students were admitted from the wait list.

2003 - Approximately 100 offers.

2002 - No offers.

2001 - Approximately 50 offers.

2000 - No offers.

I hope this information helps. I will update the blog with news from the wait list when it becomes available. Just remember, there will not be any news until after May 1st, and more likely my next wait list update will not be posted until the middle of May at the earliest. Finally, remember if you have further questions please post them to the Wait List Discussion Thread on the Hopkins Forums.

A Post for the Denied Applicant

In the three plus years I have been writing this blog about the Johns Hopkins Admissions process, I have never posted a specific entry written for those applicants denied admission. First, I always assumed that after a student received a deny decision from Johns Hopkins that they would not return to the blog. Second, I felt that my comments would not be received well by a student who had received such negative news. And finally, I feared that my words would fail me in expressing the heartfelt compassion I feel for a non-admitted student.

However, after such a difficult year in rendering decisions, I felt it was important to post some thoughts. No matter what you may think at this time, or what you may read on some anonymous online forum, admissions counselors loathe the process of denying applicants. We all universally agree this is the hardest part of our jobs.

Every year my colleagues and I are faced with the daunting task of selecting very few students from a truly outstanding pool of applicants. As I have written many times before, each applicant is considered thoroughly and holistically by a team of professionals. Unfortunately, the number of applicants (16,000+ this year) far exceeds the number of positions we can offer (our freshman class is just over 1200 students). It is never an easy process selecting students and I know my colleagues join me in saying that we sincerely understand your frustration and anger and respect your disappointment when hearing the unfavorable news.

Many deal with rejection by trying to determine where they fell short. They ask questions about what were they missing or what they did wrong. As I complete my tenth admissions cycle, I can attest to the fact that there is never just one reason that leads to our decisions. When reviewing a student's application, we take into consideration a vast array of factors including academic achievement, extracurricular involvement, leadership, commitment to community, and promise of future contribution.

It is said often, and it is quite true ... the college admission review process is about fit. Our applicant pool is filled with qualified applicants, but unfortunately being qualified is not the only consideration. Our freshman class is quite small and we are unable to admit everyone that is capable of doing the work. Please do not receive this news as a judgment of your value and your ability, but rather understand the competitive nature of applying to a highly selective institution like Johns Hopkins.

I was rejected from my first and second choice schools when I applied to college. I was angry, I vented, and I felt that all my hard work was wasted. But then with the support of my friends and family, I realized I had wonderful other options to choose from. And once I made my selection from the schools that admitted me I forgot all about my "love" for the other schools. I committed myself completely to my new college and never looked back. Even today, after realizing I made the wrong choice in the college I attended (no I am not a JHU alum), I do not look back and wonder "what if." I made the best of every day of my collegiate experience and still cherish all the memories, even though I did not attend my first choice school.

My advice is to forget about Johns Hopkins now. Know that there is a college that is going to be uniquely enriched by your presence on their campus and that you will have an amazing undergraduate experience. If there is one thing I have learned over the years, the right college for you is the one that you select to attend and the one you commit yourself to fully.

It is with the deepest sincerity that I wish you the best in your future endeavors.

Answers to a few frequently asked questions:

Can I appeal my decision?
Johns Hopkins University does not accept appeals of our decisions nor will we re-evaluate applications with new information. Our decisions are final and are based on the information provided to the Admissions Committee at the time of decision.

Can I find out why I was denied?
While we as a committee do not address specific components of a student's admission decision, we always note that each year we have an outstanding pool of applicants and there are more qualified applicants than we can admit. It is our practice though not to discuss the factors that go into our final decisions nor provide students with a detailed analysis of their specific application evaluation.

Can I apply again and when?
Yes you may apply again, but must wait for our next admissions cycle which will be the Fall 2010 term. We would strongly encourage you to enroll at another university, and if after a semester or two you still feel that Hopkins is the right place for you, you may apply for transfer admission. Transfer admissions information can be found here: http://apply.jhu.edu/faqs/transfer.html.

Top 5: Mistakes Not to Make in Your Admissions Application

Admissions Counselor: Sarah Godwin

Territory: Colorado, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Tennessee, Louisiana, Mississippi

Johns Hopkins Start Date: August 2008

Links to Previous Profile: February 6, 2009

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Disclaimer: Hopkins Insider Blog readers are too smart and too savvy to need a post entitled “Top 5 Mistakes Not to Make in Your Admissions Application” so this is merely a list for you to share with your younger brother or neighbor that isn’t as savvy as you. It is also an inside peek into some common mistakes our ‘other’ non- blog readers make.

1.) Don’t swallow a thesaurus. 
Have you ever heard your mom, dad, principal, etc. try to use a word or phrase in an attempt to ‘be cool’? Awkward, right? Yes! It is so awkward, it sounds like nails on a chalkboard and they often misuse it. Guess what? The same is true if you write your essay and then turn to a thesaurus to replace words. Don’t get me wrong – a thesaurus is a useful, wonderful tool when writing, but if you haven’t used a word before when writing – your college essay is not the time to try it out. I see this a lot and it just detracts from your essay.

2.) Don’t fall into “the grandma trap”.  
With apologies to all grandmothers everywhere, this is a huge, common mistake applicants make. It goes like this: “Tell us about someone who has had an influence on you and describe that influence”.  It’s an okay question, but I’ve read so many wonderful essays – you guessed it – about people’s grandmothers! Grandfathers, aunts, uncles, and coaches are also included in this. When we read applications we want to know about you, who you are and what you’ll bring to campus. You’re grandma is awesome – so if you find yourself writing an essay about her, send it to her via snail mail and start again on your essay about YOU!

3.) Don’t be afraid of “Captain Obvious”.
Sometimes, my colleagues and I read an application and just say “huh?” Collectively, we’ve read tens of thousands of applications, and here we are stumped about yours. Captain Obvious to the rescue! There is this little part at the end of the Common Application that says “Additional Information”. It is for exactly that, and some of the best information to help a committee comes in that area. Beware! It is not an area for excuses or another essay. The shorter the better here. Below are some actual things I have read (in their entirety) that are perfect for this space:

• “I switched schools from Thomas Jefferson to Clayton High School after sophomore year due to a change in my mother’s job”.

• “The reason I don’t have a math class senior year is because I have exhausted the math options at my school”.

• “I am not playing varsity soccer this fall because I broke my collar bone (ouch!)”

4.) It’s what you’ve done, not what you’ve won. 
Often times, students get so hung-up on listing the awards they’ve won (or positions they’ve held) for a particular activity, that they fail to describe or even mention the actual activity. An example (from this year) is a student who submitted an application and she had won every award possible for her science research. I wanted to advocate for this great applicant – but when I looked to see what her research was about – it was nowhere to be found! The only thing in her file was a long list of awards and no information on her research. The work you’ve done (or activity) is the most important thing to us, be sure to make that the primary focus and only briefly list any awards.

5.) Don’t “fix it and forget it”.  
It’s March, you’re a senior, your admissions applications last fall have long been submitted – but that was months ago – you have almost forgotten that admissions counselors see (and care deeply about) your senior year grades. I’ve seen so many academically strong students take a nosedive in their coursework senior year. This never looks good to an admissions committee, but it happens so often. Of course, readers of the Hopkins Insider blog are not these types of students – so you can just take satisfaction in knowing that by keeping your grades up as a senior - you are doing everything right.

Who Actually Reads Those Applications?

My apologies for the dearth of updates recently, but as you can all imagine my mind has been pretty focused on one task every single day since the new year -- reading applications. I best some of you probably thought I was going to end that sentence referring to something related to popular culture, like dissecting the new episodes of LOST or preparing for the Oscars. While I am keeping up as best I can with my television and film addictions, I really have attempted to focus as much time to evaluating applications (that is what pays the bills after all).

Each and ever day my colleagues and I have similar routines: we locate our favorite beverage and/or snacks, select a specific playlist on our iPod/iTunes, and "pop-a-squat" to read over 35-40 files a day. The routine is different this year as we are not actually reading physical files (Going Green) but rather logging on to OnBase, our electronic application processing and evaluation system. Many things have changed, but many things have stayed the same -- especially the lingo. We still call them files, we still say write-up (rather than type) our reviews, and we still haven't completely gotten used to the word queues. It is a learning process, but I can definitively claim I do not miss the heavy lifting of bins of files and the nasty paper/folder cuts.

Two others things have also pretty much stayed the same this year from last year. First, though an official final number has still not been computed, it appears that the number of applications will slightly surpass our record of 16,012 applications of last year. With all the speculation that the economy would impact our applicant pool, it appears that in fact our applicant pool has broken a record again. Once a final number is available, and we are sure we are not counting any duplicates, I will post it to the blog.

The other thing that has remained pretty consistent this year is the make-up of the counseling staff. Yes, all but one of the primary readers of your applications have returned for the Class of 2013 cycle. And yes we did find a wonderful replacement (Sarah Godwin) for the one departing counselor (Celeste Sedo). 

In years past, each of the counselors have completed staff profiles so that you can learn a bit more about us. Well with such little turnover, we decide to just link to the past profiles and then later this week I will post the newest profile for Sarah. And in the coming weeks, the counselors and I have a nice little surprise for you all ... but we will get to that in due time.

So, enjoy checking out the profiles for my colleagues and I (see links below - and yes the states listed under our names are the states we read for). Make sure to check back soon.

John Birney
Connecticut, New York
January 24, 2006; March 3, 2008

Amy Brokl
California, Washington
January 31, 2006; February 28, 2008

Mark Butt
Delaware, New Jersey, Canada
February 19, 2007; February 25, 2008

Daniel Creasy
Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont
February 7, 2006; February 21, 2008

Matthew D'Agostino
Pennsylvania, Virginia
February 18, 2008

Sherryl Fletcher
Illinois, Michigan, Ohio
January 14, 2006; February 14, 2008

Jameel Freeman
District of Columbia, Maryland, West Virginia
January 20, 2006; February 11, 2008

Sarah Godwin
Colorado, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, South Dakota, Tennessee, Wisconsin
February 6, 2009

Rachel Cowan Jacobs
Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, U.S. Virgin Islands, International
February 10, 2006; February 7, 2008

John Latting
Dean of Undergraduate Admissions
February 17, 2006

Shannon Miller
Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon
January 17, 2006; February 4, 2008

Chloe Rothstein
Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, Texas, Utah, Wyoming, Mexico
January 31, 2008

What's New Vol. 1: Going Green

In my last entry I mentioned that all my new entries over the next couple of weeks will revolve around one theme ... new stuff. So much has been going on at Johns Hopkins throughout the fall semester that I thought a series of "What's New" entries will be informative, enjoyable, and fun for me to write (it will be a good break from Early Decision committees). Also in the last entry I teased the topic of this first "What's New" post would be something that is "changing in a huge way the review process for Early Decision." That one line led to a lot of speculation and some impatience, so with out further adieu I reveal what's new with ED ...

The Johns Hopkins Admissions Process Has Gone Green!!!

For those of you hoping for some radical change in the ED process, this is probably a bit of an anti-climatic reveal, but for myself and my colleagues this is a HUGE CHANGE. The criteria we use for evaluation has not changed ... the committee discussions have not changed ... what we are looking for has not changed ... but it still all feels very different this year.

Last year it was decided that the Admissions Office would invest in a paperless document management and imaging system that would benefit the processing of the over 16,000 undergraduate applications we receive each year. Many of our peer institutions also have been investing in similar paperless evaluation systems, but for us it was a simple decision based on both necessity and evolution. Over the summer we tested and examined a number of services and ultimately chose a system called OnBase. The end of the summer and early fall we focused on implementing this new system and in November everything went live. The Early Decision process has been the Admissions Office's first experience with this paperless review process and though there is clearly a steep learning curve, things are progressing along the way we anticipated.

I would be remiss if I didn't elaborate on another reason for our decision to implement this paperless document system -- the going green effect. Over the last year Johns Hopkins University, and specifically the Homewood campus, has show a commitment to implementing sustainable, green practices. There have been numerous signs of this commitment including:

• recently announced plans to build a cogeneration plant at Homewood to reduce the campus' carbon footprint
• the renovation of Gilman Hall will lead to the Homewood campus' first green building - LEED-certified as promoting a whole-building approach to sustainability
• the President's Office last spring announced that they were discontinuing bottled drinking water, eliminating plastic cups, and whenever possible utilizing reusable supplies
• many more examples can be found at the new Johns Hopkins Sustainability Initiative Web site: http://www.sustainability.jhu.edu/

This change to a paperless Admissions system also stemmed from an obvious conclusion ... the world of Admissions has gone online. Just look at these numbers:

2004:11,102 total undergraduate applications-5,043 submitted online (46%)
2005:11,278 total undergraduate applications-7,234 submitted online (64%)
2006:13,876 total undergraduate applications-10,862 submitted online (78%)
2007:14,848 total undergraduate applications-13,095 submitted online (88%)
2008:16,013 total undergraduate applications-15,523 submitted online (97%)

Besides the clear increase in the number of applications over the last five years, the number applying online has surpassed the critical mass. For all these reasons, the Admissions Office for the first time ever did not print paper applications - the trees are happy about that. Instead we provide applicants three ways to apply online (the JHU Online Application, the online Common Application, and the online Universal Application) and also a downloadable PDF of our paper application for the less than 5% of applicants who just have to apply online. In the end it is a whole new application world, one that saves on paper, electricity, gas, and processing time.

Just think about this one change ... last year 15,523 applications were submitted online and on average an online application (with supplement) would be 10 pages. 15,523 x 10 = 155,230 application pages. Since we did not have our paperless system last year, each one of those pages had to be printed out, entered into our database, sorted, alphabetized, and filed correctly. As well, applicant folders needed to be created for each applicant. A lot of "man hours" right. Well, this year ALL OF THIS PROCESS is done through automatic imports -- no more printing out applications, no more physical applicant folders, no more sorting and alphabetizing, no more filing. No more back-log!!!

What better way to display this change in process then to compare pictures from last year and today ... check out the differences:

Last year ... tons of everything. Printing paper was an endless task. The mail bins piled up. Filing cabinets where each application part needed to be sorted, alphabetized, and filed correctly. And the stacks of files overtook my working space.

This year ... one scanning machine ... automatic imports and applicant batching. Minimal paper to be sorted and filed. A clean desk to read -- just two computer screens, my watermelon, and a notepad if necessary.

With anything new there are always the initial negatives. As I mentioned above, the learning curve of the new system is steep. The process does seem a bit more impersonal now that we aren't holding the applications in our hands. Reading an individual application takes longer. You have to remember to SAVE your work. You are relying on a stable internet connection and connection speeds to get your job done. And I guarantee that soon my perfect 20/20 vision will cease and I will be getting glasses.

But even though there are these initial concerns, the positives of this new system are grand:

• obvious savings to processing time and the environment
• less paper cuts, and oh those nasty folder cuts
• less heavy lifting of application files
• data-tracking is tremendous
• the ability of multiple counselors to be reviewing the same file
• having application files at the tip of my fingers (an example - got a call from a counselor yesterday about a specific file ... in the past I would have had to take a message, gone upstairs, located the file, and called the counselor back -- now I just punch in some info and in less than 15 seconds I have the full file in front of me)
• if I spill my drink it doesn't ruin the application
• jotting down comments on a file is much easier ... I can be very wordy in my application summations, and since I type much faster than I print, now I can get all of my thoughts down and not get hand cramps
• immediate review of where the applicant pool stands -- in the past we needed to wait and wait and wait for our decision sheets to be entered ... now it is automatic
• many, many more positives to come as we climb the learning curve

Well, I need to log back in to OnBase and continue reading files. First reads need to be completed by the end of the day tomorrow, and I have a number of applications still to evaluate. I am looking forward to seeing how the new system will work with our Committee reviews which will be the focus of the next week and a half. And yes, notifications will still be released on the 15th.

I hope you enjoyed this first "What's New" blog. I'll be back later this week with details about some cool new Hopkins Interactive projects ... tweet, tweet, Now!

The Approach ... and a Brain Dump

Last week in the "Ready, Set, READ" entry I promised to elaborate more on the "approach to reading" that the Admissions staff discussed at our Reading Retreat in November. But before diving into that compelling discussion, I want to share with you all some random thoughts and tidbits. Every once in a while, as a stress-reliever or a fun way to procrastinate, I will make a list of thoughts that have been running through my mind. I call it a brain dump, and I thought I would share my first brain dump of the reading season:

• I am getting close to moving Heroes to the top of my list of favorite TV shows. Clearly the best new show of the season, and with LOST and 24 on hiatus, this is my current TV obsession. "Are you on the list?"
• Breaking News is cool ... click here. Also, the This Week at Hopkins blog rules, in my humble opinion.
• I do not like Paris Hilton, AT ALL!!!
• I like cold weather, except when the wind blows. Wind chill factor are three words that should never have been put together.
• ABBA Rules. Thanks Mike & Mike for reminding me.
• Mark McGuire should not be voted into the Hall of Fame. Especially in the same year as true ball players like Cal Ripken and Tony Gwynn.
• I like reading stories about people hurting themselves by using the new Wii remote controls. I guess I am a bit jealous.
• I miss Jack Bauer, and the special noise a CTU phone makes when ringing. (That should be my new ring tone...)
• Deal or No Deal is addictive. Mindless fun.
• I am thankful for lunches with real friends. Yeah Susan and Lillian (SHOUT OUT!)
• The BCS is a joke. Are you bowl eligible?
• Hi Mom!
• I LIKE WHEN PEOPLE COMMENT ON THE BLOGS. Especially with random questions like what is "blue out" for. Thanks Jessica.
• Oscar season is here!!! Maybe we can stop hearing about Borat now.
• Best song I have heard recently: "Boston" by Augustana.
• New York Mets - listen to me. Get Barry Zito. Get rid of Lastings Milledge.
• I like my profession. Especially when I get to brainstorm new ideas for Hopkins Interactive with the S.A.A.B. students.
• I love watching my dog sleep ... except when he takes up the whole bed.

Whew...that was a lot. My brain feels good now.

OK, so last week I took you all through a tour of the inner workings of our office as reading season commenced. With nine days until the decision release date for ED, the team is moving towards the committee read portion of the decision making process. Over the next week and a half we will discuss the approximately 1000 ED files and finalize decisions, that will then be mailed and e-mailed on December 15. (Read this if you are curious about the notification process.)

It is during this part of the process where we focus on our overall philosophy of reading -- our "approach to reading." If you are curious as to how one admissions counselor reads a file, you can read a post I made last year: click here. This "approach" is a way to look at each individual application in the context of the entire applicant pool while factoring in the goals of the Admissions Office and the University in total. It is both our philosophy as well as our directive. The directive is to go beyond the facts -- look at the application subjectively and objectively -- take a deep analysis of each file -- read between the lines when necessary. The approach is holistic, it is comprehensive, it is imperfect but it works because of the talent of the staff. It is a focus on the applicant rather than just the application. And the ultimate goal is to admit the RIGHT students for Johns Hopkins. The RIGHT FITS.

To expand on these opening points, let me tell you the about the three categories that define what we are looking for in our applicants:

(1) ACADEMIC POTENTIAL

A bit obvious, but this is truly the most important category of thoughts that we consider when approaching our application reviews. We are simply looking for the best and brightest scholars. This is the foundation for which our entire review process is built upon.

Here is where we evaluate the applicant's academic abilities, academic achievements, and academic promise. We thoroughly evaluate the high school transcript, academic enrichment experiences, letters of recommendation from educators, and standardized test scores. The rigor of a student's curriculum matters; their performance throughout high school matters; their contribution in their classrooms matters; their academic relationship with their teachers and peers matters; their performance on national standardized tests matters. Everything matters.

But it is not just about evaluating the past and present, but predicting the future. Our role is to question for each and every applicant, what will they contribute to Johns Hopkins academically? This sense of contribution is equally important to the sense of the student as a scholar. Numbers, averages, statistics do matter -- but they matter in the context of the full review of an applicant's academic experiences and potential.

(2) PERSONAL QUALITIES

The academic review is paramount, but it is absolutely not the only criteria we consider. In many cases, equally important is a look at the applicant as a person, as an individual, as a human being. Personal qualities matter. We want students that will be productive, will be positive, and will ultimately strive to make a difference. Johns Hopkins is both an educational institution as it is a learning community, and this sense of an individual's role in both settings is important.

Here is where a student's extracurricular life and their essays become crucial. Just as we evaluate academics in a dual format (past achievements and predictions of potential), we take that approach to reviewing an applicant's personal qualities and contribution. We look at their past achievements in their school and in their community, taken into account what other's write about them, and finally listen to their own personal voice in the essays. It is once again about contribution. Questions of leadership, service, commitment, passion, and potential are all key in this part of the review.

Just as we want students who will academically fit and contribute to the classroom, we want students who socially will fit and contribute to the community. Those AP courses matter, but so do those clubs and organizations you got involved with, and so do the words you write discussing who you have been, who you are, and who you will be.

(3) BUILDING A COMMUNITY

The final item we consider can be summarized in three simple words: The Big Picture. Once we have evaluated you academically and personally, now the ultimate question is asked: do you fit the community we are building at Johns Hopkins? Are you one of the pieces to the grand puzzle? Many students "wow" us with their academic accomplishments or their pursuit of their passions, but we also need to conclude that the student fits our goals for the Class.

The nature of the whole matters as much as the evaluation of the individual. We want a class that is diverse and has great breadth. The more diverse the class in all ways, shapes, and forms, the stronger the class will be. And when we say diverse we mean it in all categories - race, ethnicity, gender, academic interests, special talents, demographics, etc. We benefit from the fact that we have an amazingly diverse pool of applicants to start. The difficult part is reviewing each and every applicant and determining if and where they fit into the big picture of what we want the Class of 2011 (and beyond) to look like.

I hope this has shed some more light on how we admissions professionals do our jobs. As I have said many times before, this is not an easy task. But we all approach it with respect, commitment, and focus, and we do a pretty darn good job each year.

Three final thoughts:

1. I wrote this entire entry listening to The Garden State soundtrack. Can we now declare it the best movie soundtrack of all time?
2. I like checking my blog and seeing comments. Hint, Hint.
3. Finally, two more shots of my advisors when reading your applications:

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Quick Addendum: Just wanted to say hello to one of my fans who I just learned about today. She is a mother of triplets and a fourth child and works at our Eastern campus. You rode back with my colleague Susan from the medical campus, and Susan told me you are a fan. THANKS FOR READING!!!

Ready, Set, READ!!!

Reading season has commenced. Actually it began a few weeks ago, but now I am finally getting a moment to step away and update the blog. To be truthful, I am procrastinating a bit right now from reading application files ... heck, I needed a break. When in the office and I need to procrastinate I typically will download songs off iTunes; or go for a walk; or look at new electronic devices on Amazon that are way out of my price range; or take a quick nap on my couch (shhh!). But today I decided to "procrastinate" by updating you all on what has transpired in the world of Johns Hopkins Admissions these past couple of weeks (and share some pictures too).

As I said, reading season is here and will be for the next four months. With the approach of winter, the Admissions staff goes into our own form of hibernation, though we don't really get to rest. In fact, the next four months can only be described by one word - overwhelming. For the members of the Admissions committee, every waking hour of our lives become dedicated to reading and evaluating applications. In fact, come to think of it, this overwhelming sense is not just reserved to our waking hours, as most of us have dreams (nightmares???) about application files, letters of recommendations, paper/folder cuts, grading scales, aaaaahhhhh!

OK, I am calm now. So let's look at a time-line of the last two weeks in JHU Admissions, as the reading season began:

November 15

Hopkins Interactive re-launches. Sorry I couldn't resist plugging the new site once again. It is amazing, isn't it???

November 16-17

Training files are distributed to the counseling staff. What are training files you ask? Well, they are actual, complete Early Decision applications that are distributed to each member of the reading team. Each one of us does a complete evaluation of the files and write-up our decision support sheets (what we call pull sheets).

Why do we all read the same files you ask? Well, I say you ask too many questions (sorry, cheesy blog writing joke). We all read the same files so that at our Early Decision Reading Retreat we can all discuss our personal approach to evaluating the same applications. By reading the same files and then later discussing our differences, we can move towards an approach where each of the Admissions Committee members is reading and evaluating applications in similar ways.

OK, yes I see you raising your hand, Yes, you can have one more question -- go ahead. Hmmm...I am glad you asked what an Early Decision Reading Retreat is. I will answer your question in just a second -- read on.

Ongoing - the entire month of November

Before continuing to detail what the Admissions Committee members have been up to, I would be remiss if I didn't mention one of the most important components to the reading process. OPERATIONS!!! Just as their is a team of Admissions counselors responsible for reading your applications, there is an equally important team of Admissions staff members responsible for processing all of the application materials. My colleagues who work in Operations are the first to touch your application materials, and with out them no one would ever be admitted to Hopkins. The role of operations, in short - ;), is to open your mail, download your online applications, enter your information into our applicant database, file all your application materials, sort and distribute files to the admissions readers, and make every attempt to complete incomplete files. Basically, Operations is responsible for everything short of evaluating the applications.

The Johns Hopkins Admissions Operations team and their team of student workers are an amazing group of people, who do a truly difficult job professionally, efficiently, and effectively. With out them, the counseling team could not do their jobs. I personally thank them, and encourage you all to thank them too if ever provided the opportunity.

Enjoy some pictures of the operations that have taken place over the last few weeks:

November 20

Early Decision Reading Retreat: Every year on the Monday of Thanksgiving week, the members of the Admissions committee gather in Annapolis for a full day retreat to discuss the approach to reading and evaluating applications for the coming admissions year. This retreat is an opportunity for the team to gather at the commencement of reading season to make sure we all are on the same proverbial page. This is the time where the Director, the leadership, and each member of the committee begins to comprehend what the expectations and overall goals will be for the year. This is our chance to to define the admissions process for the year.

This year's retreat was quite productive and effective. We discussed the vision for the year and what should be our approach to reading. We also spent ample time going through the various training files to come to consensus on many issues. We also had a great lunch in downtown Annapolis -- it doesn't always have to be all about work, does it?

I will write more about some of the topics discussed at the retreat in my next entry, sometime next week. Stay tuned.

November 21

The official first day of reading!!! Woo hoo. The first file of the year is always a momentous occasion. My first one was actually quite good ... maybe this will be an easy year for reading.

30 minutes later: This is not easy anymore...

November 22 - 26

Thanksgiving Break. For anyone who reads Admissions applications, Thanksgiving is not just a time to see family, enjoy good food, watch some football, and a start to the holiday season. Thanksgiving also signifies the start of the "working holidays." Yes, when you work in this profession you read applications on Thanksgiving, on the 8 nights of Hanukkah, on Christmas eve and Christmas day, on New Year's eve and New Year's day, on MLK day, on every weekend from now until the end of March. You still get to enjoy the holidays, but with the added company of manila folders and applications.

November 27 ---->

Well, reading season is in full effect now. This will be a long four months, but it will also fly by. If the past week is any indication, I am going to need to stock up on Extra Strength Tylenol, Wild Cherry Pepsi, and tissues. Why tissues you ask? (Back to those darn questions you!!!) Well, because I have actually been brought to tears twice this year. In my previous nine years only two applications ever made me cry. And in just two weeks now I have doubled that amount. If that isn't proof of our holistic approach to application reading, I don't know what is!!!

Enough procrastinating ... I need to get back to reading. That ED decision release deadline is just 19 days away. AAAAAHHHHH! (That was for a paper cut not the impending deadline.)

I thought to end the entry I would share some pictures of how I set-up when reading applications:

What should you notice in these pictures: well first, the iPod is crucial. I am not sure I would get through as many files as I do each day without my eclectic playlists. Also, notice the laptop with the Hopkins Interactive web site open. You can never get to much of the H.I. web site. The blue binder has all my reference papers. A calculator is important as well as a variety of pens, post-it notes, blue-out, and a staple remover (I hate staples!!!). A glass of water also helps. For me to effectively read everything needs to be properly organized -- I am quite anal retentive when it comes to this set-up.

And finally, I would be neglectful if I didn't introduce you to the two people I refer to when an application stumps me. They are quite helpful when making those decisions -- they have a sixth sense for evaluating college applications. Say Hi once again to Lilly and Soze:

Three Months of Transcripts, Recommendations, and Strained Vision

Greetings all and Happy 2006! I hope you all had an enjoyable holiday season and are now back into the groove of school and what-not. Intersession began today at Hopkins, so the campus has more life to it then it has had over the past few weeks. (Check out the student blogs for all the details about Intersession!!!). With Intersession and the new year also comes the busiest three months of my job. This is when myself and my colleagues buckle down for 7-day work weeks, 18-hour work days, and deal with a constant strain on our eyesight as we read and evaluate thousands of regular decision applications. It is looking like it will be a record-setting applicant pool this year...but I'll wait until we have processed all the applications to let you in on the numbers.

Speaking of application processing, let me mention one important thing before I get to this entry's main topic. For all the regular decision applicants out there, we ask for your PATIENCE throughout the month of January. Please do not contact us at this time to check on the status of your application or to see if we have received parts of your application. As you can only imagine, we are inundated with mail and online submissions and it will take nearly three weeks for us to process all of these application materials. Putting together over 12,000 applications takes time. We assure you we will confirm receipt of your application and will check every applicant’s file for completion. We will notify applicants who have incomplete files and give those students an opportunity to provide us with any missing items before we evaluate their applications. And just to back up my point, here are some pictures from our mail room...

(Note this is just one morning's worth of mail. We have been averaging more than 10 bins two times a day for the last few weeks.)

                       

               

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Ok, now on to the main topic of today's entry -- how does the Admissions Committee at Johns Hopkins University review applicants for admission? Every year just after the application deadline has passed, applicants begin to ask an array of questions: (1) What happens to my application?; (2) How will they review my application?; (3) Who reads my application and what are they looking for?; (4) What are the most important parts of my application?; (5) Are admissions decisions based just on numbers or will they actually read my essays and recommendations?; and finally, (6) Will I get in?

These are all legitimate questions but unfortunately there is no clear-cut answer to any of them. Highly selective college admissions is not a science, it can not easily be predicted, and there is no rule book. Every college and university out there reads and evaluates college applications differently, deciding which factors carry the most weight and what kind/type of student best fits their school. Some feel that the process of how admissions decisions are rendered is hidden in a veil of secrecy. In reality though the often vague understanding of the process stems from the fact that the answer to how decisions are made can not be wrapped up in a pretty box with a nice bow. This is a complicated process, one that is ever-changing and one that requires experienced professionals.

So putting all those thoughts aside, how do I and my colleagues do our job of evaluating your application? Though I can not describe the process as clearly and concisely as you may hope for, I can shed some light on our approach to reading files and provide you with a context about how decisions are made. One last caveat though -- every Admissions counselor who has been in the profession a while describes the process of evaluating application files differently. This is based on their experiences, their personality, and ultimately their approach to their occupational responsibilities. What I will describe here is my personal approach, my way at looking at this process. This has been formulated over nine plus years of reading application files for three different institutions, including three years reading for Johns Hopkins. Take what I say as a description of my methodology, and understand that this is hopefully representative of the way most Admissions counselors approach their job.

Where to start? Well the best way I can describe how I evaluate a single application is to describe it as a conversation. Once I pick up the file I begin this conversation with the applicant that typically can last 15 - 20 minutes. For me the obvious starting point is a discussion about academics. I pull out the high school transcript, the standardized test scores, and any academic letters of recommendation. This part of the conversation focuses on the applicant's academic past, present, and future. Here is my opportunity to evaluate the applicant's comprehensive academic record, looking for strengths and weaknesses, trends (hopefully upward), course selection, and a myriad of other questions. When I evaluate a high school transcript I am not just looking at grades and courses. I am seeing a four-year record of one student's path through a rounded academic curriculum. The questions I ask during this part of the conversation include: what decisions did the applicant make and why, how did the applicant perform, and ultimately did the applicant meet or surpass expectations?

The academic conversation will continue with a discussion of the standardized test scores and what they reveal about the applicant. Test scores are important, but they are not the determining factor. That means the review of the high school transcript holds much more importance in my analysis then do the test scores. The test scores are a mere opportunity to see if they reflect what I expect a student's standardized performance would be after reviewing the transcript. If they match, which they typically do, I move on. If they don't, I inquire as to why and then move on. Finally, I add analysis of the academic letters of recommendation to compile a final academic evaluation of the applicant. The final questions include whether or not the student measures up to what we expect of Hopkins students. As well, I ask whether the student will contribute to the Hopkins academic community in a positive manner.

The conversation does not end there. Now it is time to flip the table and discuss the other part of the applicant -- the more extracurricular and social parts of the individual. This is where the essays, the extracurricular resume, and the letters of recommendation play a vital role. There is a litany of questions I will go through. I will investigate leadership skills, commitment to community and service, and dedication to specific activities. Does the applicant have passions, what are they, and how does he/she pursue them? How has the applicant spent his/her time outside of the classroom? What impact has she/he had on his/her school, community, society? In many ways, this is a social analysis of the individual, examining how the high school years were spent when not studying and what interesting qualities the applicant brings to the table. Once again the analysis looks at the past accomplishments while also looking at future potential - what impact will the applicant make on the Hopkins student body?

Finally, the conversation will end with a reflection on any miscellaneous qualities. Here is where the analysis of the academic and extracurricular merge with the intangibles to determine whether the individual applicant is a good/perfect FIT for Hopkins. The question of fit becomes crucial. Fit reflects an analysis of the individual compared to the overall applicant pool and what makes Johns Hopkins distinct. Will the applicant contribute and more importantly add to the fabric of the institution? Will they stand out and make a difference? It is a determination ultimately of who are the applicants in the overall pool that best represent Hopkins.

As you can see, this is a process (conversation) that factors everything in. It is comprehensive…it is holistic…it is unique…and it is the best way for us to evaluate each and every individual applicant. The decisions we make do not blindly reflect average GPAs / SATs / etc., but rather mirror the Admissions Committee’s determination of which students will best fit the promise of Johns Hopkins University. It is highly selective, it is complicated, but in the end it is a successful way of analyzing an overwhelmingly impressive pool of applicants.

So I hope this entry has shed some light on the way my colleagues and I do our jobs. Know that over the next three months we will be spending an inordinate amount of time having "conversations" with each applicant and shaping the Class of 2010 with the best future Hopkins students out there. In the coming weeks, check back with the Hopkins Insider blog as we will be doing profiles of the various members of the Admissions Committee. Now that you have some insight on how we evaluate, we will introduce you to those that do the evaluating.

Until next time...