How Do We Select Students?

Michele Brown, Senior Assistant Director ◦ The Ohio State University

Rae Ann DiBaggio, Senior Associate Director ◦ Case Western Reserve University

◦ Media Attention

Headlines “Toughest Year Ever in College Admissions”

◦ What does “Holistic Review” really mean?

◦ Confusion between “Best Schools” and “Most Selective”

◦ We’re here to give the insider’s view on admissions at selective colleges!

What’s the hype with the college admission process?

Open Admission ◦ HS diploma, accept on first-come first-served basis

More Selective ◦ More selective than open enrollment

◦ Look at a variety of factors

Very Selective ◦ Small number of schools

◦ Receive 10-15 apps per slot

◦ Tough review process for admission

Admission and Application Process

Types of admission:

◦ Early Decision (ED)

ED admit/deny

ED defer

◦ Early Action (EA)

EA single choice – restrictive EA

EA defer

◦ Regular Decision

◦ Deadlines vs. Rolling Admission

◦ Final grades do matter

What are we looking for? ◦ strong record of academic performance ◦ enthusiasm for learning ◦ academic promise in part by standardized testing ◦ distinctive achievements or talents ◦ knowledge of self & appreciation for individual

differences ◦ demonstrated interest ◦ institutional needs/goals

Bottom Line: We want students who will be

successful and who will contribute to our community

Review Process

First Read: ◦ Typically - counselor assigned to high school ◦ Make admission/scholarship recommendations

Second/Final Read: ◦ Another admission counselor – adds another dimension ◦ Approaches review from a non-familiar look at app

◦ Committee: ◦ Some files – borderline cases ◦ All files – some schools may review every app in a discussion

environment

Key factors on the transcript ◦ Course selection

what is available at your school, and what did the student take?

◦ Grade trends

Upward or downward trends

Strength or weakness in a subject area

◦ Level of rigor

Did the student challenge him or herself?

Did the student take the minimum requirements or go above and beyond?

What do admission offices need from high schools? ◦ Grading Scale

◦ Description of rigor

Is this an honors or accelerated class?

Is it included in the GPA?

◦ School profile

Demographic information about your school

Course offerings

College bound rate of your students

Performance on standardized tests

An essay that grabs our attention ◦ Students should be willing to take a risk and talk about

something unique An essay that doesn’t just retell information that is

already included in the application ◦ Too many essays just list activities and other information

that can be found on the transcripts An essay with appropriate topic/subject/language. ◦ Students should consider if they really want the

committee to know about this particular topic ◦ Students need to use appropriate format and grammar.

We do judge on how the essay is written! ◦ Students should ask - What image is left with the reader? ◦ PROOF READ

Recommendation letters can carry a lot of weight ◦ Tell us information about the student beyond the

information in the application ◦ What type of student is this individual? Are there special

talents we should know about?

Enlist others to help ◦ Ask parents to submit a “brag sheet” to give you a better

picture of the student

Help other faculty and staff ◦ Develop writing guidelines for teachers and other staff

who might write letters of recommendations

Extra-Curricular Activities

Leadership

Work

Race/Ethnicity

First Generation Status

Socio-Economic Status

Geographic Diversity

Special talents

College Admission decisions do not happen in a vacuum

The institution will have set goals that will affect who is offered admission that can include: ◦ Number of students

◦ Diversity of student body

◦ Types of majors available

Students can control ◦ Academic Performance

◦ Essay

◦ How application is put together

Counselors can control ◦ Profile, letters of recommendation

College can control ◦ Institutional goals

No One Controls the applicant pool

Excellence College ◦ Selective, Private, Liberal Arts College

◦ Admission Rate: 50%

Average GPA of admitted students = 3.9/4.0

ACT middle 50% = 27 – 32

◦ Student Population: 2,500 undergraduates

◦ Available Majors: Traditional Liberal Arts

Select 1 student to admit, 1 to deny

Great State University ◦ Public, Selective, Research University

◦ Admissions Rate: 65%

Average GPA: 3.7/4.0

ACT Middle 50%: 25 – 30

◦ Student Population: 25,000 undergraduates, 8,000 professional and graduate students

◦ Available Majors: Arts and Sciences, Business, Engineering, Education, Health Sciences

Select 1 student to admit, 1 to deny

Michelle Gregory, Williamsburg, VA, UND ◦ GPA: 3.74, Class Rank: DNR/153; SAT 1300

Stephen Markowitz, Cincinnati, OH, UND ◦ GPA: 3.56; Class Rank DNR/480; ACT 29: SAT 1310