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.

 

Should You Apply Early Decision?

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This time of year one of the more frequently asked questions we receive is about the advantages and disadvantages of applying Early Decision to Johns Hopkins University. As high school seniors get used to their schedules and begin to balance their time between classes, activities, and college applications, the question looms about whether to apply early to any colleges on “the list.” With the November 1 deadline under a month and a half away, I thought I would provide some resources that may be helpful in making the “to ED or not to ED” question a bit easier.

The first place I encourage you to turn to is a blog entry we posted last fall composed by Dean of Admissions John Latting: Early Decision: the Pros and Cons. Dean Latting provides a detailed look at why one might want to apply Early Decision, as well as the questions one should ask prior to make such a decision. You can also find a full list of FAQs about applying Early Decision to Johns Hopkins here: http://apply.jhu.edu/apply/faq_early.html.

Back in November of 2006 (wow, nearly five years ago!), I posted a blog entry about my thoughts on Early Decision: To ED or not to ED. Though times have changed, and our applicant pool has grown significantly and acceptance rates have fallen, many of my thoughts back then still apply today in making the decision about committing to our Early Decision program. Here are just a few of my thoughts, in a nice bullet-form fashion:

• If Hopkins if your definitive first choice, then Early Decision is definitely for you.
• If your main reasons for applying ED are tactical (i.e. you believe there to be a competitive advantage) you may want to reconsider your approach.
• Applying ED should be about FIT, and not about one’s chances for admission.
• The benefits of applying ED are being reviewed in a smaller pool of applicants, and showing interest.
• ED is binding. We do not offer any non-binding early plans.
• Financial Aid will not be limited if you apply ED.
• We do not fill our class with ED students, so Regular Decision applicants have the same chances for admission.
• Finally, one important thing to keep in mind is that the Early Decision Plan at Johns Hopkins is binding. If you decide to apply Early Decision, you wouldn’t be able to apply to any other binding early plans, and you’d be required to withdraw applications to any other schools if you’re admitted to Johns Hopkins. Basically, if admitted you will only be able to review an offer of admission from one school.

This year I decided to add to this discussion about advice in determining whether Early Decision is the right choice, but providing you all with some thoughts from students. I asked a number of students I knew well to discuss why applying ED to Johns Hopkins was the right decision for them. Hopefully their comments will help as you make the decision whether to apply by November 1 and sign the ED contract, or hold off and apply by January 1 as an RD applicant.

Mandy Stein – Class of 2011 graduate (now currently a first-year law student at Washington University)
Major: Public Health Studies
Hometown: Cary, North Carolina

I applied Early Decision because I knew Hopkins was a great fit for me and that it was exactly where I wanted to spend the next four years. Applying under a binding contract was a little bit intimidating at first; the idea of giving up any hypothetical offers from other universities seemed scary. But after visiting the campus, and with the support of my family, I knew that I was ready to commit to Hopkins if they were willing to take me. The best part about applying Early Decision was that I knew in December where I’d be going to college – it made for a nice Christmas present and a great way to keep up the motivation during my senior year!

Trisha Lala – Sophomore
Major: Neuroscience
Hometown: Lower Gwynedd, Pennsylvania

Applying Early Decision is a difficult decision to make because, in my opinion, a student has to be so committed to their ED school that it would be their absolute first choice no matter what. After visiting Hopkins, talking to some of the members of the very open and welcoming student body, and learning about some of their programs, I knew it was the place for me. I think I was one of the few fortunate people who can honestly say that I felt that I belonged at Hopkins. I could imagine myself there, and thought it was logical to apply ED. Now I know that applying ED was one of the best decisions I have ever made.

Kevin Cryan – Freshman
Majors: Political Science and French Cultural Studies
Hometown: Southport, Connecticut

I knew that I wanted to apply Early Decision to Hopkins once I realized both that this was the school I used as the metric to judge all other colleges by, and that all other colleges came up wanting. I would visit other colleges and immediately judge them in a “hmm, they don’t have as nice a campus /open a curriculum/rigorous academics /comfortable an atmosphere as Hopkins…” fashion. Once I visited a few more colleges and came to this realization, the choice became pretty clear.

Becca Krishnan-Ayer – Junior
Major: History of Art
Hometown: Houston, Texas

I visited Hopkins in the fall of my senior year, frustrated after countless mediocre college visits during my junior year. Something about my college visit to Hopkins clicked with me – the campus, the students I met, even the coffee shop in Levering Hall. I felt like I could really envision myself as a Hopkins student, studying at MSE library, passing through the breezeway en route to class, eating at the FFC, lounging on the water-less “Beach” on Charles Street. My decision to apply to Early Decision extended far beyond my campus visit, however. Throughout my college search, I continually kept coming back to schools that were prestigious, mid-sized institutions, located in or proximal to a large city, offering abundant resources in terms of research and extracurriculars. I wasn’t one of the students that knew exactly what I wanted to study or pursue career-wise (in fact, I had no clue) and so I also was looking for a school that had strong academics in a range of departments (arts, sciences, engineering). Hopkins fit the bill on all accounts. The students seemed just like me—motivated and hard-working academically, but social and multifaceted in their interests. Hopkins was the only university that offered everything I was seeking out of my college education—strong academics, extracurricular and research opportunities, renowned professors, a diverse student body, an international reputation, Greek life, athletics, and a convenient location. I applied ED because I wanted admissions to know that Hopkins was my number one choice out of all the colleges I was planning on applying to, and I knew that if I was accepted, I would be absolutely thrilled to enroll and attend.

Allysa Dittmar – Sophomore
Majors: International Studies and Global Environmental Change and Sustainability
Hometown: Cream Ridge, New Jersey

Hopkins was the first school I visited because it was close to home and it was at the very top of my list. I remember my visit vividly—I was absolutely taken aback by the beautiful campus. Visiting reaffirmed my belief that Hopkins was the one. I visited many colleges and ended up with ten schools on my list, with Hopkins at the top. After each visit, I still wanted to go to JHU. I did my applications with Hopkins’ Early Decision application on top of the pile. December 15th was truly one of the best days in my life. While my other friends were still filling out applications or trying to figure out where they wanted to attend, I was exploring Hopkins’ websites, majors, and visiting the campus and my Hopkins friends. In the end, I always tell others that I picked Hopkins because it fit me. I felt at home. I felt like I could thrive at Hopkins—achieve my goals, succeed, and be happy.

Nick Ginsberg – Sophomore
Majors: Computer Science and Economics
Hometown: Woodbridge, Connecticut

Early was the right decision for me because it gave me the ability to be secure in my future education and to know that where I was going was my number one choice long before many of my peers heard back.  For months, I was able to get excited about coming to Hopkins as others awaited the ever unsure letters back from their schools.  Not only that, but from the moment I came to Hopkins I knew it was the right place for me and by applying early I secured a spot in the class of 2014 as soon as possible.  It was one of the best decisions of my life, and had I not done it, who knows what would have ended up happening.

So: Is Early Decision right for you?

Don’t Forget to Enjoy the Ride

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Just the other day, I received a Facebook invitation for my 10-year high school reunion.  At first, I was shocked—I couldn’t believe 10 years had gone by since I walked across the stage in my green cap and gown. As I thought about the four years I spent in high school, I couldn’t remember all of the teachers I had, nor how I did on certain exams or what grades I got on my papers. What I did remember was being sold in the senior auction, going to prom with all of my friends, team spirit days for the athletic teams I played on, and decorating for homecoming. While I certainly learned a lot in the classroom (this is, after all, why we go to school), experiences like these helped to round out my high school years. I really do think that in order to make the most of your senior year, you not only need to do well academically, but also take advantage of everything high school has to offer.

So, since many of you are just beginning your senior year, or are parents watching your son or daughter go off into their last year of high school, I thought it would be fun for our Admissions Counselors to share some words of wisdom on how to make the most of your last year before you head off to college. (These words might also help with your first few weeks of college when the time comes as well!)

Don’t be afraid to take a chance. If there is an activity you’ve always wanted to try, someone you’d like to meet, or a class you’ve always wanted to take, put yourself out there and make it happen. You don’t want to leave high school with any regrets and you just may find a new passion, a best friend, or what you want to study in college.
- Shannon Miller, East Brunswick High School, New Jersey

Enjoy it!  The college search process should be fun.  It’s the first time in your life that you get to choose your next home.  Also, typically it’s the first occasion students sit down and reflect on their accomplishments to date.  Be proud.
- Calvin Wise, Calvert Hall, Maryland

My advice to high school seniors is simple: stay involved, stay focused, stay balanced, and continue to engage in your best efforts in your classes. Senior year is an exciting year and one that requires great organizational skills to continue to lead and to contribute in school and community organizations as well as to grow academically.  When you add the commitment to completing college applications and the thought needed to make a final college enrollment choice, your terrific organizational skills will support you in all you do this year. Enjoy the year!
- Sherryl Fletcher, Dearborn High School, Michigan

Congratulations seniors! You made it—well, almost. It may seem like your life is on auto-pilot between meetings, practice, homework, and dinner.  Things are humming along (okay, rushing along like a high speed train).  If you can, take a deep breath and try to spend a few minutes every week with someone who has been supportive of you the past three years. It could be a neighbor, your rabbi—you get the idea. Spending some of your busy time with this person will do two things: first it will let them know how much you appreciate them. Second, it will help your stress level in this occasionally stressful senior year.  These are people who are proud of and support you regardless of your swim time or what colleges you get into. They just want to see you happy.  The extra time will make you both feel better. That, and NEVER pass up tater tots in the lunch room.
- Sarah Godwin, Mount Saint Joseph Academy, Vermont

Have fun with your friends!  Make it a priority amidst all the other craziness—including college applications :) They’re the ones who’ll make your senior year memorable. Also, try to avoid taking unfortunate senior pictures (see mine).  Your mom WILL keep them for the rest of your life.
- Katherine Rieder, J.W. Sexton High School, Lansing, Michigan

Keep a camera in your bag to take pictures of your friends, family, favorite haunts, and memorable moments.  Pictures make for great going away presents, freshman dorm wall decorations, and are (almost) as good as mom’s cooking when you miss home.
- Dana Messinger, Calhoun School, New York

Bucket list for senior year of high school:
*go to prom
*attend a home game of each of your school’s teams
*skip school on senior skip day
*take a class just for fun
*apply to college (and get in)
Most importantly: don’t worry about what others think—it’s your thoughts that count!
- John Birney, Strath Haven High School, Pennsylvania

Although you certainly need to keep your grades up in the second semester of your senior year, also take a breath of fresh air. Enjoy the successes you’ve had, especially in terms of college admissions, even if they weren’t exactly what you had envisioned. And, take a risk in asking someone to prom!
- Chloe Rothstein, Trinity School, New York

Senior year of high school is for many the most enjoyable time of their schooling ever, but also tends to be the most stressful. The best advice I can give to the high school Class of 2012 and future college class of 2016 is to maintain balance and cherish each experience. Prepare for each milestone event on the calendar whether it is college application deadlines or senior prom. You will need to balance out the stressful activities such as writing college essays with the fun memories of your last homecoming, your senior trip, and sharing thoughts in your class yearbook. The time will soar by, so document the year by taking lots of photographs or keeping a journal. Make the most of every moment since you only get to be a senior once—well actually, you will be a senior again in four years so just repeat my advice then too.
- Daniel Creasy, Sachem High School, New York

I hope your senior year of high school starts off well and gets better every day because enjoying all aspects of school (academic and social) will allow you to thrive as an individual.  My advice to you for this year is to use your best judgment and think clearly before making decisions and don’t live your life in regret.  Good luck and don’t forget to have some fun.
- Rachel Cowan Jacobs, Woodrow Wilson High School, Washington DC

See You on the Road

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It is hard to believe that the end of summer is right around the corner! As I walked through Charles Village a few days ago, I noticed students were moving back into their apartments and residential advisers (RAs) back into the dorms. I said goodbye to one of my student workers and tour guides, Jessie Koljonen, as she hopped a flight from Dulles Airport to Madrid, Spain, where she will be spending the next four months studying abroad. Starting tomorrow, freshmen will begin to move in, orientation will commence, and then next thing we know, the first day of classes will be upon us.

While all the hustle and bustle is just beginning on our campus, it is also beginning for many high school students. With a new academic year kicking off, they are starting classes, joining clubs, playing sports, volunteering in the community, and doing much, much more. On top of all of this, many juniors and seniors also have the college search process on their mind.

As an admissions counselor, I am about to embark on six weeks of travel, where I will be visiting nine different countries in Latin America followed by both northern and southern California. My colleagues will also be making stops throughout the United States, and internationally, as they conduct high school visits, attend college fairs, participate in Group Travel, and present at Explore Hopkins presentations. To make the most of our visits to your area, here are some tips for when you meet a Johns Hopkins Admissions Counselor on the road:

-          Do some background research on the university. Many times when on the road, we only get to meet a student for a few minutes. During this time, you do not want to be asking questions like, “how many undergraduates do you have?” or “do you have an art history major?” Questions like these can easily be answered by doing a little investigating on our website or looking over our brochure.

-          Don’t be vague. One of my pet peeves is when I meet someone on the road and they ask, “can you tell me about your school?” I can probably talk for hours about Johns Hopkins, and I think it is safe to say the other admissions counselors here can do the same. What exactly do you want to know about? That being said…

-          Ask specific questions. Think about activities you are interested in pursuing, things you want from the city where you’ll be living as an undergraduate, majors you want to know about, or research opportunities. If we cannot answer them directly (we don’t know EVERYTHING there is to know about Johns Hopkins), then we can definitely direct you to a professor, student, or staff member who can help.

-           Be open-minded. There are lots of stereotypes out there for different schools. For example, when I meet people on the road, they think our most popular major is pre-med (in reality, there is pretty much a tie between international relations and public health). Truth be told, we don’t even have a pre-med major, but many students “count us out” because they have heard this. If you take a look at a school that you don’t think is for you, do a bit more investigating and you just may find it is actually a great fit!

-          Listen to all questions being asked. Even if it is not your question, you may learn something totally new that is really interesting to you or appeals to something you are looking for in a college or university. This also helps with repetition … since our time with you is limited, we’d like to answer different questions, not the same one because someone was not listening!

I hope these little pieces of advice are helpful as you meet counselors from Johns Hopkins. We’ll see you on the road!

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of College Confidential

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Posted by Admissions_Daniel

On December 29, 2005, I took on a new job responsibility. It was not something assigned to me by my boss or anything official, but it was something I added to my daily tasks and considered important. On March 31, 2010, I made the decision to remove this task as a regular responsibility. I decided to take a break and re-consider whether taking on this task was the right thing to do. In the past nine months, I have thought long and hard about this decision. I have discussed it with my colleagues, discussed it with friends who are admissions counselors at other universities or guidance/college counselors, and brainstormed ideas with my Hopkins Interactive students. I have also kept a notebook of my ever-changing thoughts as I knew I would ultimately turn this into a blog entry.

If you haven’t guessed yet (the title of this entry pretty much gives it away), the task I am talking about is responding to posts on the “leading college-bound community on the Web”: College Confidential. I first learned about the existence and growing popularity of College Confidential in the summer of 2005 when a student intern in the Admissions Office mentioned she had received a phone call from a prospective student quoting information about our standardized test policy from this site. The information was incorrect. Since it was the summer, I had some free time on my hands and, with the help of a few student workers, began to explore the information posted about Johns Hopkins throughout the site and especially the discussions forums. To say I was stunned would be a gross understatement of my reaction. The amount of misinformation throughout the Johns Hopkins forums regarding admissions policies was stunning. Ever more disappointing was the myths about undergraduate life and academics at Johns Hopkins that were left unaddressed and led visitors to the site to just assume that these myths were truths. And oh yeah, no one was correcting the people who asked questions about JOHN HOPKINS.

Back then College Confidential was not nearly as popular as it is today, but it was clear to me that with the burgeoning role that social media was beginning to play in all forms of information gathering, that this was something that could become popular. At this same time, I was working with my students and colleagues to launch the Hopkins Insider admissions blog and Hopkins Interactive Web site, so social media outreach was on my mind on a daily basis. After the launch of my admissions blog and the Hopkins Interactive site, I made the decision to contact the officials behind College Confidential and request an official “College Rep” account. 2,459 posts and five plus years later, things are quite different. 

Hello, AdmissionsDaniel, it appears that you have not posted on our forums in several weeks, why not take a few moments to ask a question, help solve another member’s problem, or just join a conversation?

Since March of last year, whenever I visit the Johns Hopkins University discussion forums on College Confidential I am greeted with the above message. And I have to ask myself the question, why am I not taking a few moments to contribute? One can assume that the reason I stopped posting on College Confidential was that I thought the site was not that popular and not many students were using its resources. That would be an incorrect assumption. One could assume that I didn’t feel my presence as an official college rep on the site was appreciated by the people using the site. Once again that would be incorrect. Others familiar with my posting on the site may assume I took this hiatus because I was tired of being attacked by certain other posters on the site. Once again that is not the reason for my decision. So why did I choose to take this break from posting on College Confidential?

At first it was going to be a short break, one that I would take from the site after the release of Regular Decision notifications. As my last post stated:

And finally, just so you know I will be taking a break from College Confidential for the next week or so. Why? I actually purposefully take a hiatus from CC every year. In my many years in this field, and specifically during my time interacting with online admissions communities, I make it a point to remove myself after the release of admissions decisions. This does not mean I am not reachable, in fact I will spend the next week answering tons of questions. If you want answers, then use the systems that we have created for you to get answers:Hopkins Forums
Hopkins Insider Blog: Hopkins Insider

The Hopkins Forums:

I am available, I am just focusing my time on the forms of communication linked directly to Hopkins.

But then in mid-April, the usual time I would return to posting, I made the decision to continue my hiatus. As College Confidential’s popularity increased over the years I began to get more and more frustrated with the level of discourse and the residual consequences that were contributing to a wide-spread negativity in the discourse about college admissions. I began to question whether my existence as an official College Rep posting on College Confidential was giving some form of qualified validation to what was taking place in this online community. Was I contributing to the increasing mass hysteria and anxiety about college admissions and “getting in,” which was partially an outgrowth of what was transpiring in the College Confidential community? I wondered whether, even though I knew I was doing a service for some students visiting the site (providing correct information about Hopkins, linking to helpful resources, dispelling ridiculous myths), my posting on the site was a tacit approval of what I was witnessing as detrimental behavior and ideas that I did not want to support personally and professionally. It is these philosophical questions, as well as partially a sense of burnout, that led to my decision to stop posting. To be honest, I never thought my absence would be this long.

As I began to discuss these issues with various people I did continue to, on occasion, monitor the discussions primarily on the Johns Hopkins University specific forums. I didn’t expect major changes on these forums and to be honest there is not much of a drastic difference between posts in March 2010 and posts in January 2011. I do believe the absence of an official admissions voice has led to a return of some misinformation and occasionally the level of discourse between certain members has gone more negative than when I was an active participant. The ridiculous “chances” threads still exist, and the even more ridiculous responses from anonymous members ratings one’s chances are as popular as ever. Members still post the most basic of questions, ones that could be answered by spending less than five minutes on the Johns Hopkins Admissions site they could locate an official answer. The myths still exist, but there are still members who appear to be actual Hopkins students that are providing a variety of answers that dispel the myths. Students still seek comparison of College A to University X by others, rather than really weighing their own personal attitudes. And the laziness of accepting others’ opinions over personal preference or research that is often bred by online communities still remains as students seek assistance from anonymous posters on important questions and, disturbingly, even assistance with application essays. Nope, my absence did not change the world of College Confidential, and no I am not conceited enough to think it would.

But now the question remains: will I return? The answer is yes. Though I don’t know exactly when (obviously my priority over the next few months is reviewing applications), I did feel that before I return I would in one small way (this blog) share my personal concerns about what the growing popularity of College Confidential has done to the overall state of discourse about college admissions. I have come to the conclusion that my disappearance from a community that I do not completely agree with is not in any way a form of protest that would make a difference. But by publicly sharing my thoughts and criticisms maybe a larger discourse on these issues will begin and maybe, just maybe, I can persuade some high school students to re-think how they use a site like College Confidential. And with all of this exposition out of the way, I present what are my thoughts on the good, the bad, and the ugly of College Confidential. (Note, these are the thoughts of Admissions_Daniel, not officially sanctioned beliefs of Johns Hopkins University.)

THE GOOD
Despite my objections and concern about the weight some prospective college applicants place on information gleaned from College Confidential, I do see value in such a site. The majority of my criticism extends from just one section of the site: College Discussion Forums. The rest of the site can be very helpful to a student starting the college search. If one views the College Confidential site more as a collection of resources and avoids the discussion forums, I feel it is one of the most valid Web sites out there for students to use. Sections such as “Ask the Dean” where credible sources—professionals in the field—are responding to frequently asked questions are a great resource. There is also a wide collection of helpful articles on subjects as diverse as paying for college and student life. I do though fear that these valid sources of information are being overshadowed by the ubiquity of discussions on college rankings, the all-too-often focus on the Ivy League or elite colleges, and the ever present promotion of the opportunity to “chatter” or to “join the discussions.”

I understand why a community like College Confidential has grown in popularity. The caseloads for the majority of college guidance counselors are way too large. The difference in applying to college for this generation is vastly different than previous ones. The amount of information to sort through now in the world of the Internet and social media is daunting. The mass hysteria created by the media that reports of issues of college admissions is out of control. Students and parents are stuck, and unfortunately in today’s world the anonymous web posting carries as much weight and validity as anything else.

I also understand that a community like College Confidential presents an illusion of authenticity that prospective students are looking for in their college search. Many feel that the brochures, viewbooks, and Web sites being presented by colleges and universities are too glossy. These materials are seen as presenting a clean version of information and pumping out details that appeared to be skewed in favor of the rosy picture. Students turn to sites like College Confidential for the “real view” and the unbiased opinions. I agree that a community that allows the dissemination of mass opinions is beneficial but as I will discuss in detail below, when it goes unchecked it can raise some issues beyond inaccuracy.

College Confidential has the right idea in creating such a community with “hundreds of pages of articles about choosing a college, getting into the college you want, how to pay for it, and much more” but the existence of discussion forums that favor anonymity over credibility and the presence of a big brother marketing company in the background concerns me greatly. Why can’t such a community be formed by experts, by an organization that is unaffiliated to corporate ties, and where the most knowledge exists. (Yes, I am thinking about you NACAC, National Association for College Admission Counseling. Your tag-line is “guiding the way to higher education” and with a membership of experts in the thousands, maybe using your leverage and creating a legitimate community of resources and experts that prospective students and their families can easily access is a good project to work on.)

I know that this is supposed to be about the “good” of College Confidential, so let me end on a more positive note and with a suggestion for the future. I understand that this idea for a NACAC-based resource community that has the reach and scope of College Confidential is a bit of a pipe-dream, but I do think there is something that can take place over the near future to alter the discussion a bit. Though I am resistant to suggest there is any “good” involved with the discussion forums section of College Confidential, what I do find helpful and a move in the right direction is when credible professionals begin to use the site and are recognized as “officials.” When I posted in the past my screenname had the official moniker of “College Rep” and I had to go through a confirmation process to be labeled that way. It is pretty easy to learn who I am, obtain my professional resume, and know that I am a college admissions professional for Johns Hopkins University. I hope that more colleges and universities become officially active on the site and combat misinformation, poor advice, mass hysteria, etc. If more of my colleagues and professionals become official representatives then the conversation can be molded by the people who should be shaping the dialogue. That becomes true transparency, and that becomes the most valid resource to the prospective community search for any and all information.

THE BAD
For those who have followed me on College Confidential or read a majority of my past posts it is clear that there are two things that bother me the most: “chances threads” and “college X vs. university Y posts.” This for me is the bad part of College Confidential and an area I try to avoid altogether. I understand why these kinds of posts exist, and I know back in the day I probably would have been tempted to possibly post such threads if such an online community existed (or the Internet existed). However, it is extremely rare that these posts can help and they have in many ways bred the lazy prospective college student.

The college search and admissions process should not be easy. It should not be a point – click – apply – pay – attend process. High school students should have to put energy into this process, they should have to spend time researching, and, most importantly, they need time to do some form of SELF-assessment. This process is one of maturation and of finding oneself and determining interests and preferences. It is a rite of passage where 16, 17, 18 year olds begin to move to that next step in their intellectual and social lives. It is not a time to favor other people’s opinions, thoughts, and preferences, especially anonymous people who know nothing about your history. You hear it all the time that the college search is about finding the right fit. But the phrase is finding “your” right fit. The “your” is being lost and in its place students are leaning on general conclusions, concerns about status, and other opinions.

In the quest for “fit” I respect that college applicants want to know what their reach and safety schools will be. But turning to the members of College Confidential is not the answer. Correct me if I am wrong but there is not a single admissions application reviewer for any school in the country that is responding to “chances” threads. The so-called “gatekeepers” are not on College Confidential letting you know you have a 22% chance at school Y and a 46.8% chance at school X because they favor students more whose last name starts with a “L.” Just because one student was admitted to a school does not make them a credible source on what the school is searching for in its future students. Just because student X was admitted to Hopkins with a 620 Critical Reading and only submitted two subject exams, does not mean that every student who meets those same criteria will be admitted.

You hear all the time that the admissions review process has become holistic and the application reviews are much more comprehensive than ever before. Fit matters more now than it did in the past. Our decisions are not based on things one can post on a chances thread, unless that student posts every part of their application and that it is posted in the context of the full application pool that cycle. I find it funny that members of College Confidential find the assessing of another member’s chances so easy, especially with such little information to go on. Basically that means my ten-plus years of experience in this profession don’t really matter in the determination of who gets in to Hopkins.

Do your own research and speak with your guidance counselors—those are the sources that should be helping you determine your “chances.” You’ll be amazed at how helpful your counselor can be. One thing is for sure, they will not ridicule you, they will not attack you, and they will not make you feel lesser about yourself. They also will not boost your ego, pat you on the back, and just provide you simple lip service. That is what chances threads are for.

THE UGLY
I mentioned this briefly before but I need to expand on the thought. The ugly part of College Confidential is the rampant lack of credibility of sources and the blind acceptance that whatever is posted on the site must be gospel. Every few weeks one of my colleagues and I interact with a student or parent via campus visit, e-mail, or phone and are stunned at the information they are presenting as fact. When a bit of questioning is complete the source is often College Confidential. How many applications did Hopkins receive this year? 26,000 of course because someone said so on College Confidential. (Make the closer to 19,201.) How many SAT II subject exams does Hopkins require? Two of course because someone said so on College Confidential. (Not true. See http://apply.jhu.edu/apply/testreqs.html.) Greek life dominates the social scene at Hopkins. (Not quite. There are over 360 clubs and organizations on campus.) Yup, must be because someone said so on College Confidential.

And who are these someones? What do you know about them? Their name. Their age. Their educational background. What school they attend / attended. And are you sure that what they are telling you about themselves is true? I am not claiming that every post on College Confidential is wrought with misinformation, speculation, and inconsistencies, but what I am asking is how you know what is credible and what is not? Does the number of posts a person have lead to that conclusion? Does their self-posted location lead to credibility? Does their screenname choice really mean they are a wealth of information? Has no one ever lied or trolled on this site? Please do not get me wrong here, I think there are many people who post of College Confidential who are helpful, respectful, and provide great information but the format of the site does not provide an easy way to discern who is credible and who is not.

One of my firm beliefs as I entered the world of social media years ago (kicking and screaming by the way) is my “grain of salt” methodology. You have heard it before, take everything you learn with a grain of salt. I have always interpreted this as meaning to question the source and realize that there is motive behind the presentation of all information. This skepticism about what you read online should exist whether you are reading an anonymous post, or something that I’ve written. The problem is that when I post something there is background and history of my motives that are clearly evident. When anonymous member 781 posts something what do you know about them?

THE FRUSTRATING
I do need to add one last category to my thoughts. I won’t elaborate much on the point but it is something that boggles my mind and no one has really been able to explain to me why it happens. For me the most frustrating part of College Confidential is that for certain students it becomes the only source of information whatsoever. If one can’t find it on College Confidential than it must not be true. Why are people asking about a university’s standardized exam policy on College Confidential rather than going to that school’s Admissions site? Why are people asking what to do if all interview slots are filled on College Confidential rather than calling the Admissions office? Why are students asking about personal parts of their application and what they should do about something linked to them personally rather than sending an e-mail to the Admissions office? For Johns Hopkins, our Admissions site is easy to navigate and there is a ton of information at your fingertips. Our phone staff are polite, helpful, and available during normal business hours to help with any and all inquiries. And our e-mail account is cleared out on a daily basis with thorough responses even over the weekends and holidays. It just makes no sense that one has to turn to “CCFan326” to find out if Hopkins requires SAT scores, or ask “HopingforJHU” what the last date to request an alumni interview is for Hopkins.

I do hope that prospective Hopkins students who do turn to College Confidential also make sure to check out the Hopkins Interactive site. We have worked tirelessly over the last six years to present extensive information to prospective students on student and academic life at Hopkins through this site. 28 current students volunteer to respond to questions on our Hopkins Forums, and they also post fantastic blogs and work on other unique outreach projects on a daily basis. This information is presented in an independent, uncensored format and touches on every possible subject. Personally, if I were to do my college search again I would turn to a resource that allows me to connect with current students who present their pictures, their biographies, and their personal opinions (positive and negative), over the anonymous and random possible Hopkins student. Oh and by the way, the Hopkins Interactive students are not paid and there is no script they need to follow.

I could go on and on and on about my frustration on this point, but the good thing is there is a simple solution. My return to College Confidential will bring back an official responder and I will go back to something I used to do: sharing links of where information can be found.

Thanks to those of you who read through this long post and those of you who will consider my comments. In no way do I expect you all to agree with my point-of-view, and I expect to receive numerous criticisms. I also know that as I continue to have dialogues about these issues that my own perspective will probably adapt. I just hope that this post makes a handful of people think and that in the future others will add to this discussion. College Confidential is not all good, it is not all bad, and it is not all ugly. What College Confidential has become is a part of the college admissions landscape and it can’t be ignored. I do believe the future can bring us an online community where issues of college admissions and higher education can be addressed openly, transparently, and that prospective students and parents can connect with credible sources and open and honest professionals. But before the “utopian” community exists, maybe we can improve the discourse slightly as we move ahead.

Last Blog Entry of 2010

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Posted by Admissions_Daniel

The final days of 2010 are upon us and 2011 is less than a week away. Those of you who are frequent visitors to the main Admissions Web site http://apply.jhu.edu also know that less than a week away is the Regular Decision application deadline. As I wrote this the gold banner is gone, replaced with a red banner that reads “4 days until Regular Applications are due.” For this final entry of 2010 I thought I would share some helpful links for the application procrastinators.

Before the links, though, I also want to share a fun end-of-the-year “thank you” video produced by the University and shared with thousands of students, alumni, faculty, staff, and friends who support Johns Hopkins every day. We truly are “the model of a modern university.”

As most people are enjoying the holiday week and most of the east coast is blanketed in snow, some of you reading this are stressing out big time. You are the application procrastinators. You are the students frantically emailing us on a daily basis with last minute questions before you click submit. In an effort to diminish the numbers of e-mails we will receive the rest of this week, I present a series of links that will hopefully provide answers that assist you in your last-minute haze of forms and looming deadlines. Just remember, next time when you have over three plus months to complete something, waiting until the last minute is never the best policy.

Regular Decision FAQ Blog Post
http://blogs.hopkins-interactive.com/blog/2009/12/year-ending-rd-deadline-approaching/
Though I posted this late December of last year, the answers to the questions are still the same. The only thing you need to remember is to change 2010 to 2011.

Admissions Site: Frequently asked questions
http://apply.jhu.edu/faqs/all.html

International Students FAQs
http://apply.jhu.edu/faqs/international.html
http://blogs.hopkins-interactive.com/blog/2009/11/so-you-are-an-international-student-applying-to-jhu-read-this/

Hopkins Forums discussion on Application Essays
http://forums.hopkins-interactive.com/topic/6648512/1

Hopkins Forums discussion on Submitting Supplemental Materials
http://forums.hopkins-interactive.com/topic/563109/3/#new

Hopkins Forums discussions on Standardized Exams
SAT / ACT: http://forums.hopkins-interactive.com/topic/563122/1/
Deadline questions: http://forums.hopkins-interactive.com/topic/563302/1/
SAT II Subject exams: http://forums.hopkins-interactive.com/topic/563112/1
AP / IB exams: http://forums.hopkins-interactive.com/topic/6648332/1
TOEFL: http://forums.hopkins-interactive.com/topic/563167/1

Hopkins Forums discussion on Letters of Recommendations
http://z14.invisionfree.com/Hopkins_Forums/index.php?showtopic=517

Hopkins Forums discussion on Interviews and the Admissions Process
http://z14.invisionfree.com/Hopkins_Forums/index.php?showtopic=229

I hope these answers help. Good luck in these final days as you complete your applications and celebrate the New Year.

Advice From Recent College Search Survivors

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Posted by Admissions_Daniel

Those of you who have frequented this blog for a while now probably know that one of the things I am most passionate about is the students who volunteer for me. I am the staff adviser to the Student Admissions Advisory Board (SAAB), a group of 28 current students ranging from freshmen to seniors and covering a wide range of academic interests and extracurricular pursuits. These students are admissions volunteers who spend many hours weekly managing and providing the vast majority of the content to the Hopkins Interactive Web site. As the site describes, Hopkins Interactive and SAAB are:

Hopkins Interactive is a social media Web site designed to enable prospective and admitted students to Johns Hopkins to connect with the University by offering them open, uncensored information about student life on campus and in Baltimore. How, you may ask, can we do this? The content featured on the Hopkins Interactive site is entirely created by current Johns Hopkins students’ specifically the members of the Student Admissions Advisory Board (SAAB). These student volunteers represent the student voice of Johns Hopkins and are open and excited to share their experiences with interested, applying, admitted, and enrolling students. Through blogs, message boards, Twitter, Facebook, videos, an Insider’s Guide publication, and an ever-growing list of other projects, the SAAB students strive to provide a clear picture of Hopkins by dispelling myths, answering questions, and providing direction to further resources.

Hopkins Interactive and SAAB have grown exponentially since their launch five years ago, and the greatest successes I have seen in my 12 years in higher education all relate to these projects. If you don’t know about Hopkins Interactive and the amazing work the SAAB students do, you really need to check out their student blogs, their message boards, their unique videos (including Hopkins Cribs), their tweets, their insider’s guide publication, and the one-of-a-kind Academics Blog. You can also meet all 28 students, review their profiles, and ask them direct questions here: http://apply.jhu.edu/studentlife/meet.html.

The reason I bring up the great work of SAAB and my affinity of all things Hopkins Interactive related is this: about a month ago, the SAABers started an interesting project that I wanted to share with you. Every Wednesday from 6:00–7:30 p.m. in the second floor conference room of Mason Hall, the 28 SAAB students and I gather to discuss projects and brainstorm new ideas. I look forward to these 90 minutes each week as I am always amazed at the creative outcomes of these discussions. Back in October, the idea to have each of the SAAB bloggers write about their experiences with the college search arose. The idea expanded to not only include a look back on each of their experiences with the college application process and how they ended up at Johns Hopkins, but that each blogger could also provide some advice to the prospective students who would follow in their footsteps.

To me this was a brilliant idea for two main reasons. First, the college search and admissions process has changed so dramatically over the years that in reality current college students could probably provide better advice on navigating the process than Admissions counselors like myself. My college search was nearly 20 years ago when there was no such thing as the Internet, no Common Application, and U.S. News & World Report was known for articles on, well U.S. and international news. (I know, shocking!) The second reason is that nowadays teenagers often find more value in the opinions of their peers than authority figures. It does shock me a bit how this generation questions nearly everything an official might say, but anonymous remarks on a “confidential” web site carry much more weight and importance. For these reasons, and for the fact that I thought it would be fun for the SAAB students to write the entries and enjoyable for me to read them, I approved this common blog project.

Just last weekend the last of the entries were posted, and I thought I would share them with you. With just one month to go until the Regular Decision application deadline, and only about two weeks left until the release of Early Decision notifications, I hope you enjoy reading the thoughts and advice of some dedicated and talented Johns Hopkins students.

SENIORS
Mandy S.: “How Hopkins Happened”
– A public health senior from Cary, NC, reflects on her college admission process, with the unique perspective of both applying to law schools and working in the Johns Hopkins Admissions office.

Josh G: “May the Force be with you”
– A film and media studies senior from Park Ridge, NJ, discusses what the college admission process is similar to as well as what it is not related to.

Lauren C: “Applying to Hopkins: The Interview”
– A Writing Seminars and film and media studies double major from Westmont, NJ, considers the college interview from both her experiences applying to schools, as well as from the perspective as a student interviewer for the Admissions Office.

Jessica: “Revert, Run Away, Repeat”
– A public health studies senior from Tenafly, NJ, shares her thought process about applying to college and offers advice to keep you calm during your application process.

JUNIORS
Peter C: “Want you to see everything, want you to see all of the lights”
– A mechanical engineering junior from Wakefield, MA, discusses his unlikely path to Johns Hopkins (including applications to art schools!). Hopkins might not have been his first choice, but he’s very happy with the choice he made.

Dominique D: “Off the Wall”
– A public health studies junior from Baltimore, MD, explains why she chose the schools she was interested in, how she dealt with applying to them, and what led her to Hopkins.

Lauren B: “How Did I End Up Here? Reflections on the College Process.”
– A public health studies and economics double major from Summit, NJ, looks back on her application process and the support she received along the way.

Wafa K: “There is Only One Way to Learn. It is Through Action”
– A neuroscience and history of science and technology double major from Alexandria, VA, discusses her own experience applying to college, and offers advice for those going through the process now. (And of course, she relates the topic to her passion for football (a.k.a. soccer).

SOPHOMORES
Sarah S.: “Memorable Quotes from the College Search”
– A biology and Spanish double major from Ambler, PA, describes her rules for choosing a school, based on memorable quotes from her college search process.

Cate W.: “From ATP Synthase to Z”
– A chemical and biomolecular engineering sophomore from Minneapolis, MN, writes about applying as a ChemBE – not BME – with the added perspective of having taken college classes as a high school senior.

Miranda B.: “How did I get here?”
– A political science sophomore from Culver City, CA, tells us how she applied as an early decision applicant to Hopkins and offers her own bits of advice for you to keep in mind.

Tyler D.: “14 Year Old Me”
– A sociology sophomore from Ocean City, NJ, gives us a glimpse at her fourteen-year-old self and shows how much her goals and priorities have changed since beginning the college application process.

Becca K.: “The College Quest”
– A history of art sophomore from Dallas, TX, reflects on her search for the perfect fit and exactly what she wanted in a college.

FRESHMEN
Lucie F: “JHU_Lucie’s Road to JHU”
– A writing seminars freshman from Scarsdale, NY, writes about how her high school prepared her for college, and the many schools she looked at before eventually choosing Hopkins.

Nick G: “What’s a commonapp?”
– A computer science freshman from Woodbridge, CT, discusses his experience with the Common Application, and urges everyone not to procrastinate like he did!

Trisha L: “THE College Application – Don’t Get Scared!!”
– A neuroscience freshman from Lower Gwynedd, PA, discusses her application process, and what led her to apply Early Decision to Hopkins.

Allysa D: “The Upside Down Capital Y”
– A global environmental change and sustainability freshman from Cream Ridge, NJ, compares experiences visiting schools as a five year old, and as a high school senior, and reflects on why she personally chose Hopkins.

Tess T: “How Hopkins Happened”
– A history freshman from Ridgewood, NJ, details her search for the perfect school for her, and how Hopkins, the last school she visited, ended up being that place.

Marina G.: “College Town Hopping”
– A public health studies and writing seminars freshman from Ithaca, NY, chronicles her path to Hopkins from her college-town hometown and offers her advice of the most important things to remember as you apply.

Noah G.: “Homewood Bound: How I got here, and why I came.”
– A biology and neuroscience freshman from Houston, TX, had narrowed his schools down to the “Super Six” and tells us about his search process from the perspective of a soccer recruit.

Sydney R.: “Just Like An Awkward Middle-Schooler”
– A biomedical engineering freshman from Elm Grove, WI, likens the college application process to the awkwardness of middle school and reminds you to be yourself and resist the blonde highlights.

Kate T.: “Paint your Pots, Kids”
– A chemical and biomolecular engineering freshman from Redding, CT, puts everything into perspective through ceramics and the “layers of glaze” that make you unique.

So you want to be a college athlete?

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Editor’s Note: Today’s guest author is Associate Director of Admissions John Birney. JB, as we call him around the office, has been with Hopkins for more than ten years and is the liaison to our Athletics Department. We asked him to write about this role and provide advice to prospective students who may want to play for one of Hopkins’ varsity teams.

Although I firmly believe that most people enjoy the work they do, I also believe that there’s one aspect of their job they consider to be most enjoyable. For me, that would be working as the liaison to our Department of Athletics. Basically, this means that I work with each coach on recruitment strategies, roster size, team needs, and academic ability of players to be considered.

When teams win (and we win a lot), I feel a sense of pride knowing that I assisted the team in enrolling those student-athletes who would make the greatest contribution to both the classroom and playing field. When we lose, I don’t take it so well. 

Here’s a quick re-cap on our fall 2010 teams: 

Men’s Cross County—Finished 7^th at Mid-East Regional Championships
Women’s Cross Country—Finished 7^th at NCAA National Championships
Field Hockey—11-7 overall, 8-2 Conference, 3^rd in the Centennial Conference
Football—Winner of the ECAC South Atlantic Bowl Championship
Men’s Soccer—NCAA Sweet 16
Women’s Soccer—NCAA Elite 8
Water Polo—6^th at Easterns, #3 National ranking 

Most often, though, I’m asked what it takes to be a student-athlete. Here are some quick tips if you’re looking to play collegiate athletics:  

• Read, and learn, the NCAA rules on recruiting. Nobody wants a rules violation.
• Start a conversation with the coach, and start it early. Junior year isn’t too early. Coaches like students who take initiative.
• Be willing to change position/event. It’s too often that students are dropped from recruiting because they are unwilling to change.
• Always be in good physical condition when meeting a coach.
• Stay overnight with the team. This allows you to get a feel for the students in an informal setting.
• Attend home contests to see the team play, coaching philosophy, and team chemistry.
• Present the coach with an athletic resume and academic transcript.
• Always remember the “student-athlete” philosophy— You are a student first, an athlete second.
• Prepare a tape/CD/DVD/web content of your playing ability. Coaches cannot offer a try-out, so bring the evidence of your playing ability to the coach.
• Keep coaches informed about your schedule and level of competition.
• Ask the coach about team depth and where you might fit with the team’s future rosters.
• Customize your communications with the coaches and remember to always double check that the coach matches the correct school.
• Ask the coach his or her philosophy on topics of interest: study abroad, research, class conflicts, playing a second sport. Then ask yourself if your expectations match those of the coach.
• Don’t allow your parents to run this process. Coachs and the admissions staff prefers to work with the student athlete.
• Highly consider applying Early Decision.

Now that you’ve had a chance to learn more about how to be a Johns Hopkins student-athlete, it’s time to learn more about the teams. Check out www.hopkinssports.com for all the latest updates.

When you make your visit to campus, come find me— I’m the one always wearing some type of athletic team apparel, sitting in the stands, or cheering from the sidelines—and we’ll talk sports.

Early Decision: the Pros and Cons

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Editor’s Note: Today’s guest author is Dean of Undergraduate Admissions John Latting. Dean Latting expressed interest in writing an entry for those prospective applicants debating whether to apply through our early decision program. So read on to hear Dean Latting’s advice on the advantages and disadvantages to applying early decision to Johns Hopkins University.

As we near the deadline to apply “early” here at Johns Hopkins, we thought it might be helpful to explain the advantages and disadvantages of the process, at  least from where we see things.

Our early application program, as an “early decision” plan, does require that students commit to attending Johns Hopkins if admitted. That’s the big thing to keep in mind. There is also a November 1 application deadline, and a December 15 notification date.

So what are the advantages? First, there’s the timeline itself: You’ll hear from us in December, before the general January 1 deadlines. This allows you to make adjustments to where, and to how many, colleges you’ll apply by that time. Students who are admitted early decision don’t have to apply anywhere else. They’re done, and they can focus on other things beside college admission for the rest of their senior year.

For students not admitted, they, too have feedback in December. They can then proceed with the applications they were considering for regular decision elsewhere, knowing that a place in a college freshman class still has to be found.

A second advantage has to do with chances of gaining admission. I don’t want you to make too much of this point, but when we’re reading applications during the early process, we don’t feel nearly as constrained as we do during regular decision to bring the size of the freshman class down to our target (which lately has been 1,235 students). At the early stage there is more freedom to respond to students who make a great case. During regular decision there are times when, frankly, capacity in the class just doesn’t allow us to admit all the students we think are great. Admit rates in early and regular decision here have been about 40% and 20%, respectively. The difference reflects how we breathe a little easier in December than we do in March.

But here’s where I need to remind you of the terms of the whole process—not so much the “disadvantage,” but just the reality of early decision. Despite more favorable admit rates at Johns Hopkins (and often at other universities, too) the process remains sensible only for students who have a clear first-choice school , students who have done the research to get to that point, and  students who would have no regrets about enrolling at their early decision school. If Johns Hopkins seems familiar to you, is something you believe you have prepared for (academically, in particular), meets your expectations for what a college should be, and is just where you really want to be next fall, then by all means apply early. You are the reason we have the option in the first place.

If there’s a disadvantage with applying early decision, it has to do with financial aid. No, you won’t get bigger grants from Johns Hopkins if you are admitted regular decision, rather than early decision. We use absolutely, precisely the same methods for calculating eligibility for financial aid no matter when you are admitted. And we admit students without regard to whether they apply for financial aid, and how much we think they might need. But what you can’t do is compare financial aid offers from more than one college or university. Each institution has its own way of determining how much a family can reasonably pay for college, and the outcome of that process is only revealed after you are offered admission. When you apply early decision, you just get that one offer of financial aid.

Now, if you and your parents don’t like what you see there, or feel it isn’t reasonable, you can be released from any obligation to enroll (at least you can here at Johns Hopkins). Just let us know. It should be encouraging to hear that last year, out of 493 Early Decision admits here at Johns Hopkins, only six students felt that our financial aid offer wasn’t acceptable to them and their parents.

And this financial aid issue gets back to the point about the importance of whether you have a clear first-choice college or not. If you’re looking here, or somewhere else for early decision and wouldn’t be thrown off by a financial aid difference (which, by the way, you can estimate using a college’s net price calculator; here’s ours: http://www.jhu.edu/finaid/estimator.html), then, we say it again: It makes sense to apply early.

Good luck to all!

End Note: For additional perspectives on applying early decision to Johns Hopkins read these previous blog entries composed by Admissions_Daniel: October 2009 – Early Decision: Is It Right For You? and November 2006: To ED or Not to ED. As well, if you have questions feel free to post them on the Early Decision discussion thread on the Hopkins Forums.

Essay Strategies That Work

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A few weeks ago Dean of Admissions John Latting asked if I would attend an essay workshop at the Friends School in Baltimore since he would be on vacation. I immediately jumped at the chance for two reasons: I love Quaker schools and I love essay workshops. I know that they are both strange things to be so affectionate about, but after twelve years working in college admissions, I know what I like and I know what I don’t like. While preparing for the workshop I jotted down a list of points about the purpose and value of the admissions essay in the application review process and also a number of tips to best tackle the task. The workshop went extremely well and as I was getting ready to store my notes I realized that they would make a great blog topic.

So as many of you begin to take on the task of writing your college essays and short answer questions, I will present my advice on essay strategies that I believe work. This is in no way the gospel about college admissions essays, but rather a list of tips I have compiled over my years. After nearly 20,000 essays read in my career (and that is a low estimate I think), I hope you all will find my tips helpful.

- Don’t think of it as an essay assignment, but rather a personal statement.
I always start off any discussion of college essay writings with this re-imagining. The task of writing your college essay, I mean college personal statement, is not an assignment for your English class. Do not consider this a standard essay where you must have a thesis statement, supportive body paragraphs, and a conclusion that just re-hashes your original introduction. Your college statement needs to be personal and it needs to be thought of in a more creative and original fashion. In many ways we review these personal statements less for a true assessment of your writing ability (we have your English course grades for that) but more in terms of what you reveal about yourself.

- Essays do matter; in fact, they matter a lot more than you probably think.
For highly selective universities that practice a holistic approach to the admissions review process like Johns Hopkins, the personal statement and any short answer questions carry a lot of weight. In admissions committee discussions the most popular section that is referred to in making an argument for or against a candidate is the essay and other personal writings. This part of the application is the chance for students to share their own voice in their application, and that matters greatly when determining whether a student is a strong fit for your institution. You have little control over the rest of their application: your grades are your grades, your activities you have already chosen, your test scores are complete, and your recommendations are not written by you. Your essays are the area that you still have control over.

- Don’t gloss over short answer questions—they also matter a lot.
As I have been writing I have been directing my advice not just at college essays, I mean college statements, but also short answer questions. Most colleges nowadays have a supplement to the Common Application or Universal College Application, and the main part of these supplements are additional required writing statements. Hopkins is no different and this year we added a second short answer question that all of our applicants must answer. These are short answer questions with 250 word limits, but don’t assume because we are requesting a short length that we do not care about the answers you compose. We don’t just add questions to our application requirements to require you to do more work. If we are asking you for information there is a reason behind our inquiry and your responses will matter in the review process. One piece of advice—short answer does not mean one to two sentences. It stuns me every year how many applicants either ignore these questions or spend a grand total of two minutes compiling their responses.

- We want to hear (read) your personal voice.
I know I already mentioned this, but it is such an important concept that I thought it was imperative to repeat. Many admissions counselors think of the admissions review as a conversation with an applicant. As we move from section to section of your application we learn more and more about what makes you an individual and what is important to you. Your writings are your chance to share what is important to you directly with the evaluator. Your topic, the content, the tone, and the flow of your responses encompass the personalvoice we want to hear when looking through your application.

- Essays are about the all important concept of fit.
When evaluating applications of so many highly qualified students, the question of fit becomes paramount. So many of the applicants we evaluate have what we are looking for: they have the grades, have the test scores, have the leadership abilities, have the commitment to community, and have challenged themselves. Because of that, admissions readers have to delve deep into each application, and especially the personal statements, to determine which select students are the best fits for the university. This means that, while reading your essays, the evaluators are thinking about such fit questions as will this student contribute to Hopkins, will they benefit from attending a distinct school like Hopkins, will they make the most of their Hopkins experience, and will Hopkins benefit from having such a student. Though your essays should not address these questions directly, when choosing your topics and composing your content you should have these questions in the back of your mind.

- Present your true self.
I always say that one should present self-awareness and confidence in their writings, but most significantly one must present their true personality. Do not create a new persona in your essays as such a strategy will back-fire. In fact, don’t have a strategy but rather be yourself. If you are funny, then be funny. If you are not funny, then obviously don’t try to be funny. We read thousands of essays each year and have become experts in telling when a student is not being true to themselves. Also, remember we have the rest of your application to match up to your essays. It can be confusing, and detrimental, when reviewing an application and the portrait of a student painted in the recommendations, activities sheet, and transcript is completely different than what is presented in the essays.

- Do not over-think the essay prompts.
These are not trick questions to start. They are open-ended allowing you to create personal statements and have the flexibility to go in a multitude of directions with your responses. I have a folder on my desk with the most impressive essays I have read in my career. There are about 25 essays in that folder and what they all have in common … the topics of the essays are pretty mundane. There are essays about the big game, about the death of a grandparent, about friends, about family, about performing in the school musical—pretty much my favorite essays of all time tend to tackle the most basic of responses. It seems to me that students spend so much time stressing about the right topic that they don’t have the energy when ultimately compiling the content of their essay. Also, note there are no wrong topics to write about. Nothing is too mundane, nothing is too common, nothing is too political to not be attempted. Choose a topic that means something to you, but know in the end it is not the topic that makes an impressive essay, it is the content.

In addition to these suggestions, I also have a few additional bullet point thoughts that I often share:

• Attempt to have a killer introduction and compelling conclusion. It is best to grab your audience right away and leave them with a powerful note at the end.
• Be creative, be original, be yourself. Write these words down on a post-it note and stare at that often when composing your essays.
• Take risks, but make sure they are calculated risks.
• Avoid spelling mistakes. Obviously!
• Avoid incorrect word choices. Not so obvious. Read your essays aloud and make sure you are using the correct their, there, they’re.
• Avoid vulgarity, inappropriate language, and anything offensive.

And finally, my best piece of advice for when you think you have your final draft: make three copies and distribute them to (1) a parent / relative; (2) a teacher or guidance counselor; and (3) a close friend. Ask each person to read your essay and instead of providing suggested content edits ask them to answer the following questions, “Does this essay represent me? Is this me?” If a related person, an educator, and friend all answer yes to these questions, then you have written a wonderful college essay, I mean college personal statement.

I would be remiss if I didn’t finish this blog entry by promoting our wonderful “Essays That Worked” Web page on the Admissions Web site. Each year my colleagues and I select four impressive essays from the past admissions cycle and post them on the site for future applicants to review. In addition to posting the essay, one of the admissions counselor comments about why that particular essay “worked.” Check out the site and I hope you will gain some inspiration: http://apply.jhu.edu/apply/essays.html.