May Updates (Part One)

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Welcome to a new year. Most of you are looking at the calendar and also seeing that this entry is posted on May 18, 2009 … and now you are all thinking I am crazy. But I am not. In my world, the one dominated by the college admissions calendar, this past weekend was the start of a new year. In my cyclical profession the traditional January through December calendar just doesn’t make sense.

For those who work in college admissions there are specific dates every year that mark the changing of cycles and responsibilities. Yes, the job is seasonal with generally the fall being recruitment time, the winter being reading time, the spring being conversion time, and the summer being relaxing time. But every year that seasonal breakdown gets muddled. For me there are always those crucial dates that act as sign-posts along the way. First came December 15 and the release of Early Decision notifications. That was followed by March 27 and the release of Regular Decision notifications. Ultimately, the “end of the year” came this past Friday, May 15, when final decisions were rendered about the wait list and transfer applicants. As I left the office on Friday I realized two things, the 2008-09 admissions cycle was complete AND I could finally relax. I actually enjoyed my first weekend free of work for the entire year (traditional Jan-Dec. calendar year), hence the lack of update on Saturday are I alluded to in my last entry. More on my relaxation to come.

Friday, May 15 was one of those sign-posts days. Since I didn’t provide details about the events of May 15 like I did on December 15 and March 27, I thought I would as promised provide additional information about our wait list and transfer decisions. If neither of these topics interest you, then skip to the end.

WAIT LIST UPDATE
Simply put, we have enrolled the Class of 2013. More specifically, at this time we have over-enrolled the Class of 2013. This was not something we expected to do, but over the last two weeks since the May 1st response deadline, it was clear that we would have more than the enrollment target of 1235. How big the class will ultimately be will not be known until probably August, as we expect a “summer melt” do to wait list activity at other universities and other smaller reasons such as deferment and the possibility of academic / disciplinary issues. However, after discussions this past week it is pretty clear that we probably will not need to admit any students from the wait list this year.

Upon making that decision Friday, we sent emails (today we will send letters) to all students who sent back the blue postcard and decided to “remain on the wait list.” The vast majority of these messages states we currently do not intend on admitting any additional students from the wait list this year and that we have now met our enrollment target for the fall. This is our wait list release letter and though a disappointment, it does end the waiting process. We wish you the best in your college career and appreciate the interest you showed in Hopkins.

A small handful of “remain on wait list” students will receive a slightly different correspondence. This group of students was selected by the Admissions Committee to receive an offer to remain on an extended summer wait list. This message states that although we have met our enrollment targets, in the rare event that space might become available, we will consider the students on this extended wait list. For those selecting to remain on the extended summer wait list from this group, an official final decision will be rendered no later than July 31st. Two important things to note about the extended summer wait list: (1) the chances for admission remain slim and only will occur in the rare cases that more spaces become available. In recent years we have not had to use this extended summer wait list. And (2) the Admissions Committee selects the students to be offered a spot on the extended summer wait list, it is not something a wait listed student may request.

I hope all this makes sense. As always, if you have any questions please feel free to post them on the Wait List Discussion Forum. We understand that this process can be frustrating and at times the waiting seems as if we were “stringing you along.” We appreciate your patience. Every year these decisions are quite difficult to make, and I hope you understand how much we agonize over these decisions. Best of luck to each and every one of you.

TRANSFER UPDATE
As I mentioned in my short updates at the end of last week, transfer decision notifications were released via email and postal mail on May 15. The transfer admissions committee worked diligently over the last couple of weeks to hit this earlier than normal decision release date. Beyond the reading of the 799 transfer applications, the Committee also faced numerous conversations about how many transfer students to admit. Unlike with freshman admission, transfer admission is highly linked to questions of the overall size of the class, housing availability, course registration availability, and a number of other factors unrelated to the actual application for admissions. Ultimately, we offered admission to 70 strongly qualified and unique students, and students we feel will make excellent Hopkins students.

Congratulations to those admitted transfer students. I hope you will use the Transfer Exchange section of the Hopkins Forums as well as the Admitted Transfer Facebook group we set-up for you to ask questions and obtain useful information. The Admissions and Advising staff as well as Transfer Ambassadors / Buddies (current JHU students who were former transfer students) are a great source of information as you make the decision whether to attend.

To those not admitted, we understand your disappointment. Applying as a transfer student to Hopkins is quite competitive, especially since we have so little room in the class for transfer students. We wish you the best of luck with your continued college search.

FURTHER UPDATES TO FOLLOW
This post has gotten a bit longer than I originally anticipated so I am going to stop here and get back to some other work. Check back on Thursday for a special Commencement entry, and then early next week a post on a random collection of updates. I’ll leave you with a random collection of pictures that will be related to those updates.

Transfer and Wait List Decisions Released Today (5.15.09)

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This is going to be a quick update as I must get back to my "to do list" for the day. As the entry title states, the Office of Undergraduate Admissions will be releasing notifications to all transfer applicants as well as all wait listed students who chose to remain on the wait list. Notifications are going out via postal mail and email later today.

I can't reveal anything else at this time, until notifications are released. I'll post more either tonight or Saturday morning. Please do not call the Admissions Office as we will not release decisions about transfer admissions nor wait list decisions over the phone.

A Full Update is on the Horizon

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Apologies for the long absence. No I haven’t disappeared. No I haven’t been fired. No I haven’t gone on vacation, YET! And, no I haven’t been lazy. The reason for the two plus week absence is simply because there has been a lack of information to update you all on.

This time of year the primary people visiting the Hopkins Insider blog are looking for updates on one of two categories: (1) The Wait List and (2) Transfer Decisions. Though there have been quite active discussions regarding both of these issues throughout the month, unfortunately there has not been any official decisions rendered, hence nothing I can share on the blog.

What I can assure you is that staff is working quite diligently on both fronts and hope to have updates shortly. The goal for transfer decision release has been this Friday, May 15 and as I depart the office on Wednesday it appears we are still on target. Please do not take that as an official confirmation as there are still some crucial decisions that need to be made before we can release those decisions. Any further deliberations could lead to us pushing the decision release date to early next week.

As far as wait list, there have been many discussions this week and there is hope during a staff meeting this Friday some final determinations will be made. Please do not read into anything here … no decision about whether or not we will use the wait list has been made. As always, stay tuned to the Wait List Discussion Thread for any updates.

Not much more I can say right now. I am off to root on the Washington Capitals in a crucial Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs (yes, I am a huge hockey fan) and then it is the season finale of LOST. No worries, I’ll be back in the office with my colleagues on Thursday and Friday working diligently on both transfers and the wait list. Just a bit more patience please.

I’ll leave my blog fans with one last update preview … more to follow on who this amazing young man is.

Sunday Blogging: Posts for the Class of 2013 Applicants

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I spent most of the day compiling blog posts for the various groups of Class of 2013 Applicants. Here are links to each entry:

A Post for the Admits – Congratulations

A Post for the Wait Listed Applicant

A Post for the Denied Applicant

And here is a link to reflect on Decision Day 2009:
RD Notification Day (2009) – Decision Release Explained

And since they are such a big part of this blog, here are some new pictures of my niece Lilly (only days away from becoming a big sister) and of Soze (just back from his vacation):

A Post For the Admits – Congratulations!!!

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As I sit this Sunday evening, the only word that keeps coming to my mind is WHEW!!! I am spending my time today watching recorded shows on my TiVo (LOST was amazing), catching up with the sports world (go Mets, go UNC, go Tiger, go UConn women), listening to some cool thunderstorms, and spending as much time with Soze as I can. And yes, I have caught up on a lot of sleep. But still, all I can keep thinking of his, WHEW!

Yup, WHEW — it sums up how I felt on Friday as all the mail was dropped off on Friday and as I followed the response to the release of emails. If you followed the posts throughout the week you know there was a lot of uncertainity about when we would finish the class of 2013 and release decisions. We had our fingers crossed that we could be done on Friday, but not until Friday morning when Dr. Latting sealed the class did we know we could do it. And we did with just about 30 minutes to spare. Follow along the madness with this slide show…

So to all of you who received the good news via email, and will receive our ultra-cool admit packets in the next few days … CONGRATULATIONS!!! You have been admitted to one of the strongest classes in Johns Hopkins history. Each and every one of you should feel a great sense of accomplishment and honor. You should know that by offering you a spot in the Hopkins community we are saying loud and clear we think you fit. We think you will make a difference at Johns Hopkins and that 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 can not wait until you and the Early Decision admits arrive on campus this coming fall. Great things are going to be expected from the JHU Class of 2013.

You all now have a tough decision to make. Let me make it simple for you … CHOOSE HOPKINS. For some of you that is actually what you will do and it will be that simple. For many of you though you now have a month to weigh your options and determine which of your admitted schools will make the best fit for you.

I will return in the coming days to provide you with helpful information and even a bit of advice as you tackle this big decision. (If you are anxious to read my thoughts, you can check out a few of my posts from previous years — The Big Decision (in HDTV); Decision Time Approaches; May 1st is Almost Here.)

But until then, celebrate your amazing accomplishments and use the following resources to learn more about Hopkins and connect with our current students:

– Tons of information at our:
Admitted Student Web Site: http://apply.jhu.edu/admitted/main.html

– Don’t forget to register for a visit:
Spring Welcome Open Houses

– Follow all our new student blog posts – many directed at you all:
Hopkins Insider Twitter: http://twitter.com/HopkinsInsider

– Ask questions of current students and meet future classmates:
Admitted Students (Class of 2013) Facebook Group

– Also ask questions and review numerous discussion about life at Hopkins:
Hopkins Forums – Admitted Student Thread: http://tinyurl.com/2013JHUforums

WE ARE HERE TO HELP!

A Post for the Wait Listed Applicant

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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. Personally, since I find the media so far off base when they report on college admissions, and I have an overwhelming fear of students buying into "how to get off college wait list" schemes, I sit down and compose this post for those on the Johns Hopkins wait list every year.

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 as extensive of a list as possible of frequently asked questions and answers about how the Hopkins wait list works. This list is posted below to attempt to assist you along the way. I also have created a Wait List Discussion Thread on the Hopkins Forums for you to ask additional questions, and for me to post updates when they become available. I hope this helps.

How does the wait list work?
Our enrollment target is 1,225 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 admissions, 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?
To remain on the wait list we ask that you complete and mail back the blue Wait List Reply Card that is included with your decision letter. Send this card back as soon as possible – it needs to be postmarked by May 1. We do not have an online form for submitting this information and we would prefer to receive the reply card back rather than fielding “remain on wait list” responses through email or phone. Just be patient, your decision letter was mailed on Friday (March 27th) and should arrive shortly.

For students living abroad, you may send an e-mail titled “Remain on the Wait List” to <gotojhu@jhu.edu>, since international postal times do vary so much. Please include your full name (that you used when you applied), your birth date, mailing address, and your school name. Just make sure that you do send the blue card back when you receive your decision.

Finally, it is very important to note that only those who select to remain on the wait list option will be considered for a spot in the class if spaces become available.

My wait list letter did not contain a blue card? OR I lost my blue card, what to do?
Traditionally, we request that students submit the blue wait list reply card to officially accept a place of the Johns Hopkins wait list. In such cases where a student has lost or not received the wait list card with their decision letter, we do have a process of allowing students to request to remain on the wait list. To do such, please send an email to gotojhu@jhu.edu with the subject line of "Remain on the Wait List." Please include your full name, birth date, mailing address, and school name in this email.

Should I do anything else besides sending back the card? 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.

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. Along these same lines, I like what one of my fellow bloggers from another university (Matt at MIT) write:

Here are some things you should not do: Fly to campus to make the case in person. Send us ridiculous items or bribes. Submit a whole new application. Bombard our office with way too much stuff. Be pushy. Be sketchy. Let your grades drop. Not choose another college to attend by May 1.

Do note that you are not required to submit any additional materials, just the postcard. Also it important that if you choose to submit updates to your file, 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 can not process application updates submitted through email. When mailing, do 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.

How big is this year's wait list? Is the wait list ranked?
We will not know the size of this year's wait list until we receive all wait list reply cards back. We expect that about 1000 students will request to keep their position on our wait list.

In no way, shape, or form is our wait list ranked. If spaces in the class become available, we will review the application of each and every student who selected to remain on the wait list.

What are my chances of being admitted from the wait list?
It is impossible at this time to predict any individual's chances of being admitted from the wait list. Admission will depend on how many admitted students accept their offer from Hopkins, how many students send back their wait list replay cards, and a series of other enrollment factors. There is just no way of telling, so we request your patience and understanding.

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 that all depends on the response from our admitted students. Our decision as to 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.

How do you choose from the wait listed candidates? Do you choose people who will fit better at JHU than others; people who show the most interest, people who satisfy spaces open in certain academic areas, or a mix of all of this?
As I stated above, 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 and admission off the wait list will depend on how many admitted students accept their offer from Hopkins. The main thing to note is that if we decide to use the wait list this year EVERY applicant who chose to remain on the wait list will be re-reviewed for admission. When re-reviewing students for admission off the wait list our priority will always be quality of the student and what will they contribute to Hopkins, but we may also have to factor in additional concerns dependent on the make-up of the enrolling class. It is that last note that I will try to expand on.

If the decision is made to select students for admission off the wait list than a determination is made that we have not hit our targets for the enrolling class. This means that we have not enrolled the set number of students we want to enroll. Removing students off the wait list helps us make our yield number but also helps us make sure there is diversity in our class in every way shape and form.

It might be decided that when selecting students off the wait list we specifically want to target one area of academic interest … or we need to take students with no financial need because we have no aid … or we want students with a specific demographic breakdown — it all depends and unfortunately until we see the make-up of the class of 2013 we can not make a determination. Remember there is no guarantee that one will be admitted off the wait list just because they are a strong applicant, because there is no guarantee that we will need to take students off the wait list. Interest does matter but it is not the driving force of our decision making process.

I want to come see the campus in April. Can I visit, and what kind of visit programs can I participate in?
You are welcome to visit Hopkins in the month of April. Our offices are open Monday – Friday, 8:30am – 4:30pm. Tours are offered on weekdays at 11am and 2pm, and information sessions are available at 10:00am and 1:00pm. There are some exceptions, so check out the visit section on our web site: http://apply.jhu.edu/visit/guidedtours.html. We regret that we are unable to accommodate any requests for overnights and/or day visits from wait listed students. Additionally, our Open House programs in April are for admitted students only.

During my visit can I get an interview or meet with an Admissions counselor one-on-one?
Unfortunately, no. We are unable to grant interview or meeting requests for wait listed students. Instead, we ask that you put any information or updates in a written letter which will be added to your application file. If you do have a specific question, you may email your regional counselor: http://apply.jhu.edu/contact/staff.html.

If I am accepted off the wait list and I applied for financial aid, will I receive any financial assistance?
There is no guarantee of financial assistance for students accepted from the wait list. It all depends on whether there is available funding after the numbers are crunched from the admitted students who have chosen to enroll. If financial aid is still available, then students admitted off the wait list will have financial aid packages awarded to them. If financial aid is not available, then we will be unable to admit students off the wait list with financial need.

If I am accepted off the wait list, am I bound to enroll at Johns Hopkins?
No. If we offer places in the class to students on the wait list, those students will have the chance to select whether they want to enroll at Hopkins or stick with the other University that they had previously selected. We provide students with about a two-week deadline for responding to our offer of admission from the wait list. Submitting the Wait List Reply card and selecting that you want to remain on the wait list is not a commitment to enroll at Hopkins if admitted.

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:

2008 – Approximately 50 student were admitted from the wait list.

2007 - Approximately 80 students were admitted from the wait list.

2006 – No offers of admission from the wait list.

2005 – No offers of admission from the wait list.

2004 – Approximately 150 students were admitted from the wait list.

2003 – Approximately 100 offers.

2002 – No offers.

2001 – Approximately 50 offers.

2000 – No offers.

I hope this information helps. I will update the blog with news from the wait list when it becomes available. Just remember, there will not be any news until after May 1st, and more likely my next wait list update will not be posted until the middle of May at the earliest. Finally, remember if you have further questions please post them to the Wait List Discussion Thread on the Hopkins Forums.

A Post for the Denied Applicant

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In the three plus years I have been writing this blog about the Johns Hopkins Admissions process, I have never posted a specific entry written for those applicants denied admission. First, I always assumed that after a student received a deny decision from Johns Hopkins that they would not return to the blog. Second, I felt that my comments would not be received well by a student who had received such negative news. And finally, I feared that my words would fail me in expressing the heartfelt compassion I feel for a non-admitted student.

However, after such a difficult year in rendering decisions, I felt it was important to post some thoughts. No matter what you may think at this time, or what you may read on some anonymous online forum, 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 professionals. Unfortunately, the number of applicants (16,000+ this year) far exceeds the number of positions we can offer (our freshman class is just over 1200 students). It is never an easy process selecting students 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 rejection 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 tenth admissions cycle, 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 … the college admission review process is about fit. Our applicant pool is filled with 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.

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 is to forget about Johns Hopkins now. 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 2010 term. We would strongly encourage you to enroll at another university, and if after a semester or two 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.

RD Notification Day (2009) – Decision Release Explained

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Greetings once again. I just returned from the downtown post office in Baltimore and I can finally declare that the Class of 2013 is sealed and decisions are on their way. It is all out of our hands now. In all my years at Johns Hopkins this is the latest we have dropped off packets to the post office, but if you have been reading this week you know the whole staff was determined to mail as soon as we could. A lot of late hours have been put in these past couple of weeks (and over the last four months truthfully) but it was all worth it. I applaud all of my colleagues for the commitment, dedication, passion, perfection, and care they all showed over these last few grueling days. The Class of 2013 is going to be amazing, and there will be time to reflect over the coming weeks.

At this time, all of my colleagues are celebrating and congratulating each other. Some of them are all also packing up their bags and heading home for a well-deserved weekend of sleep and catching up on their personal lives. This will only be a short break as the task of enrolling the freshmen class begins in earnest next Monday and continues throughout the month of April. We have an extensive two page list of events, communications, and projects all related to yielding our Class of 2013. More will follow about all of that next week too.

Unfortunately, I don't get to home just yet. My list of things to do continues to be comprehensive today. Before the day can end for me, I must assume my role as "Admissions Daniel" — e-recruitment coordinator — and make sure everything is up and running just prior to the release of decisions. One of the many tasks I have is to explain how the decision release process is going to work. So let me get to that right now:

How will decisions be released?
By mail: This afternoon (Friday, March 27) all decision letters (admits, wait lists, and denies) were taken to the main Baltimore postal center or the Hopkins postal center in Mt. Washington. All decisions will enter the postal system by the close of business today. Admit packets are sent priority mail, whereas deny and wait list letters are sent first-class mail. International mail is sent a variety of ways depending on the country. We hope that admit packets in the U.S. arrive by Monday at the earliest and only take 3-4 days toal. Obviously, international packets will take more time. 
  
By email: As we have done in the past, in the evening we will also be releasing decision notifications via email. Emails will start going our AROUND 6:00 p.m. EDT. Please see that I have emphasized the word AROUND. It can take up to 2 hours for all decision emails to be sent. We do not post our decisions online or through a portal. Emails are sent in batches and will take time to arrive. I can guarantee you all will not get your decision email at 6:00 p.m. Have some patience … in fact I suggest finding something to distract you for an hour, then check your email account.

Can I check my decision online?
No, Johns Hopkins University does not have an online system for the release of admissions decisions.

Can I call the Admissions Office to receive my decision over the phone?
Decisions will not be released over the phone until Tuesday, March 31st. At that time, if you have not received your admissions notification you may call the Admissions Office (410-516-8171). Please be aware, when we do begin to release decisions over the phone, we will only release the decision to the applicant, a parent or guardian of the applicant, or the applicant's high school guidance counselor. Decisions will be released only if the identity of the caller can be reasonably assured. As well, 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.

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

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

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

If none of those methods work, then unfortunately the student will need to wait to receive the decision in the mail, or can call on March 31st. Every year some email notifications just don't work. The reasons for an applicant not receiving an email notification include that there was no email provided on the student's application, the email provided on the application is no longer active, there was a SPAM filter blocking the message, or some error occurred that caused a bounce-back. WE ARE UNABLE TO RE-SEND EMAILS. Once again, in such situations the applicant must wait. We understand how frustrating that can be, but unfortunately mistakes can happen when processing over 16,000 applications.

I applied to the biomedical engineering program, will I receive that decision via email as well?
This is something that has changed this year. In previous years, since decisions about acceptance into the biomedical engineering (BME) major are departmental decisions we would not release such information through email or over the phone, and applicants would have to wait for their admit packet to arrive. This year we will be sending BME decisions via email. Those emails though will be sent on Saturday (March 28). We will use the same system to email BME notifications, but so as not to overload the system, those decisions will be sent sometime on Saturday. And yes, further details about your BME decision will still be enclosed in the admit packet.

How do I learn about my financial aid package?
Financial aid awards for those who completed their financial aid application will be included in the acceptance packet. You will also be able to check your award by logging into your ISIS account. If you have any questions or need access to ISIS, please contact the Office of Student Financial Services (fin_aid@jhu.edu). I believe ISIS accounts will be updated after 7:00 p.m. tonight.

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

I think that covers everything for right now. I do have pictures to upload from the day, but right now I am going to try to take a 30-minute nap in my office. I'll add to the blog a bit later tonight, so check back.

BEST WISHES!!!

Oh wait, I forgot one thing … this has become a bit of a tradition on decision release days. Sort of an inside-joke but also sort of something to put a smile on your face before decisions come out:

Update on Release of Decisions

5

I just received word from the Dean of Admissions, Dr. John Latting … the Class of 2013 is done and …

REGULAR DECISION NOTIFICATIONS FOR THE CLASS OF 2013
WILL BE RELEASED
TODAY
(Friday, March 27, 2009)

Check back later for full details. The mail will be going out today, and decision e-mails will be sent after 6:00 p.m. ET. DO NOT CALL US — we will not release decisions over the phone. Further details about the release of decisions will be posted soon. I have to get back upstairs and help stuff and seal the letters and packets.

March Madness Update

2

Friday morning (7:30 a.m.) update … Just got in the office and thought I would share a slide show from the action over the last two days.

Also, here is a quick video I shot of the file room in Mason Hall before we departed last night. Sorry for the quality, but I shot the video on my little digital camera.

Heading in to a counseling team meeting … I will update with a new blog entry when I know more.

**********************************

As promised, I am back with the most honest update I can provide at this time (10:30 p.m. EDT on Thursday, March 26). This March Madness update is not about how my NCAA brackets are doing (not bad actually) or how much I am hoping UNC wins it all. This update is about where we stand with admissions decisions and when Regular Decision notifications will be released.

Unfortunately, I still do not have confirmed answers to those questions. We are not done. Tomorrow morning the Admissions Committee will meet once again and we all hope it will be for the final time, but no one knows for sure. The office is moving forward as fast as we can and we understand and respect the anxiety many of your are feeling. A few points I would like to share before I head back upstairs and continue to work for the next few hours.

First, though I know you all eagerly want to know when decisions will be released, it is our practice not to release a date and time and then need to reverse that decision. A few years ago, in the infancy of this blog, I posted that we would be mailing on a specific date. Well things occurred and we needed to delay the mailing by a day … the backlash was a great one. So the policy is a clear one … not until the class is sealed, the Dean confirms that decisions are complete, the Operations team figures out the most feasible mail date / time line, and Dr. Latting confirms that plan, will an official Decision Release plan be announced. And as I have said numerous times, the minute I get the O.K. from my boss I will update the blog.

Second, I assure you we are not dragging our feet and attempting to prolong this process. We are all exhausted and want these decisions out as much as you want to receive them. However, none of us are willing to do that until all the data reports have run, all the letters have been checked and double-checked, and all the proverbial "i"s have been dotted and "t"s been crossed. As I type this, a team of my colleagues are on the third floor going over the decision letters and assembling our admit packets. At the same time, I am pretty sure that Dean Latting is reviewing the extensive array of data points and projections for the class. This has been a truly interesting year with an amazing applicant pool, and though I can attest to the fact that we are very close to the end, there are still decisions that I personally need to speak with the committee about tomorrow. For all intent and purpose, we strive to be perfectionists at this time, and though that may be frustrating as you all eagerly await your fate, I think in the long run you will appreciate how delicate this process is for all of us. Just hang in a little bit more.

Finally, I had hoped to compile a post this evening of how we will be releasing decisions this year — more specifically the process, not the date and time. Unfortunately, I really do need to go back upstairs and help my colleagues. We have some great 80s music playing right now, there is still some pizza left over, and I am craving some Dr. Pepper right now (no idea why). I will make every effort to post about the process of decision release as soon as I have a free moment. I also have some photos to download and share.

Thank you for your patience.