curious think happened today...

Colleges and Universities A-Z Johns Hopkins University
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<p>Prof101, I understand how you feel. On the other hand,Dean Conley was being frank, that’s OK in my book. I think we need that kind of honesty in academia. Nothing new in a student going to Stanford over the Hop. When I was at the Hop, I had to get used to those comparisons.When I was on campus, some students wore a T shirt that said “Harvard Reject” ( with the “R” reversed )…even worse, as freshmen, we would get in line to shake the University president’s hand, ( you meet him twice, at frosh orientation, and commencement) and he would ask you “So, why did you choose Hopkins?”…to my embarrassment,one of my friends answered that he had gotten rejected from all the 6 year medical school programs in the country, thus here he was…Pres. Muller just laughed…now that “kid” is a cardiologist at WUSTL, after having gone to Harvard med. Life goes on.</p>

<p>I think it’s also instructive to note that JHU has almost the same number of applicants as UChicago, but did NOT have to launch a huge duplicitous email campaign to get those numbers like U of C had to. Students simply realize that JHU will help get you a job in today’s environment, med school…this subject was also touched upon in the Newsletter article.</p>

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<p>I am still waiting for a response from admissionsDaniel, about his negative comments about the newletter. He is a member of the administration, so his thinly veiled comments can be construed as what the hopkins admin really thinks, and I am upset that he went on record with his comments about the newsletter. I’m not sure the rest of the student body at Hopkins knows of these comments, and I wouldn’t want them to go any further than this thread post. However, AdmissionsDaniel is not making it any easier by his delays.</p>

<p>As a donating alumnus, I am upset that Admissionsdaniel is allowed to freely denigrate a Hopkins newspaper. These are the journalists of tomorrow, and I don’t want to think that the Hopkins administration condones this sort of behavior. I am still waiting specifically for admissionsdaniel to apologize for this lack of respect and understanding. I question whether someone like this should actually BE choosing the future alumni/alumnae of MY alma mater. I also doubt if the Hopkins administration would entirely approve of all of Daniel’s blogposts on the hopkins blog, and thread posts here. I demand a response.</p>

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<p>here are my thoughts on admissionsdaniel’s dissing his own school.</p>

<p>[The</a> Johns Hopkins News-Letter](<a href=“http://www.jhunewsletter.com/home/index.cfm?event=displayArticleComments&ustory_id=c86d4f70-46e5-402e-9a9e-0dda30e991c6]The”>http://www.jhunewsletter.com/home/index.cfm?event=displayArticleComments&ustory_id=c86d4f70-46e5-402e-9a9e-0dda30e991c6)</p>

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<p>Hey GoBlueJays, my husband graduated from Johns Hopkins undergrad too. As a family we have always been very involved with the JHU Alumni Association, visiting many home lax games as well as most Homecoming Weekends. My husband still does interviews for the University, and of course we donate what we can. We offer our house for visiting alumni, and drive them up too. Maybe you go to some of these events too?</p>

<p>I’ve been troubled by this thread some. AdmissionsDaniels has been most forthcoming to all applicants and their parents on CC in discussing how their department handles the thousands of admission applications and selection process. He’s spent a lot of time educating all of us, in spite of some pretty picky questions. It’s clear AdmissionsDaniels juggles a long day: signing on early and late at CC to check in and up, and working on the details of the admission process long hours in between and more.</p>

<p>So, if one time during this long season of CC, AdmissionsDaniels choice of words on the Hopkins News-Letter are less than perfect, I urge we cut him some slack. It IS possible the paper misquoted or took out of context Dean Conley’s quote, as well as possible that Dean Conley spoke truthfully as he sees it. </p>

<p>It’s a tad startling to see bold words on choices between these two fine institutions, I grant you that. But truth is often bold and it’s easier to hear white lies sometimes than truth, yet then we often call it PC rather than truth.</p>

<p>Cutting some slack to AdmissionsDaniels so we all don’t feel he’s run off this site in confrontation, especially so late in this admission season, and getting back on task of the Johns Hopkins University admissions process evolution and discussion seems the theme of the hour. </p>

<p>Soon, many a high school and transfer applicant to JHU will be mightily pleased and excited and parents very proud, and so should they be. I know our teens will/would be.</p>

<p>Thanks,
GHWM :)</p>

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<p>As a Hopkins applicant this year, let me just say that reading this conversation is not persuading anyone that Hopkins is somewhere they would want to spend their next four years at…</p>

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<p>I think that GoBlueJays is over the board by calling for AdmissionDaniel’s head. If you can tolerate Conley’s dissing JHU, why not Daniel’s? Besides, he was just exercising his right of free speech. This is supposed to be anonymous board. Using comments from this board to call for people’s head is ridiculous.</p>

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<p>Givingherwingsmom,</p>

<p>I think you’re confusing the issues here, I actually* like * Dean Conley’s quote, I have no problem with that. Nice to hear an honest appraisal. And I appreciate that he would have been so open to a Newsletter reporter.He understands the importance of the student run paper, more so than admissionsdaniel. And my feelings won’t get hurt if Stanford one ups the Hop. I can take it. If there is any fallout from his comments, I will back him up, as a token of thanks (but I’m only a small cog).</p>

<p>With regards to cutting Daniel some slack , as you put it, I DID. He actually made a prior dismissive remark about the Newsletter before the second one, and I had let that one pass.</p>

<p>I have to question his intelligence…I had put up the link to the Newsletter article, and asked him his opinion. That’s when he said "it’s the Newsletter, enough said "…who does he think writes and reads these threads?</p>

<p>Now I must take issue with your ( as well as admissionsdaniel’s )comments about the Newsletter possibly misquoting Conley. Do you have any clearcut evidence that was the case? Because a misquote is serious journalistic offense, and perhaps you don’t realize it , but you’re making a serious allegation. </p>

<p>Now I checked with the Newsletter myself. They stand by their quote, and the entire conversation is actually on tape, so that should put to rest any questions about a misquote, or comments taken out of context. </p>

<p>Now I would let this whole thing pass before it becomes too big an issue ( see my previous comment about how this can flame out on the 'net )…but so far, I have not received any responses from Admissionsdaniel. As I said, I would be satisfied with an unqualified apology to the Newsletter staff reporters and editors, here on this thread. These are honest, hardworking young adults, students , who are volunteering their time, when they also have busy academic schedules.</p>

<p>I also want the administration to continue being as forthcoming as Dean Conley with interviews granted to Newsletter reporters. I know some of the newsletter staff and they have voiced their support for Dean Conley’s remarks. These frank interviews are like gold, and it’s a very positive thing about the Hop…top faculty and administration will take their students seriously . I can attest to that personally.</p>

<p>To those prospective applicants who are dismayed by this thread…Dean Conley, being top admin , took our Newsletter reporter, a “mere undergrad”, seriously enough to give a frank interview, and that * is* the best demonstration of the kind of place Hopkins is.</p>

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<p>prof101, </p>

<p>I’m afraid you don’t see the difference between the two situations. Dean Conley did nothing wrong. On the other hand, admissionsdaniel accused the Newsletter of bad reporting, without any concrete evidence. The right to free speech does NOT include slander.</p>

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<p>includes the right to write the story “Hopkins sees rise on admissions” in whatever order of comments or sequence of quotes the writers choose. </p>

<p>I went back to the original JHU Newsletter article and here is another quote that draws attention and perhaps yields explanation on Dean of Enrollment Conley’s original Stanford quote, this one by Dean of Admission Latting (page four, top):</p>

<p>“The shape of the applicant pool is very similar, it’s just bigger. We have more minority students, more international students [and]* more from the west coast*,” he said.</p>

<p>As Stanford is a top west coast draw, and Johns Hopkins a top east coast draw, wouldn’t it seem natural that many who live in the west and who get into a west school yet apply to Hopkins as Dean Latting referenced above, stay in the west? The corollary of this is that since so many western CC or like students desire admission to a top university, they are willing to travel 3000 miles across America to get one: hence more applications from the west coast as Dean Latting states. This is a great complement to Johns Hopkins as a top university. In fact there’s more in the article on this precise point (page three, bottom):</p>

<p>**"…And Hopkins reputation as a serious school may be helping its desirability.</p>

<p>“At schools like Hopkins, their appeal is increasing because - not that we don’t have parties here - there’s this perception that this is a place where you get a great education and it’s a rigorous education,” Latting said.**</p>

<p>The very last sentence of the article is by Dean Conley, and is very flattering and truthful to Johns Hopkins (page four, bottom):</p>

<p>“So for the same reasons students are applying to Hopkins in great numbers, they’re also staying here. There’s a sense that the Hopkins name will mean something in a tough economy,” Conley said.</p>

<p>Whether by direct but not sequenced quotes or asking questions in emails which the allows the responder to be caught more narrowly in their words, whether through a cut and paste format where the inference is different from the original context (who has never heard that charge before!) journalism is subject to the same human constraints of any profession. </p>

<p>I have no issue with The Johns Hopkins Newsletter. I’m just suggesting we try to see the forest from the trees on this matter and greater tolerance and respect to AdmissionsDaniels and Dean Conley’s words in general.</p>

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<p>Dean Conley is in my good graces…</p>

<p>I’m glad he’s trying to keep the prestige of our institution up .</p>

<p>Note that the article did note that last year’s admit rate was 27%, and Latting said that’s going to be closer to 20% this year. As I said before, I think a better university to compare the Hop to would be U Chicago which to me, is preferable to Stanford. Same yield, same acceptance rate, same national prominence, same recent rate of Nobel laureates and Eisenhower fellows. I really don’t mind if we’re not considered the same as Stanford, or HYP, but I strongly feel we are in the same group as U of C, and Wash U. And that should be prestige enough for anybody.</p>

<p>I know what you mean by twisting a statement contextually, but I listened to the tape of the entire interview, ( you can request a transcript by emailing the Newsletter if you wish to confirm this for yourself) The article and the quoting of his comments are more on the mark than some articles in the NY Times. </p>

<p>Sure, I grant tolerance to people who have taken a misstep, but Daniel was given his chance , and thus far, has not made any statements. I think that’s unfair to the good folks at the Newsletter.</p>

<p>And I hope to meet you and your husband at the next Homecoming, I understand we all have a common goal. Good luck to your kids !</p>

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<p>

</p>

<p>Great. Next time, he is probably going to say something like this: JHU is located in a less desirable neihborhood, Baltimore has relatively high crime rate and JHu has grade-deflation, etc which are all technically true.
Come on, an enrollment dean’s job is to attract and keep the best and brightest to the school. You play up your strength, you don’t have to hide you weakness, but you don’t go around to broadcast your weakness to the world. It is just common sense.</p>

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<p>What Admissionsdaniel did is rather clear. He doesn’t think much of the student newspaper, because he openly insults it on an internet forum, then refuses to acknowledge his fault in doing so. And don’t think current Hopkins students aren’t interested in this thread.</p>

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<p>I have to say, as a parent of current frosh, with the entire admissions process thankfully over, that I have appreciated all of the Admissions events our family attended at Hopkins over every other school we visited (and believe me there were many). On so many occasions, I have wanted to thank Admissions Daniel for everything he does on this site and on Hopkins Interactive. Quite frankly, I didn’t know if my son would apply (feel Hopkins was a match) or be admitted, but I appreciated the information, the transparency, from Admissions Daniel. So, in this stressful time, when it must be even more difficult this year, given the number of qualified applicants, can you just give Admissions Daniel a break? jeesh. Anyway, let me say now your commitment to Hopkins and Admissions carried us through a very stressful time last year, AdmissionsDaniel. And I think the uptick in Admissions is due to you and your team.
And I’m pleased to report my frosh is so happy at Hopkins, says it was the best fit academically (is thrilled with his classes ) and socially, loves Baltimore (which surprised him) and is involved in exciting extra-curriculars as well.</p>

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<p>Give it a break Bluejay, you are starting to appear as someone “desperate for a cause”.</p>

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<p>Instead of saying something that helps, most of you have jumped on the bandwagon. Thank you. I suppose I’m just someone “desperate for a cause”…thank you so much for that insight, gosh, I hadn’t realized that this thread was so chock full of intelligent, caring people . My bad.</p>

<p>You * do* realize, that admissionsdaniel can only say what is approved by the adcom…his blog, and answers are only palliative ones, that don’t really give out a lot of information. You’re not getting any more info than you could from anywhere else…actually, that Newsletter article said more in 4 pages than he has in 4 years…you’re not fooling yourselves into thinking that you’re getting any “inside” information, are you? So if y’all need handholding by a blogging adcom member, then, he’s your man !</p>

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<p>Yes, driftwooddad, so glad to hear your son is doing well at JHU. Question : do you talk to *everyone *as if you’re their father ? Or am I the only happy recipient of your condescension ?</p>

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<p>Say, if you want to see what a blog by an adcom member should really look like : </p>

<p>[MIT</a> Admissions| Blog: Matt McGann '00](<a href=“http://www.mitadmissions.org/Matt.shtml]MIT”>Matt McGann ’00 | MIT Admissions)</p>

<p>It’s hip, yet professional. Someone could learn something from this.</p>

<p>Or am I just being uppity?</p>

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<p>excuse me, wrong thread.</p>

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<p>Sorry, got my threads mixed up.</p>

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<p>Easy there GoBlueJays. Yes it may seem Daniel was casting dispersions on the student newspaper. That would only be one perception. Remember any journalist is going to have detractors and to that end needs to develop a thick skin. As I read the comment there is a frustration at Hopkins with attracting the type of student that is of a caliber to be accepted anywhere. Remember also the admissions staff is part sales and marketing and part personnel (I never use the term Human Resources). That is a tough job to balance. Blasting away on a public website is actually just as deleterious to attracting high quality students and probably more so than any comment Daniel made. An arrogance that we can do no wrong so to speak. Any source should be independantly verified. I’m not going to say there aren’t problems with admissions, it’s part of being human. My gripe is a focus on professional test takers and resume padders who admissions has to sort through. Remember Alfred Blalock choosing Vivien Thomas? My experience has been of a pleasant and accessible admissions staff. I don’t think calling for someone’s head over a comment serves as an ideal recruitment device, do you?</p>