<p>maybe this is adressed somewhere else, but i haven't found it yet. </p>
<p>Just how do admissions officers pick the applicants? </p>
<p>I've heard vague stories of point systems but how do those work? or is it just a gut feeling admissions officers have left completely to chance? </p>
<p>any info would be much appreciated</p>
<p>Depends on the school. Some Ivies used to use the Academic Index (1-9). Chicago used to have two or three readers rate applications with letters (academics/activities) and a number (personal qualities) so A-1 is the best, and essentially people from whatever rating (like B-3) up would get admitted and people near the middle go to committee. Harvard presents everyone's case in regional committees, and then in a huge committee with every admissions reader.</p>
<p>Every school had its methods. The smaller or more elite schools have a more extensive process than larger, public schools. A year or two ago there was a videotape made by PBS of an admissions discussion group at one of the elite eastern LACs - Amherst
<a href="http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/education/jan-june04/merrow_6-22.html#%5B/url%5D">http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/education/jan-june04/merrow_6-22.html#</a></p>
<p>There was also a newspaper series on the admissions process at University of Chicago. You should be able search for it - links appeared on CC at one time.</p>
<p>If you can, read some of Ben's blog on the MIT admissions site. He talks about the endless reading, picking a few special kids, then having to defend them in a group session. He also talks about the pain he feels when one of "his" kids is not accepted.</p>
<p>Midwesterner-Thanks for sharing that link. It was very enlightening. I didn't like their decision to hold 15% of the spots for athletes, but that's something that smaller schools may have to do.</p>
<p>Here is the link to Ben Jones blog at MIT:
<a href="http://www.mitadmissions.org/Ben.shtml%5B/url%5D">http://www.mitadmissions.org/Ben.shtml</a></p>
<p>This entry addresses the OP's question directly:
<a href="http://www.mitadmissions.org/topics/apply/the_selection_process_application_reading_committee_and_decisions/%5B/url%5D">http://www.mitadmissions.org/topics/apply/the_selection_process_application_reading_committee_and_decisions/</a></p>
<p>There is a book called The Gatekeepers about the process at Wesleyan. I'm sorry, can't remember author. It is a few years old but still very informative; tells about the process from the admissions officer's point of view as well as from the applicants that he reads and the guidance counselors.</p>
<p>^^^^^^
Jacques Steinberg</p>
<p>Keep in mind that The Gatekeepers represents how one school does things. There are, however, a lot of similarities between what goes on at Wesleyan in The Gatekeepers and what goes on at other schools. Nevertheless, it is representing the process at one school only.</p>
<p>Thanks midwesterner for the link! I learned a lot from it. :)</p>
<p>There's also a book called "Admissions Confidential," about Duke</p>
<p>Chicago: <a href="http://www-news.uchicago.edu/citations/99/990329.admissions1.html%5B/url%5D">http://www-news.uchicago.edu/citations/99/990329.admissions1.html</a></p>
<p>Penn: <a href="http://www.csmonitor.com/durable/1998/12/15/fp11s1-csm.shtml%5B/url%5D">http://www.csmonitor.com/durable/1998/12/15/fp11s1-csm.shtml</a></p>
<p>Oberlin Part 1: <a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showpost.php?p=3205568%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showpost.php?p=3205568</a>
Oberlin Part 2: <a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showpost.php?p=3206208%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showpost.php?p=3206208</a></p>
<p>Admissions Confidential is woefully outdated. Duke admissions has changed a lot under Guttentag.</p>
<p>Here's what the Pomona College admissions dean says...<a href="http://www.newsweek.com/id/32267%5B/url%5D">http://www.newsweek.com/id/32267</a></p>
<p>Does anyone know how long it takes to receive confirmation from the college to let you know if they received your appl? Do you have to wait until they find something missing then they contact you? or do they simply send out an e-mail saying "we received your app"? </p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>Our local hs guidance counselor believes that the state schools really can't look much beyond the gpa, test scores, class rank, competitiveness of hs (for those applicants who aren't recruited athletes). I have to assume this is true; since applications have soared and I doubt the state has hired enough admission staff to read them.</p>
<p>Here is another good video clip featuring the Dean of Admissions from Vanderbilt. he covers a number of topics about applying.
Vanderbilt</a> News Service</p>
<p>Go to the PBS website, and do a search for Amherst admissions. They did a piece a couple of years ago.</p>
<p>Carleton college - Voice</a> - Carleton College's Alumni Magazine</p>