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
Our July 15 "hike" is going to be a kayaking adventure on Bde Maka Ska (formerly Lake Calhoun) and Lake of the Isles! If you don't have a kayak (or paddleboard), Wheel Fun Rentals, located next to the new concession stand rents single kayaks at $15 an hour and double kayaks at $25. The second hour is free if we rent before noon. Life jackets are provided with the rental.
Laura Ericksen will lead the discussion of How Stella Learned to Talk by Christina Hunger, a true story by a speech-language pathologist who taught her dog, Stella, to communicate using buttons associated with different words.
Our August 5 hike will be a reprise of our hike last summer at William O'Brien State Park. This is a beautiful park with a winding trail and a great view of the countryside. The hike is about 5.5 to 6 miles and we'll go at a moderate pace with frequent water breaks. After the hike, we will eat lunch at Rustic Roots Winery, a half mile north of the park.
Kathy Cramer will lead the discussion of The Bookbinder by Pip Williams, a book set in 1914 Oxford chronicling the life of Peggy who works in the University bindery, but craves a life beyond binding books but to being a scholar herself.
Enjoy a two-hour cruise on the Jonathan Padelford, leaving from the Harriet Island dock in St. Paul, boarding time at 5:30 p.m. We will have a brief program on board by Patrick Nunnally from the River Life Program of the Institute on the Environment.
August 31 is the due date for annual reports and updates. Annual Reports, Toolkits, web page updates, operating document updates and archives collections are all due each year on this date.
Autumn is a wonderful season in Minnesota so plan to join UMRA at the Andersen Horticultural Library at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. Kristen Mastel, head librarian and curator, will reveal its treasure trove of publications and artifacts relating to plant history, horticulture, and natural history. After the tour, those who are interested may stay to eat lunch together, sitting outside if the weather is nice. Later, you are invited to a one-hour tram tour of the entire Arboretum that includes natural areas of flowering shrubs, bogs, and forests, family garden and landscaping showpieces, and the red barn farm
After a summer break the UMRA Photo Club will next meet September 10, 2024 in the meeting room of the Hennepin County St. Anthony Branch Library. For those interested in lunch, meet at the Great Dragon at 11:30 am. For September the THEME will be Curves
We will continue to discuss the pros and cons of Medicare Advantage. You will also hear about notable non-health plan and non-broker resources.