REBOOT: H.I. Version 3.0 Arrives

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

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

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

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

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

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

01 – STUDENT PROFILES

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

02 – BLOGS

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

03 – MESSAGE BOARDS

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

What’s New with the Message Boards … how about:

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

04 – @ HOPKINS

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

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

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

05 – VIDEOS

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

06 – CHAT WITH US

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

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

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

Back … and Better Than Ever

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So it’s Sunday evening … the clocks have sprung forward … and I am back to writing the Hopkins Insider blog. I hope you all enjoyed the last five weeks of entries introducing my colleagues, the Admissions Committee. I work with these people on a daily basis, but I too enjoy getting to know a bit more about them and their thoughts about our profession.

Today is actually a significant day as well because it might actually be the last day I get a good night sleep for a while. Why? Well, starting tomorrow my colleagues and I move to the next stage in the application review process : Committee Time. As of this weekend the Admissions team has completed the “first reads” on about 98% of our applications. Now we break down into small (and large) committees and begin the arduous task of “shaping / defining the class.” This year’s applicant pool is overwhelmingly impressive so this task of fine-tuning is going to be more difficult than any year I and most of my colleagues have ever experienced. The next few weeks in Mason Hall can be characterized by any and all of the following phrases: late nights; failing eye-sight while perusing endless rosters; overdosing on caffeine; long and arduous debates; and lots and lots of difficult decisions.

Speaking of applications, one of the most frequently asked questions I get this time of year is how many total applications did Hopkins receive this admissions cycle? Well, at last check the number was: 16,001. No joke … that’s the number. We’ve checked it a number of times. I actually wanted it to be 15,999 so we didn’t break the 16K plateau this year … but lo and behold we did break it by 2. For those who like the numbers, this is a 7.77% increase (lucky 777s) from the 14,848 applications received last year.

The other frequently asked questions this time of year are when will I find out about my decision and / or how will decisions be released? Unfortunately at this time I do not have a definitive answer to such questions. All I can reveal is that regular decision admissions notifications will be released prior to April 1st. No official date has yet been selected for the release of decisions. As we have done in the past (read this blog entry from last year), decisions will be released via postal mail as well as emailed to those applicants who listed an active email address on their application for admissions. Hopkins does not have an online system for tracking application status nor to check one’s admissions decision when notifications have been released. I promise to update the Insiders blog once more details about the release of RD notifications is available.

To end this post, because it has been nearly a month and a half since I have created new content for the blog, I thought I would share some miscellaneous items that could have been blog fodder during that time. Hope you enjoy:

• Video Blog: Have you all been enjoying the videos being produced by the Hopkins Interactive team? We are all having a great time working on them. Check out the H.I. Video Blog here, and remember to leave us comments.
• LOST: What can you say??? This season has been un-freaking-believable. “The Constant” episode focusing on Desmond was one-hour of sheer television gold, and the whole mystery of the Oceanic 6 has me on the edge of my seat. These few episodes have definitely cured me of any ill will towards the world of TV stemming from the 100-day writer’s strike … but they have also led me to declare loudly that LOST is my favorite television show OF ALL TIME.
• Lacrosse Season Begins: The JHU Men’s Lacrosse team began the defense of their 2007 National title a few weeks ago. First it was a revenge victory over Albany on a very cold and overcast day in late February. Then it was a dismantling of Princeton in front of thousands of fans at M&T Bank (Ravens) Stadium. Third was a close victory over local challenger UMBC. That ran the winning streak to 11 games, but unfortunately this weekend the team suffered its first loss in a close OT game to Hofstra. So the record is 3-1 and we face Syracuse this coming weekend at Homewood – a match of the two winningest programs in NCAA Division I Men’s Lacrosse history (we are better though.) Follow the team here.
• Baseball is Almost Here: Do you want to know what the one silver lining of losing an hour during daylight saving times and all the work that I do in Admissions during the months of March and April? It all means that Baseball Fever is returning. I have renewed my MLB.com subscription, I have set up a Baseball wish list on both my TiVos, and I have located my NY Mets hat from where I buried it after the debacle of last season. I am not sure I have been more excited for the start of baseball season since I was a kid … and that has a lot to do with a man by the name of Johan Santana.
• Favorites: Were you reading the student blogs and message boards last week? I hope so because all last week they were featuring a Common Blog project where each student completed a Favorites questionnaire. I hope you all enjoyed learning some random facts about some amazing Hopkins students.
• My Favorites: The final part of the the Favorite surveys that the students worked on last week is actual something I suggested. I am a huge fan of James Lipton’s “Inside the Actor’s Studio.” During every broadcast, at the end Lipton asks questions invented by the great Bernard Pivot. So since I love these questions, I thought I would end this first blog back with my answers:

What is your favorite word?

- Juxtaposition. I have loved this word and its meaning since first learning it while preparing for the SATs. In many ways, the word has summarized a lot of my life.

What is your least favorite word?

- Any words related to feminine hygiene. I have always been squeamish about such things. No idea what I am going to do when my niece reaches that age.

What turns you on (creatively, spiritually, or emotionally)?

- I love the smell of oranges. Seriously though, I am turned on by original thoughts.

What turns you off?

- Cheating, cutting corners, and deception. Just watch Big Brother and you will see what turns me off.

What sound or noise do you love?

- Any word or semblance of a word that comes out of my niece Lilly’s mouth. When I first heard her say “I love you” I collapsed.

What sound or noise do you hate?

- The sound of a straw on cardboard. And oh yeah, the women on The View.

What profession would you like to attempt?

- Play-by-play announcer for the New York Mets.

What profession would you absolutely not like to attempt?

- So many … but I will narrow the list down to lawyer, anything to do with blood, or anything related to Wall Street.

Finally, if Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?

- “Ready to give it another try.”

A Long Distance Dedication to the Class of 2011

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While growing up I was a huge fan of Casey Kasem’s "American Top 40" weekly music countdown. (Since many of you are too young to know what I am talking about, check out this Wikipedia entry. In catching up on AT40, I shockingly learned that Ryan Seacrest is now the host … how sad is that?)

Well, my favorite part of the radio show was the "Long Distance Dedication." Casey would read an emotional letter from a listener that typically detailed a very sad or uplifting story. The letter would end with a dedicated song. Following along those lines, here is my long distance dedication…

Cue the intro music…Cue Casey’s unique voice…and let’s go:

Welcome back listeners to the Johns Hopkins Top 40. It is now the time in the show where we pause from the countdown and read this week’s long distance dedication. This week our letter originates from Baltimore, Maryland and is sent in by someone who goes by the pseudonym Admissions_Daniel. Daniel writes about the connection that was formed with a unique group of students through a modern means of communication, blogging. Here’s what he wrote:

Dear Johns Hopkins Top 40,

Oh what an amazing journey it has been. Just over a year ago I began a simple correspondence with a small group of young adults. Now it has blossomed into a nationally-recognized correspondence between me and 1200+ of the most brilliant, unique, and passionate students. This discussion began as an innocent foray into the burgeoning world of blogging, and transformed into so much more. It started as another of my job responsibilities as Senior Assistant Director of Admissions for Johns Hopkins University. I was simply tasked with connecting with the the future JHU Class of 2011 through blogging. But now as it all comes to an end I realize the journey has meant a great deal to me and the students. To best explain, I think we first need to take a look back.

The first time I wrote to them was at the end of April 2006 when my office had just completed our work with the previous class. I had hit the road for some spring travel events to start recruiting the ’11ers. (April 29, 2006) After six days of events and meeting (May 5, 2006), it was time for me to take some time off during the summer while periodically updating and also requesting feedback about the best blogs (June 26,2006). The rest of the summer included updates about Open Houses (July 17, 2006) and one of my favorite posts – "Lots of Little Things" (July 30, 2006). As the summer ended it was time to announce the arrival of ’06-’07 application (August 1, 2006), hit the road again for recruitment (September 19, 2006) and comment about the spectacle that is the US News and World Report rankings (September 8, 2006).

October was witness to a great Explore Hopkins program (October 2, 2006), an amazing trip to Pittsburgh for a National Conference (October 15, 2006), two great fall Open Houses (October 22, 2006) and my return home to experience Fall and the start of the reading season (November 1, 2006). November was a big month as we re-launched Hopkins Interactive (November 15, 2006) and I introduced the students to the inner-workings of reading ED applications (November 30, 2006). We wrapped the year with the release of Early Decision notifications (December 15, 2006) and my favorite post of the year — "The Approach" (December 6, 2006).

The start of 2007 saw me getting organized and the deluge of RD files begin (January 31, 2007). While the staff was busy evaluating applications throughout the winter, the ’11ers hopefully enjoyed getting to know the Admissions team (February 19, 2007), Valentine’s greetings from my niece Lilly, and the application guessing contest (February 14, 2007). February concluded with the Oscars (February 23, 2007) and then the biggest news of the year …The Hopkins Insider in the Washington Post (February 24, 2007).

The Post article led to a nearly 10x increase in my readership, which was perfect as the month of March turned into my busiest of blogging months (March 2007). March ended with my live blogging of decision day (March 28, 2007). April and May came fast and furious, and included numerous update posts (April 16, 2007; May 18, 2007, and June 6, 2007), a special post for the Admits (April 19, 2007), the "Big Decision" post (April 23, 2007), and one of the most emotional posts following the Virginia Tech tragedy (April 18, 2007).

That trip down memory lane really proves again what a long year it has been and what a wild and crazy journey. An emotional reflection to say the least … I enjoyed almost every moment. But now it is time for me to say goodbye to the Class of 2011 as I must move on to future classes. As a special tribute and blogging farewell, I request that you play Journey’s " Don’t Stop Believin’ " for the Johns Hopkins Class of 2011.

Many know that this specific song played a key role in another recent finale – that of the television show the "Sopranos." Similar to that final episode, I hope that when the students finish reading my farewell entry that abruptly their screen turns black and there is no more story being told to them. The next four years is for them to decide what the story should be … it is a blank slate for them to choose their own paths. I wish them all the success in the world, and truth be told, Hopkins is the right place for each and every one of them to accomplish their goals. Enjoy the ride … I will be watching from afar.

Cheers,

Admissions_Daniel

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OK, I know that this blogging farewell may be a bit cheesy, but heck it is summertime and my mind right now is a bit loopy. I hope you enjoyed the attempt at some humor, but also that you all reflected back on the past year with the Hopkins Insider blog. As I said before, it has been a long and winding trip.

Continuing with the "Johns Hopkins Top 40" countdown theme, I thought I would share with you all something that the Hopkins Interactive students and I compiled over the last few months. During our final discussions of the spring semester, the group and I compiled a list of the 40 Things a JHU undergraduate must do before graduation. We had hoped to use this list in a more unique way, but those plans fell through. But this final entry (dedication?) is the perfect place to share.

As you all get ready to arrive on campus this fall we strongly suggest creating a list like this. Use this list as a starting point, but change some of the responses, add or subtract … make it your own. Then spend your four years at Hopkins making sure to accomplish each and every one of the items on your list. It’s going to be amazing.

40 Things To Do Before Graduation:  (in no particular order)

1. On a nice spring day, go outside and pretend to work while falling asleep on the Beach (the lawn in front of the library).
2. Go to a lacrosse game, sit with other Hopkins students in The Nest, and help cheer on the beloved blue jays on their way to another NCAA championship.
3. Actually locate Carma’s cafe, and then order their legendary Icelandic yogurt … served by Carma herself!
4. Let out some energy, and work out your upper body, by going to the Recreation Center and climbing on the rock wall.
5. Go to an Orioles Game at Camden Yards and cheer on the hometown team… hopefully they’ll win.
6. Walk to Hamden and scope out the plethora of antique shops, then dine at one of their many funky restaurants.
7. Find out what’s behind the crab craze by visiting Fells Point and letting the locals school you in the ways of Blue Crab in Baltimore’s famous Old Bay sauce.
8. Satiate your late night munchies by walking over to Paper Moon at 3 a.m.
9. Go check out one of JHU’s acappella groups, like the AllNighters…or better yet: audition for one.
10. Enjoy Spring Fair’s food fare, and don’t forget the “chicken on a stick,” deep-fried Oreos, funnel cakes, and foot-long hot dogs.
11. Spend an afternoon walking around the Baltimore Museum of Art then eat dinner at Gertrude’s, overlooking the sculpture garden.
12. Go to Vaccaro’s for all-you-can-eat desserts and coffee Monday nights for $12.
13. Scout out the area’s free food such as free ice cream on your birthday from Cold Stone.
14. Choose from one of the eclectic courses by returning to Baltimore for intersession and taking a crazy course such as jump-roping, ballroom dancing, story telling, and many more.   
15. Take a break and feel like a kid again by walking down to the corner of N. Charles and 28th St. and playing at the local playground.
16. Walk around the Bufano Sculpture Garden and try to guess the animal each sculpture represents.
17. Get crepes from Sofie’s Crepes and bring them into a movie at The Charles.
18. Pick up a book other than a textbook at the annual Baltimore Book festival.
19. Relax and enjoy a musical evening by listening to the dulcet tones of the JHU students at a Peabody concert.
20. Bundle up and get ready for the holidays with Hamden’s “Miracle on 34th St.” festive street light decorations.
21. Witness the Outdoor Club’s streaking through the library during finals – or join in yourself.
22. Learn how to navigate the JHMI to the MARC to the Metro and travel throughout D.C.
23. On a Saturday morning, walk to the Waverly Farmer’s Market then grab brunch at Pete’s Grill.
24. Paddle a dragon boat around the Inner Harbor.
25. Volunteer to help out with an Admissions Open House or to host a prospective student.
26. Grab some friends and head over to X & Os (also called “Xandos”) for make your own s’mores.
27. Sleep on one of the many comfortable the couches in Gilman Hall.
28. In April and May when the tulips and azaleas are in bloom, head over to Sherwood Gardens in Guilford for a lazy afternoon in the sun.
29. Check out a JHU tradition, the Lighting of the Quad, in December.
30. Take the Collegetown shuttle to the Towson area for some stress-relief-related shopping. They just opened a J Crew and an H&M- very college.
31. On Halloween, hop on the JHU shuttle down to Fells Point for a night of crazy costumes and awesome antics. 
32. Head down to the American Visionary Art Museum for a taste of the wilder side of Baltimore.
33. Check out one of the fraternity’s annual beach party — the basement is filled with the sand and every year the Kelly Bell band performs.
34. Go see what is considered to be the vibrant personality of the real Baltimore by visiting Lexington Market, the longest continuously running market in America whose past visitors have included Ralph Waldo Emerson and William Thackeray.
35. Visit one of Baltimore’s main attractions by checking out the “National Aquarium” after five on Fridays for only $8.
36. Expand your horizons by attending HSC’s Diwali festival.
37. Get on a first name basis with Ms. Leesey, Ms. Ruthie, Ms. Jackson, and Dolores, the lovely lunch ladies of the FFC and the Charles St. Market.
38. Get to know the countryside by going hiking or kayaking with the Outdoors Pursuits Program.
39. Sculpt your hair into a beehive for Hamden’s annual Honfest.
40. See a movie projected on the side of a building from Mr. John’s house in Little Italy. ****************************************************************************************

Though this is a blogging farewell to the Class of 2011 from the Hopkins Insider, it doesn’t mean this is a goodbye. I will still be answering questions and feeding information on the JHU Incoming Class of 2011 Facebook Group. We know even though you are just finishing up with registering for classes over this week, you are still going to have tons of questions about Orientation, Housing, What to Buy, etc. etc. etc.

As well, this does not have to be an ultimate farewell as when you arrive on campus this fall there will be a ton of ways you can get involved with the Admissions Office. Later this summer you will get information about volunteering for the various admissions groups — we select students to be tour guides, overnight hosts, Open House volunteers, and even part-time jobs in the office. As well, there will be a few open spots on the Hopkins Interactive team.

And as I wrap-up this farewell, this long distance dedication, this closing of the blogging book on the Class of 2011 … I want to offer all the new ’11ers a chance to be immortalized and celebrated in the blogging world …

BLOGGING CONTEST FOR THE CLASS OF 2011:

* Submit a blog entry to be posted to our Guest Blog. The entry should relate to the general topic of preparing to arrive at Hopkins this fall. You can discuss the anticipation you feel, how busy you are with buying things for your dorm room, or about the various mailings you have been receiving. You can also take a more reflective approach and discuss your decision to attend Hopkins and what you think the next four years will bring. In fact, you can write anything.

* I will select the three "best" entries to be posted in August. The entries will be judged primarily on whether they are interesting, enjoyable, and paint an intriguing picture of a new freshman getting ready for their college experience.

* Email your entry as a Word document to daniel.creasy@jhu.edu. More details will be posted on the Facebook group. I’ll also answer questions there in case I am being too vague right now.

I look forward to your submissions.

Farewell and enjoy the rest of the summer. See you on-campus this fall.

Cheers!

Decision Day Has Arrived – Live Blogging All Day

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WE ARE DONE! Well, sort of…

The arduous five month application review process is complete and as of this morning (Wednesday, March 28) the 14,000+ decision notifications have been delivered to the Baltimore postal center. The e-mail decisions will start going out at 5:00 PM EDT — but please know it could take up to five hours for all the e-mails to be sent. Please refer to my March 12 entry for further information on how we release decisions. [We will not release decisions over the phone!]

As I did last year, I wanted to provide you all a look into the last 48 hours. But there is a new twist — I will be updating the blog throughout the day (live blogging?) with additions to the time line and pictures. So check back regularly throughout the day and next few days, with a ton of information about the release of decisions.

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Tuesday, March 27

12:15 PM – Director of Admissions John Latting emerges from his office and declares that the class is sealed and all the letters are signed and ready to be stuffed. A loud ovation is heard throughout Garland Hall.

12:17 PM - After two minutes of celebrating, the sorting, stuffing, and sealing begins. Financial Aid takes over the basement file room to add their award packages, as the Operations team begins to go through one last roster check confirming final decisions.

5:00 PM - Chinese food arrives. The staff digs in.

5:01 PM – The beverages arrive. Staff washes down the food.

5:03 PM - The pizza arrives. The students volunteers celebrate.

5:03:30 PM – The pizza gone. The students are stuffed.

5:30 PM – The Operations team, counseling staff members, and a cadre of current student volunteers heads downstairs to stuff and seal all the admits packets.

6:20 PM - The affixing of postage commences.

7:32 PM – We are done. In record time! A process that took nearly 5 hours last year, took only two. Wow. The student volunteers, as always, were amazing.

8:02 PM – Uh oh. We need to sort some of the international mailings. Can you say finding a needle in a haystack.

8:31 PM – Actually it was not that difficult. Team work really does work.

9:05 PM – Admissions_Daniel heads home. Colleagues follow hoping for the first good night sleep in weeks.

10:54 PM – Just before heading to bed, Admissions_Daniel posts an update to the Hopkins Insider blog with a very auspicious final picture.

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Stay tuned … more updates to follow … including the procession of mail bins and our visits to the postal centers …

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I’m back and ready to take you through the tales of today – D-Day…

Wednesday, March 28

7:15 AM – Arrive to the office feeling like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders. Hmmm … what is this strange sensation. Oh, I am relaxed!!!

~8:30 AM – The rest of the staff trickles in and we scan over all the bins of mail, excited about what lies ahead. Now we all wait for the arrival of Director Latting and the go-ahead to move the bins out.

9:45 AM - The procession begins. It takes four huge mail carts, a hand truck, and two trips to move all the bins to the waiting four SUVs. (Sorry Al Gore, no hybrid cars used to deliver our mail.)

9:48 AM – The loading of the cars begins. Many hands make quick work.

10:15 AM - The four SUVs driven by John, Jameel, Jeremiah and I depart for I-83. Three of the SUVs go south towards the Baltimore Postal Center, and one goes north to the Johns Hopkins postal center in Mount Washington.

11:00 AM – Less than 45 minutes later, the last admit packet and the last deny and wait list letters are handed over. Now the Class of 2011 is officially official – no more changes can be made.

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Even more updates … and a few more photos to follow…

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The live blogging continues … hope you all are enjoying the tales as you await the release of the e-mails. Back to the time line.

12:00 PM – PARTY TIME!!! Yes, the Admissions and Financial Aid teams joined for a bit of a celebration and a nice catered lunch. You can clearly see the stressed had washed away from us all, and we got to relax, reflect, and rejuvenate. Good food can always do that.

12:20 PM - Congratulations! Dean Conley and Director Latting extended their heartfelt thanks to every staff member. And then allowed us to leave early …. woooooo hoooooo.

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One last update …

5:00 PM – The sending of the e-mails commences. This process will take some time.

5:01:30 PM - The questions have already begun. In response, here are some answers…

• Why didn’t I get an email?: If an applicant does not receive an email it is because either there was no email provided with the application, the email provided no longer works, there is a spam filter blocking the message, or some error occurred causing a bounceback. We do not re-send emails, so in such situations the student must wait for the mail to arrive. We will not release decisions over the phone until Monday, April 2 and then only to the applicant, a parent or guardian, or the applicant’s high school guidance counselor. Decisions will only be released over the phone if the identity of the caller can be reasonably assured.
• I applied to the BME program, did I get in?: Decisions about acceptance into the Biomedical Engineering (BME) major are departmental decisions and therefore we do not release such information through email or over the phone. All applicants who applied to the BME program will learn of their decision when they receive their acceptance package. Further details can be found by clicking here.
• Did I receive a scholarships?: Scholarship award notifications are included in the acceptance package of those students awarded one of our merit awards. We do not release these decisions through email or over the phone.
• I submitted an application for the Woodrow Wilson Research Fellowship; did I get it?: Once again these notifications are only released through the postal mail, not through email or over the phone.
• What is my financial aid package?: Financial aid awards for those who completed an application will be included in the acceptance packet. You can also 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 at fin_aid@jhu.edu or 410-516-8028.

We know there will be many, many, many more questions and we will have answers. Just not right at this moment.

For me the day is coming to an end. And I have two things to look forward to: LOST and my BED!!!

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More posts will follow throughout the week, so stay tuned!

Cheers.

The Hopkins Insider Hits the Front Page

10

There are very few things out there that I can imagine would motivate me to post an entry over the weekend that would drop my Oscars post down, especially before the awards are even given out. Well one of those handful of occurrences has happened…

…the Hopkins Insider is front page news and has gone national!!!

Click here: Colleges Go Online to Calm the Admissions Storm

by Susan Kinzie, Washington Post page A01

Saturday, February 24, 2007

Take a look, and I promise to write early next week a behind-the-scene entry with all the details about the interview, the story, etc.

Enjoy the article and the Oscars!!!

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UPDATE – POSTED FEB. 26

As promised, I have returned to provide a bit of a back story to how this all came to be. I must say from the start I never imagined I would end up on the front page of the Washington Post and be enjoying my "15 minutes of fame" simply because I write an Admissions blog and tell tales of my dog, my niece, and my unusual passions. In no way is that a complaint, it just is quite a big surprise for me – one that I have been basking in since Saturday. OK, enough with the ego boost …

So a few weeks ago I received a message from my boss, Director of Admissions John Latting, that a Washington Post journalist had contacted our Office of News and Information inquiring about the blogs and message boards featured on the Admissions site. The basic gist of the message was that Susan Kinzie of the Post was interested in writing a story about the admissions blogs and message boards which were becoming increasingly popular, and would she be able to speak to the admissions counselor working on such projects — meaning could she chat with the infamous Admissions_Daniel? A very innocent beginning.

After a bit of message tag, I finally had the chance to speak with Susan on the phone for about 45 minutes on a wide range of topics spanning all aspects of the Admissions field. We talked about the Hopkins Insider blog, the Hopkins Forums, the student blogs and other parts of Hopkins Interactive, as well as more admissions specific topics of evaluating applications, application volume, and the cyclical nature of the job. The conversation ended with plans for Susan to come to the Homewood campus and "shadow" me for a day.

At that point I knew that this was not just some simple interview where I might have a passing quote in an article. See in the past I have been interviewed and quoted, and even had a few articles written specifically about me. Here is just a sampling:

• "Blogs Pull Back the Curtain on Undergrad Life" — a JHU Gazette article detailing the initial launch of Hopkins Interactive. Click here.
• "MySpace in College Admissions" — a NACAC online article about whether or not Admissions professionals are using applicants’ online profile (MySpace, Facebook, Xanga, etc.) in the admissions review process. Click here.
• "Online Diarists Beware: Your Employer May Be Watching" — a Columbia News Service report on a similar topic. Click here.
• "Admissions Counselors’ Association Ends Its Online College Fairs" – a Chronicle of Higher Education article about online chats. Click here.
• "Scouting Out E-Recruits" — an artcile about my experiences with online chats while working at American University. Click here. 

But never had I arranged for a journalist to follow me around for a day. I knew this was something different, something bigger, something cool, but I had no idea how different, how big, and how cool it would ultimately turn out to be.

Susan came to Hopkins on a day that turned out to be one of the worst winter weather days we have experienced in the Baltimore/DC metro area. Thankfully, she was able to safely trek up the I-95 corridor and make it to the Homewood campus to watch me in action. (I must say as I type this right now I am actually thinking how boring it must be to actually shadow me for a day. But a good journalist can always find a great story, right?.) Throughout the day we discussed pretty much everything there could be to discuss — in other words I talked her ears off. I am good at talking … it is a trait of many of the top Admissions professionals.

As the day progressed we really ran the gamut of topics: I read a few files and discussed the process behind evaluating an application; I checked the message boards and the blogs and commented on some posts; some of my student volunteers stopped by and chatted with Susan; and as the work day came to an end Susan had the chance to speak with my other Admission colleagues and Dr. Latting. In the evening, Susan joined me at a Student Admissions Advisory Board meeting where I met for about 90 minutes with the 20+ students who make up the team behind Hopkins Interactive. The day ended with Susan heading back to D.C. with tons of notes, and me heading home to read applications.

The next few days we communicated over e-mail while Susan also connected with some of the Advisory Board students as well as some prospective students who had posted messages on the Hopkins Forums. As the article reveals, Susan also spoke with some of my fellow admissions colleagues who are leading the blogging trend, Ben Jones from MIT and Jeannine Lalonde from UVA.

Pretty much now we had moved into the waiting period … I knew there was going to be a story but I didn’t know when it would print, in what section, how long, and what the overall approach of the story would be. Curiosity had definitely set in but thankfully I had enough applications to read so I would not become too obsessed. During the wait for the story to be printed I realized how much I do enjoy speaking about the field I work in and the new initiatives myself and others work on each day. Admissions blogging has become one of my most enjoyable "work tasks" and it helps me each day to remember to be an Admissions counselor first and foremost. I also have to say I enjoy seeing my name in print.

When this past Saturday arrived and the story hit, I have to say I was shocked by a number of things. First, that the story actually made the front page of one of the most read national newspapers. Second, that the article was so extremely well written and really focused on how hard people like Dr. Latting, Ben, Jeannine, myself and countless others are working to alleviate some of the stresses created by the Admissions craze. And finally, that the picture of me in the paper and on the web site was not too scary — the beard is looking good, pictures of Lilly are in the background, and I got to share the space with Michelle T. who has been working with me since my arrival at Hopkins.

Now a few days later and I am still really happy with the overall outcome of the article. The responses from family, friends, colleagues (past and present), and other professionals in the field has been wonderful. And now the coolest thing is when I "Google" my name, I come up as the #1 hit.

I’d love to hear your thoughts. So as usual, use the comments section. And for those reading the Hopkins Insider blog for the first time — welcome and check out the archives. There are some great past entries, and some great ones to follow too.

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I would be remiss if I didn’t also provide a quick update on the Oscars. I could write a whole long entry about my disappointment over last night’s broadcast. But let’s focus on the positive — I thought Ellen did a good job, I really enjoyed the opening nominees montage, I am glad "Marty" finally won, and wow Mark Walberg’s girlfriend/wife? is really, really hot!

As for the predictions, the final outcome:

Daniel: 13 of 24

Soze: 12 of 24

Though I did win, just over 50% is really poor. Well, there is always next year … and a lot of movies to see between now and then. Next up for me is Zodiac.

Notes on the Release of Early Decision Notifications

50

I often times enjoy journaling, so throughout the day on Friday (December 15, 2006) I decided to walk around with a pad and pen and jot down a series of entries. Since these entries primarily focused on my thoughts about the release of Early Decision notifications, I thought I would gear them to include details you all might find interesting. I hope you all enjoy this entry, and a special congratulations to the first members of the Johns Hopkins Class of 2011.

7:15 a.m. EST
The start of a busy day. It is the Ides of December and a thick, ominous fog has descended over the campus and all of Baltimore. Is this a sign of impending doom (a.k.a. holiday shopping) or is it just another sign of the fickle nature of Baltimore weather? Who knows, but it sure does make for some unique visual imagery. (I just hope the photos I took show how truly eerie the morning looked.

*

Boy am I tired. The last few days have been quite hectic, but it has been a good week. This Early Decision class is impressive and with the volume of applications I am surprised that we finished on time. I do think though that the plan to move the Early Decision deadline to November 1 next year is a good idea — it will make sure we have the time to make the right decisions.

ED release day is always one of my favorite professional days each year. I can still remember my first year as an admissions counselor rendering ED decisions. In fact I still remember a number of my first ED admits — I wonder what Greg, Lizzy, and Katie are doing now? This year’s pool also had some of those truly memorable candidates, including two that I hope to meet up with next fall and watch in awe as they go through four years of the Hopkins experience.

OK, time to get my work day officially started. First on the agenda is correspondence: clear out the e-mail accounts, respond to some comments on the blog, check the Hopkins Forums, and answer some final crazed questions on College Confidential. I wonder how many times today I will be questioned about what time the ED emails will be sent. Oy vei.

11:20 a.m. EST

Just returned to my desk after helping the Operations team stuff, seal, and add postage to the final admit packets. A few of my colleagues are taking all the decision letters and admit packets to the postal center. The ED Class of 2011 is officially signed, sealed, and in the early stagings of being delivered. I snapped some fun shots of these final steps in the process – enjoy!

As I was helping out sealing the admit packets, I actually reflected on two things. First, I really like the packet we send admits. Sending them Priority Mail is a nice touch. The black folder with the little “Yes” tab is really cool. The poster insert is a lot of fun. And then, special to me, is the Hopkins Interactive insert which resemble the little discs we give out to visitors. I never complain when we are promoting Hopkins Interactive.

The other thing I was reflecting about was how different the admissions decision release process is today compared to when I applied to college back in 1992-93. Back in my day, I had applied to two Early Action schools. Being a first-generation college applicant and having a guidance counselor who knew very little, I really was clueless going into the process. I was able to come up with a list of about 10 schools I was interested in, and two that were clearly at the top of the list. Early Action was something that seemed easy to do, so I took a chance.

Just to paint the picture a bit more — there were no online applications, there was no E-mail, there was no College Confidential, there were no college Web sites, heck the Internet didn’t even exist. The obsession over college selectivity was minimal at best. You picked your schools, you applied to each school individually (Common App., if it existed, was not popular), and then you actually had to wait for the mail. It was truly the Dark Ages compared to today — now students seem to control a lot more of the process, and demand much more too.

But I digress. What I was truly remembering was finding out on December 15, 1992 that I had been deferred from both of my Early Action schools. I opened the small letters, read them fully, showed them to my family, and then filed them away. No real reaction, well maybe a bit of disappointment. I was done with my other applications already, and I knew that I would ultimately get in some where. Looking back now almost 15 years later, it was not the most momentous day of my life up to that point…it was just another day. The day in late March of 1993 when all my other letters arrived was more memorable, but still the whole time period was not filled with much anxiety, dread, anticipation, fear, and/or stress. Some of it actually was fun and enjoyable.

So I guess what I am trying to say is that, though I do enjoy this day every year when we release ED decisions, I do wish we could find a way to go back to the good old days when anxiety and stress were not so prominent. The whole process has gone awry, and I think on a day when I am not so worn out I could really come up with some ideas to turn things around. But that is for another day … it is lunch time, and I have some online Christmas shopping to do.

2:15 p.m. EST

The fog is gone and it actually feels like a nice spring day outside now. Baltimore weather is so strange. I love that there is a Chipotle now just a few minutes from campus. And oh yeah, I have already answered that “what time are the emails being sent” question 14 times just today. Patience people!!!

So John [Director of Admissions, John F. Latting] just distributed the ED statistics and they just prove what a great start to the admissions cycle we have experienced. There is some great data, especially when compared to the ED pools of the past few years. Here are the highlights:

• Second largest ED applicant pool = 997 which is just down 1% (7 total apps.) from last year’s record 1004 applications which had been a 39% overall increase. Just five years ago in 2002 we had 516 ED applications, and in 9 years ago it was 462.
• The acceptance rate dropped once again – this year we chose to admit 45% which means 447 students will be receiving the good news that they are the first students to be admitted to the Johns Hopkins Class of 2011.
• Of the 447 admits: 46% are female, 43 are underrepresented minority students, 34% are Engineers, 34% Natural Science, and 28% interested in Humanities or Social Sciences.
• As far as the “quality” of the admits, everything is up. Mean SAT Critical Reasoning + Math is a 1364, up from 1352 last year.
• New Jersey remained the top state (73), Maryland second (60), and New York third (50). 28 totals states represented with the admits.

3:49 p.m. EST

I just got off the phone with a college counselor and we were discussing the case of an ED student who was deferred. Those conversations are never easy, but they are not as hard as the “Deny” talks or any conversation with a student or parent who wants an explanation about why a certain decision was rendered. The conversation made me reflect on the deferred students and I thought I should include some information for them in this journaling.

I guess the most important thing to say to the ED deferred students is that the road does not end here and you shouldn’t lose all hope. We will admit deferred students during regular decision. ED deferred applicants are admitted every year, and are provided the same chance of admission as the applicants who apply regular decision. At Hopkins, we do not defer all applicants who are not admitted ED, we actually do deny a number of ED applicants who we determine do not have a chance for admission in the RD review process. Deferred applicants do have a second chance.

Here is my list of suggestions and advice that I always pass along when speaking with ED Defers:

1. Apply to other schools. Though obvious, your chance for admission to Hopkins is not guaranteed and you want to make sure you have options.
2. Make sure you update the academic portion of your application. This would include mid-year grades (which will play an important role in your re-review), additional standardized test scores you may have taken, and maybe even an updated letter of recommendation from your guidance counselor.
3. Consider updating the non-academic portion of your application. Though not required, an updated resume and an additional letter of recommendation (especially from a senior year teacher) can always help. Just make sure anything you add does contribute in a new way to your application. Do not be redundant.
4. Write a letter to the Admissions Committee. Though not something all deferred applicants need to do or even should do, some of you may consider writing a personal letter to the Admissions Committee stressing your interest in Hopkins and why you feel you are an appropriate candidate for admissions. Consider this a cover letter to your overall application.
5. Most importantly, have a stellar senior year academically. The most important part of the review of a early decision deferred applicant is their academic progress throughout senior year.

[Note: We have started an ED Defer discussion thread on the Hopkins Message Boards. Check it out here, and post questions if you have any.}

6:25 p.m. EST

Just got home. Long day. The emails have all been sent out, and I am anxious to go online and see the reaction. However, I am going to first enjoy a nice dinner with Soze, purchase my last Christmas present online, watch Stump the Schwab on ESPN Classic, and then watch Wheel of Fortune on ABC. I’ll log on around 8:00.

8:10 p.m. EST

Well the news is out. Everyone is reacting. Very interesting. It’s been a long process so I am going to have a glass of wine (maybe 2 or 3) and enjoy some DVDs. I have had the same Netflix DVDs for the past three weeks. Then it is off to bed for a long night sleep and the start to a relaxing weekend.

Congratulations and best wishes.

It’s Here: Hopkins Interactive, version 2.0

0

Drum roll please … At 5:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday, November 15 the re-launch of Hopkins Interactive (H.I.) took place. Eleven months after the launch of the first version of H.I., we are now celebrating the amazing evolution of Hopkins Interactive.

For the uninitiated, Hopkins Interactive is a web site designed by current Johns Hopkins students for prospective students and other audiences seeking information about the undergraduate experience at JHU. H.I. is a “gateway” to our campus, a “virtual connection” to our community, an access point to frequently updated information about all there is to know about Johns Hopkins University and our unparalleled students.

For those who have a disdain for marketing language and hype, Hopkins Interactive is simply a web site designed by a highly motivated and passionate group of 23 current Hopkins students. These students make up the Student Admissions Advisory Board (SAAB) and they represent the student voice and opinion of a cross-section of our community. H.I. is their vision; it includes the information they feel is most critical for prospective students to know about their school. H.I. is their way to dispel the myths about their school and a means to presenting the real Johns Hopkins. And H.I. is your way to directly connect with potential future classmates.

So you ask, what is so great about this re-launch of a web site that had already successfully existed? Well, as you will see H.I, v. 2.0 is 300% more impressive than version one, and contains an extensive array of new features. Version one had 8 student blogs, 2 university blogs, and a limited message board. It was a student-designed site, but it was not interactive. Version two has 23 student profiles, 13 student blogs, 4 university blogs, interactive message boards, and chat functionality. And that doesn’t even mention the other two of six sections, Hopkins 360 and Fun and Games. Since there is so much new information, let me take you on a tour of everything:

01 – STUDENT PROFILES

The centerpiece of the new Hopkins Interactive is a collection of 23 student profiles representing a true cross-section of our student community. Here you will have the chance to get to know an array of current students, learn about their lives at Hopkins, find out about their interests, and even experience some of their personal quirks. After reviewing the answers in their profile, you have the opportunity to direct yourself to the message boards and connect with any, some, or all of the students you “met” on the profile pages.

You might be interested in Philosophy so you check out Jackie’s profile — or you might be from Texas so you link to Tanmay or Roxi — or you are really interested in what it is like to be a senior at Hopkins so you connect with Michelle T. The profiles are your starting point to truly experiencing life as a Hopkins student.

02 – BLOGS

If the profiles are the centerpiece of the new H.I., then the Blogs section remains the pulse of the site. We now offer 13 distinct online journals documenting the day-to-day lives of 5 current freshmen, 4 sophomores, 3 juniors, and 1 senior. Joining our veteran bloggers Laura, Esther, Julia, Michelle B., Stefanie, Michelle T., Rachel, and Phil are the new freshmen bloggers of Jackie, Roxi, Ramy, Kate, and Blake. Each of these student blogs acts as a window into these students’ lives, allowing the reader to experience all aspects of being a Hopkins student. The blogs are truly a transparent, unfiltered, unedited look at the Hopkins experience through the words and digital images of an amazing group of students.

Additionally, the blogs section includes four unique University blogs that provides the H.I. visitor with even more usual information:

• Hopkins Insider: This is my (Admissions_Daniel) blog. You are reading it right now. And as the caption states, this is your “behind-the-scenes” look at the Admissions Office. At the same time it is a portal into my head and an access point to learn about my opinions about TV, and get updates on my niece Lilly and my dog Soze.

• Hopkins Interactive Guest Blog: One of my personally favorite blogs, the Guest blog features a new student each week presenting a summary of their Hopkins experience. This blog exponentially increases the number of student stories we can tell.

• The JHU Fun Blog: A blog that gets to the heart of dispelling the myth that “fun comes to die at Hopkins.” The Fun Blog will be a weekly access point to some stress-relievers and a look at what makes our students laugh.

• This Week@Hopkins: So much happens in one week at Hopkins and in Baltimore. This blog will be a collection of stories and articles summarizing what happened over the previous week and also looking forward to the upcoming week. Simply, we will scour the main Hopkins web site to present to you the most newsworthy and noteworthy stories and events.

03 – MESSAGE BOARDS

The main goal of H.I. is to be interactive, and what better way then through message boards / forums. Through the Johns Hopkins forums you have the chance to ask any and every question you have about JHU. Connect with Admissions counselors and learn more about the application process. Meet each one of the H.I. students and ask specific questions of them on their personal message board threads. We also have forums dedicated to questions about Academics, Student Life, and Life in Baltimore. We even have provided a separate forum for Parents!!! The message boards are truly your way to interact with us, get your questions answered, and even meet other prospective students going through the process.

04 – HOPKINS 360

One of the brand new sections in the new H.I. is Hopkins 360, a collection of pages and links that act as a portal to everything happening at Johns Hopkins. A truly 360 degree view of life on the Homewood campus and in Baltimore. Here we present virtual tours, web cams, various multimedia links, news links, and even a look at the residence halls in the widely popular Hopkins Cribs section. Also attached to Hopkins 360 is our new This Week @ Hopkins blog.

What you see now is just the beginning for Hopkins 360. Over the coming weeks and months we will add new features that will help to meet the goal of this section — providing a full view of our University for those who can’t visit campus or for those who just want to remember their past visit.

05 – FUN & GAMES

The brain-child of SAAB member Esther B., the Fun & Games section we hope will simply provide a way to de-stress about the whole college admissions process. Take a study break and enjoy a fun way to learn about JHU. The new Fun Blog is at the center of this section, but we hope you will also enjoy Hopkins Speak, a dictionary of commonly used JHU terms, and the Top 10 Lists.

Just as with the Hopkins 360 section, this is just the beginning for the Fun & Games section. We have a lot in store for you all in the coming months. I quote Esther: “[The Fun & Games] section is quite small right now but check back in coming months for quizzes, crossword puzzles, and much more.”

06 – CHAT WITH US

The final of the six sections that make up the new Hopkins Interactive is our Chat With Us section. In the past, we have sponsored online chats and have seen varying success. This coming year we will approach our online chats in a much different way. First, our chats will be “theme” oriented — each chat will focus on a specific topic of student life at Hopkins whether it be Athletics, Greek Life, living in Baltimore, or Multiculturalism. The second change to our chats will be that they will be by invitation only. This means that we will encourage students to complete our chat registration form and select which chat topics they are most interested in. Then as one of the topic chats approaches we will sent a special e-mail invite to the registered students inviting them to a private chat with our Hopkins Interactive students. Consider this a “work-in-progress.” For right now we encourage you to complete the registration form, and we will update with the chat schedule for the Fall 2006/Winter 2007 shortly.

Well, I hope you all have enjoyed this tour of the new Hopkins Interactive. Now go and enjoy the site…

…and of yeah, provide us FEEDBACK. Whether commenting on our blogs, posting on our message boards, or using the special feedback e-mail address (hopkins.interactive@jhu.edu) — we want to hear from you. What do you like about the site? What would you like to see in the future? The more feedback the better we can design this site to suit your needs.

CHEERS!!!

Sweet Sixteen???

3

The week of Labor Day is considered the unofficial end of the summer and so it is the perfect time for the return of the Hopkins Insider blog. It is getting hectic in the Hopkins Admissions office as the counseling team prepares to hit the road in the next week, while simultaneously organizing for our fall visit events. At the same time, the operations team is setting up our system for processing the 2006-2007 applications which have already begun to arrive. This past weekend we welcomed 1201 new members of the Hopkins community that will make up the Class of 2010. As they moved in, they were greeted by a cadre of Orientation Assistants that assisted in the move-in process. Also present was Ernesto, a little tropical storm packed with rain and heavy winds. All in all, the relaxing summer is clearly behind us.

So, wondering about the “Sweet Sixteen” title are you? Nope I am not referring to the horrific MTV show. Not referring to the U.S. Open’s 4th round either. The N.Y. Met’s magic number to clinch a baseball playoff birth — good guess but also not right. (((As of 9/10 their magic number stands at just 6. Speaking of the Mets, you can check at the end of the entry for photos from the game I mentioned in my previous entry. We won’t talk about the game’s outcome…just see the picture of the final score.))) So what am I referring to? Well of course, the 2007 U.S. News and World Report’s Best National Universities ranking where Johns Hopkins stands alone at #16. The question is whether this is a SWEET 16???

Just over three weeks ago, the new rankings hit the bookstores / newsstands and all the “buzz” around them began anew. In fact, the rankings hit the Internet first and in the world of discussion forums like College Confidential that was all anyone could “talk” about. The media outlets also jumped on the bandwagon for a few days with tons of “newsworthy?” stories and now there is not one, not two, but three other rankings for everyone to go crazy about. (Yes my sarcasm should be quite evident!!!).

The buzz has died down finally so I thought it would be a perfect time to express my opinions. And please know that these are PERSONAL opinions; not the opinions of Johns Hopkins University nor the Johns Hopkins Admissions Office. As an admissions professional for close to nine years, I know the “rankings frenzy” quite well and fine-tuned my thoughts over those years. My opinions are based on my varied experiences as a high school student searching for the right college, as an admissions volunteer for four years at my Ivy League alma mater, as an Admissions professional at a “top 100” school for my first five years in the profession, and now as a senior Admissions professional at a “top 20” school entering my fourth year. In no way am I speaking for my colleagues, for my institution, or for Admissions professionals in general – but I know there are many who will agree with me (and often will express their thoughts more eloquently).

So I assume the biggest question is why the drop? I can fill you in on my theory, but ultimately the real answer to the question is “who knows?” The U.S. News ranking system is in no way an accurate system, as the formulas often change from year-to-year. In fact, the magazine even states, “Certainly, the college experience consists of a host of intangibles that cannot be reduced to mere numbers.”

Generally though the reason for the drop in my opinion can be related to one or all of the following factors:

1. A drop in student selectivity. The acceptance rate used was that of the Class of 2009 = 35%. This was an unusually high acceptance rate, and if you look at the data for the Class of 2010 you will see the rate is now 27%. (((Remember these new rankings are based on statistics from two years ago, not the most recent data.)))
2. A drop in faculty resources, specifically a rise in some of our class size statistics. This is a situation where the data collected and recorded by U.S. News does not accurately represent the Hopkins academic community. Simply summarized, the way we treat courses, sections, independent research, etc. does not mesh well with the strict measuring tools of their rankings methodology.
3. Fewer ties. Last year and in previous years there were more ties in the top 20 schools, this year just three. (((OK, not really a valid argument, but it does seem strange. Plus, I like it when we are tied because then I can use the joke about how we are the exact same institution as the other school we are tied with.)))
4. Gaming the rankings. More schools have begun to “work” their statistical reporting to better represent themselves in the rankings. (((Did someone say manipulation???)))

What is so interesting in this year’s ratings, is that as we drop 3 spots overall, we in fact gained in terms of the supposed most important factor, peer assessment, and remain in the top 10. The assumption that one could make then is that as our “academic excellence” assessment from “those in a position to judge a school’s undergraduate” rating has risen, we have become a weaker institution overall. Does that make any sense???

Another interesting note about our specific ranking number is to see how much it has changed in the last 15 years (1991 – 2007):

’07 = 16; ’06 = 13; ’05 = 14; ’04 = 14; ’03 = 15; ’02 = 16; ’01 = 15; ’00 = 7; ’99 = 14; ’98 = 14; ’97 = 15; ’96 = 10; ’95 = 22; ’94 = 15; ’93 = 15; ’92 = 11; ’91 = 15

So from this we can deduce the best year to be at Hopkins was 2000 and worst was 1995. And for those who attended in 1991, well they were at a better school then today. But those who attended in 2002, well Hopkins was exactly the same as it is today. And what happened between 1995 and 1996? Does any of this make sense???

Actually yes. What the data shows is that Hopkins tends to always be ranked as one of the top 20 schools — not in the top 10, but traditionally in the mix of the next 10 schools. Aside from some unusual years, Hopkins has pretty steadily been ranked as the 14th, 15th, or 16th best school in the nation by U.S. News.

I actually think the bigger question that needs to be addressed has less to do with the specific rank but rather whether or not rankings matter? Though Admissions counselors like me are always frustrated when a conversation turns to rankings, in the end it is clear they matter. It is clear that rankings are here to stay. Why? Well, mainly because prospective students and families continue to buy the magazines and the media continues to focus on the topic when ever college admissions is discussed. Admissions professionals are forced to accept that a flawed system based on trivial factors has grown increasingly popular amongst prospective audiences and is now considered commonplace when students begin their college search process.

Related questions though are to what extent these rankings matter and at what level should they matter? Here is where the real debate begins, and these are the questions I have spent the most time thinking about over the past few weeks. As I move into my second decade in this profession I know that rankings will remain a necessary evil no matter what. I understand why most colleges and universities have accepted rankings, and even celebrate strong results (see Hopkins Med). But ultimately the issue rests on whether rankings and their methodology matter so much to influence admissions policy?

I not only accept the fact that students use rankings to both see a list of schools out there and to compare those schools — I also see value in this. I agree with U.S. News when they state, “rankings provide an excellent starting point…you can compare different schools’ numbers at a glance, and looking at unfamiliar schools that are ranked near schools you know can be a good way to broaden your search.” I worry about how much rankings matter when the following occur:

• A parent remarks that their child will only be applying to “top 10″ schools. Or when a student states that they will attend the highest ranked school they are admitted to. Basically, I am overwhelmingly concerned when rankings are used as the most important factor in the decision making process for the prospective student and/or parent.
• Colleges and Universities “fine-tune” their admissions practices to hopefully result in stronger rankings. Or when admissions administrators alter how applications are evaluated or how statistics are generated so that they work well in the U.S. News formula. Basically, once again I am quite concerned when rankings become the main impetus behind admissions policy.

In the past I have said that rankings don’t matter, that students should ignore U.S. News, and that colleges should not care. I have changed my opinion now and have accepted that rankings exist, and that for students starting the process they can be of assistance. But I am adamant in the feeling that rankings should never become the main college search method. Students should be much more concerned with researching schools, visiting campuses, interacting with current college students, and doing a personal assessment of interest to find that “RIGHT FIT.” When your opinion changes about a school because one year they are ranked #13 and the next they are #16 and the next they are ???, well that to me is a flawed process of finding the right fit.

I am even more adamant when I hear of schools altering their admissions practices so in the end their school can rise one, two, or three spots. Look at the last 15 years of rankings, not much changes from year to year. I work at Johns Hopkins because we do not let rankings influence they way we evaluate applicants. We do not let rankings shape how we conduct the admissions process. We do not fine-tune the way we do our jobs to rise to the #11 ranking. We judge a successful year on our own internal goals and our vision of what the ideal incoming Hopkins class should be. Just this past week I attended a full-day staff retreat with all my colleagues and you know what numbers we focused on: (1) 23% increase in applications last year; (2) an 8% drop in acceptance rate; (3) improved yield percentages; and (4) we also celebrated all the amazing improvements in student life for our undergraduates. The number 16 never came up.

To back up what I have been saying, I will let my boss have a word:

“The rankings are quite a rough measure, but because they set a tone out there among the public and influence the perceived quality of Hopkins with respect to our competitors, we take the matter of rankings very seriously. We want to put our best statistical foot forward. We do draw a line, however, at changing what we actually do, changing the nature of the education we offer, in response to the ranking methodology. We would not do that.”

The final question is what can/should be done? Here is where I must continue to think and form my thoughts. What I know is that selecting college should be about the RIGHT FIT. It is a grand investment and students and parents should invest much time and effort into researching every aspect. Colleges should be forthright in presenting their schools, understanding that every institute of higher education is distinct and not for all. We should strive for an ideal, and face our issues head on. What I also know is that a Utopian approach to college admissions will never occur. Rankings are a big business and are not going to go away.

What I hope can occur though is that the old standards be revised, and that all parties involved invest in a new system. Let’s focus on a real system of comparing schools. Let’s look at how students learn – how students engage – student satisfaction – student opinion. Let’s look at how schools use their resources – how faculty interact – how students succeed. Let’s focus on judging schools on the experience for an undergraduate student. If parents, students, and the media demand rankings, let’s invest in creating a less flawed, less controversial methodology. Let’s pull back the veil and end “the college admissions frenzy.”

As I end this extremely long post, please know this will be my last word on rankings for a long time. The Hopkins Insider is back and in the coming weeks I will get back to my usual posts — an inside look into Admissions, highlighting what is happening at Hopkins, and unusual pop culture references. However, if you are a “ratings” junkie, I encourage you to check out this College Confidential thread. I personally applaud the direction that Dickinson is pursuing, not so much for their new policy but because they are challenging the status quo. The impact rankings have is a major issue facing the field of College Admissions, and discussing a new approach or new ideas is absolutely needed these days.

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As promised, here are pictures from the Mets v. Phillies game I went with my Dad to last month. We sat in the front row along the third base line and it was fun even though the Mets lost 13-0, Pedro was injured in the first inning, and I missed a foul ball by inches (it was quite embarrassing). Enjoy.

*David Wright, Paul Lo Duca, and Chris Woodward warming up.

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*More warm-ups for David, Chris, and Lastings Milledge.

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*Jose Reyes: look how close!

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*The downward spiral begins. Pedro Martinez struggling.

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*David going in to check on Pedro. It is all over and we in the first inning. How sad. Six runs in the first on the way to a 13-0 loss!!!

On the Road: Day Six (Thursday)

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Editor’s Note: This is the last entry in the seven-part "On the Road" series. You should read the earlier entries first: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.

So, I am sitting here Friday morning, drinking a Sunkist, having just finished packing my bags and eating my final free Courtyard Marriott breakfast. After posting this last entry in my "On the Road" series, I will be hopping into my rental car, tuning to the XM 80s station, and enjoying the 7-hour drive back to Voorhees, NJ. Once I arrive back to my parent’s house, I will be greeted by Sozë who usually leaps right into my arms. And that is when VACATION begins. Yes, finally after non-stop work dating back all the way to December, I will be enjoying a few well-earned days of rest and relaxation. No email, no blogs, no message boards – just some golf, playing with Sozë, and enjoying down time with my family and especially my niece. (I am going to teach her how to say Uncle Daniel as her first words!)

Looking back at yesterday’s post, I realized I never spoke about the St. Paul’s college fair, nor did I really even talk about anything Admissions / Hopkins related. So I thought with this final post I would focus on those topics, rather than pop culture or technological innovations. The St. Paul’s college fair went well, but did not compare to how busy I was at Andover and Exeter. Could be that the school is smaller, could be that less students from other schools joined the fair, or could be that my position as first table in the hockey arena was a bit intimidating. Who knows – all I know is that before the fair I enjoyed a lovely dinner prepared by the people at St. Paul’s (yes they feed us!) and enjoyed some great conversations with colleagues from Cornell, Pomona, and Bates.

Yesterday afternoon was my final college fair, the Lakes Region Independent School College Counselors Association (LRISCCA) Spring College Fair. LRISCCA is the NH/VT/ME equivalent of BISCCA with a few differences. The main difference is LRISCCA is made of 13 schools compared to BISCCA’s 32 schools. What does that mean? A much slower college fair. During the two hours, I spoke with only about 40 students, which by far was the lowest turnout for me at any of my events this week. I did though have some really good conversations with some students from the Holderness School about our International Studies program, connections to Peabody, and theatre opportunities. I also think one of the students that came to my table has been reading the blog. His questions very closely resembled the list of questions I posted a few days back. I didn’t question him, though he was reading his questions from a printed page so maybe someone is actually reading this.

There was an upside to seeing less students at St. Paul’s and LRISCCA, I didn’t run out of materials. I came close though, returning home with just 8 blank inquiry cards, 35 of the Different/Distinct brochure, and 21 of the Original/Fun one. All in all, this trip would be rated an A+. Each event this year had more students stopping by the Hopkins table than any of the previous years events. I will go back to Baltimore with the most completed inquiry cards for a one week Spring recruitment trip than ever before. I guess this all confirms my thoughts that Hopkins is a "hot" school for New Englanders. (Good job Daniel! – Why, thank you!)

I thought I would wrap-up this series with one last discussion about recruitment. As I look back over this week’s events, I realize that if someone followed me from fair to fair they would say I actually sound like a broken record repeating the same material over and over and over again. Now there are the repeated answers to those most frequently asked questions: what is the average SAT?, do you have pre-med?, where are you located?, do you have study abroad? how many SAT IIs must I take?, do you give scholarships?, and can I play Lacrosse there?

But beyond that, there is also the "main messages" I try to pass along to any student that visits my table and engages me in conversation about Hopkins. For those interested students, I have a list of distinguishing characteristics about Johns Hopkins that I attempt to discuss. This list is what I feel are the most important features of studying and living at Hopkins, and can help a student decide whether Hopkins is a school that they are interested in and want to pursue more. That is the end goal of a college fair for me – helping students decide whether Johns Hopkins is a school they should further research or just cross off their list.

See Johns Hopkins is a DISTINCT school. We are not for everyone. As you begin your college search you will learn that this is true of many elite schools. Your responsibility at the initial stages of your college search is to first determine what features you most want your future college to have and than research schools to see which ones FIT what you are looking for. Don’t just go by name, don’t go by reputation, or especially rankings. Do your research, and learn what makes each school DISTINCT. If their main messages work for you, then put that school on your list, check out their website, and plan a visit. (((Side note – I didn’t capitalize DISTINCT and FIT for no reason. These are crucial words, think about them a lot as you fine tune "your list.")))

So now you are wondering what makes Hopkins different, I mean DISTINCT. Well for those who will never interact with me at a college fair, I will let you in on what I consider our main messages:

• RESEARCH – This one word defines Hopkins. We are the nation’s first research institution and remain the leading university in the country when it comes to research. And that definitely includes undergraduate research across all of our disciplines. In every program our students will find probably the top research opportunities and funding for undergraduates in the country. From the Woodrow Wilson fellowship to the Undergraduate Provost Awards, the entire undergraduate academic community at Hopkins is dedicated to the advancement of research positions for all students, including freshmen.
• LIBERAL ARTS – I think I am going to tattoo on my forehead a phrase I say a lot, "Hopkins is much more than pre-med!" Yes, our reputation precedes us when it comes to the medical sciences, but at the undergraduate level we are SO MUCH more. Only around 25-28% of our students will pursue a medical degree later on (higher than most schools but not 50% as I have heard). But to understand Hopkins at the undergrad level is to understand our programs are split into four areas, the Humanities, the Social & Behavioral Sciences, Engineering, and Natural Sciences. And for the "lesser known" areas you are going to find amazing programs. Just take a look at nationally ranked programs in Creative Writing, International Studies, Political Science, History, Foreign Languages, Classics, not to mention Bioengineering and our interdisciplinary Natural Science programs.
• SIZE – I like to say that Hopkins is small and large at the same time. Unknown to many, but Hopkins is one of the smallest research institutions in the country with just over 4000 undergraduates. Average class size is just 19 and nearly 70% of our classes are less than 30 students (only 8% are over 100 and 25% are less than 10). That is the small side. On the large side, Hopkins is a huge institution with much more than our two undergraduate schools. We also have a medical school, hospital, school of nursing, school of public health, school of advanced international studies, music conservatory, school of professional studies in business and education, and an array of research facilities. As a Hopkins undergraduate you have access to all this and so much more. So despite only having 4000 students, we are quite similar to large universities when it comes to opportunities and resources.
• A UNIQUE CAMPUS – Most people think of Hopkins as a city school, and they are right. But come visit and you will be surprised that the Homewood campus does not feel or look like a traditional city school. This is one of the great attributes of Hopkins; a city school without the city feel. Homewood is a 140-acre self-contained campus with beautiful landscaping, no city streets cutting through the campus, tons of trees and flowers, and a setting that truly feels like college. Yet, the campus is still in Baltimore. This dual environment is beneficial to  life since students can be active in a traditional college campus sense, while also having fun in a city. Come visit and be surprised.
• STUDENT LIFE – Yes, students have FUN at Hopkins. From Lacrosse games, to Spring Fair, to Theatre productions, to the Greek system, to the Inner Harbor, to etc., etc. etc. Hopkins has over 300 clubs and organizations for students to get involved. Life is what you make of it at Hopkins, but many will be surprised that the myth of Hopkins students working all the time is to a current Hopkins student ridiculous. Are students can succeed academically, while also have an enjoyable college experience revolving around their social preferences.

This list is by far just the main points. (I like list with only 5 points.) There is so much more to learn about Hopkins including the opportunities in Baltimore and D.C., the interdisciplinary nature of our programs, the existence of no core curriculum, the music offerings through Peabody, and how truly spectacular our professors and students are. Come visit, check out the web, and do your research to see if Hopkins is the right place for you.

Well that’s it. This blog experiment is over. My fingers need a rest from all this typing — they are beginning to think I am back in college. I hope you all enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. Vacation awaits me, but don’t hesitate to comment on any of these blog entries as I am very interested to hear from my readers (if anyone is actually reading my crazy thoughts).

Signing off from Concord, NH…

P.S. So now that you have read the whole series, what did you think. Give me some feedback in the "Comments" section. I am interested to hear from you all.

DONE! (Well sort of…)

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Decision letters have mailed! After a series of late nights, this morning (Thursday, March 30) a van and an SVU delivered all of our decision letters to the main Baltimore City postal center. Now the emails are being sent and that process will continue throughout the day. Here is what happened in the last 24 hours:

Wednesday, March 29

11:45am – Director of Admissions John Latting emerges from his office and Congratulates the staff — decisions are done and the class is sealed.

12:00 noon – The arduous task of confirming all decision letters are correct begins, and the Financial Aid staff starts to stuff their information.

6:05pm – The mail room is turned over to a cadre of Operations staff, counseling team members, and an amazing group of volunteers students. The stuffing of admit packets begins.

8:15pm – Chinese food arrives, a bit of a break.

8:30pm – Back to the mail room and more stuffing. CHECK OUT THE PICTURES BELOW.

Thursday, March 30

12:02am – The last Admit packet is sealed. The staff and students go home exhausted.

8:30am – Everyone is back and the excitement grows as we all know we are done.

10:05am – The bins are wheeled out of Garland Hall and loaded into a JHU Van and John Birney’s SUV. The 10 minutes ride begins to downtown Baltimore and the mail center.

10:55am – The last bin is turned over to the postal workers.

10:56am – A call is placed and the Admitted Student Web site is launched and the emails begin to be sent.

The rest of the day - The staff will be resting, celebrating, enjoying the beautiful weather and getting ready for a very busy month of April.

Further updates to follow…