Deciphering today’s college admissions process
Our April 2023 workshop featured Keri Risic, executive director of admissions at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, talking to us about undergraduate admissions at the University and elsewhere. She began by describing the multi-year, multi-class recruitment process at the University. To fill a class of 6,000+ new freshmen, the Office of Admissions starts with a pool of more than 400,000 students, primarily in their sophomore and junior years of high school. As a student expresses interest, the University reciprocates with invitations to visit campus and attend a variety of events, many targeted specifically to the student’s background.
The University admits students on a rolling basis, from September to March of their senior year. Those placed on a wait list may be admitted up until June. Like many schools these days, the University uses a holistic review process, with each application being read by at least two reviewers.
Primary consideration is given to academic factors—grades, class rank, grade point average, course rigor, and test scores, if provided. ACT or SAT test scores are optional; a small majority of 2023 applicants submitted scores. Particular attention is paid to whether a student took advantage of the curricular opportunities available at their high school. Also important are other context factors like outstanding achievement or aptitude in a particular area, commitment to community service, or family responsibilities.
If you have a prospective student in your family, there are many things you can encourage them to do, including:
· Take advantage of the curriculum in their school to challenge themselves (without overburdening themselves). Advance placement and international baccalaureate courses are good if a student can succeed in them.
· Start thinking about college early, and try to visit a variety of schools in their sophomore and junior years.
· Take the ACT and SAT regardless of whether they plan to submit the scores. They can decide whether they want to send the scores to a given school.
· Apply early in the senior year to several schools, including “reach” schools and “safety” schools.
· Fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid even if they don’t think they’ll qualify for financial aid. There may be scholarships available that they don’t know about.
· Apply for housing if there is a separate application.
—Ron Matross, UMRA president
College admissions: What you and your grandkids should know about applying for college
Tue, April 18 2023, 11am
Keri Risic
Executive Director of Admissions
University of Minnesota Twin Cities
Event to be held via Zoom.
Do you have grandchildren or other family members who will soon be applying for college? If so, you should tune into UMRA’s April 18 Living Well Workshop via Zoom. Keri Risic, executive director of admissions at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, will be our guest speaker.
College admissions has become more complex in recent years. Despite declining numbers of high school graduates, applications to flagship universities and prestigious colleges have generally increased. Many high schools have stopped ranking students. Standardized tests are increasingly optional, and the use of ethnicity as a factor in admissions decisions may soon be banned by the U.S. Supreme Court.
A student applying to college now confronts a number of questions: How many colleges should I apply to? Should I submit test scores, or not? Should I take Advanced Placement courses? Is having a high GPA more important than taking harder courses? Should I get involved in a lot of activities or concentrate on just a few?
Keri Risic will help answer these questions and more. In her role as executive director of admissions, she oversees recruitment, admission, and enrollment of freshman and transfer students, including University Honors Program admissions and merit-based scholarship awards. She has more than 24 years of experience in the undergraduate admissions profession.
Risic’s professional affiliations include the Minnesota Association for College Admission Counseling, National Association for College Admission Counseling, and the College Board’s Enrollment Leadership Academy. She is an alumna of the University of Minnesota Twin Cities and a former Golden Gopher athlete.
Please register today for this Zoom webinar and join us at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, April 18.
—Ron Matross, UMRA president
Upcoming Events
Stephanie Daily will lead the discussion of Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law by best-selling author Mary Roach when the UMRA Book Club meets via Zoom at 2 p.m. on Friday, May 17.
The May 20 hike will start at the Historic Lift Bridge in Stillwater and go along the river to the new bridge, cross over and then back on the Wisconsin side, a total of approximately 5 miles. Most of the route is paved. We will eat lunch after at Brian's Bar and Grill in Stillwater. Car pooling will be available.
Climatologist and meteorologist Mark Seeley joined the U of M faculty in 1978 and has been a weekly commentator on Minnesota Public Radio since 1992. We are honored to welcome him as our guest speaker for UMRA’s May Luncheon Forum and 2024 Annual Meeting. He is always entertaining and informative.
UMRA’s Fourth Friday Book Club welcomes back, for the second time, author Julie Schumacher, U of M Regents professor of creative writing and English, for a conversation about her novel The Shakespeare Requirement.
We are in for a treat on June 3! Lynn Anderson, will lead us on trails at two parks near her Monticello home. Bring a bag lunch and we will gather in Lynn's yard along the Mississippi River for eating and socializing after the hike.
Get out to the ballpark with fellow UMRA members for the annual U of M Day at Target Field as the Minnesota Twins take on the Oakland Athletics on June 14 at 7:10 p.m.
Please join us at 9:30 on June 17, 2024 for a walk around Lake Como in St. Paul before attending the UMRA Summer Social and Picnic starting at 11 at the Como Pavilion. A perfect opportunity to get in a walk before we gather to celebrate summer.
Picnic under the covered, open-air Como pavilion, gaze at the water, spy some birds, catch up with friends and former colleagues, and meet new members. We’ll have lunch with plenty of time for visiting and then compete in teams as we are challenged by our Quiz master(s)!
Healthy aging, mindfulness, fighting ageism, and more will be the focus of the third annual Age-Friendly University Day to be held on the U of M Twin Cities campus.