Tag: Admission Decisions

Spring is the time of year that excites and inspires everyone involved in the college admissions process.  College admissions offices have made it through the winter with its blizzard of applications, transcripts and test scores.  In Raleigh, the flowers are starting to bloom and signs of new growth are everywhere.  Admissions decisions for the freshman class are complete, and we have tremendous hope for the future. 

College admissions offices are making the final selections for their freshman class.  Many applicants will be ecstatic being selected.  Others will be very disappointed that they were not admitted.   Was it my test score?  Were my mid-year grades not high enough?  Was my essay not strong enough?  Did I not take enough AP courses?

On the flipside, students are selecting their school for next fall.  NC State spends a lot of time and energy trying to encourage great students to enroll.  In our admissions office there is a lot of disappointment when a student that we have admitted chooses to go to another college.  We ask why?  Was it our brochure?  Was it our campus tour?  Was it our website?  Was it the scholarship at the other school?  How could a student ever choose to attend that “other” college instead of  NC State.  We know we are so much better. 

We want answers.  Unfortunately, there is never a simple answer. 

Just as many factors go into the selection of the freshmen class at NC State, the decisions of high school students on college attendance are influenced by many factors.  We try to get to know applicants by reading their applications, and pouring over their transcripts.  While we may have loved an applicant’s essay, the grades or test scores may not have made the applicant competitive.  Students try to get to know NC State by researching on-line, talking to people on campus and visiting.  A freshman applicant may have loved the campus tour, but does not want a large school.  We may be favorably impressed with an applicant’s test scores and extracurricular activities, but not impressed by their grades.  Maybe an admitted applicant was impressed by the research facilities and internship opportunities, but just likes another school slightly better. 

There are no simple answers for applicants or for colleges.  Applicants and colleges must each move forward with their plans for the summer and fall.

NC State has made admissions offers after reviewing over 18,000 freshmen applications.  We have selected a great group of freshmen!  Admitted students include students with wonderful academic qualifications and tremendous experiences in their background.  When summer arrives, we expect 4,700 freshmen to attend orientation in July and enroll this August.  They will be some of the best and brightest that the world has to offer.

Oh yes it’s that time of the year! This past weekend myself and other college of design students helped volunteer with the admissions process for the College of Design. From welcoming anxious high school students and their families, to touring students around the Design Campus, volunteers helped to prepare candidates for the fall 2009 intake process. Although freezing and windy, Design faculty, staff, and students were well prepared and covered from head to toe in “Wolf Pack Red” and helped guide the flow of traffic while students waited patiently to hear about their competition and process for admission.

Once welcomed by Marva Motley, the College of Design Assistant Dean for Student Affairs (Student Organizations), students were broken into groups based on the major they were applying for.  Whether it was: Art and Design, Industrial Design, Architecture, Landscape Architecture, or Graphic Design, students scheduled interviews to meet with professors and go over portfolios. While students were waiting for their interviews they were led by student ambassadors and volunteers to tour the college. Viewing the Brooks Hall Main Gallery, Library, and Multi-media Lab, Graphic Design studios, Industrial Design studios and shop, students began to get a glimpse into the College of Design. Once the tours were finished, the big Kahuna, yep, Marvin Malecha (the Dean of the College of Design) greeted them again but this time he discussed the process and the expectations.  This was followed by a presentation by Financial Aid, University Housing, and lastly a student panel. Overall students came out to leave their best impression on the professors, and staff  hoping for a chance to become apart of the NC State family.

If you have any questions or concerns about the admissions process for the College of Design, visit the website at:  www.ncsu.edu/design