Imagine Magazine - Johns Hopkins - January/February 2012 - (Page 41)

planning ahead for college How I Review College Applications by Daniel Creasy, Associate Director of Admissions, Johns Hopkins University Every year just after the application deadline has passed, applicants begin to ask an array of questions: What happens to my application? Who reads it, and what are they looking for? What are the most important parts of my application? Are admissions decisions based just on numbers, or will someone actually read my essays and recommendations? These are all legitimate questions, but unfortunately there is no clear-cut answer to any of them. Every college and university reads and evaluates college applications differently, deciding which factors carry the most weight and what type of student best fits their school. But I can tell you the approach I have formulated in my 14+ years as an application evaluator. I think of this process as a conversation. once I start reviewing a file, I begin a conversation with the applicant that typically lasts 15 to 20 minutes. I start by examining the high school transcript, standardized test scores, and any academic letters of recommendation, looking for strengths and weaknesses, trends (hopefully upward), course selection, and a myriad of other factors. When I evaluate a high school transcript, I see not just grades and courses, but a four-year record of one student’s path through a well-rounded academic curriculum. I consider the decisions the applicant made, how the applicant performed, and ultimately if the applicant met or surpassed expectations. Then I turn to the standardized test scores. In my analysis, the high school transcript is more important than the test scores, but I look at the test scores to see if they reflect what I would expect a student’s standardized performance to be, based on the transcript. If they match, which they typically do, I move on. If they don’t, I ask why and then move on. Finally, I analyze the academic letters of recommendation to compile a final academic evaluation of the applicant. My final questions include whether the student measures up to what we expect of Hopkins students and whether the student will make positive contributions to the Hopkins academic community. Next, I examine the applicant’s extracurricular and social experiences. The essays, extracurricular résumé, and letters of recommendation play a vital role as I ask about leadership skills, commitment to community and service, and dedication to specific activities. Does the applicant have passions? What are they, and how does she pursue them? How has the applicant spent his time outside the classroom? What impact has he had on his school, community, society? This analysis tells me how the high school years were spent when not studying and what interesting qualities the applicant brings to the table. once again I consider past accomplishments while looking at future potential—what contribution will the applicant make to the Hopkins student body? Finally, I reflect on those intangibles that can determine whether the applicant is a good fit for Hopkins. Will the applicant add to the fabric of the institution? Will this student stand out and make a difference? After this thorough evaluation, I render a decision suggestion: admit, wait list, or deny. Then it is on to the next file. In an application review season, I will review 1,000 to 1,200 files as a first reader. The first reader of an application makes a decision suggestion, not a final decision. Application review will continue with an extensive committee process where multiple staff members evaluate groups of files based on a range of factors including academic interests, diversity, or special interests such as athletics or legacy status. The committee process is when the full admissions staff is shaping the final class. Applications may go through a number of rounds of review before a final decision is rendered. As you can see, this process is comprehensive. The decisions we make are not based solely on GPAs, SAT scores, etc., but rather reflect the Admissions Committee’s determination of which students will best fit and fulfill the promise of Johns Hopkins University. I hope this sheds some light on how my colleagues and I do our jobs. In the coming months, we will be having “conversations” with each applicant and shaping the Class of 2016 with the best future Hopkins students out there. This article was excerpted from a longer entry on the Hopkins Insider blog, which offers advice, resources, and behind-the-scenes insights about the undergraduate admissions process at Johns Hopkins University. Learn more at http://blogs.hopkins-interactive.com. www.cty.jhu.edu/imagine imagine 41 http://blogs.hopkins-interactive.com http://www.cty.jhu.edu/imagine

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Imagine Magazine - Johns Hopkins - January/February 2012

Imagine Magazine - Johns Hopkins - January/February 2012
Contents
Big Picture
In My Own Words
Reading Tea Leaves
iGEM: Synthetic Biology, Brick by Brick
Young Biologists, Big Discoveries
My Journey to the International Biology Olympiad
Lab Notes
Macro Menagerie
My Summer at SIMR
Selected Opportunities & Resources
The World on Stage
Lessons from Chess
Off the Shelf
Word Wise
Exploring Career Options
One Step Ahead
Planning Ahead for College
Students Review
Creative Minds Imagine
Mark Your Calendar
Knossos Games

Imagine Magazine - Johns Hopkins - January/February 2012