Stevens Admissions: A View from the Point

It Is Never Too Early to Start

This past weekend, we held our Junior Visit Day for those students interested in getting a jump start on the college search process.  The event was scheduled for late February, but a snow storm got in the way and we postponed it to last Saturday.  We had a wonderful turnout with close to 100 hundred students and parents who braved some very heavy rain storms. (If you like the campus on the worst weather day, then you will like it even more when it is sunny.)

The idea of the event was to provide general information to our students about the various majors and programs. We also introduced them to some of the faculty and their research interests.  Our goal was to open their minds to the possibilities of an engineering, science, business or computer science career.

While the students where meeting with faculty, I conducted a spirited discussion with parents about the admissions and financial aid process.  The parents had many great questions and the session went over the allotted time.  I was happy to help and I hope many left with a better understanding of the process.  As I also mention to students who are in the early stages of college search, keep an open mind.  There are over 4,000 colleges in the country and there is more than one that will be a good fit.  The frenzy, frustration and fear that is portrayed in the media is related to those who have only one choice and have not planned for option B.  A recent survey conducted of over 200,000 college freshman cited that 80% were either admitted to their first choice or happy with the college they were attending.  I am sure we all have a dream college but what is important is managing expectations and having options.  If you do that the college process should and will be enjoyable.

Below are my Power Points used at the Junior Visit Day. Please review and post any questions about what you read here and I will be happy to answer them for all to see. 

Visit Day Presentation

College Search and Admissions Process Presentation (March 2008)

Financial Aid Workshop Presentation (March 2008)

I'm Back!

It has been a while since my last post. Sorry for the absence, but it has been a busy holiday season and admissions has kept me up late each night. 

A quick update for those keeping track:

1. I stayed in my daughter’s good graces by getting her a Wii for Christmas.  Next year she wants a trip to Disney world (a bit of a jump, don’t you think?).
2. Go Big Blue (New York Giants) – Super Bowl Champs! Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning lives in Hoboken. If he wants, this off-season, we can play catch on DeBaun field.
3. ED I applicants did quite well with 160 being accepted out of 220 applicants.  152 of the 160 have accepted our offer to attend Stevens in September.  The 8 who decided not to attend are not bound to Stevens and are free to move on. We wish them well.
4. ED II is wrapping up with 120 students being accepted out of 185 applications. We're waiting for the last group to decide shortly if they will be attending Stevens. Congratulations to all our ED applicants; we are looking forward to having you start classes this fall.
5. Regular decision applicants have been receiving notification.  We are in the process of finishing all decisions, with notifications being mailed over the next 10 days.

I hope that once we finish making all decisions (total of over 3,000) I will have more time to post.

Happy Holidays

I want to wish all of our prospective students, their families and friends of Stevens a wonderful holiday season and happy New Year. In addition, I want to extend a special congratulation to our Early Decision I accepted students. Your hard work, dedication and focus have placed you first in our class of 2012!  It has been a busy few weeks and I had wished to blog more often.  My hope is for world peace and more blog entries in the New Year.

Sleigh Bells Ring…

I hope all had a wonderful Thanksgiving break. For me it signals my favorite time of the year.  I have always enjoyed the winter holiday season with some of my fondest memories, such as sitting with my cousins and siblings at the kid’s table during Thanksgiving dinner (I just graduated to the adult table last year), helping my grandfather cut the top off a 40 foot pine tree (He climbed to the top and I held the rope), to watching the joy on my daughter’s face when she opens her Christmas presents (I just found the Wii she wanted this year, I think it is safe to say it here since she is only six and her time spent online is on webkinz).  However, the break also signals the beginning of file reading and of course the early decision applications.  So far the files I have read are very good and this year we are delighted with our early decision applicant pool. We anticipate mailing many thick envelopes by December 15^th.

At this point let me share a few insights on the application process:

1. If you participate in a club, organization or summer program that is not familiar to the average admissions counselor please provide a brief description.  We are not familiar with the acronyms of many programs and I know new ones are created each year.
2. Complete all the information required. Blank answers means you may not be as serious as other candidates.
3. Do not wait until you submit the application to write your essay. I can tell the difference between a well written essay and one that is typed into the text box prior to hitting the submit button. P.S. Please spell check!
4. Senior grades are just as important as prior year grades, so keep up the good work.
5. Teacher recommendations should mention your academic motivation, level of detail on projects and homework, as well as your ability to work with others in groups or lab assignments.

Good luck with all your applications and tis the season!

QUACK!!

The post season is upon us. The fall sports regular season has ended; now the playoffs begin. Stevens had a great fall with 4 teams making post-season appearances.

For NCAA play we have:

Men's Soccer - http://www.stevensducks.com/sports/msoccer/release.asp?release_id=3236

Women's Volleyball - http://www.stevensducks.com/sports/wvball/release.asp?release_id=3237

For ECAC play we have:

Women's Field Hockey - http://www.stevensducks.com/sports/fhockey/release.asp?release_id=3230

Women's Soccer - http://www.stevensducks.com/sports/wsoccer/release.asp?release_id=3231

To make it even more exciting all will be playing at home this weekend so the campus will be filled with activity.  In addition, the men's and women's cross country teams will be participating in the NCAA regional qualifying meet at Van Cortland Park in NYC; so this is a busy weekend for our student-athletes, coaches and athletic administration.

With all this excitement, I also want to mention that as a university we are extremely proud of our student-athlete's performance in the classroom and we would like just as many "academic all-American" awards as "all-American" awards. Stevens is a challenging and rewarding educational environment and it takes a special student to balance the academics with the athletics.  We are very fortunate to have a community supportive of this mission.

If you are unable to see any of this weekends sporting events you can always keep tabs by checking our athletic website at http://www.stevensducks.com/.  Enjoy your weekend and to all our athletes Good luck and Go Ducks!!

To B.E. or Not To B.E.

Many students ask me what is the B. E. and why is it so important?  The B.E. stands for the Bachelor's in Engineering.  The degree, when accredited by ABET (Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technology), means that a student has received general engineering education in addition to a specific discipline (i.e. Chemical, Electrical or Mechanical).  There are currently half a dozen colleges or universities in the nation that have an accredited B.E. degree.  Over 300 colleges offer a Bachelor’s of Science degree, which means the main focus is on the specific discipline and little coursework in the general areas of engineering.

A student who is focused on one specific area may not see the relevance in receiving such a broad engineering education.  I would offer three reasons why it is critical to one's education.

1. Today, engineering is more complex than ever, with sophisticated design, high-tech materials and advanced technology. Therefore, to become a leader you need to understand how everything works together and how to merge the various backgrounds and skills of each team member.
2. In the current competitive global market, employers are looking for individuals with the skills to work on multiple projects and push their products to market quicker than the competition.  Individuals with both depth and breadth of knowledge will have a distinct advantage over narrowly trained engineers.
3. Many engineers will eventually assume management positions or senior level engineering positions that require global views.  I like the analogy that a Stevens graduate is trained to be a CEO or President of a company because the broad based experience provides a top-down/bottom-up view that is extremely important in the competitive market.

The question is: where do you see yourself down the road?  If you aspire to rise through a corporation or government agency, the combination of general and specific engineering is appealing. The B.E. is very popular with our current list of employers and they seek out the Stevens graduate over many other colleges because they realize it is better to have an employee with two engineering backgrounds than with only one.

Why not be a B.E.?

My Other Hat

Besides running two admissions office (both undergraduate and graduate), I am currently starring as the Stevens Institutional Researcher.  Not necessarily a job I wanted, but the person responsible has moved on, and since he reported to me I must fulfill his duties until I find a replacement.  Here's what I've discovered: colleges and universities have lots of information that families of college-bound students would find really useful! Last week, I completed and submitted the IPEDS report (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data Systems) to NCES (National Center for Education Statistics) .  This report asks for enrollment, graduation and tuition information and during the year they will ask for updates. This information is available to families and is a great way to learn about different colleges.  The website is COOL (Colleges Opportunities Online Locater) at College Navigator - National Center for Education Statistics and provides statistics, charts and maps to campus!

Signing off as I am off to a college fair tonight, and I must find my admissions hat!

Don't Judge a Book by its Cover

Parents often tell me that a school's reputation is a sign of academic quality. For many, reputation is their chief concern. As a college admissions officer for 15 years, let me take a moment to share my thoughts with you about reputation. Many guidebooks pigeonhole reputation, quantifying it in a way that fails to predict a student's academic career. For example, in US News and World Report, "academic reputation" is based on responses from university deans and presidents. Surprisingly, the survey does not ask about academic curriculum, career development, or sponsored research—all critical aspects of an institution's reputation.

Career success and job placement following graduation are key factors that ultimately determine the reputation of a university. Today, more than ever, companies place a high premium on hiring students from certain college campuses. With fewer offers available at top-level companies and with the cost of recruiting increasing, top corporations recognize how academic experience helps achieve their business goals.

We have found that there is a wide range in the size of the undergraduate student body compared with the number of companies that recruit on the nation's campuses. Permitting greater access to corporate representatives and consequently far more job opportunities, Stevens is proud to have a student-to-recruiter ratio of 3-to-1. This is determined by the number of companies actively recruiting on campus per the number of student enrolled. This number is impressive and I would suggest you ask other colleges what their ratio is. (Many will not know the answer, so you will have to ask how many companies and how many students and determine the ratio yourself).

Another question to ask is how many on-campus interviews for seniors who are job seekers. We hosted 2010 interviews last year for 300 graduating seniors. Again, I would ask the colleges if they can provide this fact. (There are many other questions to ask on this topic but I do want to keep the blog as brief as possible)

My comments are not to say that student-to-faculty ratio, campus size, or percent of faculty with Ph.D.s is not important. And clearly the feeling a student gets when walking on the campus can play a large part in their decision, but too often the information on outcomes is lacking in today's information overload. But for many parents this is a concern. I believe you should ask the colleges on your child's list to discuss the career placement results of their senior class and learn what companies are recruiting on the campus. It may tell you more about reputation than you think. I look forward to comments on this topic.

The early bird catches the...

Generally, I am not up early enough to see if that old adage is true, but I know for many students the idea of applying early is intriguing. Early decision plans are intended for those students who began the search process early (generally during the junior year) and, after thoughtful consideration, have decided that one university best matches their educational interests and desires. It should not be used as a leverage tool where you hedge your bet on getting accepted to a college or "my friends are applying early and so should I!"

I would like to define the options for early plans.

Early Action - in this plan you would receive a decision earlier than the regular pool (generally in late December or early January) and you have until May 1 (common applicant reply date for regular decision students) to send in your deposit. This plan allows you the option to remain actively engaged with other colleges through regular decision plans.

Early Decision - the option is the same as Early Action in terms of notification by the college, however the decision is binding. This means the student must commit shortly after being notified of a decision and remove all previously submitted applications and begin no new ones. The process is over!

The binding aspect is a serious one and should not be taken lightly. Most universities will enact the binding aspect at the point of acceptance so the student must commit. Stevens takes a slightly different approach. We bind the student once he/she sends in the deposit to hold their place in the freshman class and we provide an estimated financial aid package for the family so they understand the total commitment. Therefore, a family could walk away if the financial aspects does not work.

The misconception for many families lies in the admitted rates. Yes, most colleges accept a higher percentage early than regular. However, the university is not lowering its standard. Most early candidates are self-selecting and have done their homework (in school and for college search), thus are well-prepared to make an informed decision.

I give some simple advice to know if early decision works for you:

1. Have you visited all the colleges of interest?
2. After visiting all colleges, has one clearly risen to top and stands out as your dream school?
3. As a family, have you discussed the financial aid budget and determined that you do not need to have the lowest financial aid package or compare against other schools? You just need a financial aid award that coupled with your budget will equals the cost of attending your first choice.

If the answer to all three questions is YES, then early decision could work for you. If you answer NO to any one of the questions, then keep all options open and regular sounds like your best option. Rushing to make a decision can be the wrong decision. In the end, if unsure speak to your guidance counselor or college representative. They are there to help you.

Early to be and early to rise makes a person.... well, you know the rest.

Where to Begin?

As the summer came to a graceful end and the new academic year started at Stevens Institute of Technology, a staff member asked "who will blog this year?" (Our staff blogger moved on) I said "What about me?" The staff member with a sigh said "sure". I bounded out of their office full of excitement about this new endeavor then something hit me. I actually have to write. Writing is something I do as part of my job but the difficultly lies in starting. Where to begin? I have lots of ideas but which one comes first and who is my audience, students, parents, or guidance counselors, maybe all three.

So here is my best shot - students first. This is an exciting time of your life, finishing your secondary education and searching for your new home for the next four years. It can also be filled with anxiety and pressure. Keep this in mind: there are 4259 colleges in the United States. I am confident that for many there are plenty of colleges that will suit your interest. Is there one perfect college? Maybe, but keep your eyes, ears and mind open. Visit schools, ask questions and listen carefully to how each college describes their best attributes. What is their goal for YOU? Also if it does not work out after a year or so, transfer, I did!

Parents congratulations are in order. Having a child ready for college and especially one of Stevens academic caliber means you have supported your child's quest for a quality education. My daughter is only 6 (started first grade this week) and I always worry about her education and are we (my wife and I) doing enough to prepare her for the future. This can also be a difficult time balancing between the independence of your child during this decision period but also wanting to keep important aspects of college in mind when deciding where to attend (finances, safety and distance from home). My suggestion is to have conversations now with your child and discuss these and other criteria you want to include as part of their decision.

This brings up another point, I often hear my colleagues say this ultimately is a student decision. I would counter with - this is a family decision. I can remember as a child my older sisters sitting at the kitchen table with my parents discussing their options and making the best decision for both them and family. The cost of a college education was important to my parents 30 years ago as it is today for many families. My suggestion is for students to focus on academic interest and extra and co-curricular activities, parents think about everything else. Periodic meetings throughout the year should keep everyone in the loop and on track.

I guess I am done for now. I made it through my first blog. Please comment below if you wish. I liken this to my admissions presentation at visit days - nodding heads in the audience provide visual feedback (nodding off heads do as well). I appreciate your comments and look forward to future posts.

May your college search be invigorating!