Admission Committee Directions You are an admission officer at University College and serve on the institution’s admission committee. It is late February in the 2015-2016 admission cycle and decision letters need to be mailed within the coming days. You have three remaining candidates to consider. Unfortunately, you have run out of space and can only admit one of the three. You will have to wait list and deny the other applicants. Read each application and carefully review the academic and personal credentials, all the while keeping in mind University College’s profile and mission (please read the university’s profile carefully!). Make sure to take down your notes on the Candidate Rating Form. As a committee you will need to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each candidate and provide your recommendation to the Dean of Admission.

Reading Tips and Questions to Consider Personal Information Is there anything specific about the student we should note? Is the student a legacy candidate? Is the student applying for financial aid? What type of diversity does the student bring to the table? Does the student have a discipline record? Where does the student live? Parents? Parent’s occupations? Siblings? Essay Does the essay tell us something that goes beyond the transcript? Is there a strong voice? Do you get a sense of who the student is? Is the essay well written? Are grammar, spelling, and punctuation correct? Transcript Has the student taken a rigorous curriculum? College preparatory curriculum? How many AP/Honors courses? What AP/Honors courses are offered at the high school? Does the high school limit the number of advanced courses? Is there a grade trend – an upward or downward trend? Is the senior year schedule consistent with previous performance, rigor, and grade trends? Any evidence of senioritis? Does the school rank? If so, what is the student’s rank? Standardized Test Scores What are the student’s scores? Are there areas that are significantly higher or lower? Do the scores fit the median score ranges of Prestigious University? Do the scores correlate with the student’s GPA? Letters of Recommendation What did the teachers and counselors have to say about the student? What did the teacher love about the student? What qualities/characteristics are listed or described in the letter? Are there any warning signs or topics of concern? Extracurricular Activities What has the student done outside of the classroom? Is it one-dimensional? Is it sporadic? How much time has the student committed to the activities listed? Leadership roles? Part-time jobs? High School Profile Within the context of the high school profile, is this a strong student? Are there limited academic opportunities in comparison to other schools? What other information is listed that will assist us in making an informed decision?

University College School Profile

University College, located 35 miles west of Boston, Massachusetts, was founded in 1812 and is regarded as one of the finest liberal arts institutions in the country. The undergraduate population is 3,000 students. The current student population represents 40 states and 25 foreign countries. Particularly strong programs within the liberal arts include: political science, public policy, economics, mathematics, and the arts including both visual and performing arts with a rigorous conservatory option for music. Additionally, University College is known for its highly selective and unique engineering program. A brand new science facility was completed in 2014 and students have the opportunity to take advantage of the numerous laboratory facilities (for both independent and collaborative research opportunities). Classes are small and taught by full-time faculty. In addition to academics, University College is known for its Division I athletic programs. With numerous academic and athletic All-American honors, University College athletes excel at the highest level. A recent donation will fund the establishment of a crew program, and University College’s administration will support the development of the team immediately. Admission is highly selective, with approximately 32% of applicants admitted. Sixty-five percent of students are from public schools and 35% are from private institutions. The admission committee seeks a talented group of students, within both the academic and extracurricular realms. Important academic and non-academic factors for admission include: academic record (high school transcript), secondary school report, standardized test scores, application essay, recommendation letters, extracurricular activities, volunteer experience, work experience, personal qualities, and alumni relations. Moreover, the committee seriously takes diversity into consideration. The President of the college has asked the dean of admission to be mindful of geographic diversity. With only 40 states included in the profile, the president has asked the dean of admission to actively recruit qualified students from California, Nevada, Washington, North Dakota, and South Dakota, as these states are not represented within the student population. Twenty-one percent of University College’s population identifies as a student of color, and 70% of matriculated students receive some form of financial aid. Finally, University College offers generous financial aid to accepted students, but is a need-aware institution. SAT Reasoning (Middle 50%): Critical Reading 620-690 Mathematics 620-710 Writing 610-710 Middle 50% GPA 3.55-3.95 un-weighted

Candidate Rating Form Use this form to make ratings of the candidates. Consider all information available for each of the sections listed. As an admission committee member, it is your responsibility to evaluate the applicant in a holistic manner. So, take lots of notes and be prepared to debate! Sofía John Alex Name and location of high school

GPA Class Rank (if available) Rigor of Curriculum (# of AP/Honors Courses)

SAT: Critical Reading

SAT: Math

SAT: Writing

SAT: Reading + Math

Extracurricular Activities and Titles/Honors

Essay Topic and Quality

Recommendation Letter Comments

Special Factors for Consideration

Your Decision