The Waiting Game. The countdown to mailing final choices

The Waiting Game. The countdown to mailing final choices is on and I’m sure all our first-year applicants are wondering… what’s taking so long?! It takes a whole lot of manpower and hours to learn 47,000 applications and we want to give every application a fair review in order to create the amazing, well-rounded, diverse, and successful Class of 2017. Let me pull right back the curtain a little and explain to you why it takes us months that are many finish this process…

Since USC uses an approach that is holistic the admission process, our company is committed to reading and re-reading every piece of the application. You know those short answer questions you responded to? We read those. That activity summary you filled out? Yup, we read every activity, company, and experience you listed on there. I want to get to know you- your interests, your perspective, and most of all, hear your voice come through when I read an application. This technique takes time and thought even as we you will need to comprehend how your academic performance, test ratings, composing, involvements, and recommendations come together to paint a https://shmoop.pro/ fuller picture of who you really are as a pupil and someone.

The admission office might appear is—but it only runs as smoothly as it does through the use of multiple checks and balances throughout the process like it runs like a well-oiled machine on the outside—and it. We contact students when we have been missing a piece of the application form and whenever we need extra information such as for example mid-year grades. We talk to the academic departments throughout USC and consider their views on applicants and tune in to their recommendations. First and foremost, we rely on one another to help us see applicants in a way that is different pick up on something we didn’t initially see. It’s a process that is incredibly collaborative it takes time.

By the end of the day, this will be an arduous process for our office, as well. You can find many qualified applicants that we don’t have room for every year. It’s never simple making these tough choices, but I find comfort realizing that our applicants need many college that is amazing next year regardless.

I think We speak on behalf of our office that is entire when say we are pretty excited to finally find a way to shout out to the globe, listed here is the amazing USC Class of 2017! As well as in merely a couple short weeks, we—and many of you—will be able to do exactly that.

Grades, Guidance, and Goliath: Confessions of a Director Dad

The article below is from our very own Director of Admission, Kirk Brennan. He shares with us the struggles of being a moms and dad of the college that is prospective also having a leadership role in degree. Understandably, juggling these two functions is incredibly delicate. Thank you, Kirk, for sharing your understanding of what our moms and dads go through with this time that is stressful!

 

This Monday that is coming will the eighteenth anniversary of this day my wife (who you may remember) delivered our very first kid. Though I been employed by in admission for 22 years, this specific year — the one in which that kid is applying to college — feels as though my first day face to face. What a strange way to look at my job: through the eyes, and from the home of a prospective student.

I had many observations that are disillusioning year. I saw that tours of different schools seem the same, that college marketing materials look alike and even say the very same things, and how a small number of marketing companies vendors appear to drive this process for all schools. I saw that a deal that is great of pupil’s impression of my university is maybe not controllable, and We ended up being particularly disheartened whenever my very own student, after feeling proud to get a mass-mailer from a college, quit reading any of them only days later, and even felt anger as she sifted through them. At USC plus in the admission career in general, we strive to be helpful, however some days I’m unsure how much we’re helping ( and I also welcome your suggestions at admdir@usc.edu).

Just What strikes me more than any such thing could be the psychological roller coaster of the year that is senior. I was saddened to watch mundane events of life magnified to become critical pieces of a puzzle that lead to college; a grade regarding the tiniest quiz prompts a crisis, or a choice to relax one afternoon sometimes appears as a possible deal breaker for university admission, consequently career, then lifetime happiness. Then there’s the list; so numerous universities to consider, will she love these schools, did she miss a better fit, and that can she also get in at all? Then filling in the applications, especially the anxiety behind answering the least questions that are important the application form (we discussed ‚What’s my therapist’s work title?‘). The relief that is temporary of them was soon replaced by confusion on the lack of communication as colleges read. Now the decisions are coming out the grand finale of the ride — 1 day she gets in and seems great excitement for her future, another she actually is refused and seems worthless, as if judged harshly by strangers. Learning and growing is difficult, and turns that are many life will be unpredictable, but undoubtedly I cannot be the only one ready for this ride to end.

Through the ground i’ve watched this roller coaster often times, and such trips tend to result in the same manner — with our children enrolling in a college they love. Yet we riders still scream, also feel terror that is real down the mountain as in the event that safety bars will not assist; normal reactions, if utterly irrational. We still love rollercoasters (Goliath is the best), and I think We shall enjoy particularly this ride. I’ve grown closer to my daughter, so we have all grown closer as a family. I’ve seen my younger daughter console her older sister. We all cherish the time that continues to be in this phase of our family life, although we avoid the question of how a lot more dishes we are going to share together. You can find many hugs, tears, pats on the back, and scoops of ice cream to soothe the pain sensation, yet great hope for the long run. I look forward to this ride finishing, but I imagine when it ends, just like Goliath, I will be excited to get back in line to ride again today. I sure hope so, anyway: my youngest is counting on it.