A Heartfelt Farewell

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A little over a week ago I celebrated my 9th anniversary in the Office of Undergraduate Admissions at Johns Hopkins University. Sadly, that will be the last milestone I reach in my professional career here at Hopkins. At the end of this week I will enter Mason Hall on the Homewood campus for the final time as an employee. In one of the most difficult decisions I have made in my life, I have resigned my position as Associate Director of Admissions and accepted a new position as Director of Communications for the Office of Admission at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia.

I never really expected to be writing a farewell Hopkins Insider blog entry, but this summer I received a couldn’t miss professional opportunity that will enable me to take my admissions career in a new direction. Though I have immensely enjoyed being an admissions counselor, at this point in my career I want to focus more on my interests in communications and marketing. This new position allows me to remain in the field of higher education and still involved in issues of undergraduate admissions. My new primary focus will be on the development and delivery of a distinct and cohesive admission message for Emory via a multitude of communications platforms. In so many ways, I am able to take my career in this new direction because of the work I have done at Hopkins—and specifically this blog—and for that I am eternally grateful.

During my over 300 blog posts it is rare I share pictures of myself. With this final entry I thought I would share some of the more embarrassing photos of me from the past 9 years. Here is an interesting holiday pic.

Saying farewell to my second home is not going to be easy. Since making my decision to move south there has been a lot of time to reflect. Such a big move professionally leads someone to look back at when it all started. Growing up I never dreamed of being a college admissions professional and even after graduating college it did not seem to be in the cards. But after disliking my first career choice I looked back on my college years and realized the most fun I had was being a campus tour guide. Then I began to look at my strengths and talk to people who knew me well and two themes became apparent. First, I was a good talker, and second I knew a lot about searching for the right college. So what started as an experiment back in January 1999 when I got my first admissions job has turned into a career, and one I truly love.

I was drawn to the cyclical tasks of a college admissions recruiter and evaluator: recruitment travel, on-campus programming, and application review. I got to use my talent as a strong speaker and I got to engage with the counseling aspect of the profession. As I transitioned to Hopkins I still had passion for these admissions roles but I also began to expand my connection to the areas of communications and marketing. While each year passed and an experiment in a new profession became a career, my reasons for enjoying this career evolved. Finally, in a reflective moment this past spring I realized the parts of my job that I initially was drawn too were not the same tasks that motivated me and therefore a change was needed.

Admissions_Shelly and I are so silly together.

The leadership at Hopkins has allowed me over the past nine years to experiment and explore greatly in the field of communications, especially as it relates to incorporating new media (a.k.a social media) platforms into the traditional recruitment and retention plan. This exploration began with the launch of this Hopkins Insider blog in December 2005, then blossomed with the expansion of Hopkins Interactive, and now represents one of the most comprehensive social media programs for a university in the nation. Nearly seven years ago I wrote in the first of my over 300 blog posts – Who and What is the Hopkins Insider? –

The Hopkins Insider blog is one part of this new endeavor – consider it a behind-the-scenes look at how Admissions works at such a highly selective institution. Over the coming weeks and months, this blog will give you access into the often confusing and hidden operations of an Undergraduate Admissions office as well as provide you with a resource for asking questions. This will become your personal window into the application review process and you will become connected to the personalities that make up the Admissions selection committee.

I didn’t realize back then what I was starting would become a major component of the everyday work of a college admissions office. Admissions blogs that provide a transparent and accessible connection to the inner working of the selection process as well as other forms of social media outreach by formerly reclusive admissions staff is not only commonplace, but now expected. I am proud that we were ahead of the curve at Hopkins, and that as I depart for a new challenge I leave the Admissions Office with a true legacy and a game plan for remaining at the top of the heap.

Not happy about being forced to wear a crab hat, but happy that I am with some of the best SAAB students ever.

The other component of reflection is what I will miss after my departure. This is much harder for me to write about as I will miss so much and thinking about that yields a ton of emotions. (Yes, tears will be shed as I write this.) I will miss the university and the community that exists at Homewood. Hopkins has a great advantage over so many other urban institutions in its physical location and design. The majesty of the Homewood campus breeds an engaged populace and caring community, and even as the campus has expanded during my tenure it is constantly reflecting on how to continue to connect community. (Just check out the new Brody Learning Commons.) I will miss the friendly nature of Homewood: from the people in Levering who always say hello when I go to get a sandwich or drink; to sitting in the Nest rooting on the Men’s Lacrosse team to victory; to the staff at PJ’s during Taco Tuesday; and to the Hop Cops who are always fun to chat with. I will also miss greatly the professional staff I have gotten to work so closely with outside of Mason Hall. There are so many passionate and intelligent members of the staff and faculty at Hopkins who aided me in my growth, stimulated me with their creativity, and taught me about the inner workings of a prestigious institution of higher education.

I had a serious crush on this cardboard cut-out of my former admissions colleague Amy Brokl. Strangely this is not a life-size replica of Amy as she is only about 5 feet tall.

I will also greatly miss my colleagues in the Admissions Office. You all have become much more than colleagues. You are my friends. You are my mentors. You are the people who inspire and challenge me, and you are the people who have most enabled me to grow professionally. I will cherish so much from the experience we have shared, the lessons we have learned together, and all of our collective successes and failures. As I fear I will miss out on certain people, I do not want to single out any one individual in this blog but rather thank all of my colleagues past and present, as each and every one of you has left a mark on me personally and professionally.

I am really going to miss these people. We had a ton of wonderful moments in Mason Hall.

It is also sad to leave behind the prospective community, the students and families I work with in on a daily basis educating them about Hopkins and assisting in navigating the sometimes confusing admissions selection process. Though this community changes year to year and I never really get to know these people in an in-depth way, I feel much of my enjoyment over the past nine years stems from the connections I have with prospective students and applicants. In my new job I will be working closely with a prospective community again, one that is quite similar, but my engagement will be different. I will miss visiting a high school and chatting with a small group of students about the humanities at Hopkins or how residence life works. I will miss standing in front of a thousand people at an Open House acting as a “cruise director,” providing advice on how to best navigate their day. I will miss using a bullhorn on Decker Quad during SOHOP, or driving a golf cart along St. Paul’s Street after midnight making sure everyone is safe. And I will greatly miss writing entries for this blog.

Now I come to the part of this farewell blog that I have been dreading; how do I say goodbye to “my kids”? I often use that phrase to describe the Student Admissions Advisory Board (SAAB), the group of Hopkins students I have advised and who have been instrumental in all things Hopkins Interactive related. When I started at Hopkins I never imagined that a group of current students making up an admissions volunteer group would be the most significant part of my job. But when I reflect the most significant memories tend to always involved SAABers past and present.

The Student Admissions Advisory Board (SAAB) when we began to hit our stride.

About a year and a half ago I posted a blog called the “SAAB Legacy” where I discussed the impact that a group of past SAABers had on me. I concluded that blog by writing:

These 13 special students have meant the world to me and I consider them in many ways my children. I will look after them for as long as I can, and will provide them with any assistance they ever need. They have inspired me, they have challenged me, they have made me laugh, they have made me cry, they have displayed true creativity, and they have in the end created something memorable and unique. They have kept me in the loop and allowed me to be a small part of their successes. They have left a true legacy.

By overseeing SAAB I have learned leadership skills, I have been challenged to make difficult decisions, I have managed diverse personalities, and I have developed cardinal organizational rules that assist in project management. I will be bringing all these skills with me to Emory and I know my experiences with SAAB will lead to success in my new endeavors. But I will also be bringing with me a collection of memories that I will reflect on when I need inspiration. (I really wish someone would create an actual Dumbledore pensieve as that would make this so much easier.) I hope “my kids” realize what they have meant to me and I hope the followers of Hopkins Interactive realize how uniquely special Hopkins students can be.

My final SAAB group photo ... I will miss "my kids" so much.

Some may read my emotions and not understand them because they see this just as a job and the natural progression of moving from one job to the next. However, this has never been just a job to me and the people I am leaving are my second family. I am eagerly anticipating this next professional challenge, but it is hard to close the book on my time at Hopkins. Though Hopkins is not my alma mater, I have spent nine years here and feel more of a connection to the Blue Jay community then I do to my actual alma mater. Despite moving on, I plan to continue to sing the praises of Johns Hopkins University and look forward to future events such as a hopeful lacrosse championship next Memorial Day.

One Hopkins-related item I surely will continue to follow while in Atlanta and encourage you all to do so as well is the Hopkins Insider blog. I am leaving the blog in truly capable hands and expect great entries in the future. There will now be four full-time Admissions bloggers who will continue to provide a personal window into the admissions process at Johns Hopkins University. But more so these four different personalities will cover a wide-range of issues and provide a more comprehensive array of topics than I was ever able to do back in the day. From Shannon you will learn from a seasoned admissions professional as she enters her eighth year at Hopkins. From Laurin and Ardi you will shadow the experiences of admissions counselors in their first professional year, who also both happen to be recent JHU graduates. And from Shelly you will hear from the main contributor to the Admissions Office’s current communications and marketing efforts. Truly capable hands!

It has been the truest of pleasures to come to work at this place for the last 9 years. Best wishes JHU!

When thinking of how to conclude this final blog entry, unfortunately, words fail me. I will just say thank you to everyone and you all will be sorely missed. I hope over the years I have assisted you, I have advised you, I have motivated you, and on occasion made you laugh.

Cheers!

My dog Soze has been a long-time mascot of the Hopkins Insider blog so I had to share one last photo of him. He will greatly miss Hopkins as well.

Back to School Advice

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Earlier this week my niece Lilly started first grade. This got me thinking about the joys of back to school days: picking out the perfect outfit, packing an extremely organized and clean new backpack, meeting your new teacher and all your new classmates, and the excitement to find out what topics you would learn in the coming year. I must admit that I am pretty jealous of my niece right now, and yes I am a big nerd. Seeing pictures of Lilly’s first day of school also reminded me that on back to school days my Mom would always pack a special little note with my lunch and it would include a small piece of advice. So as students all across the world begin to return to school, I thought I would share a piece of advice especially to those beginning their senior year in high school and to those beginning their freshman year in college.

My niece Lilly with her brother Cooper getting ready to leave for her first day of 1st grade.

My advice is simple–engage with your educators, or even more simply, speak with adults. I will expand on this nugget of advice in a second but first I thought it helpful to provide context for why I feel this suggestion is important. Having been in the profession of higher education for 15+ years I have been an active witness to the fluctuations in the attitudes and behaviors of young adults as it relates to their final years in high school, their college search and application process, and their adjustment to their undergraduate studies. One of the concerns I have for the current generation is the sources of information they are turning to for educational advice. In my opinion, this generation places way too much weight on advice coming from online sources, anonymous commenters, and social media sources. As well, I often cringe when I hear that a student is making decisions because of what their friends suggested rather than their parents and/or their teachers. I wonder if the “if your friends decided to jump off a bridge” phrase is used more often these days. I am not de-valuing these sources completely, but back when I was young my friends and I placed more value on the educational advice coming from the adults we regularly came in contact with. It surprises me how often I am now debating with prospective applicants our admissions policies or recommendations and the counter-argument starts with, “Well my friend said …” (If you are curious into delving more into this theory of mine, go back and read my “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of College Confidential” blog post.) Enough of my mini-rant … on to the advice.

For those of you about to head into your final year of high school and are knee-deep in the college application process, my advice to speak more with adults and your educators is crucial. Just think about it. For a significant portion of your college applications you need to rely on adults. You need teacher recommendations. You need a guidance counselor recommendation. You may choose to send in an additional recommendation from a coach, employer, extracurricular advisor, or some other adult advisor. You need to work with the staff of your Guidance/College Counseling office to have your transcripts submitted. And of course you need to work closely with your parents for a multitude of reasons. Adults will matter greatly in your college applications.

First day of 1st grade ... pretty much the same as first day of senior year?

But you need to engage with these adults and educators not just to get your applications done, but also because they can provide excellent assistance in navigating the sometimes confusing waters of the college search and selection process. Your teachers, counselor, and school administrators are quite experienced and have a wealth of knowledge to dispense. They have worked with thousands of students in the past and can pull from those experiences to help answer your questions and guide you in the right direction. In my years reviewing recommendations, it has become quite clear to me which students a teacher knows well and has been able to mentor, and a teacher that has just been limited to teaching and grading a student. Though I think this a pretty obvious conclusion, I will still state that I prefer the recommendations where a student has engaged with their teacher beyond just the day-to-day lesson and exam. Grades matter in the college search process, but so do relationships. We are not just looking for the smart kids, but those that will contribute and connect with our community.

My advice of engaging with your adult educators also applies to recent high school graduates about to start their college experience. The next four years are going to fly by and I hope you don’t make the same mistake I made in during my undergraduate years. My thought process in college was that I had all the answers and I didn’t need any guidance. Therefore I barely met with an advisor, I never visited the Career Center, and I never inquired about professor office hours until my senior year. When my stress level increased I never visited the Counseling Center, and when I got sick instead of visiting Health and Wellness I listened to the advice of my next-door neighbor, an Egyptology major. In retrospect I missed out on one of the greatest opportunities available to college students; access to a community of advisors, educators, and professionals whose professional goals are to mentor, engage, and connect with the youthful exuberance of students between 18-22 years of age.

So my advice to the new freshmen out there is to make sure to not miss out on this opportunity. Visit with your advisor not just to get answers to your questions but to seek out new avenues for your academic pursuits. Go to professors’ office hours, again not just to ask questions about class material but to get to know these educators and allow them to get to know you. You will be amazed at the doors that will open to you by connecting with these adults. And don’t stop there. Consider your experiential learning options by visiting the Career Center, meet with research advisors, and speak with the staff of the Study Abroad office. Beyond academics be aware that you have support from the Office of the Dean of Student Life, from the Counseling Center, from the Interfaith Council, and from the Health Center. The support network is there to help in times of need, but also to help you navigate all the decisions you will face over the next four years.

Johns Hopkins Class of 2028: Here comes Lilly!

As I end, I feel it is necessary to share with you my ulterior motive in dispensing this advice. I have spent my entire adult professional life working in education and though I didn’t enter the field of college admissions initially to engage and mentor students, those opportunities have become the true reason why I love what I do. I guarantee that my colleagues in admissions, in advising, in student life, and all the other offices that make up an institution of higher learning would agree with me that the ability to guide and advise the youth of today is one of the best parts of our jobs. I have had the distinct opportunity to celebrate the successes of the students I know while also console them in their times of need. I jokingly say that I live vicariously through the students I know well, but in there is actually a lot of truth in that attitude. Though I may just be a “gatekeeper” in the world of admissions, I have embraced every chance that I get to mentor and advise students and the greatest professional memories I have are always experiences linked to students. Way back when someone said I would be a good college admissions counselor because I was so comfortable talking to large groups of people and I had an interesting college experience to share. Back then though I never would have imagined that 15 years later I would have a career in higher education and the best part of that career would be the chances to interact and support students in a variety of academic and social ways.

So as you prepare to go back to school I hope you heed my advice. And oh yeah, don’t forget the cardinal rule of always sending a thank you note. Us adults like them a lot.

We’re Back; Now Come Visit

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Wow, I can’t believe it has been three months since our last blog post. I feel it is finally time to break our blogging hibernation now that it is summer and 2012 is halfway completed. It seems like it was just yesterday when we were releasing regular decision notifications and posting frequent entries with information for our applicants to the Class of 2016.

So what is the reason for our absence? I could explain it by describing a complicated story about how we were placed on a three-month ban by the internet police. Or that Admissions_Shannon and I were negotiating our free-agent blogging contracts. Or an alien abduction. Or just say that we lost our password. But to be honest, the simple explanation is that we have been quite busy and also in need of some time off.

Were we lost among all this stuff?

A whirlwind of activity has taken place since our blogging re-cap entry on the last day of March. The 30 days of April just flew by. It felt like one minute we were releasing decisions, the next minute the Homewood campus is inundated with visitors, two SOHOP programs went by like a hail storm (both literally and figuratively), and when we finally caught our breath we had made our class. May was witness to the end of the fall semester, fall recruitment travel, Commencement, transfer admissions decision release, and the decision not to admit any students off the wait list. June was a time for us to catch our collective breath, take stock of the past admissions cycle, and casually begin the next recruitment cycle. And now it’s July and it all begins again.

The silver lining to all this mayhem is that all the hard work truly paid off. Admitting the incoming Johns Hopkins Class of 2016 broke an array of records:

-      Highest-ever yield, 37.5%
-      Record-breaking applicant pool, 20,504 applicants
-      Lowest admit rate, 18%
-      Highest combined SOHOP attendance, 930 admitted students and 1,770 total guests

SOHOP Crowds on Decker Quad

Further highlights are discussed in this recent JHU Gazette article: Class of 2016 nets highest yield at Homewood.

More of the SOHOP crowd, now in the Rec. Center

Now the question is: where do we go from here? Well, recruiting the Johns Hopkins Class of 2017 and beyond. Though we have already started this process with our spring recruitment travel and welcoming high school juniors and sophomores to campus for the past few months, once a class is “put to bed” as we have done with the Class of 2016, all of our motivation and focus turns to the start of a new cycle. Throughout Mason Hall the Admissions staff is engaged in three main tasks during the summer. First, we take much-needed vacation time to relax and re-charge. Second, we plan. Planning means everything from arranging fall travel, brainstorming about changes to our application, or committee meetings on a range of topics from campus visit programs to communications and marketing agendas. And third, like we do at all times of the year, we welcome visitors to Homewood.

If you are a prospective student considering applying to Hopkins this fall, or in the future, then you should consider visiting this summer. Each Saturday in July we are offering our Hopkins Preview events. These three-hour programs consist of a two-hour information session followed by a one-hour campus tour. The session includes academic presentation by faculty members, a student panel, and an overview of the application and financial aid processes by Admissions staff. A Hopkins Preview program is an excellent and comprehensive program for a first-time visitor exploring whether Hopkins could be a good fit. You can still register for one of the programs here: http://www.hopkinsadmissions.com/hopkinspreview.rsvp/.

Come visit us in Mason Hall.

If your Saturdays in July are booked, no worries. The Admissions Office is open every weekday in the summer (well, except tomorrow, for Independence Day) and we offer campus tours and information sessions each day. Further details on our weekly guided tours and information sessions are posted here: http://apply.jhu.edu/visit/guidedtours.html. Though reservations are not required, we do encourage you to review our Google calendar of visit opportunities to verify our schedule on the day of your planned visit: http://apply.jhu.edu/visit/visit.html.

And to entice you even more to come visit, watch this quick video invitation:

 It’s good to be back and blogging, and we promise no more three-month hiatuses.

Blogging Re-Cap: Posts for the Class of 2016 Applicants

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This has been a busy month for the Hopkins Insider blog, and yes I know that is an understatement. With all the new posts I thought it would be helpful to end the month with a re-cap post sharing the links to the entries dedicated to the Class of 2016 applicants.

Live Blogging on RD Notification Day (Class of 2016)

A Post for the Class of 2016 Admits – Congratulations!

A Post for the Wait-Listed Applicant (2012)

A Post for the Denied Applicant (2012)

I have proof of how busy the past week has been as I reviewed some of the stats in our Google analytics. I am still amazed by these numbers:

- Number of visitors to the Hopkins Insider blog for the past five days (Monday, March 26 through Friday, March 30) = 10,307 unique visitors – 26,798 page views (almost 10,000 more page views than for this same time period last year).

- For just decision release day, March 29, 2012:
7,339 visits from 5,309 unique visitors for 12,927 page views

Simply amazing. THANK YOU!

Shannon and I will be back in April with new blog posts. We brainstormed last week on some topics and have some really interesting posts coming up. Stay tuned.

A Post for the Class of 2016 Admits – Congratulations!

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How to begin an entry dedicated to the 3,071 students who this past Thursday received the “YES” news from Johns Hopkins University. To be honest, I am at a loss for words. You have heard, read, and seen the word “Congratulations” so many times that the word may be losing its impact by now. But what other word works? You look up the word in a thesaurus and you can weaker phrases like compliments, best wishes, felicitations (?), and good going. Even though I can’t find that perfect word right now, I hope that those of you who received the good news on Thursday evening and will receive a big packet in the mail feel an overwhelming sense of pride and accomplishment, and have taken some time over the last couple of days to celebrate and jump for joy.

I think my failure at finding a more significant word to say congratulations has a bit more to do with me sheer exhaustion. I hope to be able to catch my breath this weekend following the whirlwind of activity that takes place just before the release of decisions. There were times during the hectic months and weeks of Admissions committee review and deliberations that I never thought decision release day would come. But then you get to drop the letters off at the post office and click send on the e-mail notifications and the exhaustion transforms into a state of reflection.

So despite my exhaustion, despite the calm reflection after the storm that seems to be settling in this overcast Saturday morning in Baltimore, I am confident of one thing … starting next week my mood will be sheer excitement. There are a ton of April events on the horizon and the chance to meet admitted students over the next few weeks does make me smile from ear-to-ear.

You have been admitted to the strongest class in Johns Hopkins history. Each and every one of you should feel a great sense of honor. You need to know that, by offering you a spot in the Johns Hopkins community, we are saying loud and clear that we think you fit. We think you will make a difference at Johns Hopkins and we can provide you with the challenge and excitement you are looking for. After months of getting to know you all through your applications, we eagerly wait until the time when you and the Early Decision admitted students arrive on campus this coming fall. Great things are going to be expected from the JHU Class of 2016.

There will be much time to celebrate over the coming weeks, but for many of you a tough decision lies ahead. Let me give you the best advice I can … CHOOSE JOHNS HOPKINS. Make it simple. You can’t go wrong. For some of you it will be that simple; but I also know that many of you will need to weigh your options and determine which of your admitted schools will make the best fit for you.

For those of you who are undecided, the question is how you will make this big decision. What is the right choice? These questions are justified, but in the end it is you and you alone who has to make the choice. Choosing which college or university to attend is one of those life-altering decisions where you must weigh all the factors, big and small. This choice not only impacts the next four years—it will leave an eternal mark on you as the school becomes your alma mater and an important line on your resume.

If I can provide any early advice it would be to first do your own self-analysis and decide what it is you want and need in the college you attend. Then you need to do your own research on each school you have been admitted to and consider the big questions of fit. I am a big fan of creating pro / con lists and using a weighted system to help determine what it is you are searching for and where you will be most comfortable. I strongly encourage you to avoid focusing on statistics and rankings, as these are quite superficial and do not help get down to the personal decision level. I also warn you of weighting other opinions more than your own. And finally, in my experience, the gut decision is typically the right one.

I am going to sign off now and let you celebrate some more. Don’t forget to utilize the ample resources we have put together for our admitted students, all referenced in your admit notification e-mails and admit packets. The Admitted Student Web site has tons of information and we strongly encourage you to visit for one of our SOHOP programs. (Maybe you can even ride the SOHOP express) Also, the Hopkins Interactive students are using all the social media tools they can to connect with you—check out the Facebook group, the #whyhopkins tweets, the YouTube videos, and obviously all the blogs. Don’t let your questions go unanswered.

The theme of April will be WHY HOPKINS and we hope we can help you all answer that question and you will join the JHU Class of 2016.

A Post for the Wait-Listed Applicant (2012)

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

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

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

Over the years, I have composed an extensive list of frequently asked questions and answers about how the Johns Hopkins wait list works. I have posted the complete list to the Hopkins Forums in an attempt to assist you along the way:

WAIT LIST DISCUSSION THREAD (2012)

A selection of the questions posted on the discussion thread:

How does the wait list work?
Our enrollment target is 1,275 new freshmen. Based on our estimates we have admitted a percentage of our applicant pool that we expect will yield a class that size. However, it is quite hard to exactly predict the number of students who will accept our offer of admission, hence the existence of the wait list. If we miss our target, then we will admit students off of our wait list to assure that we enroll a complete class.

I still really want to go to Hopkins. What should I do if I want to remain on the wait list?
Instructions on how to remain on the wait list are included in the decision notification e-mail you received. Follow the personalized link in your e-mail to make the decision to remain (or be removed from) the Johns Hopkins wait list. You need to respond by May 1 at the latest.

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

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

Please DO NOT send the following:
(1) additional writing samples
(2) supplemental materials such as CDs, slides, portfolios, etc.
(3) research or term papers.
Just stick to the list above.

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

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

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

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

2011 – Approximately 20 students were admitted from the wait list.
2010 – Approximately 30 students were admitted from the wait list.
2009 – No offers of admission from the wait list.
2008 – Approximately 40 students were admitted from the wait list.
2007 – Approximately 80 offers.
2006 – No offers.
2005 – No offers.
2004 – Approximately 150 offers.
2003 – Approximately 100 offers.
2002 – No offers.
2001 – Approximately 50 offers.
2000 – No offers.

As I said, there is much more information over at the Hopkins Forums. Do make sure to visit the Wait List Discussion Thread (2012) for the complete list of questions and answers. As well, when updates become available they will be posted to that thread first. It may be a good idea for you to bookmark the page.

If you have any questions about the Johns Hopkins Wait List, post them to the discussion thread as I am sure others are wondering the same thing. I will be as prompt as I can be with responses and provide as much detail as possible. I hope this helps.

A Post for the Denied Applicant (2012)

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Now that the dust has settled after the release of Regular Decision notifications this past Thursday, I know that many of our applicants did not receive the news they were hoping for. Every year I hesitate whether I should post a specific entry for denied applicants. I assume that after a student receives a deny decision from Johns Hopkins that they would not choose to return to the blog. I also feel that my comments will not be welcomed by a student after receiving negative news from the University. Lastly, I fear that my words will fail me in expressing the compassion I and my colleagues feel for the students were are unable to admit.

However, I have been surprised to find out over the last few years that many who read my post for denied applicants actually appreciate it. Every year that I have been part of the Admissions Committee at Johns Hopkins University, rendering final decisions has become more difficult. You all know from the media this week that acceptance rates at the most selective colleges are dropping significantly as applicants pools continue to grow rapidly. And this is true at Hopkins this year too as we witnessed the largest applicant pool in our history (20,496) and our lowest acceptance rate (17.7%) ever. No matter what you may think at this time, admissions counselors loathe the process of denying applicants. We all universally agree this is the hardest part of our jobs.

Every year my colleagues and I are faced with the daunting task of selecting very few students from a truly outstanding pool of applicants. As I have written many times before, each applicant is considered thoroughly and holistically by a team of highly committed professionals. Unfortunately, the number of applicants far exceeds the number of positions we can offer (our freshman class will be just 1275 students this year). Selecting students is never an easy process and I know my colleagues join me in saying that we sincerely understand your frustration and anger and respect your disappointment when hearing the unfavorable news.

Many deal with being denied by trying to determine where they fell short. They ask questions about what were they missing or what they did wrong. As I complete my 13th year in college admissions, I can attest to the fact that there is never just one reason that leads to our decisions. When reviewing a student’s application, we take into consideration a vast array of factors including academic achievement, extracurricular involvement, leadership, commitment to community, and promise of future contribution.

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

Others will deal with being denied by expressing anger, and levying accusations based on tons of speculation. The days after the release of decision are some of the hardest for me as I tend to take the brunt of many of the attacks, being that my online “Admissions_Daniel” presence is an easy and accessible target. I understand where these accusations of unfairness stem from, but I am also aware of how much time, effort, and passion my colleagues put in the admissions selection process. I could defend vigorously and respond back aggressively at every negative comment but there is no value in that. Venting is pretty much human nature when receiving unfavorable news, and though some will take it too far, I choose to remain above the fray and allow people to deal with the news as they deem appropriate.

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

My advice for now is to forget about Johns Hopkins and any other schools that may not have admitted you for your undergraduate years. Know that there is a college that is going to be uniquely enriched by your presence on their campus and that you will have an amazing undergraduate experience. If there is one thing I have learned over the years, the right college for you is the one that you select to attend and the one you commit yourself to fully.

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

Answers to a few frequently asked questions:

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

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

Can I apply again and when?
Yes you may apply again, but must wait for our next admissions cycle which will be the fall 2013 term. We would strongly encourage you to enroll at another university, and if after two semesters you still feel that Hopkins is the right place for you, you may apply for transfer admission. Transfer admissions information can be found here: http://apply.jhu.edu/faqs/transfer.html.

Breaking News: Regular Decisions Notifications To Be Released Thursday, March 29

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I have exciting news to share. Regular Decision notifications for applicants to the Johns Hopkins University Class of 2016 will be released this Thursday, March 29. After nearly four months of processing, reviewing, discussing, and deliberating, the Admissions staff has reached the final stage and is just a few days away from sharing the news with our over 19,000 Regular Decision applicants for freshman admission. Read on for all of the details on how the release of RD notifications will work on Thursday.

JHU CLASS OF 2016, REGULAR DECISION NOTIFICATION DAY =
THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 2012

The printing of decision letters has begun.

How will decisions be released?
By mail: On the afternoon of Thursday, March 29, all decision letters (admits, wait lists, and denies) will be taken to the main Baltimore postal center or the Johns Hopkins postal center in Mt. Washington. All decisions will enter the postal system by the close of business on Thursday. Admit packets are sent priority mail, whereas deny and wait list letters are sent first-class mail. We hope that admit packets sent within the U.S. will arrive within three days, and other decision letters can take 4-7 days to arrive. International mail is sent a variety of ways depending on the country and will take longer to arrive.

By e-mail: In the evening of March 29, we will also be releasing decision notifications via e-mail. E-mails will start going out AFTER 6:00 p.m. ET. Please see that I have emphasized the word AFTER. It can take up to two hours for all decision e-mails to be sent. E-mails are sent in batches and will take time to arrive. They are also sent in random order so there is no way to deduce the order that decisions will be released. I can guarantee that decision e-mail will not arrive exactly at 6:00 p.m. Please have patience. In fact, I suggest you find something to distract yourself for an hour, and then check your e-mail account.

Can I check my decision online?
No, Johns Hopkins University does not have an online system for the release of admissions decisions. We do not post our decisions online or through a portal.

Regarding the e-mailed decisions, what will be the subject line?
We do not release the “subject lines” of our e-mail decisions in advance. The content of these e-mails change year-to-year.

Do not share your decision e-mail!
Each decision e-mail is personalized. Acceptance and wait list e-mails have a personalized URL in the message and therefore should not be shared, especially on any public forum or website. To protect your privacy and the accuracy of information, do not share or post your decision e-mail.

The mailing bins have arrived.

What happens if I do not receive an e-mail decision on Thursday evening?
If you do not receive an e-mail, there are few things you can do:

1. Check SPAM folders.
2. If your e-mail address is associated with a private school, your school’s server may block our decision e-mails and you should check with your school’s network administrator to have the e-mail released.
3. Check ANY and all e-mail accounts you have ever used during the college search process. We send the e-mail to the account you listed on your application. However, our database system does track all e-mail accounts that have ever been matched to your record, so on occasion the notification e-mail may be sent to an old e-mail address. (Check e-mails that you may have used when registering for the SAT/ACT for example, such as your parents e-mail accounts.)

What if none of those methods work, and I have still not received my e-mail decision by Friday?
In such rare occurrences, you may call the Office of Undergraduate Admissions on Friday at 410-516-8171 to request your decision e-mail be re-sent to an alternate e-mail address. We ask that only the applicant or parent/guardian of the applicant calls. We will only be able to re-send a decision e-mail if the identity of the caller can be reasonably assured. Please also be prepared to share an alternate e-mail address. We will only process requests to re-send decision e-mails via phone, not e-mail.

Can I call the Admissions Office to discuss my decision with an admissions representative?
We do not discuss the reasons behind decisions over the phone. Additionally, the only phone calls we will receive on Friday will be from applicants who did not receive their decision via e-mail. Starting Monday, April 2, Admissions staff will receive phone calls with questions about decisions. Once again, please do not call asking why a certain decision was rendered as Admissions Committee decisions are confidential and we are unable to discuss the factors behind our decisions.

The bins of admit packets are eagerly waiting.

I applied to the biomedical engineering (BME) program; will I receive that decision via e-mail as well?
BME decision e-mails will come as a second e-mail to all admitted students who selected BME as their first-choice major. Those e-mail notifications will also be sent Thursday evening, following the release of all other decision notification e-mails. Further details about one’s BME decision will be included in the admit packet.

What about scholarship notifications and notifications about program such as the Woodrow Wilson research fellowship?
Those decisions will be included in acceptance packets only.

I applied to Johns Hopkins and also the Peabody Double Degree program. How will I be notified of my decisions?
Homewood / Peabody Double Degree applicants will receive their admissions decision notification about their Hopkins (Homewood) application in the same fashion as been discussed above. Decisions about admission to Peabody and the Double Degree program will be released as a second e-mail on Thursday evening, following the release of all other decision notification e-mails.

I think that covers everything for right now. If you have further questions, please feel free to post a comment and I will try to respond when I have the chance.

Overlapping Roles

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Most of the visitors to the Hopkins Insider Admissions blog this time of year are current Regular Decision applicants for the Johns Hopkins Class of 2016, or parents of such students. This post though is not for you all, rather I will be writing to the other members of our readership who are prospective applicants to the JHU Class of 2017 or beyond. For the RD applicants all I can share right now is that there is no new news on which date notifications will be released. Everything I wrote in my March Admissions Madness post back on March 14 still holds true right now. Continued patience is appreciated, and please know that as soon as there is an update I will post a new blog entry.

For the juniors in high school or even younger I applaud you for starting your college search process early and for finding this helpful resource. Obviously, I also applaud you for having excellent taste in universities. I’m not one to brag but Johns Hopkins University is the #1 social media college in the country (see!) and in the coming week our Men’s Lacrosse team will be ranked #1 in the NCAA Division I polls (due to a thrilling OT victory over Virginia this past weekend.) As you all watch the upperclassmen in your schools fret over the release of admissions decisions throughout the month of March your own college search stresses have begun to take form too. Senior year course selection. SAT and ACT exams. Which SAT subject exams to take and when? When to visit colleges? What is this “fit” everyone keeps talking about?

Plan a Visit Soon

As springtime arrives, every high school experiences the ending of one college cycle for the seniors and the starting of a new cycle for the juniors. These same dual cycles are occurring in all Admissions Offices as well. In mid to late February as the Admissions counselors are hunkered down reading applications 24/7, the number of campus visitors grows exponentially week after week. Once the calendar turns to March and the Admissions counselors begin the arduous committee deliberations, weekly tours and information sessions are busting at the seams. It is not until April that the true collision of those starting the admissions cycle and those finishing it is truly seen. It is during the 30 days of April that droves of high school juniors begin to make their first official college visits, just as seniors are attending special admitted student events to determine their eventual destination. When I started in Admissions fourteen plus years ago there was a bit of a break between the end of a cycle and the start of a new one … not anymore. Overlapping cycles is the norm and I must say at times it can be taxing on the mind and body of even the most seasoned Admissions professional.

As I said at the onset of this post, the coming days and weeks most of my focus will be on communicating with high school seniors and their parents, and specifically helping admitted Regular Decision students determine whether becoming a part of the Johns Hopkins Class of 2016 is right for them. But if you are a future applicant for 2017, 2018, or further in the future know that you matter as well. We might not have as much time for you in March and April as your elder classmen, and we might not provide you with as many in-depth visit opportunities, still know you matter and that attention will be lavished on you in due time.

Explore Hopkins Spring 2012

In fact, in spring 2012, admissions representatives from Johns Hopkins University may be coming to town near you just to speak to prospective audiences, not current applicants or admitted students. We will be holding eight Explore Hopkins presentations throughout March and April to help interested students and families learn more about academics, student life, the application process, and financial aid. When and where you ask:

Austin, Texas – March 31
Houston, Texas – April 1
Dallas, Texas – April 4
San Antonio, Texas – April 5
Charleston, South Carolina – April 16
Detroit Metro Area, Michigan – April 24
Boston Metro Area, Massachusetts – April 28
Santa Barbara, California – April 28

Full details and online RSVP forms can be found here: http://apply.jhu.edu/visit/explorehopkins.html?slide.

Personally, I highly recommend the Boston area program as yours truly will be the star of the show. And don’t worry, we may not be coming to an area near you in the spring but we will triple the number of Explore Hopkins programs we hold in Fall 2012. In the meantime, you can always consider planning a campus visit: http://apply.jhu.edu/visit/visit.html.

So congratulations on getting your college search moving along early and we hope to see you on the road or on the Homewood campus in the near future.

March Admissions Madness

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When the phrase “March Madness” is uttered these days it evokes thoughts of brackets, upsets, Cinderellas, and Dick Vitale. In the corridors of Mason Hall, home to the Johns Hopkins University’s Office of Undergraduate Admissions, this phrase represents a much different type of madness. The Admissions staff is currently focused on the committee rounds of decision-making and finalizing the regular decision selection process for the Class of 2016. Just as the next three weeks are considered madness for the world of college basketball, in the realm of college admissions a hectic and feverish demeanor is commonplace. But unlike the NCAA Division I College Basketball champions which will be decided on April 2 in New Orleans for the men and April 3 in Denver for the women, we cannot wait until after the calendar turns to April to finish our process. This Admissions madness must end in March.

Thankfully, the end approaches. Monday, March 5 was a significant day as all the Admissions counselors returned to the office and we shifted from the first read process to committee review. I like to describe this as the end of our winter reading hibernation. Basically, beginning right after the release of Early Decision notifications on December 15, the Admissions counseling team begins evaluating Regular Decision applications in earnest. Since to review applications you need to limit the distractions as much as possible, the majority of the team decides to work from home most days. Therefore throughout January and February we don’t get to see each other much and our days and nights are filled with a common routine of cycling through applications, supplements, transcripts, recommendations, essays, and the like.

Images of March Admissions Madness: Rosters, yard sticks, and lots of paper.

This winter has flown by though. Maybe because there have been so few days that actually felt like winter in Baltimore. If I am remembering correctly we have had just a few days with actual snowfall and the most accumulation ranged from a dusting to 2 inches maximum. (As a side-note, I know the reason for our mild winter. Back in early December I bought a brand new snow shovel at Target and so of course it wouldn’t snow and I wouldn’t get to enjoy me purchase. You are welcome mid-Atlantic residents.) The mild winter has continued as yesterday it was 81 degrees in Baltimore and the forecast is for near summer temperatures all week.  I know the students love it as they get to take a break from mid-terms and preparation for their spring break next week, by relaxing studying on the Beach.

Though the weather may be mild, the volume of work the Admissions staff still faces is like a monsoon. (Sorry, I couldn’t resist.) However, as I said, the light at the end of the tunnel is in sight. With just a few weeks left until we complete the application review process, I felt it was time to end the Hopkins Insider blog hibernation as well. We hope you enjoyed the “Meet the Admissions Staff” entries posted throughout January and February, but it is time to get back to new updates and content. There are a lot of common questions this time of year by Regular Decision applicants, and while I need to get back to committee and the “shaping of the class” with my colleagues, I felt it important to share answers to these frequently asked questions. I hope this information helps, and Shannon and I do plan to blog more frequently in the coming weeks.

Images of March Admissions Madness: Remnants of Committee - tons of caffeine

How many applications were received this year?
This is always a common question and for some reason our total is constantly speculated by news sources. The official count this year is 20,407. This is the first time we have ever broken the 20k mark and is a 5.2% increase from last year. Of this total, 1,459 were Early Decision applicants and we accepted 561 students from that group back in December.

How many applicants will be accepted in Regular Decision?
Don’t know yet. That is the work we are currently doing right now. The committee rounds are when we “shape our class” and use predictive modeling to determine how many students we need to admit to yield the class we want. To determine our class and the number of admits we use an in-depth statistical system to help guide our numbers, but in making decisions we never veer from our holistic approach of reviewing complete applications. We will release such data after decisions notifications have been sent out.

When will Regular Decisions notifications be released?
Unfortunately at this time I do have an official answer to that question. I can let you know that we are currently targeting Friday, March 30 as a tentative release date but that has not been officially confirmed. We might need to go later, and we are hoping we might be able to go a day earlier. I can confirm that decisions will not go out sooner than March 29 and we must release decisions by April 1. When an official date is determined, and that may not be until the last week in March, it will be announced on the Hopkins Insider blog.

We wholeheartedly understand the anxiety our applicants are feeling this time of year and that you all just want to know the exact date when you will hear the news. Please do not assume we are dragging our feet and attempting to prolong this process. We are working morning, day, and late night to complete our work, finalize our class, and move on to enjoyable April yield events. We want to release decisions as much as you want to receive them, but none of us are willing to rush through a very delicate process. We are perfectionists at this time of year, and we need to be, especially in a year with such strong quality and a record applicant pool. When we know, we will let you know.

Images of March Admissions Madness: Materials for decision release have arrived

How will Regular Decision notifications be released?
Most likely just how we released them last year, just on a different date. I encourage you to read through this blog entry I posted last year regarding how our decision release process works: Breaking News: RD Notification Release Explained.

Can I check my application status online?
No. We do not have a portal system for checking application status online like some other universities. Our Operations staff contacted students with incomplete applications already and those students were provided a chance to submit their missing items. At this time if you were not contacted about missing application items, you can safely assume your application is complete.

Can I still submit application updates?
Unfortunately no. Since the Admissions Committee is in the process of rendering final decisions it is too late for additional updates to be added to an applicant’s file.

Images of March Admissions Madness: Admit packets getting ready

Now that you are more informed about what is taking place in the Admissions Office, back to the madness for me. Stay patient and know that my colleagues and I are working hard to create the best Johns Hopkins Class of 2016 as possible. We all have a great respect for our process and for our applicants, and the work we do over the next few weeks may be meticulous but it insures that we are diligent, accurate, and principled.

P.S. Do you like the new look of the blog? Thanks to JHU_Tess and JHU_Nick for helping Shannon and I re-design the top banner of the blog. The new look is in line with changes to our other University blogs: the Academics Blog, the Guest Blog, and the Blue Jay Buffet. I think the new headers give the blogs more personality.