Frustration with administration

Colleges and Universities A-Z Johns Hopkins University
1

<p>As I was searching through multiple threads, I realized that many people received an email regarding missing SAT scores. I, as well, received the identical email, although I had confirmed, clearly, that my application was complete. </p>

<p>Sure, we should be understanding, and the administration is going through hectic times. However, the representatives, while I truly respect them, seem to attempt to justify their current positions by simply saying "when you have x amount of applications to read...." and by asking the applicants to "be patient." It makes me wonder - "howcome none of the other schools of similar caliber [that I applied to: Harvard, Stanford, Columbia, Cornell] don't have such problems?"</p>

<p>Although I respect Johns Hopkins and all its faculty and the education it provides the students with, I just wanted to express my frustration with administration, even before being accepted to school. It just makes me wonder if Johns Hopkins should remain my first choice school. If the next four years are to be full of similar frustrating encounters with the administration, I am afraid Johns Hopkins is not for me. </p>

<p>And please, I am not a troll - I respect Hopkins. I am simply a disconted prospective student who has lost patience with its unorganized administration and its excuse-making tactics.</p>

<p>P.S. I have a question for those of you who are current students at Johns Hopkins. How would you honestly rate the Hopkins administration?</p>

2

<p>Whats the big deal, they made one little boo boo and that gets you annoyed to the point where you felt the urge to basically call out the University for being "unorganized" and "frustrating"? The problem seems to be you, not this "Administration".</p>

3

<p>well i don't think the problem is with you as dkball says (well perhaps you seem a little impatient)----i wouldn't generalize the problems you have had with the Hopkins ADMISSIONS as a general problem with the entire hopkin's administration which has a much wider scope----in my opinion i just believe hopkins admission is a little more old-school---and the admissions process is no way ever an accurate reflection of the academic quality of a school ---tons of great schools like GWU and g-town(which has only a paper app) to name a few are well knwon for their -SLOW- and clumsy admissions----every school has some admissions blunder that they keep on screwing up wtih--to me its a little amusing---like case western had me submitting 15 different SAT scores reports on their online status check-----tulane sent me my housing stuff before my admissions letter----and american kept on sending me apply to american junk mail like three months after i applied----rutgers italianized my name and has yet to recieve me ACT scores that i sent to them last year ----you just have to let it go----and if something really goes wrong like what probably whats porbably going to happen with me and rutgers--you just have to let it go----that just eliminates another school and if hopkins admissions just screws you over so badly- it seems you have a whole cache of other schools to lean back on----its just part of it and in the grand scheme of your college education IT DOSEN'T MATTER-</p>

4

<p>I do not believe I myself am the problem as dkball7 suggested. dkball7, then would you call the university very "organized?" As I said in the beginning part of the post, the lost batch of SAT scores seems to apply to many students, including many of my friends, as well as those on CC. And the frustration does not simply lie in one of such event - it took me three emails and a phone call to simply find out my ISIS ID for financial aid, each in an interval of one week. </p>

<p>And I don't see anything wrong with me labeling the experience, not the school, as "frustrating." Now, then, can you explain why Johns Hopkins is the ONLY university (of its caliber) that I am having difficulty coping with its clumsy admissions committee?</p>

5

<p>Sorry, that was my older brother's account. Either way, feel free to share your opinions.</p>

6

<p>Believe me, it's not just Hopkins. Many other students are having trouble with other schools as well. It's the nature of the game and not something intrinsic to one school or its administration. My son applied to one of the Ivies just before Christmas. Six weeks later, we were informed that most of the contents of the file was "lost". A call from his GC to the school in question managed to turn up the file in ten minutes. If they had only told us earlier, the whole thing could have been resolved. Unfortunately, it was now to late to schedule an interview.</p>

<p>This kind of thing happens frequently. (We had a similar experience with Brandeis.) It reflects on the craziness of the admissions process rather than on the quality of any school's wider administration. I went to Hopkins for a year in grad school. I transferred out because my research interests did not jive with that of my professor. However, I had no complaints about the administration of the school.</p>

7

<p>Well, I have not been to CC for a few weeks as I have been quite busy as you all can imagine. However, I am working in the office on this Saturday -- just after watching JHU LAX get back on course with a thumping of Syracuse -- and thought I would take a break and see what questions were out on the boards. I am must say there has been some negativity out there, all expected as the stress level increases each hour and day as April 1st approaches. I did read what "loveky" and everyone else wrote and I just wanted to respond - though a bit late maybe. </p>

<p>I can understand the frustration some applicants have towards the JHU Admissions Office and respect such criticisms, when it is not just someone preaching negativity and hatred. I will also say that from my point-of-view it can be a frustrating process and at times our office will send mixed or confusing messages. </p>

<p>Why is this? Well for a number of reasons. These are not excuses, but explanations to help you all understand that this is a daunting process that unfortunately is not perfect.</p>

<p>(1) Application numbers are way up. This year we have experiences a 23% increase in applications. Just imagine how much additional materials and processing is involved with such an increase. On top of that, we have been experiencing a number of increases for the last five years, all of which makes our process more demanding in the same time frame.</p>

<p>(2) No additional staff, no additional resources. Five years ago we were processing under 10,000 applications. Now, over 14,000. The same amount of people work in Operations and the Counseling staff and though we all do a great job, it is just a lot more work than what it used to be. </p>

<p>(3) Slow incorporation of new technologies. The applicant database and the various online and web-based technologies we use to track the application flow is in its infancy and to be honest has not worked perfect. There are kinks and flaws that we iron out on a daily basis, but in the future these systems will aid us in processing at a quicker and faster rate.</p>

<p>Yes, other schools do things more efficiently. They have more staff, a more stream-lined system, and better technologies that are fully integrated. Hopkins will be there soon...it is a work in progress.</p>

<p>I'll finish with one last thought. Don't think that the full Hopkins Admissions staff does not care and does not work hard. We make errors, but we correct them and move on. In all my years in Admissions, I have never worked for and worked with a more dedicated, caring, responsible, and committed group of people. In the end patience and virtue is necessary on both sides of this process.</p>

8

<p>I, for one, never received the postcard notification that my application was received. When I called the admissions office, there was some trouble with finding me in the database, then finding my physical file. But as AdmissionsDaniel said, technological problems are (and probably will be until someone finds a revolutionary way to handle large and increasing databases) a hindrance to the process. The person who assisted me was very sweet and patient, and I find that in the circumstances of an increase in apps (and subsequently, an increased number of phone calls and surfacing system flaws), that's pretty amazing. I also had to contact the financial aid office to sort out my file, and both situations resulted in my feeling relieved despite considerable worry in the beginning.</p>

<p>I think it's worth it to put up with bumps along the road if what you're getting in the end is an individual and thorough assessment. It's true that other colleges may have a smoother application process, but that does not necessarily increase their merit or their administration's. Just my two cents.</p>

9

<p>i've found the hopkins "administration" aka admission counselors one of the most personalable---come on they keep a blog online about what they are doing RIGHT now with applications and tell you their personal approach to reading an application----AMAZING ---you could never get this wealth of info and comfort from any other admissions office---they are also the only school i know that polices this forum for questions and mis-information----just be patient----if they lose something---it's not like thery're going to say "tough luck"---they will give you extra time for consideration of admission into hopkin----SALUTE to your style on admissions, hopkins</p>

10

<p>i agree w/ you armcp.....very impressed w/ the dedication, even if its a tad sloppy at times</p>