Last Friday, the Friday before our break, while most were beginning to think about their holiday celebrations or getting in some last minute shopping, our office was scrambling. Working hard to honor a commitment we've made to our Fall 2008 applicants.
I've always worked for an institution where the application process was rolling. If you're not familiar with rolling admission, here's a quick review:
Rolling admission means there’s no deadline by which an application must be received, and complete applications are reviewed by date.
In our office, we strive to make decisions and notify candidates with-in two weeks of their application becoming complete.
It's a hectic pace, and it begins back in September as soon as we receive our first application. Most students will apply throughout the fall and early winter, meaning this past week many of our earliest applications were complete and needed to be reviewed.
Selecting the class is never easy. It begins with an initial review, summarizing an applicants credentials and determining if a candidate has met certain academic requirements. This first reader is assigned based on geography. Click here, to learn which one of Lasell's Admissions Team reviews applications from your area.
After the initial review, a second reader will attempt to learn even more about an applicant through their examination of the candidate’s credentials, and then they will add their comments to the folder. If the application makes it this far, it’s off to committee, where on any given evening, between one and three additional members of the admissions team will dissect an applicants candidacy.
What are we doing? We’re reading everything - and sometimes we even read it twice!
Why? Because we want to know as much about you as possible. We want to learn about your goals, your obsessions, your successes and your failures. We care about the challenges you've overcome and the ones that overcame you. We need to hear you describe in your own words your passions, your up-bringing, your interests in lacrosse, musical theatre, environmental research, and your commitment to service. We want to see your latest fashion designs and read about what has inspired your career interests in fields such as Criminal Justice, Sport Management, Communications, and Education.
It’s a painstaking process. And even with the increasing volume of applications you can't help but become invested. Each applicant is different. Each student unique. Each dream personal. The end result, many eyes review each application, ensuring fair decisions.
So back to last Friday...
It was about 6:00 pm by the time I signed all of the letters for this weeks decisions. A few minutes later, Sally, Nancy, Christina, Peter, Katie, Allison, Christine, and Mike completed the mailing assembly line. Every package sealed. Every envelope stamped.
This round of decisions probably arrived in mailboxes this week, some maybe in time for the holidays. To those of you who have already heard from Lasell, please know your applications have touched us and we appreciate you sharing your extraordinary lives with us. To those of you still waiting to hear, the team is back at it on the second day of 2008, and we’re looking forward to getting to know you.
