Hopkins Insider

A Transfer Student's Tale: Should I Stay or Should I Go?

Back in the fall, the Hopkins Insider blog had a few guest authors that shared their own personal entries. We had my Mom providing advice to parents as well as Tabitha, an international freshmen student, writing about the transition to Hopkins as an international student. I find guest authors to be a great part of the Hopkins Insider blog, because I can call on others connected to the whole admissions process who can provide their own words and expertise in areas that I am less familiar.

So today I turn to my next guest author, Tanya Lukasik, who has become in many ways my transfer admissions guru. I first connected with Tanya more than a year and a half ago through this blog, where she infamously pressured me to write more information for transfer applicants. Since that is not one of the areas I directly work with it was not one of my natural inclinations to write Transfer topics. Well, Tanya has continued to push me, and since she has become an expert in a lot of these areas I turn the Hopkins Insider blog over to her today. Enjoy!

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Following in a rather time-honored Hopkins Interactive tradition, I have listed a song title to highlight the general theme of my blog entry, the decision to embark on the transfer admissions journey, as well as to pay homage to a musical gem with significant contextual and symbolic meaning -- a classic song brought to us by no other than the ‘ultimate’ eighties band, The Clash. (Cue strum of the imaginary electric air guitar)

Should I Stay or Should I Go?

Taking a moment to briefly introduce myself, my name is Tanya M. Lukasik, and I am a junior student enrolled at Johns Hopkins, double majoring in Psychological and Brain Sciences as well as Public Health, with a Pre-Medical concentration. I am interested in pursuing a career in psychiatric medicine, specifically child and adolescent psychiatry, and am originally from Long Island, New York.  I am a member of the Student Admissions Advisory Board and undeniably bring a rather unique perspective to our student admissions team, as I am a TRANSFER student -- one of the few brave souls who made the courageous decision to “go,” rather than “stay” at their previous institutions and happily ended up at Hopkins. I can state with pride and relief that I successfully survived the battle of transfer admissions, a mysterious, rather unknown undergraduate realm plagued by lengthy applications and incredibly frightening acceptance statistics; remarkably, I came out standing, unscathed, and am here to report on my transfer tales.

In an effort to reach out to the on-edge applicants who have recently submitted their transfer application(s), (the Hopkins deadline was March 15!), as well as to address the concerns of the upcoming waves of prospective transfer students, Admissions_Daniel has graciously given me the opportunity (and honor) to utilize this blog entry to offer my advice regarding the monumental decision many students, (and maybe several readers) will ponder and possibly encounter during their academic collegiate journey: the decision to transfer.“Should You Stay, or Should You Go?”

Please explain in detail why you wish to transfer to Johns Hopkins University?

Just 13 measly words! Reviewing this Johns Hopkins Application Supplement essay prompt during the summer of 2006, these thirteen words simplistically invoked such a complex, introspective personal inquiry and required an in-depth explanation highlighting why I wanted to specifically leave the ‘comfort’ of my home institution, and venture into the collegiate unknown.

What were my reasons, my motivations, my plans and my goals, and what was potentially lacking at my current university that could be offered and solved at Johns Hopkins? What was precipitating my desire to leave New York and travel to a new environment within the city of Baltimore, a campus full of new faces, new professors, and new challenges? Maybe I could sum it up with the words of the Clash front man, “If I go there will be trouble…And if I stay it will be double.” Nah, I don’t think the Admissions Committee would like that response….

“Once upon a time….” I was a sophomore at a local state university, unhappy with my overall academic experience which left me searching for a new and improved college environment, a greater scholastic challenge, and a more well-rounded undergraduate education. The limited course selections, a restrictive core curriculum, academic advising frustrations, an intellectually uninspiring campus, (rumor has it the academic buildings were designed by a prison architect), and my daily, exhausting commute, served as the perfect combination of ingredients leading to an undergraduate transfer.  Furthermore, I was interested in obtaining a top-notch pre-medical education, complete with individualized attention from professors, accessible teaching assistants, small class sizes, an abundance of science laboratories, and access to ample research and clinical opportunities, something that my current institution unfortunately could not offer.

Other valid reasons that may lead to the consideration of transferring to a new institution include:

1. Institution Size (Too small, too big? Not just right…)
2. Class Size and Types (Availability of discussions, seminars, and tutorials? Student-Teacher Ratio?)
3. Major Selection (Want to major in Neuroscience, Political Science, Public Health, Education, Classics, Basket-weaving?)
4. Course Selection and Level of Difficulty (Flexibility of Curriculum? Is it too easy, too difficult?)
5. Campus (Close to a city? Lack of pretty scenery? Safety?)
6. Student Life (Lack of a social scene, or too much partying? Campus organizations, Extracurriculars.)
7. Quality of Faculty (Is there interaction? Too involved in research? Bueller, Bueller?)
8. Off Campus Opportunities? (Research, hospitals, courts, proximity to metropolitan areas?)
9. Housing Issues (Want a chance to live on campus, or alternatively, off campus?)
10. Special Programs Offered (Want to study abroad, shadow a physician, or enroll in a class at the School of Public Health?)

Assuming the role of Sherlock Holmes, transfer student style, I went into my exploratory search looking for an institution that would meet my specific, personalized criteria. I visited numerous undergraduate admissions web sites, reviewed transfer requirements and application deadlines, and requested admissions material from universities I was interested in potentially attending during the upcoming fall.  My mailman became pretty agitated during this period, as bulky, rather heavy view books and packages from numerous colleges were sent to my home address. (Sorry Mr. McFeely!)

After narrowing down my institutional search to about ten contenders, (warning: applying to five or more schools will increase your risk for a future clinically insane diagnosis), I contacted admissions representatives with specific questions, visited admissions-based message board forums to discuss student life, (Shameless Plug: apply.jhu.edu/forums), made plans to visit five universities, took notes and snapped pictures during my campus tours, and finally, the organizational nerd that I am, I ranked my transfer university selections utilizing a “Pro-Con” List.

Important Areas to Also Consider

During the Application Phase: Meeting eligibility requirements, the time of year, your class status, your academic and professional resume, your readiness to research and visit schools, collect recommendation letters, handle transfer credits and acceptance anxiety.

During the Acceptance Phase: Are you willing to potentially move to a new campus; are you ready to meet new people coming in as a glorified freshman; are you okay with the prospect that you might graduate later than anticipated; affordability and feasibility; housing; improving your study habits; bottom line, are you ready for a totally new educational experience?

The Final Decision – Should You Stay or Should You Go?

After I received all of my acceptances during the Summer of 2007, final things that ultimately swayed my decision regarding where to transfer were:

1) My initial “PRO/CON” List analysis
2) Transfer credit processing and the acceptance of credit
3) Tuition and off campus housing costs
4) Meetings with Academic Advisors = The time they reserved to meet with me, as well as their tone, warmth, and professionalism
5) And finally, which school had imaginary trumpets blaring when I arrived…  (Please read my first guest blog, to understand)

In conclusion, the decision to transfer to a new institution is something that should not be taken lightly.  It is a process that requires the applicant to make an important personal, reflective inquiry regarding their past and their future, as well as a process that involves a tremendous amount of research, time, effort, and commitment, all boiling down to the original question, “should you stay or should you go?” I hope my transfer-related advice has served to provide some helpful assistance and to close, I’m happy to report: I’m incredibly pleased and grateful that I decided “to go…”

Update Time: Wait List News / Transfer Happenings / and LOST Theories

"It's May ... I am not supposed to be busy."

This is what I keep saying to myself. After the fury of February (finishing first reads), the mayhem of March (committee reviews), and the abundance of April (tons of visitors and events), -- [you all like that alliteration, huh?] -- the month of May is supposed to be my down time. However, this year it does not seem to be going that way. My spring travel was quite busy (details to follow soon) and now it is past 7:00pm on Friday evening and I am still at work.

Why is this you ask? Well, because after a busy day it is time to provide updates to some of my readers ... namely (1) those on the wait list; (2) those who applied for transfer admissions; and (3) those who are fanatics for LOST like me. So without further adieu ... it is update time:

WAIT LIST UPDATE

This afternoon (Friday, May 9), the Admissions Committee contacted approximately 30 students who had selected to remain on the Johns Hopkins wait list and offered them a spot in the JHU Class of 2012. Congratulations goes out to those students and we hope you all choose to attend. The Class of 2012 is shaping up to be one of our best ever, and we feel those selected today will make a great addition.

For the rest of you, please understand this is just step one in our process. Because you were not contacted today does not mean you will not be offered a spot in the class in the future. As always, we are quite deliberate in our process regarding the wait list. Everything is tied to the number of students in the enrolling class, and at this time we have slightly surpassed our 1235 enrollment target. Despite being slightly above our target, the Admissions Committee decided today to admit a handful of students off the wait list to increase our enrollment slightly and to protect against the "summer melt." (Don't know what summer melt is click here.)

I said it last year and will said it again this year ... we have not in the past, and will not this year make any rash decisions. Over the next few weeks, the staff will continue to monitor the numbers and discuss wait list issues. We may decide to admit another round of students off the wait list, or we may determine that the class is sealed. We could also choose to select some students for an extended summer wait list and release all the others. There are a number of options available to us, and we will continue to discuss all of them in relation to our enrollment figures over the coming days and weeks. We hope to have finalized all decisions about the wait list by mid-June. Once we have reached a decision, all students who selected to remain on the wait list will be notified by mail or email.

What we ask of you all now is PATIENCE. We respect and understand the frustration that comes with being asked to wait, and we are placing as much urgency on these wait list questions as possible. However, this takes time. In addition to your patience, we request that you refrain from contacting us to ask about your individual status on the wait list. As I have stated on the Wait List Discussion Thread, we do not rank our wait list. Therefore, we can not field questions from wait listed students requesting an individual assessment of one's chances of being admitted off the wait list. Your patience and restraint will be appreciated, and once an update is available I will post again.

TRANSFER APPLICATION UPDATE

The transfer student is the forgotten student when it comes to the Hopkins Insider blog, but I hope that such impressions will change with a few of the initiatives we will launch in the coming weeks. Before we get to that announcement, let me provide you all with a brief update as to where we stand with regards to transfer applications.

The Transfer Review Committee is nearly completion of the first-read evaluations of the over 700 completed transfer applications we received this year. This is a consistent total of applications for the last few years, and based on reviews the quality is on par with the previous years as well. Over the next couple of weeks the committee will be continuing the evaluation process and the plan is to release decisions by the end of May. No official date has been selected yet, as the official number of transfer students we can admit is tied to a number of issues revolving around the overall enrollment of the school.

As always, at this stage in the transfer review process the discussion is as much about the quality of each individual applicant and the fit of each applicant to Hopkins, as it is about the overall number of admits we can offer. The enrolling freshmen class size, retention rates, housing spaces, academic distribution of programs, and a number of other factors all tie into our decision making process. So there are a lot of numbers that will be figured out in the coming weeks -- but rest assured the Transfer Review Committee is hard at work.

Now for the exciting news ...

Last year I began to outreach a bit to transfer students with my "Ode to the Transfer Applicant" blog entry. I confessed in that entry though that since I am not part of the Transfer Admissions Review Committee I have little information to supply to prospective transfer students and applicants. I do the best I can and reference my colleagues often, but my focus is elsewhere in the office. But through the extremely hard work of a current transfer student at Hopkins, Tanya Lukasik, we have number of initiatives through Hopkins Interactive for transfer students.

First, in the next few days I will posting a special Guest Author entry from Tanya discussing the transfer process through her experiences. I think you will all enjoy this entry and learn a lot from her. Stay tuned.

Second, we launched today the Transfer Exchange section of the Hopkins Forums. Now transfer students have their own discussion thread to ask questions of Admissions and more importantly connect with and get advice with current students at Hopkins who successfully navigated the transfer process. Check back over the next few days as we expand this new forum section and as the "Transfer Buddies" are introduced. As always, ask your questions there for quick responses ... and if you have any feedback share it with us.

More to follow ...

LOST FANS READ ON

For those of you who read the Insider blog just for the updates on Hopkins and Admissions you may want to stop reading and move on to something more of interest to you on the Internet. For the rest of you who enjoying the random ramblings of Admissions_Daniel at times ... oh do I have a doozy of an update for you today. After last night's episode of LOST I have figured out the central mystery behind the show and specifically the Island. Yes, yours truly has figured it out. Curious? Well read on ...

The Island is ... wait for it ... wait for it ... The Island is THE HOLY GRAIL. Huh? Yes, my theory (as of right now) is that the Island is some form of mythical holy grail tied to eternal life that must be protected at all costs and against all invaders. The "Others" supposedly led by the mysterious Jacob, the ageless Richard, and the African with the piercing eyes are the hereditary knights enslaved in all eternity to protect the grail and its powers. These "Others" recruit new followers such as Ben and now Locke to protect the mysteries of the Island and its amazing healing powers. There have been many threats to the Island like the Dharma Initiative and currently with Mr. Whitmore, those who hope to unlock the powers of the Island/Grail and use them for personal gain. Add to the theory the mystery of how the certain "dead" people -- Jack/Claire's Dad, Charlie, the Mathematician, etc. (maybe even Claire herself) -- are also protecting the mysticism of the Island.

OK, clearly this is a far-fetched theory, but last night I thought I had solved the puzzle and was so excited. My theory has more holes than a pound of swiss cheese, but that is why I love this show. After every episode you are more LOST than ever and more ADDICTED than ever. I actually thought today over lunch that maybe the reason I came up with those whole Holy Grail theory is because I have been watching too much old Indiana Jones films (and the Young Indiana Jones series) and also just recently saw the Da Vinici code again. Whatever the reason, throw my theory in the mix ... who knows I could be right.

And finally, I would be remiss if I didn't somehow tie this discussion of LOST back to Hopkins. In the shower today I actually had an epiphany ... LOST = Hopkins. See one of the underlying themes of the LOST mythology is a battle of faith/theology (present in Locke) versus science/reason (present in Jack). These two ideologies are constantly in battle on the Island, and it seems that one of the end conclusions is that no one theory is correct but rather science and faith must co-exist. This being true, where else does science and faith co-exist ... well simple ... at Hopkins.

See at Hopkins we have our Natural Science and Engineering students who base their conclusions on facts and proofs. On the same campus, in the same classrooms, and in the same housing and dining facilities are the Humanities and Social Sciences students who believe in a more philosophical and theoretical approach to understanding. And what makes Hopkins great is that they co-exist and intermingle.

OK, that was even cheesier than my LOST = Holy Grail theory ... but you know this is my blog ... this is my "bully pulpit" ... and I can share on occasion some of the crazy ideas that run threw my simple mind. I hope you enjoyed these ramblings, and if you have your own theories or just want to crush and ridicule my thoughts ... use the comments section.

I am off to enjoy my weekend finally ... HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY. And go Hopkins Lacrosse ... beat Hofstra (PLEASE!!!).

The Waiting Process

I find myself in a very similar place as I was this past Monday when I last posted. Except for now I am in Greenfield, M.A. not Portsmouth, N.H. ... I just finished a lackluster college fair not a successful one ... and the weather is sunny yet cold, not very cold / very windy / and very rainy as it was earlier this week. (Speaking of weather, they still have SNOW up here in New England and it is May.) Despite these exceptions, there are similarities to my current situation and that of a few days ago.

Mainly, I sit here with an hour or so of free contemplation time (a true rarity for me) and I am also eagerly anticipating getting lost into a television show which will be on at 10pm. (Get it ... lost in a TV show ... yes LOST is on in less than 60 minutes.) So with this small window of opportunity, I thought I would provide an update addressing the second audience I spoke of in my last post ... The Wait Listed.

Today is May 1st. In the world of college admissions that is one of those milestone dates. This is the day when all the admitted students must have made their decision of where they will be attending school in the fall. It is also a big date for students who are on a wait list, because now questions about enrollment, class size, and space availability can be addressed. In speaking with a few colleagues over dinner last night it seems that some schools have actually decided to start admitting students off their wait list even before May 1st. With all that in mind, I thought I would dedicate my first Hopkins Insider entry to the Wait Listed Students of the 2008 application cycle.

As far as an update, there really is not much to say. As of right now (the evening of May 1st), the Johns Hopkins Admissions Committee has made no decision about whether we will need to admit students off our wait list. Some may ask why is that, especially since other schools have made wait list decisions already. The simple answer is that we are very DELIBERATE in any decisions that we make about the enrollment of our class. We are not swayed by decisions made by other colleges and universities, as we focus solely on our own admissions numbers.

At this time it is too early for us to determine the current enrolling size of our class. May 1st is a postmark date for candidate reply forms, and since many students this year waited until the last minute to send out their responses, it will take a few days (even possibly a few weeks) for all the decisions reply forms to be received and processed. So for that reason alone we need to wait as we just don't know the accurate number of enrolling students we have received for the Class of 2012.

Many questions about the wait list and our process abound this time of year, and to help answer those question, I created earlier in April a Wait List Discussion Thread on the Hopkins Forums.

Click here to access the Wait List Discussion Thread

I hope that the information on that FAQ list is helpful, and please ask additional questions if you have them.

So basically, my message to the wait listed right now is to ... just wait. Hang in there. Be patient. I know that is not the news you want to hear at this moment, but unfortunately that is all I can share right now. As soon as I can, I will update the blog again with any wait list news. Also, remember to bookmark the Wait List Discussion Thread on the Hopkins Forums, as any useful information will always be posted there first.

Decision Time Approaches

So it is Monday evening and I have just checked into my hotel in Portsmouth, N.H. after a very successful college fair. I've been on the road for the last few days and so far I have met some great prospective applicants for the Class of 2013. But before I can really switch me mental gears towards the classes of '13, '14, and beyond, I need to first close the door on the JHU Class of 2012.

As I sit waiting for a new episode of House to come on (about time!), I contemplate the long journey this admissions cycle has been, and how much is still left to do to close the book on the Class of 2012. (I know it has been a long journey because this is probably only the third time in the last month where I actually have had a considerable amount of time to just think, and by considerable amount of time I mean one free hour.) Based just on the number of emails in my in-box and the number of voicemails on my log ... the journey is clearly not yet complete. Mainly the questions that I need to focus on this week relate to three specific audiences:

• Admitted, yet not Decided
• The Wait Listed
• The Enrolled, and Over-Anxious

With May 1st (Decision Day) just a few days away, I will be addressing this group with this blog entry. Don't fret, I will have updates for the wait listed students soon and will also have one last farewell entry to the Class of 2012 later in May. So for those of you who have been admitted (congrats again) but have yet to make your college decision (choose Hopkins), read on ...

Just about a month ago my colleagues and I were finalizing the last group of admissions decisions. Now the tables have been turned and we in Admissions await the responses from the admitted. After a long (LONG) month of admitted students events, an abundance of communications with students, parents, and guidance counselors, and much discussion about why Hopkins is great ... WE WAIT!

Actually, our waiting game is an interesting one ... basically we stalk our mail services team twice a day during their deliveries and await to see how many candidate reply form envelopes have arrived and more importantly how many "Yes" responses have come in. This year has been more of a waiting game than before, as it appears more students are torn about their decisions and are waiting until the last possible days to decide. With those students still debating their choices, I though I would write this post providing as much advice as I can pass along.

In fact, I have actually written a number of times in the past about the approach one can take in making their final college choice. Two years ago I put pen to paper (actually fingers to keyboard) and came up with 4 key points of advice to help one decide what is the right college:

1. Self-analysis time: What is important to YOU?
2. PRO / CON Lists for each school can help
3. Do not focus on superficial statistics and rankings
4. Avoid hearsay, conjecture, myths, and rumors - the truth does not exist in them.

To read the full post, check it out here:
April 24, 2006 -- May 1st is Almost Here

Last year I actually got even more ambitious with my pseudo-advice column. I wrote one of the longest Hopkins Insider entries as I compared choosing the right college to my purchasing of a new HDTV. The theme of the past was the search for the right fit while weighing all factors and doing as much research as possible.

To read the full entry, check it our here:
April 23, 2007 -- The Big Decision (in HDTV)

This year I planned on writing a similar entry, this time relating the college decision process to my purchase of a new car in January, but then I realized I didn't have anything new to say. So instead, as you admitted yet undecided students struggle with this final choice, I refer you to my previous ramblings, but also encourage you to use the Hopkins Forums. There are actually a number of wonderful discussion threads that can help as you make this final decision. Here are the ones I suggest:

Why I Chose to Attend Hopkins?: Top 5 reasons I am at JHU
CLICK HERE

A Letter to Yourself: Before Coming to Hopkins, Looking Back, What Advice Would You Give Yourself?
CLICK HERE

What Do You Wish You Knew Before Coming to Hopkins: Unique Aspects of Hopkins
CLICK HERE

What Would You Change About Hopkins?
CLICK HERE

FACT OR FICTION: Academics Section
CLICK HERE

FACT OR FICTION: Student Life Section
CLICK HERE

It's Time to Make a Decision about College ... How Can a Parent Help?
CLICK HERE

So take a look at these forums, ask questions of the current students, and best of luck as you make this wonderful decision. And as I have said many times before, in the end just go with your gut and choose Hopkins -- you can't go wrong.

Here are some photos taken during the three Admitted Student Open Houses. Hope you enjoy them, and thanks to everyone who came up to the Ask-a-Student table during these events and thanked me and the Hopkins Interactive students.

The Return & Reflections on the Last Few Weeks

It has been a bit more than two weeks since the release of Regular Decision notifications and now that the dust has mostly settled, I have returned to blogging. Before I explain my absence and touch on a bunch of topics, I need to reflect back on March 28, 2008. What a day it was! 

I was going through all the pictures I took of the file room, stuffing of decision letters, and the mailing process and I came across this last one which is posted on the right. I didn't even take this picture. I believe Lauren snapped the shot, and Jessica was the one who chose the sign.

It is actually the perfect picture to summarize my emotions the evening of March 28. We were done, we made it, and in retrospect it is amazing to think how we got there. It truly was a mix of ... Blood (from paper and folder cuts), Sweat (from the weird heating system in Mason Hall), and Tears (from lack of sleep and the difficult decisions we had to make). With the strength of this year's applicant pool, it was a bit miraculous that the whole Admissions team was able to work together and get the decisions out even a couple of days earlier than April 1st. I think it was the exhaustion of the past few weeks that led me to collapse that Friday evening and go in a sort of hibernation over that first weekend.

So what has Admissions Daniel been doing since the release of decisions?
After my weekend of hibernation and lots of sleep, it was time to get back to work and prepare for the mayhem that is April. No rest for the weary. There were Open Houses to prepare for, Engineering tours to arrange, the Westgate Scholarship program to organize, Spring Travel plans to be made, CRIBS videos to post, Parent, Faculty, and Alumni blogs to upload, etc. etc. etc. But in addition to all that there were the many phone calls to receive, the voicemail messages to respond to, and the emails to answer. The weeks after the release of decisions is the busiest time of year when it comes to fielding phone calls and emails.

And these calls and emails are not the easiest to handle. In a year as competitive as this year has been across the entire college admissions landscape, there is a lot of confusion, frustration, anger, and emotion. By far this is the hardest part of my job ... handling the aftermath of decisions. So many questions of why, can you reconsider, did you make the right decision ... and unfortunately a lot of anger. Despite being quite difficult, I think I do handle these conversations well and try as best as I can be to be understanding and respectful. Unfortunately, sometimes nothing will help.

There is a whole other part to this process and that is the response that takes place in online forums. Whether it be the forums that Hopkins Interactive presents (our blogs, message boards, Facebook) or whether it be other popular college-oriented discussion board (read: College Confidential), there is a lot of debate, discussion, and argument that takes place online. I do read everything, but this year I made a very important decision -- I took two weeks off. I followed the discussions, but I did not contribute. I also chose to not blog during this time to allow all the initial reactions to occur.

Some may disagree with my decision, but as I return to the online discussion community now, I feel I made the best choice. Though I personally disagree with a lot of discussions that occur on sites like College Confidential, I do understand the popularity of such forums. First, they are pretty much anonymous and allow anyone to say anything. Second, they allow people to vent without consequence or concrete arguments. Third, they allow the uninformed to appear knowledgeable and they allow the "loudest" person to dominate. Fourth, ... well I can go on with a ton more reasons but I will refrain and maybe hold all those thoughts for a time when I am running low on blog topics.

That is not the case right now. I have a lot to say and I lot to write. Unfortunately, it is closing in on midnight and I have to be on-campus quite early tomorrow for our second Admitted Student Open House. So I will be signing off, but encouraging you to all check back at the end of the week and frequently over the next few weeks ... because Admissions_Daniel is back, the Hopkins Insider Blog is back, and there is a lot to be discussed. Thanks for your patience and thanks for sticking with me.

Before I sign off though, I do have two final things that must be said:

To Those of You Who Have Taken the Time Over the Last Few Weeks to Speak Favorably of the Hopkins Insider Blog and My Work (Whether In Person or Through Correspondence):
THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! Your comments and positive feedback are truly appreciated by me. Though there is absolutely no need for you all to thank me, I must be honest and say it feels good to hear such positive reinforcement. I have had a lot of people share with me their enjoyment of the blog and Hopkins Interactive, and that they find me to be very accessible. That is what I am working towards, and it is such an affirmation that the long hours and work is reaching an ever-growing audience. Often the only feedback one gets is the angry, negative comments -- and oh boy I have gotten a few of them -- but the last few weeks the positive response has been overwhelming and it really means a lot. Thanks again!!!

To Those of You Visiting Campus and Who See Me Around, Come Up and Say Hello:
I'm not kidding. I really enjoy meeting the people who read this blog. I always joke that no one reads my ramblings. So if you see me at an Open House or during your visit to campus, come up and say hi and let me know you read the blog. I will almost always make a joke about how Admissions_Daniel is my evil alter ego, but I will also probably be able to answer any of your questions and just make you feel welcome on the Homewood campus. Also, I am typically around some of the amazing current Hopkins students, and they are wonderful to engage with. So I hope to see some of you at the Open Houses or around campus.

OK, I am off to bed. Check back soon, as I promise ... I have a lot to say and I think you will enjoy. Cheers!

Live Blogging on RD Notification Day (2008)

Good morning all. I've been up for about 15 minutes and I am refreshed. I didn't think I would be able to write that after the mayhem of the last two weeks, but I actually got 8 hours of sleep last night. I don't think my bed has ever felt more comfortable.

This is the start of my live blogging of the Regular Decision notification release day. There is a lot of tasks on my "to do" list today, but I will try to update frequently throughout the day to let you know how everything is going. I need to go SHAVE (!!!), shower, and then head in to the office. For the mean time, I recommend you go back and read (or re-read) my post from yesterday detailing the entire process for the release of decisions (I've added photos):

Breaking News: Decisions to be Released March 28

Be back later!

Posted at 6:30am, March 28, 2008

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Quick update time. I got in to the office at around 7:30am and I must say I was suprised by one thing -- the sun was out! If you have read previous decision release "live blogging" entries, it seems each morning has always been a bit gloomy and a bit foggy. Today, though it is partially cloudy (or partially sunny) and a bit chilly, there was still spring sunshine and buds on the trees.

I dropped my stuff at my desk and then headed up to the third floor in Mason Hall where the other "early birds" were finishing stuffing folders. For the next three hours we have been busy stuffing the final financial aid packets, pulling international decisions so that we can affix special mailing information, and STAMPING. Yes it takes close to three hours with about 10 people to stamp everything.

With that being said, I need to get back to work. I thought I would leave you all with something that always makes me smile. Enjoy:

Posted at 10:35am, March 28, 2008

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Hey all ... I am not neglecting the updates. I have just been busy the last few hours ... O.K., honestly I have been procrastinating and chatting with two amazing freshmen students, JHU_Jessica and JHU_Lauren. I will be updating in a while, I promise. Enjoy the pictures for now.

Posted at 5:35pm, March 28, 2008

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So I know that the live blogging wasn't as frequent as in the past, but I needed to take some time off this afternoon after we mailed all the decisions. It has been a crazy couple of weeks, and my brain and body needed to relax for a while. I have returned home and have gotten confirmation that the emails are being sent. Before I provide a re-cap of the days events, I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO RE-READ MY POST FROM YESTERDAY REGARDING THE RELEASE OF REGULAR DECISION NOTIFICATIONS:

Breaking News: Decisions to be Released March 28

Answers to the majority of your questions are posted there, including details about what happens if you do not receive a decision email.

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So beginning after my last significant update (10:35 am this morning), here is what transpired -- and yes I will reference the photos above.

10:35 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. - After updating I decided to step outside for a fresh breathe of air and I had the camera so I took a nice shot of Mason Hall (pic1). It has been a much easier process this year in the new building ... much more space leads to a better flow to the process. After some air it was back to stamping (pic2). It costs more than $4 per priority mail envelope.

12:00 - 1:00 p.m. - The sealing commences. Everything is stuffed, everything is stamped, and Dean of Admissions Dr. John Latting (background of pic5) confirms that all decisions are final. The sealing of the envelopes (pics 4 & 5) will take about an hour. As the sealing moves along all the packets are stuffed into mail bins (pic 6). Time to load the cars!!!

1:00 - 1:15 p.m. - I head to my office to get my car keys and look out my window to see 7 tours of prospective students (pic 3). The circle of Admissions ... high school juniors beginning the process as high school seniors are finishing up.

It takes four SUVs (including my brand new Chevy Trailblazer (pic7)) to hold all 16,001 decisions. It is a tight squeeze (pics 8 & 9 & 11). Uh oh, don't forget one (pic 10).

1:15 - 1:25 p.m. - The drive down I-83 to the main Baltimore postal center. Nice artistic side mirror photos thanks to Shannon (pics 12 & 13).

1:25 - 1:35 p.m. - The unloading of tons of bins of mail at the Baltimore postal center. It is a work-out but we get it done quickly, and turn everything over to the U.S. Postal Service. At 1:35 p.m. ... WE ARE DONE. The decisions are out of our hands.

1:37 p.m. - Uh oh!!! The caravan of three SUVs are pulled over by the U.S. Postal Service police (pic 14). We are a bit nervous, but it turns out that we were just using the wrong exit. Whew ... that was a close one.

1:50 p.m. - Back in the office. The majority of the staff heads home to rest and enjoy the rest of the day off. I bunker down with Jessica and Lauren working on updating the Hopkins Forums and our Facebook groups. We procrastinate a bit (the three of us need it). Thanks to both of them for keeping me going today.

5:35 p.m. - I update the blog quickly ... end the procrastinating ... confirm that the Admitted Student Web site is launched ... and confirm that the email process will begin sometime in the 6 to 7 o'clock hour. I pack up and head home for the evening.

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Breaking News: Decisions to Be Released March 28

As promised here is the most up-to-date news regarding the release of Regular Decision notifications ...

Johns Hopkins University will release regular decision notifications
on Friday, March 28.

Please check back later tonight for full details on the process of releasing decisions. I need to go assist with the confirming of decisions and the stuffing and sealing process. But I will return with a list of FAQs and answers, plus some pictures.

Posted at 6:08pm, Thursday, March 27

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Our hard work these last couple of weeks and especially these past 24 hours has paid off, and as the introduction to this blog states, we will be releasing regular decision notifications tomorrow. There is still a lot to be done tonight (LATE tonight) and throughout tomorrow, but the class is set, decisions are sealed, and the end process has begun in earnest. As has become tradition, the majority of the Admissions staff is staying late and we have recruited a cadre of amazing students to help with all the final steps before the packets and decision letters are ready to be dropped off at the post office. I am taking a break from the mayhem, since I know so many of you have been refreshing the Hopkins Insider blog for the most up-to-date information.

This process typically leads to a ton of questions, so I have compiled the following Frequently Asked Questions (with answers obviously) to cut down on any confusion. PLEASE READ THIS BLOG CAREFULLY.

Decisions are complete, so can I call now and get my decision?
NO!!! Please do not call us tomorrow (Friday) regarding your decision or anything related to the release of decision notifications. The entire Admissions staff will be extremely busy preparing the mailing, that we will not be able to field any questions regarding the release of decisions, and we will absolutely not release any decisions over the phone tomorrow.

How will decisions be released?
By mail: We will release decisions the same way we have done for the past three years. First thing tomorrow morning the staff will finish stuffing packets, sealing the last decision letters, and then stuff everything in mail bins. All decision letters (admits, wait lists, and denies) will be taken to the main Baltimore postal center. All decisions will enter the postal system by the close of business on Friday.

By email: As we have done in the past, in the evening we will also be releasing decision notifications via email. NO OFFICIAL TIME HAS BEEN SET YET. In the past we have sent decisions at 6:00 p.m. EDT and we hope to be able to do the same this Friday. The emails are released later in the day because 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.

Can I check my decision online?
Johns Hopkins University does not have an online system for the release of admissions decisions.

Can I call the Admissions Office to receive my decision over the phone?
Decisions will not be released over the phone until Tuesday, April 1st. At that time, if you have not received your admissions notification you can call the Admissions Office. Please be aware, when we do begin to release decisions over the phone, we will only release the decision 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 identify of the caller can be reasonably assured.

Regarding the emailed decisions, what will be the subject line?
We do not release the "subject lines" of our email decisions in advance. The content of these emails will change year-to-year.

What happens if I do not receive an email decision on Friday?
If an applicant does not receive an email there a couple of things he or she can do:

1. Check your SPAM folders.
2. Check ANY and all email accounts you have ever used during the college search process. We send the email to the account you listed on your application. However, our database system does track all email accounts that have ever been matched to your record, so on occasion the notification email may be sent to old email address. (So check emails that you may have used when registering for the SAT/ACT for example.)
3. Have your parents check their email accounts too. Not sure how that happens, but it has happened in the past.

If none of those methods work, then unfortunately the student will need to wait to receive the decision in the mail, or can call after April 1st. Every year some email notifications just don't work. The reasons for an applicant not receiving an email notification include that there was no email provided on the student's application, the email provided on the application is no longer active, there was a SPAM filter blocking the message, or some error occurred that caused a bounce-back. WE ARE UNABLE TO RE-SEND EMAILS. Once again, in such situations the applicant must wait and we do appreciate your patience.

I applied to the biomedical engineering program, will I receive that decision via email as well?
Decisions about acceptance into the biomedical engineering (BME) major are departmental decisions and therefore we do not release such information through email or over the phone. All applicants who applied to the BME program will learn of their decision when they receive their acceptance packages.

I applied Early Decision, was admitted, but my decision about the biomedical engineering program was deferred. How will I receive my final BME decision?
Those decision letters will be mailed tomorrow. We can not release those decisions through email or over the phone.

How do I learn about my financial aid package?
Financial aid awards for those who completed their financial aid application will be included in the acceptance packet. You will also be able to check your award by logging into your ISIS account. If you have any questions or need access to ISIS, please contact the Office of Student Financial Services.

What about scholarship notifications and notifications about the   Woodrow Wilson research fellowship?
These decisions are included in acceptance packets only. We do not release that information through email or over the phone.

I hope this update and FAQ list helps clear up any confusion. I will upload pictures later this evening when I have a chance to locate my camera cord. While you wait for tomorrow, if you want to procrastinate a bit more read the past decision release blog entries:

December 14, 2007: Class of 2012 Decision Release (ED)

March 28, 2007: Class of 2011 Decision Release (RD)

December 15, 2006: Class of 2011 Decision Release (ED)

March 30, 2006: Class of 2010 Decision Release (RD)

December 15, 2005: Class of 2010 Decision Release (ED)

Live blogging tomorrow ... now I am off to finish helping my colleagues, head home, prepare the shaving kit, and get a good night sleep.

Photo Captions (top --> down):

1. The Start of the day: the bins wait all the stuffing to come.
2. Middle of the day: lots of hands doing lots of work. The process of dropping the correct letters and financial aid packages.
3. Another Stage of Confirming: this is the third and final check that the right letters will go to the right people.
4. Late in the Evening: everyone is still going strong.
5. Students are Amazing: With out the help of our great students we probably wouldn't mail until the middle of April.
6. Done for the Night: the bins are stuffed and now wait for the morning to be stuffed and sealed.

Update: Where We At Now?

It's just past 10:00pm on Wednesday evening (March 26) and I am still in the office. I am actually here catching up on a number of non-admissions decision related projects. As well, there are a number of the great students from Hopkins Interactive throughout Mason Hall working with me to complete a few special "surprise" projects for the coming month. I thought before I head home for the night (and what has become the traditional 3-4 hour nap before a shower and return to the office) I'd provide a quick update on the status of regular decision notifications.

Status Update: We are close to being finished, but we are not yet done. More importantly, I unfortunately have no new update on the decision mail date. I hope to be able to post tomorrow with that information, but we just are not there yet. I appreciate all of your patience, and as I have said over and over again ... when the decision release date becomes official I will update you all.

Since my last post, so much has been going on that I thought I would share some new pictures from the past 24 hours, and once again provide descriptive captions.

 

Photo #1: SO MUCH MAIL. The letters have continued to pile up ... there is a lot that goes into 16,001 decisions.

Photo #2: DRAWER CHECKS. This is the most crucial step. Here teams of 3 work to confirm each and every decision. We need to check the letters with each file.

Photo #3: MORE DRAWER CHECKS. It takes an entire day with everyone on board to go through all the files. While this is going on the Director is meeting with certain members of the Admissions Committee finalizing those last decisions. Even though the drawer checks are going on, the class is still not complete.

Photo #4: THE MAIL ROOM SLEEPS. All action has ceased for the evening as the staff went home to rest. (Maybe I should do that too). An eerie site to behold.

Photo #5: THE ACTION WILL RESUME SOON. The file room awaits the mayhem to commence again on Thursday morning. So much to do, so little time.

I am off to finish up my work, head home, see who got kicked off of American Idol and Big Brother, listen to the "Once" soundtrack and try to get a good night sleep - until the alarm clock goes off at 4:45am.

Check back tomorrow for the best update I will be able to provide ...

Update: Where We At?

N.B. Just to let you all know I posted a blog entry over the weekend, but due to a dumb mistake on my part it never posted (I "saved as draft" instead of "posted"). That is fixed right now, and I encourage you all to scroll down to read the March 22 entry, or just click here: REBOOT: H.I. Version 3.0 Arrives.
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O.K., let's get this out of the way right away ... many (yes, many many many) of you are asking in every forum available when will regular decision notifications be mailed??? Here is the up-to-the-minute update ... WHEN WE ARE DONE.

As of the early morning of Tuesday, March 25th we are still thoroughly working. Therefore our answer to the above question is that the release of decisions will occur prior to April 1st. We have been working endless hours these past few weeks to finish the class. Some of you have insinuated that we are dragging our feet ... in no way is that true. This process needs to be PERFECT, and the finishing touches to the class are always thought over and discussed in the most meticulous fashion.

I miss my bed ... Soze is on vacation with my family right now so the ASPCA does not come and take him away from me for neglect ... I celebrated my birthday this past weekend for a grand total of 4 hours ... I haven't watched a new movie in three weeks (Ahhh!) ... My eyes hurt ... My brain hurts ... I am close to running on empty, just as all my colleagues are. But it is all worth it. This year is a record year for us and one of the most impressive applicant pools any of us have ever seen. Just another reason for us to be as deliberate as we are being right now.

As soon as I have an update on the release of RD notifications I will update this blog, so check back over the next few days. If you are interested, check the blog entries from this time last year for a pseudo-preview of what is to come: March 2007 Hopkins Insider Blog entries. (For a more recent decision release entry, check out the entry from December 14, 2007 regarding ED Notification Day.)

Below I have added some pictures of the state of affairs in Mason Hall as of Tuesday morning, but before checking them out please read this caveat ... DECISIONS ARE NOT DONE YET!!! Yes, we are generating letters galore as you can see, but that does not mean the class is sealed and all decisions are finalized. Due to the volume of letters we need to mail on decision release day, our Operations team must begin the process as early as possible. So these pictures are of our staging areas. Not sure I can say this any clearer ... do not read anything in to these pictures. We are not mailing today ... we are not mailing tomorrow ... etc. etc. etc.

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PICTURE CAPTIONS (from left to right, top row to bottom row):

(1) The main file room has become a massive staging area for our admit packets. (2) Another angle of the massive collection of collapsible bins with application packets ready to get stuffed. (3) Letters galore. (4) More letters. (5) Even more letters and mail bins. (6) Yes, there is a lot of paper involved in this process. (7) The state of my desk ... a slight improvement from last week, but still a mess. (8) A box of discarded rosters ... a lot of work took place to get that box filled. (9) My dream button ... I wish I could just push it and we'd be done ... but there are no easy roads.

This entry is the best update I can provide at this time. So please just be patient, and stop asking when decisions will be released. We will let you know, as soon as we set the date. Thank you for your patience.

REBOOT: H.I. Version 3.0 Arrives

Way back on December 12, 2005 a little endeavor created by a team of 12 creative Johns Hopkins students, a risk-taking admissions counselor, and a few talented web and marketing professionals was launched. This project was the initial incarnation of Hopkins Interactive, a new way of connecting with prospective students and providing them with authentic information about Hopkins and a transparent view of the Admissions process. The launch of this site was revolutionary for its time, and was all about providing access: access to current students providing honest answers; access to an actual Admissions counselor; access to unfiltered and direct information; and access to some fun. (Read about the initial launch of Hopkins Interactive in the first ever Hopkins Insider blog entry.)

Eleven months later on November 15, 2006, Hopkins Interactive was re- launched. This was a truly ambitious re-visioning of the H.I. site as previously we had just two pages of material that included 10 blogs, a message board, and some fun facts.  Version 2.0 was much different, as the content expanded in a grand way, the design radically changed and improved, and the ability to interact with current students exponentially increased. All involved with the re-design and re-launch were overwhelmingly satisfied with the finished project. (Read about the re-launch of Hopkins Interactive, version 2.0 in this Hopkins Insider blog entry.)

The sign of a creative and talented crew is that they do not rest on their laurels after achieving a sense of success ... and that is just what the team behind Hopkins Interactive did. Following the 2.0 re-launch, all involved began to think of better and more effective ways to present the Hopkins Interactive content and increase the level of interaction. Though it has taken us more than a year for version 3.0 to make its debut ... the wait has been worth it.

So now March 22, 2008 will hold a place in history, not just as  Admissions_Daniel's 33rd birthday, but more importantly as the launch of HOPKINS INTERACTIVE, VERSION 3.0. This Hopkins Insider entry is dedicated to the new features of this fantastic site.

At first glance, it seems that little has changed. The design and structure of the site is based on the re-visioning that took place for version 2.0. However, a closer examination of the front page reveals two brand new sections 04: @ HOPKINS & 05: VIDEOS. We will get to those sections soon. The other changes to the main page include brand new Polaroids of our 8 new freshmen, some new Polaroids of returning H.I. students, and a collection of new "did you know" fast facts. Remember keep refreshing to see all 22 Polaroids and over 40 fast facts.

Now let's take a section-by-section look at the content and new features:

01 - STUDENT PROFILES

My favorite part of Hopkins Interactive, and in many ways the best place to navigate the site when trying to connect with our current students. Here you will find 22 student profiles that represent the best cross-section of the Hopkins undergraduate student body. We have re-organized the profiles main page by sorting by class year, but still you can go down the list and select profiles of students from your region of the country (or the world - yeah Tabitha), or from your academic area of interest. Each profile page has also been updated with new survey questions, new pictures, links to the students' blogs, and an updated feature where you can ASK ANY STUDENT A QUESTION (just click on their pictures). So let's say you are from Texas and may be interested in Public Health Studies - then click on Roxi's profile, check out her profile, read her blog, and then ask her a question (or just provide her some feedback). The students love to chat with you all ... so don't forget to post on their personal discussion threads.

02 - BLOGS

The most popular section of Hopkins Interactive continues to be the Blogs, and there is no problem with that. Name another University site where you can find 11 student blogs, a shared Freshman blog co-written by 4 students, an Admissions blog, a special Guest Blog, a conglomeration blog, and oh yeah a new Video blog. I am constantly amazed at how enjoyable reading our student blogs can be (yes, I know I sound like a proud Papa). If you really want to know about the daily life of Hopkins students following the stories of these amazing students is one of the best paths. Every once and a while we will update the "Recent Entries" column on the left so you infrequent visitors will be able to find some of the more popular or unique blog entries. And don't forget, all of the content and design of the blogs is created by our volunteer students - they are not paid and they are not told what to write about -- just like Lauren's blog "Wish You Were Here."

03 - MESSAGE BOARDS

Hopkins Interactive is interactive primarily through the message boards. The Hopkins Forums are your chance to ask any question you might have about life and learning at Hopkins. Admissions_Daniel (me) and the 22 students are available 24/7 (ok, that is a bit on an exaggeration) to answer your questions. Ask Admissions, ask the current students, get information on student life, and answers to everything academic. The great part of the message boards is that the answers and conversations stay forever, so even if you don't have an original question, you can get more information than you could imagine by spending some time scrolling through the forums.

What's New with the Message Boards ... how about:

• Parents' Corner: tell your parents that we have created a forum for them to ask their own questions, and we have recruited current Hopkins parents to respond.
• Off-Topic Discussion: get to know the Hopkins students even more through random "favorites" threads, some fun games, and even a few quizzes. Not everything has to be so serious.
• Featured Forum Topics: check back regularly as we highlight the topic discussions of the past few weeks.

04 - @ HOPKINS

One of our two new section, @ HOPKINS is an expansion of our old Hopkins 360 section. Once again you will find our Virtually Here section with virtual tours and webcams, our News Links section that links you to a variety of Hopkins news sources, our fun Top 10 lists, and the Hopkins Speak guide to JHU lingo. As well, the HOPKINS CRIBS page still exists, and is about to go through a complete update in the next couple of week - with a lot more videos.

The name change is not the only update to this section, as we launch two brand new pages too. First is the "How To" Hopkins page. As we state on the site, the How To Hopkins section is your "cheat sheet to all aspects of Johns Hopkins life, both social and academic." Here the students have compiled interesting entries that provide suggestions, advice, and to-do lists on Hopkins-related topics like how to explore Baltimore, how to avoid the freshman 15, how to select a major, and how to find a research position. In the coming weeks and months we will be adding new entries, and if you check out the section you can email us with your suggestions. (Make sure to check out the "How To" ... Experience Baltimore entry for some interesting videos.)

The other new page is all about our Blue Jay Buffet blog. This is definitely the section to check out on a weekly basis so you can stay up-to-date with our Parent Blogs, Alumni Blogs, Mascot Blogs, Engineering News Briefs, and the This Month at Hopkins entries.

05 - VIDEOS

This is the section of the new Hopkins Interactive that I have the most interest in, as I am impressed with the content we have at this time, but am even more excited when I think about what this site will be like in a year. The new Videos page provides you with links to an array of videos that exist throughout the many pages of the full Johns Hopkins University web network. Enjoy watching these videos, but consider them just the teaser for the main part of this new section ... the Hopkins Interactive Video Blog. The students have been hard at work on a variety of online (viral?) videos that show you the world of Hopkins. We hope you have enjoyed these early parlays into the world of online video, and we promise to keep improving. If you haven't been watching the Video Blog entries, then I share with you my favorite video to date, to encourage you to check out our current, past, and future projects:

06 - CHAT WITH US

Here we have made the fewest changes, because in many ways this area is still under construction and contemplation. Over the years we have had a mixed experience with online chats, so the team and I are re-thinking the ideas of chats in the future. Stay tuned.

In the mean time, we have added a great way to connect with the Hopkins Interactive team ... FACEBOOK. Read all about the JHU Facebook group here, and check out this former Hopkins Insider blog entry about the launch of the Facebook group.

Happy exploring Hopkins Interactive version 3.0, and as always leave your feedback. Maybe your suggestions will be incorporated in H.I., v. 4.0.