<p>By the way AdOfficer, I hope you're not on the east coast, because if you are, it's definitely 3am. Woo Woo!!! I love caffeine and life!</p>
<p>AdOfficer (forgive me!) - I just noticed something you said ("i also do some consulting/advocacy/policy work with different think tanks and government agencies, which i love.") that really caused me to perk up in my chair after studying for 5 hours. through the application process I have learned a lot about admissions and the unjustice that many face before and during admissions (and the countless kids who never apply because of early disadvantages in childhood, etc. wasted potential in general) that will affect their prospects for their entire future. this has, to say the very, very least, enraged me. through this process, i have become inspired to somehow help change that. that's a really tough passion to pursue (let alone extracurricular activity!) that many politicians, billionaire philanthropists, etc. have failed to succesfully change. but i know that i have never been so appreciative/pasisonate for a certain goal/passion/pursuit in my life. i would have a hard time figuring out something i would be more content with sacrificing everything i've worked for to pursue. anyway, i've had a hard time figuring out how to do this, exactly. tutoring homeless kids helps, but i sort of want to reach more people than the 3 homeless kids i have time to regularly tutor. going into politics/lobbying (w/ no connections) is a bit unrealistic/idealistic (Mr. Smith Goes To Washington...) and i would have to deal w/ a lot of things i'm not too fond of (beuracrices, seeling yourself through dirty campaigning, dirty donations and corporate funding, jr/sr senate member hierarchy, etc.), but an idea i entertain form time to time. theres law, but, eh, that has as many loopholes and shady business as the above, just not in the public. theres writing a book on it, but then what? being a teacher, but then my influence is limited to a classroom (yes, one kid at a time, but c'mon)..but they all seem done-before. point is: what do you do and how could i do it? how exactly do you advocate and develop policies? that's what i want to do.. how did you get there? do you know of any internship or anything? what did you do in college that prepped your expertise?</p>
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</p>
<p>That was a joke (albeit a poor one) in response to your "You guys won't find me" but it's a bit hard to discern over the internet.</p>
<p>bump......?</p>
<p>You can start a career studying public policy and educational policy, both of which look closely at demographics and edcautional outcomes and attainments for different groups of people, this is where i got my start...learning about the gross inequalities that exist in our society with respect to education.</p>
<p>get a masters in public policy or an advanced education degree...they will help you do the work you'd like to.</p>
<p>"While I currently have 25 kids from Exeter in my room at the moment (I mean their files!)"</p>
<p>How about we spend the time between now and March 29th trying to zero-in on AdOfficer's school?</p>
<p>1 in 7 (14.3%) but we don't know ED, RD, overall.</p>
<p>25 from Exeter on February 17th, so I'll assume at least 25 RD applications from Exeter--that should help.</p>
<p>Not Tufts.</p>
<p>"Completely holistic" approach, "no hooks" . . . hmmm? Can "no" hooks be true?</p>
<p>Probably uses "early decision," because those were the words used, not EA, single choice EA, or EE.</p>
<p>So, schools likely to have at least 25 RD applicants from Exeter with overall acceptance rates below, say 30% (1 in 7 could be a RD number that gets inflated to a 30% overall number by ED admits) would probably be as follows:</p>
<p>Harvard (1 in 7 may be AdOfficer's first cut number) (but EA)
Yale (but EA)
Princeton
Brown
Columbia
Dartmouth
Penn
Cornell (but 1 in 7 seems unlikely)
Stanford (but single choice EA)
MIT
Duke
Georgetown
Amherst
Williams
Middlebury
Bowdoin
Wesleyan
Boston College (but 1 in 7 seems unlikely)</p>
<p>"Starbucks" plural. I don't think Dartmouth, Williams, Middlebury or Bowdoin have more than one Starbucks, if any, in the "area."</p>
<p>So, are we zeroing in??</p>
<p>I'm surprised that the admissions officers actually took the time to respond to our posts. Can we give the "Where do you work" thing a rest, out of courtesy? I mean, it's clear that he/she isn't interested in letting us know.</p>
<p>
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I'm surprised that the admissions officers actually took the time to respond to our posts.
[/QUOTE]
There are dozens on here who don't even post. </p>
<p>I watched this board for years at another school and never registered. There are posts from this board getting emailed around admission offices around the country.</p>
<p>Sweet lol. To be hypocritical, I'm going to ask you a question, Dean J...what sort of posts? The egregiously misguided posts?</p>
<p>
[QUOTE]
The egregiously misguided posts?
[/QUOTE]
I'm sure there's some of that...the "you won't believe what they're saying now" emails definitely happen. I just sent AdOfficer's first post to a few colleagues...it helps to show them that they aren't the only ones pulling crazy hours, neglecting their friends, and drinking too much coffee.</p>
<p>By the way, the guy at the coffehouse I go to has started giving me free upgrades. That should tell you how frequently I'm in there.</p>
<p>The Girl Scouts have also learned that reading season = constant snacking in our office. Those kids must have made some serious money off of us!</p>
<p>Mmm Samoas.</p>
<p>^^^^^^^
Those are my favorites!!!! Best when you freeze them!</p>
<p>Oh, BTW...</p>
<p>I read posts on here and contribute to them because I think it's important for me, as a professional, to hear your concerns and your parents' concerns about applying to college. I also think there's a lot of misinformation on here. Plus, I'm learning a lot about other colleges and high schools!</p>
<p>I haven't revealed where I work because I'm not representing the school I work for on here...is that fair? I think so...</p>
<p>Dean J - yeah, I miss my friends, too...</p>
<p>AdOfficer, let me begin by saying THANK YOU for your input! So much of the admissions process is a mystery to the applicants; we take the tests, fill out the applications and than pray like crazy, never really knowing what happens after we hit that "submit" button. It is nice of you to clear up some of the mystery for us and to put a human face behind the process. When I read your original post the part:
"I also have to vary the applications I read - I have a lot of <em>large</em> "school groups" (high schools where a lot of kids apply to my school from). While every student is read as an individual, we do compare students who apply from the same high schools. While I currently have 25 kids from Exeter in my room at the moment (I mean their files!), I can't read them all at the same time...I can do a couple, but then I throw in some kids from Chicago and some from Florida or California just to vary things"
I was wondering, since I am an Exeter student, am I being compared to other Exeter students, or to all other applicants.... because I have to tell you the thought of just being compared to other Exeter students scares me!! I go to school with a bunch of really bright kids, and I think I am a pretty good student, but there is some tough competition!! I often wonder, is a student better off going to a less rigorous school and being one of the only stand out students, or to a place like Exeter and being among many very talented students?</p>
<p>AdOfficer, Dean J, and ColbyAdmissions, thank you for generously replying to our posts. I was just wondering, AdOfficer, if there are really times you read a great essay and go "Wow" and the kid might get in with weaker statistics because of it?</p>
<p>how does one get to become an admissions officer? i may sound a little crazy, after reading this thread, but i think it would be really cool to be an admissions officer.</p>
<p>First of all, thank you to all of the admissions reps that have posted. Helping us out during a time of year that is extremely stressful for you guys is beyond gracious. Most of the officers I met over the course of my college search seemed like really great people, and sometimes we all forget that these folks really are doing us a service by examining our applications with such care. The rejections sting, but deep down we all do know how hard all of you work to place us in a college where we can grow and thrive.
Second, it's a little terrifying that our posts are watched by officers around the country. If one of you guys saw somebody posting about both engaging in inappropriate behavior and applying to your college would you try to identify that person's application? A little while ago somebody here claimed that their posts had led to the revocation of their admission offer. Would you actually do this?
Third, I would like to second reddrummer's question. I've always thought working in admissions might be kind of cool.</p>
<p>After reading this article that someone refered us to in another forum about admissions, It kinds of scares me how fast they "say in the article' that they skim through application and our rec's. Well at least in florida, Each applicants information gets one minute of attention.</p>
<p>AdOfficer - Well, the end must be in sight, what a relief for you guys. Hopefully those of you in the admissions offices get to go away spring break. At least away from Starbucks. To somewhere that doesn't allow any angst ridden teenagers. Are these kids making you feel like a rock star? =) </p>
<p>Dean J - Your statement (in italics!!!) that dozens of admissions people read these posts absolutely cracked me up. Best laugh of the day, and I laugh a lot. I could just hear the collective GASPS! from some kids!!!</p>
<p>Here's a question for you both, I'm just very curious. Put aside that people type quickly, yadda, yadda, yadda. Do the HUGE amount of spelling errors and atrocious grammer coming from kids applying to college scare you? Just a little? How about kids up at 3 a.m. posting on a website for college admissions? C'mon, a little?<br>
You are both good sports, btw. I have enjoyed your posts. (still smiling over thoughts of gasping teenagers, lol)</p>
<p>
[QUOTE]
how does one get to become an admissions officer?
[/QUOTE]
There are plenty of routes , but the new officers seem to come from two "places". Some admission officers get hired right out of college as "road runners". They're the reps who visit four or five schools each day and go to a college fair at night. Others go to grad school for higher education administration (or a similar program) and move into admission from there.
[QUOTE]
If one of you guys saw somebody posting about both engaging in inappropriate behavior and applying to your college would you try to identify that person's application?
[/QUOTE]
I doubt any officer would take the time to dig up enough information on here to pin point exactly who a prospective student is.
[QUOTE]
Do the HUGE amount of spelling errors and atrocious grammer coming from kids applying to college scare you? Just a little? How about kids up at 3 a.m. posting on a website for college admissions? C'mon, a little?
[/QUOTE]
The 3 AM thing doesn't bother me. I used to work at an engineering school where the Dean of Faculty moved his math modeling class to 11 PM because the students said they hit their peak later at night. I'm used to night owls. :) </p>
<p>The occasional spelling error or mention of another school in an essay doesn't really bother me (though I'm sure there are officers out there who bristle when they see such things). Multiple errors in an essay do get to me, but it's rare to see a beautiful transcript, great recs, and ECs coupled with sloppy essays.</p>