The Waiting Game. The countdown to mailing decisions that are final on and I’m sure all our first-year applicants are wondering… what’s taking so long?! It takes plenty of manpower and hours to learn 47,000 applications and we desire to give every application a fair review in order to produce the amazing, well-rounded, diverse, and successful Class of 2017. Let me pull right back the curtain a bit and show you why it will take us many months to complete this process… Since USC uses an approach that is holistic the admission procedure, we have been committed to reading and re-reading every piece associated with the application. You understand those short answer questions you responded to? We read those. That task summary you filled out? Yup, every activity is read by us, organization, and experience you listed on there. When I read an application, i do want to arrive at know you- your passions, your perspective, & most of all, hear your voice come through. This process takes some time thought as we make an effort to realize just how your academic performance, test scores, writing, involvements, and recommendations get together to paint a fuller picture of who you are as a pupil and a person. The admission office might appear enjoy it runs like a well-oiled device on the outside—and it is—but it only operates as smoothly as it does through the employment of multiple checks and balances throughout the procedure. We contact pupils when a piece is being missed by us of the applying and once we need additional information such as for example mid-year grades. We consult with the departments that are academic USC and consider their views on candidates and tune in to their recommendations. First and foremost, we rely using one another to aid us see applicants in a way that is different recognise something we didn’t initially see. It is a process that is incredibly collaborative it requires time. At the end of the day, that is a hard process for our office, also. You can find many qualified applicants that we don’t have room for each year. It’s never effortless making these tough decisions, but I find convenience knowing that our applicants could have many college that is amazing the following year regardless. I think We speak on behalf of our entire office when I say we are pretty excited to finally be able to shout out to the world, here’s the incredible USC Class of 2017! As well as in merely a couple short weeks, we—and numerous of you—will be able to do just that. Grades, Guidance, and Goliath: Confessions of a Director Dad The blog post below is from our very Director that is own of, Kirk Brennan. He shares with us the struggles of being a moms and dad of a college that is prospective along with having a leadership role in higher education. Understandably, juggling these two functions is very delicate. Thank you, Kirk, for sharing your insight into what our parents proceed through with this stressful time!   This coming Monday will mark the eighteenth anniversary associated with day my wife (whom you may remember) delivered our very first kid. Though I have worked in admission for 22 years, this particular year — usually the one in which that child is applying to college — feels as though my very first day at work. Exactly what a strange way to view my task: through the eyes, and through the home of a prospective student. I had numerous observations that are disillusioning year. I saw that tours of very different schools seem the same, that college marketing materials look alike and even say the very same things, and what sort of small number of marketing organizations vendors seem to drive this process for many schools. I saw that a deal that is great of student’s impression of my university is not controllable, and I had been specially disheartened when my very own student, after feeling proud to get a mass-mailer from a college, quit reading some of them only days later, and even felt anger as she sifted through them. At USC as well as in the admission career in general, we strive to be helpful, but some times I’m not sure how much we’re helping ( and I also welcome your suggestions at admdir@usc.edu). Exactly What strikes me more than anything may be the emotional roller coaster of the year that is senior. I was saddened to view mundane events of life magnified to be critical pieces of a puzzle that result in college; a grade on the quiz that is tiniest prompts a crisis, or an option to relax one afternoon is observed as a prospective deal breaker for college admission, therefore career, then lifetime joy. Then there is the list; therefore many colleges to consider, will she love these schools, did she miss a better fit, and that can she even get in at all? Then filling out the applications, especially the anxiety behind answering the least important questions on the application form (we discussed ‘What’s my therapist’s work title?’). The temporary relief of doing them was soon replaced by confusion over the lack of communication as colleges read. Now the decisions are developing the grand finale of the ride — one day she gets in and seems great excitement for her future, another she actually is rejected and seems useless, as if judged harshly by strangers. Learning and growing is hard, and many turns in life will be unpredictable, but certainly I can not be the sole one ready for this ride to end. Through the ground i’ve watched this roller coaster several times, and such rides tend to end up in the same way — with our children enrolling in a college they love. Yet we riders still scream, even feel genuine terror going down the hill as if the safety pubs will not help; normal reactions, if utterly irrational. I still love rollercoasters (Goliath is the best), and I also think We shall enjoy this ride. I’ve grown closer to my daughter, and we have all grown closer as a family. I’ve seen my younger daughter console her older sister. We all cherish the time that remains in this phase of our family life, we will share together while we avoid the question of how many more meals. You can find many hugs, tears, pats on the rear, and scoops of ice cream to soothe the pain sensation, yet great hope for the future. I look forward to this ride finishing, but I imagine when it ends, just like Goliath, I will be excited to get back in line to ride again today. I sure hope so, anyway: my youngest is counting onto it.