Hopkins Insider

Advice on Letters of Recommendation

A Note of Introduction from AdmissionsDaniel: Here it is, the third post in our series of guest entries about parts of the admissions application. Former Admissions Office intern and JHU Class of 2009 alum Rena Barch tackles the topic of letters of recommendation. Heed her advice here as it echoes what all the admissions counselors at Hopkins have to say about recommendation letters.

I graduated from Hopkins in the spring of 2009. Throughout my senior year and the summer after I graduated I worked as the Office of Undergraduate Admissions intern. As the intern, I gave information sessions, conducted perspective interviews, and helped with general office tasks. I was the indentured servant to the Admissions office, and in the meantime learned a lot about the Admissions process. Now that I have paid off my dues, I will be headed of the London School of Economics to pursue a master’s degree in Comparative Politics. Before I depart though I thought I would share some advice and thoughts about letters of recommendation.

The process of applying to college can seem like a daunting task. There appear to be so many different things to keep track of. This process can become particularly stressful when you have to rely on other people to submit components such as recommendations. However, the process of asking for recommendations is one that you are likely to have to repeat many times for internships, jobs, or graduate schools, so now is the best time to master it!

The first part of asking for a recommendation is deciding who you would like writing on your behalf. For Johns Hopkins, we require one from a guidance counselor and one from a teacher of your choice. When deciding which teacher to ask, think about who you think will be most able to speak positively about you. If there’s a teacher you are particularly close with, they should be an obvious first choice. Don’t just pick a teacher based on the grade you received in their class or because they teach the subject closest to your future major. If there’s a teacher with whom you’ve built a relationship, and that teacher does not fall into either of those two categories, they are still a superior choice. Your grades already say enough about your performance in those classes. We don’t need to hear a teacher repeat those facts. What we prefer to hear are details about you as a student, about your work habits, about your presence in class. Try to pick a teacher who could provide this kind of information for you.

With your guidance counselor recommendation, you do not have as much freedom to select the source of the recommendation. This could be worrying to some of you who attend larger schools where you and your guidance counselor might not be well acquainted. Even if you do not know your counselor well, do not be afraid to request that they discuss a particular event or situation in your recommendation. If you had some sort of extenuating circumstance that led to a particularly weak semester, or if you had a scheduling conflict which prevented you from taking a course that you wish you could have, ask that they mention those events. Overall, the guidance counselor recommendation is intended to provide your admissions counselor with some context on the student in the perspective of their school. In this recommendation, we don’t need to know as much about your presence in class, as your presence in the school.

Furthermore, if you feel that your guidance counselor cannot adequately speak about your strengths, you have the option of submitting up to two additional recommendations. If you choose to submit additional recommendations, try to refrain from simply selecting another teacher unless both teachers have a unique perspective to provide. Also, definitely refrain from parent or peer recommendations. A better source of a recommendation would be an advisor from an extracurricular activity, a sports coach, or a boss from a part time job. Select someone who knows you well enough to write about your strengths and your personality. The additional recommendations should provide supplemental perspectives by offering a different side of you.

So now you’ve chosen who to ask for your recommendation. What next? To make this process run smoothly, never forget that: 1) Your recommender is doing you a favor. 2) To stay organized!  First, make sure you ask your teacher. Do not assume that the teacher you have in mind will say yes. Teachers, especially those that tend to teach primarily juniors and seniors, may quickly have too many recommendations requests on their hands. You will want to ask early. Also, be sure to give them plenty of time to write and send the recommendation! As a precaution you should ask at least six weeks in advance.

Secondly, be prepared to give them all the information they might need. I would suggest compiling a folder for each recommender. In the folder should be any forms that he/she will need. Make sure to fill out any of your personal information, or other information they might not know. Also in the folder, include your resume or a copy of your transcript if you have one available. Remembering that the teacher is doing you a favor, you are going to want to make the process as easy for them as possible. The teacher should not have to include anything other than the recommendation. Therefore, you should include an addressed and stamped envelope. There’s also an option to submit the recommendations online, and that’s an option that should be offered to your teacher. Perhaps most importantly, include a list of any deadlines that your recommender will need to abide by. 

Once your chosen teacher agrees to write your recommendation, present them with your folder. Ask if there is any additional information that they would like to have, and make sure to turn those supplements in as soon as you can. A week or two before any of your deadlines, you should check in with your recommender and kindly remind them of any approaching deadlines. While checking in can be useful for you and your teacher,  make sure you give your teacher time to complete the recommendation. They are busy people, and they might not be able to write and send your recommendation by the next night, or even the next week.

Finally, after all of your recommendations have been submitted, do not forget to thank your recommenders. Small gifts or tokens of appreciation are nice but not necessary. Often just a thank you card will do the trick. Let your recommenders know that you appreciate their time! If you stay organized and show gratitude, your teacher, advisor, coach, or guidance counselor will be more willing to write you recommendations in the future.

Editor's Note: For additional information about letters of recommendation and an opportunity to ask your own questions check out the Letters of Recommendation discussion on the Hopkins Forums.

The Essay: Advice from an Evaluator

A Note of introduction from AdmissionsDaniel: Here is the second entry in our series of guest entries providing advice on various sections of the application. Today's author is Associate Director of Admissions Amy Brokl, one of our best authorities on the application process since she was admitted to Hopkins and attended. All the counseling staff members have become experts on evaluating application essays, but Amy is the best at expressing advice on how to tackle the task. Enjoy, and thanks Amy.

“Writing is a struggle against silence.”
– Carlos Fuentes

Though much emphasis is placed on the notion of “standing out” in the highly selective application process, this is a difficult (some might even suggest nearly impossible) feat to achieve. With 16,000+ applications in last year’s applicant pool alone here at Johns Hopkins, most having been submitted by high school students in their senior year, the opportunity for a great deal of variation in these pieces of writing is slim. When students ask how to stand out, I do what I can to encourage a reexamination of that thought process. Rather than focusing one’s energies on being entirely “unique” or “different,” I urge these students to concentrate on being themselves. After all, one cannot be all things to all colleges; all one can be is oneself, and all one can do is present that self in its best possible light.

One of the best tools available to students seeking to make themselves known in this process is the essay. Though some schools may ask for a more lengthy response to a single prompt, others might toss out a series of questions that require so-called “short answers.” At Hopkins, we ask for completion of two essays (one from either the Common Application or Universal College Application, and one that responds to the prompt provided on our supplement). Regardless of how these questions are configured, the opportunity to share aspects of oneself with the admission committee should neither be overlooked nor squandered. After all, much of what the student portion of the application amounts to is record-keeping. From address blocks and family information to one’s list of extracurricular activities, there is little room to infuse character or personality. Moreover, this information (though necessary) is immutable! The essay allows you to share yourself, your worldview, and your voice as it currently exists in the immediate present. For admissions counselors, this is invaluable information – and thus for you, the essay becomes a tremendous opportunity.

This summer, I had the chance to participate in a summer admission panel for high school students in my travel territory. Among other things, we discussed the essay. While some colleges and universities view the essay as more of a “writing sample,” here at Johns Hopkins, our essays serve both as writing samples and as revelatory documents. Though we are certainly concerned with your mechanics, spelling, and your use of Johns Hopkins (note the emphasis on that “s”), the content is in fact, the most critical component.

This panel also addressed the question of topics. Though some prompts force one into a literary corner, others are much more flexible. Almost anything can be the subject of a substantive, interesting essay – think wisely and deeply and good thoughts will follow. Most importantly, though, do know that there are very few topics that are poor choices (at least, in my book). Many students worry about how oft used their topic of choice might be; in response, I might observe that there are only so many experiences that one can reasonably have and about which one can comfortably write. Students – don’t be afraid to tackle a difficult topic – but always be sure to bring it back to you!

Admissions counselors are famous for their various pet peeves – many of which are tied to essays. I’ve heard colleagues quibble about those that extol the virtues of family and friends (are we reviewing the application of the writer of that essay, or that writer’s grandmother/brother/uncle?) I’ve heard similar conversations about current events or polarizing issues. Do not forget to bring these sorts of topics back around to you, to the way you think, to the way you feel, and to the way in which you see the world. We hope to access you, inasmuch as that is possible – I become most frustrated in this process when that access is deferred or denied due to an impersonal collection of words on a page.

Finally – don’t forget to have a bit of fun! Certainly, this can be a serious and often stressful process; I understand how high the stakes might feel. That said, personality and character are important. If we have difficulty drawing this from your essay, there are few opportunities wherein one can introduce these critical elements. Enjoy this process – or at least, treat it with some diligence. Your application will be richer for it!

Editor's Note: For additional information on the essays in the Johns Hopkins admissions process  and an opportunity for you to ask your own questions check out the Application Essay and the 2009-10 Application Essay Policy Explained discussion threads on our Hopkins Forums.

Additionally, we encourage you to check out our new Admissions Web page: ESSAYS THAT WORKED. The Admissions Committee selected four examples of essays that worked, written by members of the Johns Hopkins Class of 2013. These essays represent just four examples of essays we found impressive and helpful during the past admissions cycle. These "essays that worked" are distinct and unique to the individual writer; however, each of them assisted the admissions reader in learning more about the student beyond the transcripts and activity sheets. They were creative, original, and showcased each applicant's personal voice. We hope you find them helpful.

So you are an International Student applying to JHU ... read this!

A Note of introduction from Admissions Daniel: This entry is the first in a series of guest entries written by my Admissions colleagues. I asked some of my colleagues to compose entries that can assist prospective students as they complete their applications for admission. This first entry is dedicated to international students and is written by Rachel Cowan Jacobs, our resident expert on all things international in our office. Enjoy, and thanks Rachel.

Are you an international student living in the USA? Do you attend a school outside of the USA? If, yes than you should read this!

In our office, there are two ways to define an international student. To reduce confusion, we use two different terms. INTERNATIONAL APPLICANT is defined as someone who is not a US citizen and not a US Permanent Resident (green card holder). In other words, this person needs a visa to be in the United States. An international applicant could be attending high school anywhere in the world.

APPLICANT APPLYING FROM OUTSIDE THE USA is our other term. It applies to any person who goes to school outside of the USA, regardless of that person’s citizenship, immigration status, or the school attended.

Which one are you? If neither, you are welcome to read this blog but it might not have too much relevant information for you in the application process.

The purpose of this blog is to clarify some issues and questions that international applicants and applicants applying from outside the USA often ask me. As the International Admissions Coordinator, I am usually the person who gets these questions, although I do not read every international student application. I have a team who helps me read certain countries; our volume is so great that I would never be able to read all of the international files plus my own domestic  territory (NC, SC, GA, AL, FL, USVI, Guam, CNMI) by our internal deadline. So let's answer some of those most frequently asked questions:

I go to a school that doesn’t grade on a US scale.  How do you convert my GPA?  
Reviewing applications from students who go to non-US curriculum schools is a normal part of our job.  We evaluate your transcript based on your school’s curriculum and grading scale. We never convert non-US grades to a US 4.0 scale. 

I have attended more than one school outside of the USA. Is that a problem? How do you handle me?
We handle you like everyone else – with care and attention to detail. Your situation is not uncommon. I see lots of applicants who change schools as many as four times in four years of high school. (I’m not sure I’ve seen anyone attend more than four schools in four years – I think I’d remember that poor person.) If the schools you attended offer the same curriculum, there is probably continuity in your coursework, and we can evaluate you over the years easily. If you changed systems, though, we will review each curriculum separately. For example, if you attended an American school for 9-10th grades and a local school teaching the national curriculum for 11-12th, we’ll look at 9-10th as one block and 11-12th as a second block. We won’t try to compute an overall GPA for you. We will also take into account any difficulties you might have experienced making the transition to a new educational system.

I did part of high school in the US and part in another country. Am I at a disadvantage? 
You are not at a disadvantage in our applicant pool, although I do recognize that some teens adjust better than others to big changes. Moving to another country in the middle of high school can be a huge transition for some people, and such a move can take a toll on your ability to remain focused in school. Hopefully, you will be able to roll with the punches and jump right into this very exciting time of your life. As much as you might miss people, places, and things back home, they will all be waiting for you when you return for college. So try to make the most of your lucky opportunity to experience a new country, culture, cuisine, climate, and chatter (give me a break, please. “Language” doesn’t start with the letter C.).

I’m an American who lives abroad. Does anyone care about that?
Of course we do! We value any student’s international experience, including the non-American who lives in the USA. As an American living abroad, you have a unique life experience that most of your fellow Americans do not have. We would love to read about how your years abroad (be it one, 18, or somewhere in between) have influenced the person you are and the person you want to become. HINT: writing about this in an essay would be a good idea.

My school does not have a guidance counselor.  How do I send a transcript? 
Some of you attend schools that do not have an administrative/staff/faculty position of guidance counselor, but there might be someone who has the same role but with a different title.  Does your school have a University Counselor or a Careers Counselor? That is the person you want to give your Secondary School Report (SSR) form to. If there’s no one like that in your school, who is the person/office responsible for creating report cards and transcripts? That’s the place to take the SSR. Still no one like that in your school? Then take the SSR to your principal. Even if your principal doesn’t know you that well, the principal can get the transcript issued.

What is a transcript? 
A transcript is an official school document that lists all of the classes/courses you have taken during secondary school (the last four years of school are the years we are interested in), the date you took each class, and the grades/marks you have earned in each one. Sometimes transcripts also list the name of the teacher for each class, the ID number for the class, and/or the credit hours or number of hours per week the class meets. All of this information is acceptable for the transcript.

In my country, secondary school lasts 13 years. Can I enter JHU after 12 years in my school?
The most competitive applicant will complete the entire secondary school curriculum over the intended number of years. You could apply in your 12th year but it would be highly unusual for us to admit you. Think about your competition.  Your competition is completing secondary school in its entirety, earning the school credential that is required to enter university in their home countries. Your wanting to leave school a year early does not demonstrate a desire to take advantage of ALL of the education available to you. In the end, you’d really just be short-changing yourself. We do not advocate students skipping their 13th year of school.

In my country, I take national exams. Do you want the results? 
Yes! Your exam results are a fundamental part of your application, and without them, your application will be incomplete. Your school counselor or official should send an official copy of your results with your school transcript. Given the academic calendar in many countries in the southern hemisphere, some applicants will take their last set of national exams before our application deadline. Please be sure to have your results sent to us as soon as you get them. They are part of your application.  For those students who won’t take their last set of exams until after our January 1 deadline, we make an admissions decision based on the exam results you have from previous years, internal school marks, predictions for your upcoming exams, and all of the other parts of the application. Your last set of exam results will probably be available in the May-August time frame. If you will be matriculating at JHU, you are required to send a copy of your results to the Admissions Office as soon as you get them.

Do I have to take TOEFL?
The way to figure this out is to ask yourself these three questions:
1) Is English my first language? (No) 
2) Do I live in an English speaking country? (No)
3) Have I attended a school for five years or more where the language of instruction is English? (No) 

If the answer to these questions is NO, you are required to take TOEFL. If the answer to question 3 is “Yes, but it was during elementary school”, you are strongly advised to take TOEFL.

If the first two answers are YES and the third is NO, you do not have to take TOEFL.
Other scenarios: 
A) If you have studied your entire school life in English but do not speak English at home, you do not have to take TOEFL. 
B) If you grew up in an English speaking country, did not speak English at home, moved back to your native country before beginning high school, and have attended a non-English speaking school, you are required to take TOEFL.
C) If English is your first language and you speak it at home but live in a non-English speaking country and attend a non-English speaking school, you are required to take TOEFL.

I am a US citizen. Do I have to take TOEFL? 
Please read the above question. Citizenship does not affect the TOEFL requirement.

Can TOEFL be waived? 
Yes it can be waived. If your SAT Critical Reading score is 670 or higher, your TOEFL requirement is waived.

Do you accept IELTS? 
We will take IELTS from applicants who live in a country where TOEFL is not offered. If you have taken TOEFL and IELTS, send us both scores. One part of IELTS might boost a lower TOEFL section. In no way are we suggesting that applicants take both tests. Our requirement is TOEFL. 

SATs and ACT aren’t offered in my country of residence. Do I have to take them? 
Out of fairness to all applicants, SAT or ACT is required of everyone, even if the test isn’t offered where you live. You may apply without submitting test scores, and we will consider your application, but your application will be missing information that most applicants will have. To that end, you will be providing us with less information than other applicants, and this could put you at a disadvantage in the application process.

What is this Certification of Finance (COF) form? Why do I have to do it? 
The Certification of Finance (COF) form is required of all international applicants (people who need a visa to be in the USA), regardless of country of residence (so, if you live in the US and are here on a visa, you are also required to submit the COF with your application).  The COF collects financial information that is used to issue you the I-20 form and your student visa. The information on this COF is used by the US Embassy or Consulate when you go for a visa interview.  It’s also used by Department of Homeland Security for those students already living in the USA. We collect this information at the start of the application process to insure there is no delay in issuing you an I-20 in May. Some colleges and universities don’t ask you for this information until after you are admitted, but that’s not the timetable JHU employs.

Is it okay to send supplemental information? 
Although we do not ask for supplemental information, you may send it if you feel it will significantly impact your application. Usually, applicants send information by cd/dvd or memory stick. If you want to send a copy of a research paper you’ve written, it is sufficient to send only the abstract. We are not scientists and are probably not going to understand a technical paper. You might even be able to upload the abstract with your application, thereby saving yourself the trouble of mailing us an envelope.   PLEASE NOTE: it is NOT necessary for you to send copies of awards and certificates of participation you have received at school. In fact, we request that you do not send these papers to us. We do not need proof of your extra-curricular involvement. By writing it on your application form, you are pledging to be telling the truth, so we will take you at your word.

Okay, folks. That’s the end of the blog.  Please don’t forget that there is more information for international applicants on our FAQ on our web site. If, after reading this blog and the FAQ, you have more questions, email me (cowan@jhu.edu). It could be that I’ve neglected to discuss a major issue.  Also, if you are in school in Canada, Costa Rica, Malaysia, Philippines,  or Vietnam, you should email Mark Butt (mark.butt@jhu.edu). He is in charge of those countries.

And yes, the pictures are from my previous travels abroad.

Editor's Note: For even more answers to questions about applying as an international student, and an opportunity for you to ask your own questions check out the International Student Discussion Thread on our Hopkins Forums.

On the Docket

Today's blog title refers to the multiple topics of this entry. First, I will be providing an update about the Early Decision process. The title is appropriate since on my docket starting tomorrow and continuing for the next few weeks is evaluating ED applications. The second topic is to share with you and preview a series of blog entries that will be posted in the coming days. Once again an appropriate title as I will be sharing what is on the docket for the Hopkins Insider blog between now and the end of the month. So let's get to that docket.

It is just over two weeks since the November 1 Early Decision deadline has passed, and starting tomorrow I should be logging-in to begin the evaluation process. Most of my colleagues began this process last week following our Early Decision Reading Retreat where the Dean of Admissions and Admissions Committee discussed our approach to evaluating this year's class. I write "should" because I am a known procrastinator when it comes to the first read of the new evaluation season. I suspect by Friday I will have dived in fully and over the Thanksgiving holiday break I will catch-up (as usual). I am excited to start reading as this is year two of our paper-less evaluation system and that means many of the kinks should have been ironed out.

So without further adieu, I present you answers to some of the most frequently asked Early Decision related questions that we are currently receiving:

What is the size of the Early Decision applicant pool this year?

Nowadays everyone is so interested in the numbers, so this is a frequent question from prospective students, parents, guidance counselors, the media, my Mom ... Though the official number will not be finalized for a few more days it appears we have received our largest Early Decision applicant in history. As of this morning the count was 1139 applications. As our Operations team processes out duplicates, checks for any errors, confirms early decision agreements, and cleans up other data over the next few days that number may change slightly. All in all, it appears we have had a 8-9% increase in ED applications. Dean Latting will release official numbers probably next week and the final number will end up in a JHU Gazette article in the coming days.

When will Early Decision notifications be released?

Same process as in years past. As of right now the plan is to release ED notifications on December 15. When decisions are released they are mailed out (postal mail) during the day and then an email is sent after 6:00 p.m. ET. If our plans change, the first place you can find the updated details will be on this blog. To prepare yourselves, click on the Early Decision category tab on the left column and check out Decision Release entries for the last few years.  

Is my Early Decision application complete?

As you can imagine, it gets busy in the Admissions Office as we process application materials. Because of the volume of records being handled, it is not possible for us to confirm with each individual applicant whether their application files are complete or to identity which individual items have been received. We do email applicants an acknowledgment message after their application is received and processed.

Rest assured that application files are checked carefully for completeness. At the end of the month we will contact students whose ED applications remain incomplete. Those students will be given an opportunity to provide us with any missing items before we complete the evaluation of their applications. Early Decision applicants may call the Admissions Office at (410) 516-8171 after November 30 to check if their application materials have been received, but once again we can not confirm individual parts of your application.

Often applicants ask if there is a way they can track their application online. Unfortunately, Hopkins does not have such a system. For that reason, our Operations team is quite proactive in contacting applicants and guidance counselors to make sure all required application materials are received and processed correctly.

So those are the big three questions. For answers to other questions about Early Decision and to even ask your own question, be sure to check out the discussion thread on the Hopkins Forums.

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As I have mentioned in a few previous posts, I have asked a few of my Admissions colleagues to help me in compiling a series of blog entries that focus on specific parts of the application process. Starting later this week and continuing for the rest of the month, I will be posting these guest entries. Here is what's on the docket:

Thursday, November 19 - Applying to Hopkins as an International Student
by Rachel Cowan Jacobs

Monday, November 23 - The Application Essay
by Amy Brokl

Wednesday, November 25 - Advice on Letters of Recommendation
by Rena Barch

Monday, November 30 - The Do's and Don'ts of Presenting Your Resume
by Shannon Miller

Wednesday, December 2- Applying to Hopkins as a BME Applicant
by Sarah Godwin

STAY TUNED!

New Year ... Same FAQs

Happy New Year! I hope you all had a happy and healthy holiday season, and have enjoyed the first few days of 2009. I checked out for about two weeks, headed down to Florida with Soze, and really enjoyed a warm weather Christmas and New Years with my family. Just like the previous 32 years, Santa got me what I asked for, so I guess I am still not on that naughty list. Lilly, my soon to be three-year old niece, made out like a bandit ... it took her nearly two hours to open all her presents. We all made sure she enjoyed the holiday, especially since this is her last Christmas as an only child. Yes, this April, Lilly will become a big sister and I will have tons of pictures and stories to share about a new nephew.

My time away was not all about a relaxing holiday vacation; every day I did need to remain connected to the job. Nearly every morning I spent between one to three hours answering questions sent to the main Admissions email account: gotojhu@jhu.edu. On average, each day from December 20 through early this week, we received between 100-150 new emails with some days the in-box displaying over 200 new questions.

Why so many emails? Well if you are asking that question then you probably had a relaxing last two weeks of 2008. I say that because the majority of people reading this blog spent that time frame completing regular decision applications and they know that the tons of emails I was answering were questions from nervous, confused, and stressed-out applicants. Yes, despite all suggestions from sane people who have already completed the college application process, a large percentage of students PROCRASTINATE until the last minute, hesitating to click that submit button. This is not a criticism ... I understand ... and that is why I spent so much time during my vacation answering the endless stream of emails.

Now a week after the deadline I'd love to say that the steady stream of questions has ceased ... but that is not true. Thankfully, many of the questions fall under the frequently asked questions category and that means I already have a template answer that a simple copy and paste can help with clearing out the in-box each day. Nothing has changed over the ten plus years I have been in this profession ... the simple rule is that the questions don't stop after the applications have been submitted.

So as I get back into the groove of reading applications in our new paperless system, I also have been spending time each morning answering your questions. As I have done in previous years, I thought I would post an FAQ thread providing answers to those post-application deadline questions. Enjoy, and make sure to make it to the end of the post for new photos from the office.

Is my application complete?  Do you have all my stuff?
With the volume of materials we need to process right now (see pictures below), we are just not able to confirm whether application files are complete or to identity which individual items have been received. It takes time so we ask patience of all of our applicants.

All applicants will be mailed an acknowledgment postcard (they are blue) after your application is received AND PROCESSED. This indicates your application file has been opened (not necessarily that it is complete. It can take up to 4-6 weeks for these postcards to be sent and received (more for international mailing addresses).

In late February, once we have processed all received application materials, we will contact students whose applications remain incomplete. Those students will be given an opportunity to provide us with any missing items before we complete the evaluation of their applications. Rest assured that application files are checked carefully for completeness multiple times.

Can I check my status online? Why haven't I gotten a user name and password to check my status through the application portal?
We do not have an online system for checking application status. We do things the old-fashion way. You will not receive a log-in and password where you can track your application materials. (Also note, those who apply for financial aid will get access to the ISIS system that tracks financial aid application materials. This system has nothing to do with applications for admission.)

When will decisions be released?
--- Last week in March. No date has been set yet.
How many applications have been received?
--- Not sure yet, but it looks like a number close to last year.
How many will be admitted?
--- No clue. We have to review applications first.
What will the acceptance rate be?
--- Also, no clue. We will rely on our formulas when the time comes.

These are all legitimate questions, but all too early to ask. Once we have updated information, it will be posted on the blog ... I promise.

Can I add items to my application even though the deadline has passed?
Uh oh, I made a mistake in my application, how can I correct it?
Yes, we will still accept application updates and we do have a process for error corrections. It is simple. To provide an update or error correction, you must compose a cover letter and submit these materials by fax (410-516-6025) or mail to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. Please note that we do request in the cover letter you include your full name, birth date, and school name (SS# is optional but can help), so that we can merge this new information with your application folder. Also note, that all updates should be sent in by February 1st. Finally, DO NOT SEND UPDATES VIA EMAIL, as we do not process application materials received through email.

When is the Financial Aid deadline and where can I learn more about applying for Financial Aid?
The Financial aid deadline for the submission of the FAFSA and CSS Profile is March 1, 2009. Please review this web site for full details: http://www.jhu.edu/finaid/prosp_stud.html.

May I submit January standardized test scores (SAT Reasoning, SAT Subject exams, or TOEFL) with my regular decision application?
Though regular decision candidates should have completed required tests no later than December of their senior year, students may take the January examinations if they are re-taking the SAT Reasoning exam, are taking SAT II subject exams, or are submitting TOEFL exams. Although we cannot guarantee that January scores will arrive before the Admissions Committee evaluation, past experience suggests that scores taken on these dates usually arrive in time. Basically, if the scores arrive and are processed before a final decision has been rendered on one's application, they will be considered.

Should I rush my test scores?
There is no need to rush test score reports as they are not processed by our office any sooner. This is just a way the College Board / ETS makes more money. Save the money, don't rush scores.

Does Johns Hopkins accept additional letters of recommendation?
We require all applicants to submit two letters of recommendations - one from a teacher and one from a guidance counselor. Applicants may submit additional letters of recommendation but we request that you do not submit more than four letters total. Additional letters of recommendation may come from a coach, employer, extracurricular advisor, additional teacher, school administrator – pretty much anyone who can present additional sides of your character. I would though avoid parental and peer references and make sure all recommendations are received by January 15th.

I would like to submit a recording of my music / slides of my art / portfolio of my newspaper articles / DVD of accomplishments / research abstract / or some other supplemental information. Can I do this and will it be considered?
Yes, supplemental materials are welcome additions to your application. All supplemental information should be sent to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. There are no specific requirements for supplemental materials; you can submit information in any format (e.g. portfolios, CDs, DVDs, slides, etc.) However we make sure applicants understand that typically the Admissions committee does not have much time to review such information. The general rule is that an application reader has about 5 minutes to review supplemental materials. Supplemental materials should arrive no later than February 1st.

Will Soze be reviewing applications again this year?
Absolutely. (Just kidding ... since we are now reading and evaluating application online his lack of typing skills means he can't help this year.)

The following pictures I took on my first day back in the office, Monday, January 5th. They are of the stacks of mail bins and application materials that came in during the previous week and are waiting to processed.
 

And these pictures I took just one day later. The volume of mail and paper to process just increases exponentially this time of year.

 

New Year Hodgepodge

Wow, two blog entries already in 2008 and it is just the 6th of January. This must be a sign that I am really keeping up with my 2008 resolutions. Like many, each year I set a number of resolutions at the start of the year and also like many I usually have forgotten about those resolutions by the end of the first week of January. Not this year ... so far.

Actually, the first few days of the new year have been good ones. I think the rest, relaxation, and time spent with the family for the final two weeks of 2007 helped get the new year off with a bang. One of my main resolutions was to write more, and so far so good. Two blog entries is one piece of evidence, but I also have begun journaling again each night and am even keeping a running list of all the things I like / enjoy / provide me with joy / etc. Maybe I'll share the list in the future, but right now it is for my eyes only.

I also resolved to read more and so far I have completed two books (James Patterson's Double Cross (I'm addicted to his books, don't judge me) & Flags of our Fathers (after seeing the film I really wanted to read the book). Plus, I am reading more newspaper and magazine articles (trying to get informed for Election 2008) and more columns hoping to become a better blogger (I strongly suggest Stephen King's writings for Entertainment Weekly and Bill Simmons of ESPN The Magazine.) Come to think of it, all this writing and reading may stem from the persistent Writer's Strike which has robbed me of my true love of Television, and also the dearth of strong films that opened during the holiday season. (I do still have to see Juno though.)

Truthfully, I don't expect it all to last because the number of application files to read is growing fast. But this year I am confident I can maintain resolutions despite the onslaught of file reading season. Fingers crossed.

One of the things I did accumulate over the last few weeks are a number of ideas for blog topics. I jotted them down on Post-It Notes like usually, but it turns out none are worthy of a whole entry. So I thought I would do one of my "bits and pieces" entries. Some pieces will be admissions-related and other bits will be just interesting things that have come my way recently. Let's get started...

REGULAR DECISION DEADLINES COMES AND GOES

Yes, January 1, 2008 came and went, and in its aftermath are bins and bins and bins and bins and bins and bins and bins of application materials. See these recent pictures of the third floor of Mason Hall:

You can see all the bins of mail that need to be opened, our trusted student workers going through all that mail, the bookshelves of materials that need to be entered into our database, and then the bins of those materials that need to be filed. And oh yeah, the boxes and boxes of score reports. A look of work to be done, but thankfully starting next week a cadre of students will return for Intersession and help with the sorting, alphabetizing, and filing. I even helped out last week ... I am a master alphabetizer!!!

COMMON QUESTIONS THIS TIME OF YEAR

With the application deadline past, there are some questions that we are frequently asked. I thought I would provide answers to those questions to help alleviate any confusion or just provide details about the process. (See one my recent posts for even more FAQs related to the application process.) Here goes:

Is my application complete? Can I check my status online? Do you have my stuff? Or any of the other ways to ask such questions.

With the volume of materials we need to process right now (see pictures above), we are just not able to confirm whether application files are complete or to identity which individual items have been received. It takes time so we ask patience of all of our applicants.

We do not have an online system for checking application status, nor do we confirm application materials through email. All applicants will be mailed an acknowledgment postcard (they are blue) after your application is  received AND PROCESSED. This indicates your application file has been opened (not necessarily that it is complete). It can take up to 4-6 weeks for these postcards to be sent and received (more for international mailing addresses).

In late February, once we have processed all received application materials, we will contact students whose applications remain incomplete. Those students will be given an opportunity to provide us with any missing items before we complete the evaluation of their applications. Rest assured that application files are checked carefully for completeness. 

Can I add items to my application even though the deadline has passed? Uh oh, I made a mistake in my application, how can I correct it?

Yes, we will still accept application updates and we do have a process for error corrections. It is simple. To provide an update or error correction, you must compose a cover letter and submit these materials by fax (410-516-6025) or mail to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. Please note that we do request in the cover letter you include your full name, birth date, and school name (SS# is optional but can help), so that we can merge this new information with your application folder. Also note, that all updates should be sent in by February 1st. Finally, DO NOT SEND UPDATES VIA EMAIL, as we do not process application materials received through email.

When will decisions be released? How many applications have been received? How many will be admitted? What will the acceptance rate be?

- Last week in March. No date has been set yet.
- Not sure yet, but it looks like a lot.
- No clue. We have to review application first.
- Also, no clue. We will rely on our mathematical formulas when the time comes.

These are all legitimate questions, but all too early to ask. Once we have updated information, it will be posted on the blog ... I promise.

Remember, if you have a question not asked/answered here or on the Admissions web site, feel free to post it on the Hopkins Forums in the Ask Admissions section.

THE GREATEST SPORT RIGHT NOW: HOCKEY RULES

So the coolest (pun intended) thing I have seen in this new year was televised on NBC on the afternoon of January 1st. It was the NHL's Winter Class game between the Buffalo Sabres and the Pittsburgh Penguins. What made it amazing is the game was played outdoors in a football stadium with 70,000 fans and a raging snowstorm. It was a spectacle and held my attention throughout unlike most sporting events these days.

Did any of you see this? If not, check out the clip below which does about an 11 minute re-cap of the game, which actually turned out to be quite thrilling too. I am a die-hard hockey fan (Go Islanders!!!) and I really hope that this game can get the sport back on the map and have more games televised weekly. I can't stand basketball, football is almost over, baseball is months away ... I need my HOCKEY!!! Support the NHL!!!

READ THIS: AN INTERESTING COLUMN WRITTEN BY A HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR

I was scanning a collection of Admissions-related articles from the past month and came up with one I really wanted to share with you all.

Just make admissions rules clear by Kate Holby, a high school senior at Palisades High School in Upper Black Eddy, PA.

I read this column twice and I applaud Kate for writing it and The Philadelphia Inquirer for publishing it. Typically, the media published columns related to the field of Admissions from the wrong sources in my opinion. Many are written by media professionals who have never worked in the field, long-standing admissions professionals who are often so far removed from what it is like being a high school student applying for college, and/or independent college professionals who have their own agenda when writing. I want to hear more from the students like Kate.

As far as the content of her column, I do sympathize with her. Not over her not being admitted to the school of her choice, but with her claim that admissions information is "murky at best" and sometimes non-existent. I agree with her that more information is better and will be helpful (though I don't like her choice of the phrase "rules of the game.") Though I do not agree with everything Ms. Holby writes, I do agree with the central premise that there needs to be more transparency in college admissions, especially from the highly selective schools.

I hope that those applying to Hopkins feel like there is useful information out there. This blog is one of those tools and I also feel the student blogs and Hopkins Forums are other ways we make the process of applying and being accepted to Hopkins as transparent and lucid as possible. The process is not an easy one to explain, but I do believe more conversation needs to take place between Admissions professionals and their applicants. Admissions blogs are one of these many tools, and hopefully in the future more and more colleges will adopt this technique and the ideology that goes along with it.

UPDATES ON SOZE AND LILLY:

It wouldn't be a hodgepodge Hopkins Insider blog with some pictures of the mascots: Soze my dog and Lilly my niece. So here are four pics for you all to enjoy. The two of Soze are him doing what he does best ... sleeping. The pillow was his Christmas gift, and clearly he loves it. I also sharing a picture of Admissions Daniel's family Christmas tree, and Lilly's joy when she saw all the presents ... most of which were for her. Enjoy...

...and keep up with your New Year's resolutions. (Hopefully one of those resolutions will be to read the Hopkins Insider more, tell more people about this amazing blog, and to actually even post a comment. -- I love to pander.) CHEERS!

Equal Time for the Regular Decision Applicants

Despite the title of this entry, I must start with some updates on the Early Decision notification process. Good news everyone. We've moved forward at a good pace over the last couple of weeks and therefore we have met our internal goal of releasing decisions one day earlier this year. So unless something tragic occurs over the next 48 hours (knock on wood ... over and over again), Early Decision notifications for the Fall 2008 applicant pool will be released on Friday, December 14, 2007.

Just like last year, the process will work the same way:

• All Early Decision notifications will be mailed on Friday, December 14. This includes all admit packages, as well as defer and deny letters.
• We will also email decision notifications to those applicants who indicated an email address on their application.
• We will begin sending emails at 6:00 p.m. EST on Friday, December 14. The reason for this is that we feel that receiving your college admissions decision should be a personal experience that you share with yourself and your family. We prefer students not receive decisions during the middle of the school day, so we wait until the majority of our applicants are out of school.
• If an applicant does not receive an email it is because either there was no email provided with the application, the email address provided no longer works, or a data entry error. Unfortunately, we do not re-send emails, so in such situations the student must wait for the mail to arrive.
• We will not release the "subject lines" of our email decisions in advance. The content of these emails does change from year-to-year.
  Admissions decisions can be released over the phone starting Tuesday, December 18. We will only release decisions to the applicant, a parent or guardian of the applicant, or the applicant's high school guidance counselor. Decisions will be released only if the identity of the caller can be reasonably assured.
• Decisions about acceptance into the BME major are departmental decisions and therefore we do not release such information over the phone or through email. All Early Decision applicants who applied to the Biomedical Engineering major will learn of their BME decision in their acceptance packets.

Good luck!!!

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OK, regular decision applicants, the rest of the post is dedicated to you. For the last two years as the January 1st regular decision deadline approaches, I have dedicated a Hopkins Insider entry to responses to frequently asked questions. (Don't believe me? Well check out the FAQs from December 2006 and December 2005.) As always, I hope you find this information helpful and if you have questions not answered here that is why we have the Johns Hopkins Message Boards.

When is the deadline, really?

The regular decision deadline is January 1, 2008. This is our online submission deadline and our postmark deadline. Applicants should submit their online application materials no later than 11:59 p.m. EST on January 1st. Since January 1 is a national holiday, we will accept application materials that are postmarked January 2, 2008. (Remember though, this is one of my pet peeves, so you shouldn't even be thinking about procrastinating to that last minute.)

Have you received my application? OR I submitted my application online have you received it? OR My school sent my transcript and letters of recommendation have you received them? OR Any other question asking about the status of your application and whether it has been received and/or processed, or if anything is missing?

As you can imagine, it’s a busy time in the Admissions Office as we process application materials. Because of the volume of records being handled, we regret that it is not possible to confirm whether application files are complete or to identity which individual items have been received. Johns Hopkins does not have an online system for checking application status, nor do we confirm application materials through email.

You will be mailed an acknowledgment postcard after your application is received. This indicates your application file has been opened (not necessarily that it is complete). In late February, once we have processed all received application materials, we will contact students whose applications remain incomplete. Those students will be given an opportunity to provide us with any missing items before we complete the evaluation of their applications. Rest assured that application files are checked carefully for completeness.  You may call (410) 516-8171 after February 18 to check on your application, but we do ask that you call only if you have been previously contacted by us about missing materials.

Can I mix forms from the Common Application, the Universal Application, and/or the Johns Hopkins application? Can I mix online application materials with “snail mail” materials?

To apply to Johns Hopkins University you must submit either the Johns Hopkins University application Part I and Part II OR the Common Application and Johns Hopkins Common Application supplement OR the Universal Application and the Johns Hopkins Universal Application supplement. Please be sure that you apply with both the Part I and Part II of the JHU application or the Common/Universal Application and Hopkins supplement – do not mix these forms.

Also do not mix online and paper application materials. If you are applying with the JHU Online application, then complete the whole online application and there is no need to submit the paper application. If you are applying with the Common/Universal Application online then you must submit the Hopkins supplement online as well - there is no need to mail the supplement.

Finally, though we do not encourage this practive, you are able to use Common Application school report and teacher recommendation forms with the Johns Hopkins application, and vice versa.

My school is closed for the holidays so I can't submit the transcript and/or  letters of recommendation until after January 1st. May I send supplemental materials for my application after the January 1st deadline?

First, this should not be a problem since you should request this information before your school goes on holiday break. However, the application deadline is a postmark / online submission of January 1st for the student's part of the application -- either the Part I and Part II of the JHU Application or the Common Application and Common Application supplement. Supporting materials (school materials) such as transcripts, test scores, and recommendations can be sent separately after the January 1st deadline. However, we recommend all required documents be postmarked no longer than two weeks after the deadline -- no later than January 15th.

I have yet to submit my application, but some of my application materials (school forms, tests, etc.) have already been sent. Will this be a problem?

Not a problem. Applicants to Johns Hopkins University may submit application materials such as test scores, letters of recommendation, and school reports along with transcripts in advance of their submission of their application. These documents will be processed and placed in a pending folder until one's application is submitted, received, and processed. Then we will merge all documents and determine whether one's application is complete. To assist with the proper processing of documents we request that all materials include the applicant's full name, birth date, and school.

When should my test scores be sent, and how?

You must request that all your SAT Reasoning, SAT Subject exams, ACT, and/or TOEFL scores be sent directly by the testing agency. The Johns Hopkins code for the College Board is 5332 and for the ACT is 1704.

Test scores submitted on or along with an official high school transcript will only be considered if the transcript is submitted by one's high school and the scores are officially electronically recorded by the high school directly from the testing agency. One should check with their school's guidance office to confirm that the test scores recorded on one's transcript have been in the past considered by colleges as official.

Test scores need to be requested from the testing agencies prior to our stated application deadlines but may arrive after the deadline. Regular Decision applicants must submit their request for their tests to be sent to Johns Hopkins prior to the January 1st deadline. Though the scores will arrive past the deadline they will still be considered if requested in advance of the deadline.

May I submit January standardized test scores (SAT Reasoning, SAT Subject exams, or TOEFL) with my regular decision application?

Though regular decision candidates should have completed required tests no later than December of their senior year, students may take the January examinations if they are re-taking the SAT Reasoning exam, are taking SAT II subject exams, or are submitting TOEFL exams. Although we cannot guarantee that January scores will arrive before the Admissions Committee evaluation, past experience suggests that scores taken on these dates usually arrive in time. January scores will be accepted for those students unable to meet their test requirements by December. In such cases, we encourage you to note your intention of taking the later standardized test(s) on your application.

Should I rush my test scores?

There is no need to rush test score reports as they do not get processed by our office any sooner. This is just a way the College Board / ETS makes more money. Save the money, don't rush scores.

I have already sent my application but I want to update a few things or correct an error. How do I do this?

There are two ways to update your application. First you may send any updates in the mail up until the end of January. Please send to the following address and include your name, birth date, and high school:

Application Coordinator
Office of Undergraduate Admissions
Johns Hopkins University
Mason Hall
3400 N. Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21218

Or you may fax your application update with a cover sheet to 410-516-6025. Once again, include your name, birth date, and high school.

Please note we do not process application materials submitted via email or through email attachments.

Does Johns Hopkins accept additional letters of recommendation?

We require all applicants to submit two letters of recommendations - one from a teacher and one from a guidance counselor. Applicants may submit additional letters of recommendation but we request that you do not submit more than four letters total. Additional letters of recommendation may come from a coach, employer, extracurricular advisor, additional teacher, school administrator – pretty much anyone who can present additional sides of your character. I would though avoid parental and peer references.

How can I arrange an interview and are they required?

Interviews are not a required element of the application to Johns Hopkins. In fact, interviews are informational and non-evaluative. Unfortunately all interview requests for on-campus interviews needed to be submitted prior to December 1st. Please know that if you did not interview you will not be at a disadvantage in the admissions process. Information about off-campus alumni interviews can be found here: http://apply.jhu.edu/visit/aluminterviews.html.

I would like to submit a recording of my music / slides of my art / portfolio of my newspaper articles / DVD of accomplishments / research abstract / or some other supplemental information. Can I do this and will it be considered?

Yes, supplemental materials are welcome additions to your application. All supplemental information should be sent to the Admissions address listed above (under the answer for application updates). There are no specific requirements for supplemental materials; you can submit information in any format (e.g. portfolios, CDs, DVDs, slides, etc.) However we make sure applicants understand that typically the Admissions committee does not have much time to review such information. The general rule is that an application reader has about 5 minutes to review supplemental materials.

I am applying with the Common / Universal Application. Do I need to submit the two Johns Hopkins essays included in the supplement? Do the Hopkins essays have a word limit?

Read this message board thread for a detailed description of this year's essay policy: New Essay Policy Explained.

As far as word counts, we do not state any official word limits. Typically the "community" essay runs between 500 – 1000 words while the "majors" essay runs between 250 – 500 words.

Does Johns Hopkins allow application fee waivers?

Yes, we will accept fee waivers. If paying the application fee presents any financial hardship to you we are happy to waive the application fee.The fee waiver must either be an official College Board fee waiver or a letter from your secondary school counselor on school letterhead. We require official copies and therefore we will not accept photocopied requests for fee waivers. Applicants can apply online and still submit their fee waiver requests in writing.

When is the Financial Aid deadline and where can I learn more about applying for Financial Aid?

The Financial aid deadline for the submission of the FAFSA and CSS Profile is March 1, 2007. Please review this web site for full details: http://www.jhu.edu/finaid/prosp_stud.html.

FAQs for International Applicants: http://apply.jhu.edu/faqs/international.html

Even more FAQs: http://apply.jhu.edu/faqs/faqs.html

Whew ... that was a lot of info. Hope it helped. Good luck with those applications, and don't procrastinate!!!

Giving Thanks for the 4 Fs

Let me begin by wishing you all a Happy Thanksgiving. I have survived the holiday traffic and arrived at my parent's home for the start of a lovely Thanksgiving break with the family, Lilly, and Soze. This will be a traditional Thanksgiving of great food, great football, great family, and great files. Yes, the four "Fs" of my Thanksgiving holiday for the last nine years. Food, football, family, and FILES - FILES - FILES.

(((Popular Culture blog break: As I am writing about Thanksgiving I am thinking about last summer's movie "Grindhouse." Did any of you see it? This was the double-feature horror film with Quentin Tarantino's "Death Proof" and Robert Rodriguez's "Planet Terror." What made me think of it? Well during "Grindhouse" you get these fake trailers to fake movies and one is by Eli Roth of "Hostel" fame and is titled simply "Thanksgiving." It is one of the sickest things I have ever seen and has changed the way I think of this Turkey Holiday.)))

Back to the blog .... So files during Thanksgiving, that's the life of a dedicated Admissions counselor. Starting in November and running through March your life in many ways becomes reading applications files first and everything else (even holidays) second. For me this is just fact and actually not something I really complain about. Especially with my family ... I've trained Lilly (my nearly two year old niece) and Soze (my nearly six year old dog) to help read files. Soze is great with transcripts and Lilly is even better with letters of recommendation. Obviously, I am kidding ... OR AM I?????

Well as you all prepare to take a break from school I thought I would share a  few updates in the world of Admissions at Hopkins. As you can see from the pictures the reading of Early Decision applications has truly begun. In fact, it began earlier this year than ever before since we moved the ED deadline to November 1st. That has been a wonderful blessing to the Admissions staff both from the Operations side with more time to process and from the Counseling team side with more time to read. I actually got my first batch of applications to read on November 5th, nearly two weeks earlier than in any previous year. (Read last year's "Ready, Set, READ" blog entry that the official first day was not until November 21.) This has been wonderul because my stress level has not risen and I really have been able to pace myself with my evaluations. Plus we are going to have a good amount of time to discuss things in Committee before finalizing decisions.

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For those of you who applied Early Decision, I thought I would provide you with answers to some of the questions I have been asked over the last couple of weeks. (Regular Decision applicants don't fret ... I will post an FAQ list for you all in the coming weeks.)

When will ED notifications be released???

The plan as stated on our web site and in the application materials is to release Early Decision notifications to all ED applicants by December 15th. For the last few years that means we release decisions ON 12.15. I suspect the same will be true this year, but if our plans change and we are able to release decisions a day or two earlier I will update you all through this blog.

When decisions are released that are mailed out during the day and then an email is sent at 6:00pm EST. For further details about the process of notification for ED, please read "Down to the Wire..." and "Notes on the Release of Early Decision Notifications", two blog entries I wrote last December.

How many Early Decision applications were received this year???

Since this generation of college applicants is so obsessed with numbers, this has become the question I am asked constantly. How many applicants? Is that more than last year? Less? Why such a change? What does that mean? AAAAAAHHHHHH! Here is my answer ... calm down ... patience ... and the numbers do not tell the story.

Director of Admissions Dr. John Latting did reveal earlier this week that it looks like our Early Decision application total for the 2007-08 application cycle will be ... 1055 applications. This number is subject to change as we continue to complete applications and confirm Early Decision agreements. But, it is looking like the largest ED applicant pool in Hopkins history surpassing the record 1004 applications two years ago. I always think it is impressive to note that just six years ago in 2002 we received 516 ED applications and ten years ago we received 462.

Is my Early Decision application is complete???

It would be great if we had an online system where you all could log-on and checking to see if your application is complete. Unfortunately we don't, but after a series of demos/discussions I sat-in-on last week that possibility is looking much brighter for next year. For now the process is a simple one.

As you can imagine, it gets busy in the Admissions Office as we process application materials. Because of the volume of records being handled, we regret that it is not possible to confirm personally whether application files are complete or to identity which individual items have been received. Applicants will be mailed an acknowledgment postcard after your application is received and processed. It can take up to 4 weeks for a received application to be processed.

Rest assured that application files are checked carefully for completeness. Starting next week (Nov. 26th) we will contact students whose ED applications remain incomplete. Those students will be given an opportunity to provide us with any missing items before we complete the evaluation of their applications. Early Decision applicants may call the Admissions Office at (410) 516-8171 after November 30 to check if their application materials have been received, but once again we can not confirm individual parts of your application.

What are you looking for when you review the applications??? How do you choose who gets admitted???

These are questions that I am often asked and unfortunately there is no easy answer. Plus, Lilly just woke up from her nap and therefore I prefer to end this blog entry and go play with her. Fortunately though I have written on this topic twice before. Last year I posted "The Approach..." and the year before I posted "Three Months..." Take a read and hopefully my words can shed some light on the process.

Hope this little Q&A helped clear up any confusion. If you have further questions, I recommend reading through our Early Decision Questions on the Hopkins Forums and posting your question.

Happy Thanksgiving all.

[[[Photo Captions: (1) Mmmmm....turkey. (2) Lilly teaching Soze as they prepare to read applications. (3) & (4) Reading applications in my amazing new office. (5) To be filed bins beginning to stack up. (6) Decision support sheets and files waiting to be merged. (7) The printer is working over-time. (8) The office supplies are ready, including the blue application confirmation postcards.]]]

What time is it?

Greetings from the madness. That is my newly minted nickname for this time of year in the world of Hopkins Admissions. The initial reviews of this year's 14,800+ applications are complete, but we are no where close from being DONE. Now the so-called "fun" begins ... as we spend the next two and half weeks shaping and putting together the final class. Committee reviews have commenced and the arduous reviews of our reviews is are primary focus.

Evaluating 40+ applications day, 7 days a week, for nearly three months is quite overwhelming, but these next round of committee days are hard to explain. Let me take a stab at defining them though -- how about excruciating, maddening, stimulating, distressing and formidable all wrap together. Just look at what it has done to Soze...

 

Actually I think what did this to Soze and what has added to the madness is this whole early Day Light Savings time change. On Sunday when I was in the office (yup, no rest for the weary) my watch, clock, computer clock, and phone clock all had different times. Though it is nice that daylight now stays with us longer after our clocks "sprang ahead" (especially on a warm day like today), the early change has definitely messed with my fragile sleep schedule and internal clock. And time is a truly precious thing right now ... as the mail date looms.

Speaking of the mail date, for us it is the light at the end of the tunnel, but for many of you it is that moment you have been counting down since you clicked submit or stamped that envelope to Baltimore. As well, the subject of mail date is the source of one of the most frequently asked questions we address at this time of year. So I thought, as I do from time to time, I would create a FAQ list entry to answer the most pressing questions. Hope this helps!

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When will decisions be released?

Though the exact date has not been finalized, we currently are targeting a mail date during the last week of March (between the 26th - 30th). As soon as we know an official mail date I will update the blog. (Do know though that last minute changes do occur and the official mail date is not official until the mail arrives at the Baltimore post office -- just check the blog arrives from last March.)

How will decisions be released?

We will release decisions the same way we did for Early Decision. First, all the decision letters (admits, wait lists, and denies) must leave the Admissions Office and arrive at the Baltimore main postal center. Then we will follow-up later that day with email decisions to those applicants who provided a current and working email address with their application. Decisions will not be released over the phone until a week after the mail date. There is no way to determine at what time the emails will be sent. As well, please be aware we do not have an online system for checking application status.

What if my email or mailing address has changed?

Well, then you need to update us. Please send an email to apphelp@jhu.edu as soon as possible. Include your address update along with your full name, birth date, school, and old address.

I am wondering if my application is complete?

Applicants interested in checking if their application has been received and whether it is complete must call the Admissions Office at 410-516-8171. This information will only be discussed over the phone (not through email). Please note that our staff will only confirm if your application has been received and if any required application materials are missing. We are unable to confirm that supplemental materials or specific letters of recommendation have been processed. Rest assured that all applicants' files are carefully checked for completion. We notify applicants who have incomplete files, and give those students an opportunity to provide us with any missing items, before we evaluate their applications. Once again, if anything is missing, someone from our office will contact you. Be assured that we will not make a decision on your file until it is complete.

I got an email saying my application is incomplete, will this hurt my chances?

No. That is why we contact our incomplete applicants and provide them time to send in the necessary materials. Those applications will be reviewed in the same manner as all other applications.

I'd like to update my application. Will anything I send now be considered?

You may feel free to update your application any time by sending something through the mail or via fax, 410-516-6025. (Updates through email will not be processed.) Chances are unlikely though that updates will be processed in time to be considered by the Admissions Committee.

I was admitted Early Decision and sent in my enrollment form and deposit. When should I expect to receive more information?

Just be a bit more patient. At the end of the month you will receive your next mailing and it will include information about housing selection. Also keep an eye out for an email from us at the end of the month detailing the launch of a special Class of 2011 forum ... stay tuned.

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OK, I am off to go figure out what time (and day) it is ... one of my clocks needs to be correct.

P.S. Admissions_Daniel and the Hopkins Insider continue to make news. Take a look at these two most recent articles:

* The Chronicle of Higher Education's Wired Campus column - "Demystifying College Admissions" -- click here.

* Yale Daily News' column - "Blogs elucidate admit process" -- click here.

Regular Decision FAQs

One year ago today, I posted a long entry that included some of the questions we are most frequently asked during the last few days before the January 1st regular decision deadline. You can read that "Happy Holidays and FAQs" entry here. I thought that just before my holiday vacation officially started, I would update the list of questions for those of you spending the next two weeks completing your applications. Hope you find this helpful, and remember if you have questions you can post them to the Hopkins Message Boards.

So to the procrastinators, the "most dot every i" types, the perfectionists, the lazy, absent-minded, and the ones just being introduced to the amazing JHU, I present the 2006-07 RD FAQ list:

When is the deadline, really?

The regular decision deadline is January 1, 2007. This is labelled as our online submission deadline and our postmark deadline. Applicants should submit their online application materials no later than 11:59 p.m. EST on January 1st. Since January 1 is a national holiday, we will accept application materials that are postmarked January 2, 2007.

[Editor's note: Due to the death of President Ford, January 2, 2007 is now designated a federal holiday and postal offices will be closed. For this reason, we will accept all application materials postmarked January 3, 2007 or before.]

Have you received my application? OR I submitted my application online have you received it? OR My school sent my transcript and letters of recommendation have you received them? OR Any other question asking about the status of your application and whether it has been received and/or processed, or if anything is missing?

As you can imagine, it’s a busy time in the Admissions Office as we process application materials. Because of the volume of records being handled, we regret that it is not yet possible to confirm whether application files are complete or to identity which individual items have been received. Johns Hopkins does not have an online system for checking application status, nor do we confirm application materials through email.

You will be mailed an acknowledgment postcard after your application is received. This indicates your application file has been opened (not necessarily that it is complete). In late February, once we have processed all received application materials, we will contact students whose applications remain incomplete. Those students will be given an opportunity to provide us with any missing items before we complete the evaluation of their applications. Rest assured that application files are checked carefully for completeness.  You may call (410) 516-8171 after February 15 to check on your application, but we do ask that you call only if you have been previously contacted by us about missing materials.

Can I mix forms from the Common Application and the Johns Hopkins application? Can I mix online application materials with “snail mail” materials?

To apply to Johns Hopkins University you must submit either the Johns Hopkins University application Part I and Part II OR the Common Application and Johns Hopkins Common Application supplement. Please be sure that you apply with both the Part I and Part II of the JHU application or the Common App. and Hopkins supplement – do not mix these forms.

Also do not mix online and paper application materials. If you are applying with the JHU Online application, then complete the whole online application and there is no need to submit the paper application. If you are applying the Common Application online then you must submit the Hopkins supplement online as well - there is no need to mail the supplement.

Finally, though we do not encourage this practive, you are able to use Common Application school report and teacher recommendation forms with the Johns Hopkins application, and vice versa.

My school is closed for the holidays so I can't submit the transcript and/or  letters of recommendation until after January 1st. May I send supplemental materials for my application after the January 1st deadline?

The application deadline is a postmark / online submission of January 1st for the student's part of the application -- either the Part I and Part II of the JHU Application or the Common Application and Common Application supplement. Supporting materials (school materials) such as transcripts, test scores, and recommendations can be sent separately after the January 1st deadline. However, we recommend all required documents be postmarked no longer than two weeks after the deadline -- no later than January 16th.

May I submit January standardized test scores (SAT Reasoning, SAT Subject exams, or TOEFL) with my regular decision application?

Though regular decision candidates should have completed required tests no later than December of their senior year, students may take the January examinations if they are re-taking the SAT Reasoning exam, are taking SAT II subject exams, or are submitting TOEFL exams. Although we cannot guarantee that January scores will arrive before the Admissions Committee evaluation, past experience suggests that scores taken on these dates usually arrive in time. January scores will be accepted for those students unable to meet their test requirements by December. In such cases, we encourage you to note your intention of taking the later standardized test(s) on your application.

Should I rush my test scores?

There is no need to rush test score reports as they do not get processed by our office any sooner. In addition, standardized test scores may arrive after the January 1st deadline, we just require that students place their request with the College Board to send their scores to Johns Hopkins prior to January 1st. The code to use is 5332. The ACT code is 1704.

I have already sent my application but I want to update a few things or correct an error. How do I do this?

There are two ways to update your application. First you may send any updates in the mail up until the end of January. Please send to the following address and include your name, birth date, and high school:

Application Coordinator
Office of Undergraduate Admissions
Johns Hopkins University
140 Garland Hall
3400 N. Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21218

Or you may fax your application update with a cover sheet to 410-516-6025. Once again, include your name, birth date, and high school.

Please note we do not process application materials submitted via e-mail or through e-mail attachments.

Does Johns Hopkins accept additional letters of recommendation?

We require all applicants to submit two letters of recommendations - one from a teacher and one from a guidance counselor. Applicants may submit additional letters of recommendation but we request that you do not submit more than five letters total. Additional letters of recommendation may come from a coach, employer, extracurricular advisor, additional teacher, school administrator – pretty much anyone who can present additional sides of your character. I would though avoid parental and peer references.

How can I arrange an interview and are they required?

Interviews are not a required element of the application to Johns Hopkins. In fact, interviews are informational and non-evaluative. Unfortunately all interview requests for on-campus interviews needed to be submitted prior to December 1st. Please know that if you did not interview you will not be at a disadvantage in the admissions process. Information about off-campus alumni interviews can be found here.

I would like to submit a recording of my music / slides of my art / portfolio of my newspaper articles / DVD of accomplishments / or some other supplemental information. Can I do this and will it be considered?

Yes supplemental materials are welcome additions to your application. All supplemental information should be sent to the Admissions address listed above (under the answer for application updates). There are no specific requirements for supplemental materials; you can submit information in any format (e.g. portfolios, CDs, DVDs, slides, etc.) However we make sure applicants understand that typically the Admissions committee does not have much time to review such information. The general rule is that an application reader has about 5 minutes to review supplemental materials.

I am applying with the Common Application. Do I need to submit the two Johns Hopkins essays included in the supplement? Do the Hopkins essays have a word limit?

For applicants applying using the Common Application the only required essay is one of the Common Application essays. However, the Admissions staff strongly encourages all applicants, including those using the Common Application, to submit BOTH the Johns Hopkins essays. These two essays can be in addition to the Common Application essay or in lieu of it.

As far as word counts, we do not state any official word limits. Typically the "day without commitments" essay runs between 500 – 1000 words while the "academic" essay runs between 250 – 500 words.

Does Johns Hopkins allow application fee waivers?

Yes, we will accept fee waivers. If paying the application fee presents any financial hardship to you we are happy to waive the application fee.The fee waiver must either be an official College Board fee waiver or a letter from your secondary school counselor on school letterhead. We require official copies and therefore we will not accept photocopied requests for fee waivers. Applicants can apply online and still submit their fee waiver requests in writing.

When is the Financial Aid deadline and where can I learn more about applying for Financial Aid?

The Financial aid deadline for the submission of the FAFSA and CSS Profile is March 1, 2007. Please review this web site for full details: http://www.jhu.edu/finaid/prosp_stud.html.

Additional FAQs are answered here, and remember if you have questions you can post them to the Hopkins Message Boards.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!