Insight into the application process to selective US universities
The US College Admission Open Day hosted at Oundle School and Millfield marked the first event of its kind held by WLSA in the UK. This event was a huge success, bringing together 500 students and educators to learn about the holistic admission process from six highly selective Universities.
Following these events, the US Deans of Admissions expressed that they were incredibly impressed with the insightful and interesting questions asked by the students. WLSA could not be more thankful to Oundle School and Millfield School for hosting such a perfectly organized event. We look forward to expanding this event in the UK in coming years.
2
UK Schools Hosted
6
US Universities Presented
500
Participants Attended
Highlights
I thoroughly enjoyed meeting students, parents, teachers, and educators during our two days in the U.K. It was a great honor to represent U.S. higher education and to help everyone develop a better understanding of the often mysterious and complex college admissions process in the United States. My colleagues and I are passionate about assisting students in the transition from secondary school to college and it was incredibly rewarding to share our knowledge and expertise with students in the U.K. I look forward to continuing this valuable partnership between students and schools in the U.K. and our great universities.
The trip was incredible – most impactful visit I have ever had to the UK! The WLSA schools (and their leaders) were so impressive (and warm/welcoming too) and the students really blew me away!!
The recent WLSA College Admission Network trip to the U.K. reinforced my sense that students from Great Britain are uniquely prepared to excel at top-tier U.S. universities. The academic facilities I saw, the administrators who hosted our delegation, and the students we met all left lasting positive impressions on my colleagues and me. I look forward to participating in future WLSA activities.
Oundle School was delighted to welcome staff, parents and pupils from a wide range of schools to the WLSA College Admissions Network conference on Monday 5th November. The audience was engaged and interested throughout the presentations, and the young people asked questions and participated intelligently in the interactive session. After the conference, the attendees took the opportunity to have informal conversations with the Deans and each other over afternoon tea. It was a very valuable, informative and enjoyable afternoon.
The World Leading Schools Association (WLSA) treated us to an entertaining and informative US College Day on Tuesday with a two-part programme of discussions from 6 of the top universities in the USA, followed by questions and answers from the floor. Doug Christianson of Vanderbilt University chaired the first session during which he invited each of the panel of deans to comment on aspects of the US application process through the eyes of the Universities of Southern California, Chicago, Boston, Northwestern and Columbia. In the second session, chaired by Kelly Walter of Boston University, the panel considered the merits of 3 different applications and invited comments from the audience. This was a revealing and lively set of talks which exposed some of the behind the scenes admissions procedures of the top universities the USA. It was well-attended with around 200 in our concert hall, including pupils from local schools such as Marlborough College, King’s Bruton and Kings of Wessex, as well as Millfield pupils and parents.
Recap of the Program
Registration
Welcome Word
Session 1
This session will explore the Holistic Admissions process at highly selective universities in the United States. Focusing directly on the various types of college applications and the importance of academic achievement, extracurricular activities, leadership, engagement, essays and personal statements. The session will further take these concepts and discuss how they are applied in an international context. In addition the overall financial aid process for international students will be discussed.
Session 2
This session is designed to provide insight to the selective college admissions process and to demonstrate how a variety of factors, not just strong grades and standardized test scores, are weighed in a college or university’s review of a student’s application. Since no two colleges evaluate applications in the same way, panelists will discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each candidate and select which applicant(s) are competition for admission to their respective institution.
Afternoon Tea with the University Reps
Meet The Speakers
Dean of Admission, University of Southern California
Timothy Brunold
Timothy Brunold has worked in American higher education for nearly three decades; having received his introduction in the late 1980’s, when he first joined USC’s Office of Admission as a student intern. Since then, he has served his alma mater in a variety of enrollment and student services capacities. He was appointed USC’s eleventh dean of admission in 2010.
During his tenure as the university’s chief admission officer, USC has received record application volume, achieved its highest level of student selectivity and enrolled the most low-income, first-generation and under-represented students in its 138-year history. Tim has dramatically expanded the size of USC’s admission office, making it one of the country’s largest; one with a distinct focus on transparency, access and best practices in enrollment management.
As Dean of Admission, Tim oversees more than 90 full-time staff members and is responsible for leading all aspects of USC’s undergraduate admission, graduate admission and new student orientation efforts. He is active in multiple associations and regularly presents at national conferences and professional gatherings. He frequently provides media commentary on myriad topics ranging from ethical admission practices, international recruitment, the college search process, student access and the use of technology in admissions. In addition, Tim serves on the Board of Directors of the Common Application, a not-for-profit technology corporation that provides a standardized admission application platform for more than 750 colleges and universities across the U.S.
Tim holds a Bachelor of Arts degree, magna cum laude, in International Relations from the University of Southern California and has been accepted into the Phi Beta Kappa and Phi Kappa Phi academic honor societies.
Chair of the WLSA Council Board
Douglas L. Christiansen, PhD
Douglas L. Christiansen holds a Ph.D. in higher education administration and is Vanderbilt University’s vice provost for university enrollment affairs, and dean of admissions and financial aid. Dr. Christiansen is also an associate professor of public policy and higher education in the Department of Leadership, Policy and Organizations at Vanderbilt’s Peabody College. Currently, he is serving as Chair for the Board of Trustees of the College Board. In his role as vice provost, Dr. Christiansen serves as the university’s chief enrollment strategist, guiding the University Enrollment Affairs Leadership Team, which consists of the offices of Undergraduate Admissions, Student Financial Aid and Scholarships, Academic Affairs Process and Solution Implementations (PSI), University Registrar, Enrollment Management for Health Sciences Education, Student Accounts, the Vanderbilt Institutional Research Group (VIRG), the Career Center, and University Enrollment Affairs Strategy and Implementation. He also oversees the selection process for Ingram, Chancellors, Cornelius Vanderbilt, POSSE, and QuestBridge scholars programs. Dr. Christiansen and his team have led the integration of enrollment and admissions systems across the university to integrate academic systems that support institutional enrollment goals at the undergraduate, graduate, and professional levels. He has been in higher education and admissions for almost thirty years.
Vice President for Enrollment and Student Advancement & Dean of College Admissions and Financial Aid, University of Chicago
James G. Nondorf
James G. Nondorf is the Vice President for Enrollment and Student Advancement and Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid at the University of Chicago. At UChicago, Jim oversees College Admissions, Graduate Admissions, Financial Aid, and the Office of Career Advancement. He has also served as chair of the SAT Committee and been an adviser for the College Board. Prior to his tenure at UChicago, he served as Vice President and Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Director of Student Outreach and Associate Director of Admissions at Yale University. Jim earned a BA in economics from Yale University and an MLA in ethics from Valparaiso University.
Associate Vice President for Enrollment & Dean of Admissions, Boston University
Kelly Walter
Kelly Walter has 37 years of professional experience in college admissions and enrollment and is currently the Associate Vice President for Enrollment & Dean of Admissions at Boston University. Ms. Walter also served as Acting Director of Admissions at Wellesley College.
In her current role, Dean Walter serves as the chief admissions officer for the undergraduate enrollment effort at Boston University. She is responsible for the strategic planning, management, and administration of the undergraduate admissions office. This includes providing the leadership and direction for all undergraduate recruitment and marketing initiatives at BU.
Dean Walter has also made significant contributions to the enrollment and admissions profession through her involvement with NEACAC, NACAC, NEACRAO, and the College Board. She was a member of the College Board SAT Advisory Committee, the Guidance and Admissions Advisory Committee (GAAC), and currently serves on the College Board Enrollment Leaders Group. Dean Walter is also Co-Chair of the World Leading Schools Association (WLSA) Higher Education Advisory Board; a member of the Advisory Board of the King Abdullah University of Science & Technology; a faculty member at the Harvard Summer Institute on College Admissions; and a delegate to the Overseas Schools Project, a joint project between the U.S. Department of State and the College Board. Additionally, she was recognized for her leadership as the recipient of the Harry R. Carroll Distinguished Service Award and the Boston University Honorary Scarlet Key Society.
Northwestern University
Christopher Watson
Session: The Stress of College Admissions: A Discussion between Schools and Deans
The admissions process to selective colleges is complex, filled with uncertainty, and extraordinarily stressful for high school students to navigate. As a result of the ups and downs of this process and the inherent competition, students often experience a loss of self-confidence and self-esteem. This session will be an honest and open discussion between school leaders, college counselors, and deans about how students can be best supported during this process, and what can be done to make the admissions process more inclusive of soft skills, such as vulnerability, risk-taking and embracing failure.
:Associate Vice President and Dean of Undergraduate Enrollment
:Northwestern University (USA)
Dean of Undergraduate Admissions and Financial Aid, Columbia University
Jessica Marinaccio
Jessica Marinaccio has served as Dean of Undergraduate Admissions for Columbia College and The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science at Columbia University since 2004 and in 2012 she was named Dean of Undergraduate Admissions and Financial Aid. Prior to this appointment Ms. Marinaccio served as Director of Admissions at Columbia, joining the office in 1999. Ms. Marinaccio has also worked in the undergraduate admissions offices of both the University of Chicago and Boston University. She received her bachelor’s degree in English and American Literature from Harvard College and a master’s degree in Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She also taught English in the Boston area prior to beginning her admissions career.
Dean Marinaccio currently serves on the Higher Education Advisory Committee for both the International Cambridge Examinations and the College Board’s Advanced Placement examinations. She has presented at a wide variety of professional conferences and speaks frequently at high schools around the world on the college admissions process.
In her role as Associate Dean of Student Affairs from 2004 to 2012, Dean Marinaccio co-led the Enrollment Group, consisting of Undergraduate Admissions, Financial Aid & Educational Financing, and Operations, where she worked closely with the Dean of Financial Aid. She was also instrumental in the creation and implementation of Columbia’s financial aid initiative in 2008.