2008 Woodie Awards
Supplement changes admissions process
University aims to separate students, overall, applicants stronger academically
Adam Tutor
Issue date: 3/28/08 Section: News
The Office of Admissions and Financial Aid will use the 2008-2009 school year as a trial period for a new supplemental section of the Common Application, a generic admissions application used by universities across the nation, in an effort to better identify students who are a fit for Trinity University.
According to Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid Chris Ellertson, the supplement to the Common Application is a tool that can be used not only to help the University but to help the students as well.
"While they are educating us about themselves, we are educating them about Trinity," Ellertson said. "It's an interactive experience."
According to Ellertson, students are allowed some choice within the supplement's essay portion. An applicant can choose to do either four of the many short answer questions, or one short answer and one long answer. These writing samples help asses the students' abilities, especially when the applicant pool becomes more selective.
"Writing is really what college is about," Ellertson said.
According to Ellertson, as a general trend, applicants have become more interested and academically stronger over the years and the supplement provides an extra mechanism to judge their fit at Trinity. Ellertson said that it is very important that the student demonstrates potential and the ability to help make the campus a better place.
"We don't just look at SAT scores," Ellertson said. "We look at the student's inquisitiveness, their communication skills and their leadership."
According to Ellertson, the only drawback of the supplement is that it frightens some students away.
"We are going to do a hybrid next year [2009-2010]," Ellertson said. "We will still have a supplement, but in a modified form."
First Year Shelley Ramsey, an intern in the Admissions Office, said that she doesn't believe the supplement should be intimidating.
"It's a good way for the University to evaluate students, and it really doesn't require that much extra effort," Ramsey said.
According to Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid Chris Ellertson, the supplement to the Common Application is a tool that can be used not only to help the University but to help the students as well.
"While they are educating us about themselves, we are educating them about Trinity," Ellertson said. "It's an interactive experience."
According to Ellertson, students are allowed some choice within the supplement's essay portion. An applicant can choose to do either four of the many short answer questions, or one short answer and one long answer. These writing samples help asses the students' abilities, especially when the applicant pool becomes more selective.
"Writing is really what college is about," Ellertson said.
According to Ellertson, as a general trend, applicants have become more interested and academically stronger over the years and the supplement provides an extra mechanism to judge their fit at Trinity. Ellertson said that it is very important that the student demonstrates potential and the ability to help make the campus a better place.
"We don't just look at SAT scores," Ellertson said. "We look at the student's inquisitiveness, their communication skills and their leadership."
According to Ellertson, the only drawback of the supplement is that it frightens some students away.
"We are going to do a hybrid next year [2009-2010]," Ellertson said. "We will still have a supplement, but in a modified form."
First Year Shelley Ramsey, an intern in the Admissions Office, said that she doesn't believe the supplement should be intimidating.
"It's a good way for the University to evaluate students, and it really doesn't require that much extra effort," Ramsey said.
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