Spring Is in the Air Getting a Better Read on the Admission Process
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PIPER3/07 Issue 3 I NTERNAT I ONAL D I SPATCHES Spring Is in the Air 4 N EWS B R I EFS 1 1 A SK A N D REW 1 2 L ECTURE S POTL I GHT “Celebration of Education” Honors Top Teacher, Advisor, Lifetime Achiever n Bruce Gerson YO re Roll out the red carpet: it’s the Academy N A N D Awards, Carnegie Mellon style. “A E Celebration of Education” annually rewards the university’s best of the best in teaching and advising, and P H O T O B Y K recognizes a scholar for his or her body S PRI ng HAS ARRIVE D , A nd AT C AR N E G IE M ELLO N THAT M EA N S O N E THI ng : PREPARATIO N FOR S PRI ng C AR N IVAL . A S THE of work and lifetime achievements. This WEATHER TUR N E D WAR M ER , WOO D E N FRA M ES APPEARE D ACROSS CA M PUS , ACCO M PA N IE D BY A SY M PHO N Y OF HA mm ERS year’s winners are (drum roll please) A nd D RILLS THAT M EA N S BOOTH CO N STRUCTIO N IS WELL U nd ER WAY . T HE A nn UAL S PRI ng C AR N IVAL FESTIVITIES — THIS G. Richard Tucker, Gordon Rule and YEAR OR G A N IZE D AROU nd THE THE M E “ S M ALL T HI ng S M A D E L AR G E ” — KICK OFF A PRIL 1 9 A nd RU N THROU G H A PRIL 2 1 . Melissa Cicozi. A CTIVITIES I N CLU D E THE BOOTH CO M PETITIO N , S WEEPSTAKES RACES , CAR N IVAL RI D ES , CO N CERTS A nd EVE N A FIREWORKS D ISPLAY . F OR M ORE O N CAR N IVAL , SEE www . SPRINGCARNIVAL . ORG . C O N TI N UE D O N PA G E EI G HT Getting a Better Read on the Admission Process n Susie Cribbs thing: an invitation to join Carnegie Mellon’s class of 2011. Last week 6,000 high school seniors While only a quarter of those from across the globe opened their students admitted will actually enroll mailboxes to find an envelope that held at Carnegie Mellon, the invitation they the potential to change their lives. Some all received represents months of work likely opened it with trembling fingers, and an intense process that accompanies maybe some put it aside to open later, or all applications through the university’s others tore into it on the spot. No matter Office of Undergraduate Admission. how they reached the letter inside, though, they all discovered the same C O N TI N UE D O N PA G E T WO YO re N A N D E P H O T O B Y K S TAFFERS I N THE U N IVERSITY ’ S O FFICE OF A dm ISSIO N WERE N EARLY BURIE D I N E N VELOPES LAST WEEK AS THEY STUFFE D A nd PREPARE D 6 , 0 0 0 ACCEPTA N CE LETTERS FOR M AILI ng . R OU G HLY O N E QUARTER OF THOSE STU D E N TS ACCEPTE D WILL CHOOSE TO E N ROLL . O NE Applications Take Complex Ride From Submission to Admission C O N TI N UE D FRO M PA G E O N E PIPER On the surface, that process seems least two reads, possibly three or four, both academically talented and engaged 3/07 Issue simple. Applications begin arriving in depending on the situation. in the outside community. “We like to P UBLI S HER November, either in paper or electronic “The second reader has more see that engagement carry over from Teresa Thomas form, and all relevant data is loaded into seniority, more experience,” said the classroom to their community,” he E DI T OR a database. But once the data is entered Steidel. “We read the comments from said. “They’re really making a difference Bruce Gerson and a folder begun for the student, the the first reader and look at the ratings where they are. It’s not necessarily just M ANAGING E DI T OR Susie Cribbs real fun begins: reading, reading and from the first reader and either agree a joiner, but someone who is actually reading all those applications. or disagree. If we agree, we post the involved in making a difference.” W RI T ER S Jenni King Associate Director of Admission decision and the file goes on its way to One factor might not deny a Amy Pavlak Cornell LeSane explains that Carnegie get a letter. If we disagree, it goes to a candidate admission, but certain Jonathan Potts Byron Spice Mellon uses a team-based model for third reader who actually makes the call elements act as warning signs that an Chriss Swaney Ken Walters reviewing applications. “We read by college here, and by D E S IGNER “W E LOOK FOR REA S ON S T O ADMI T st UDEN ts . T HERE ’ S NO DOUB T Melissa Stoebe team. Some schools read by region Communications Design Group — if you visit the D.C. area, for ABOU T T HAT . W E ’ RE PU tt ING T OGE T HER GROUP S OF PEOPLE T HAT P HO T OGRAPHY example, that’s the area you’ll read WILL MAKE A PRE tt Y DIVER S E COMMUNI T Y .” Ken Andreyo Communications Design Group applications for. We read by college. So – D IREC T OR OF A DMI ss ION M IKE S T EIDEL there’s a group of folks who will read To contact The Piper staff, call 412-268-2900 or email [email protected]. for engineering and science, another team is going to read for business and as to what the decision should be.” applicant just might not cut it at Carnegie Carnegie Mellon University does not discriminate and Carnegie Mellon University is required not to discriminate in admission, computer science, another team reads That decision is heavily influenced Mellon. Steidel and LeSane both note employment, or administration of its programs or activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex or handicap in for humanities, another for fine arts.” by a wide array of factors — SAT that transcripts containing low grades are violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972 and Section 504 of the Applications aren’t just read, scores, GPA, extracurricular activities, a clear indication that a student might Rehabilitation Act of 1973 or other federal, state, or local laws or executive orders. though. They’re analyzed. essay and recommendations, to name not succeed at the university — even if In addition, Carnegie Mellon University does not discriminate in admission, employment or administration of its programs on the basis of religion, creed, ancestry, belief, age, veteran status, “We send it to our first readers a few. But Carnegie Mellon is most they have phenomenal SAT scores. sexual orientation or gender identity. Carnegie Mellon does not discriminate in violation of federal, state, or local laws or execu- and they make comments on a voting interested in the total package. “There are students who have tive orders. However, in the judgment of the Carnegie Mellon Human Relations Commission, the Presidential Executive Order slip,” said Director of Admission “There isn’t one factor that is amazing board scores, but aren’t doing directing the Department of Defense to follow a policy of, “Don’t ask, don’t tell, don’t pursue,” excludes openly gay, lesbian and Mike Steidel. And while “voting slip” going to make a student admissible anything in the classroom. So that’s a kid bisexual students from receiving ROTC scholarships or serving in the military. Nevertheless, all ROTC classes at Carnegie Mel- lon University are available to all students. sounds innocuous enough, it’s really a or automatically denied,” LeSane who probably isn’t going to do that well Inquiries concerning application of these statements should be directed to the Provost, Carnegie Mellon University, 5000 sheet of paper readers use to comment said. “We take a ton of factors into here because while they have all this Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, telephone 412-268-6684 or the Vice President for Enrollment, Carnegie Mellon University, on everything and anything about the consideration when we review these potential, they’re not living up to it.” 5000 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, telephone 412- 268-2056. application, ranging from school rigor applicants. … We want to make sure But for the most part, Steidel and his Carnegie Mellon University publishes an annual campus security report describing the university’s security, alcohol and drug, and sexual assault policies and containing statistics about and GPA to out-of-class recognition and that students are not only going to add team want to admit students. “We look the number and type of crimes committed on the campus during the preceding three years. You can obtain a copy by well-roundedness. to the academic environment here, but for reasons to admit students. There’s contacting the Carnegie Mellon Police Department at 412-268- 2323. The security report is available through the World Wide The application’s progress doesn’t also to the social environment.” no doubt about that,” he said. “We’re Web at www.cmu.edu/police/statistics.htm.