USD Magazine, Summer 1999

Expanding Interest

What Does It Take? Each year, the Office of Undergraduate Admissions staff reads thousands of applications. The trick, they say, is not necessari– ly to find the best students academically, but to admit students who will be successful at USD and contribute to the values, mission, intellect and life of the campus. The combination of variables is almost infinite, but here's a short list of what they consider. Academic Record. The rule still holds: The most important indicator of future potential is past success. Beyond SATs and GPAs, however, applicants are evaluated on the difficulty of the courses they take and the reputation of the school they attended. One bad year doesn't necessarily ruin the transcript either, as trends in the academic record are taken into consid– eration. Application. It's usually clear how much time and effort a stu– dent takes with the application form, and the care used on a neat, presentable and professional-looking application can't help but make an impression on the reader. Talents. Students with extraordinary abilities often have an edge. Athletic, artistic and musical prowess are just the starting point, as USD in the past has welcomed competitive skiers, accomplished equestrians, gifted writers and poets, science wizards, even a champion hula dancer. Values. In keeping with USD's mission to provide an education in values as well as academics, admissions officers consider volunteer activities, community participation and leadership in student government and other organizations. Personal Experience. Rather than give students a choice of two or three essay topics on the application, USD asks each applicant to describe the time in their life when they learned something of the greatest value. The answers are often moving accounts that reveal much about priorities and values. Diversity. Recognizing that a diverse campus means a broader range of experiences for students, the university strives for a diverse student body in terms of ethnicity, background and life experience. Legacies. USD is a tradition in many families, and admissions officers take note of students whose parents, siblings and other relatives attended the university. University administrators also point out that those who helped build the school with their contributions need to be remembered.

7000 6000 5000 4000 3000 2000 1000 0

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

0 Number of Applications

Number of Acceptances

•

respond to the growing number of students clamoring for a place at Alcala Park. The search is under way for a new direc– tor of undergraduate admissions, who will free up Muller to move into the position of director of enrollment management, where he'll grapple with the question of class sizes, fine tune the admissions procedures of the university, steer the course for financial aid and graduate admissions, and address reten– tion issues. He'll also work with the faculty to ensure the quality of the student meshes with the academic direction of the professors. The challenges, he says, are welcome. "I came to USD because I believed there was no more exciting admissions position anywhere in the United States," Muller says. "I have not been wrong." In the meantime, Muller stares at a file cart loaded to the brim with applications that need to be read and re-read to make sure that every folder gets the personal attention he says it deserves. There are no pictures on the folders, but Muller knows there is a hopeful face to go along with each name. "USD has reached a level where we can be comfortable with the academic preparation of our students. We know we admit good students, so we can focus as well on the personal qualities that make them stand out," he says as he prepares to plow into the stack. "Those leadership abilities, community service experiences and special talents are what make them the best match for USD, and making that match is what we do."

N E

U S D

M A G A Z

13