Between Two Firms is an interview series accompanying Economics@Work. We ask alumni speakers the candid questions students can’t ask in person. This week’s guest is John Haller, Vice President of Enrollment Management at the University of Miami. John discusses standardized tests, and other features of the admissions process.
Q: How does it feel being back on campus, at your alma mater, speaking to students?
A: It’s nostalgic. It’s humbling. It’s an honor. When you’re 18 to 21 you never imagine that you would be back on campus actually doing what you’re doing; talking about something that you’re doing that may be meaningful to interested people.
Q: You talked about the mathematical analysis of college admissions. How do you take non-quantitative characteristics, like personal statement essays and translate that into your algorithm?
A: In order to do this we give each person an extracurricular rating. So based on what makes you different or what makes you you; what you’re involved in inside and out of the classroom, what you wrote in your essay or what your counselors or teachers write about you. We make an assessment of that and how you will make an impact on the University of Miami.
Q: Do you see admissions as looking for students to fit the school or do you see it as looking for a school that’s right for the student?
A: That’s a great question. People talk a lot about fit and match and I think that that’s why I don’t. I understand it, but I’m not entirely sure I agree with it, especially in a place like Miami where it’s diverse in all different ways. What I would say is it is kind of about what the student is bringing to the table that makes them a difference-maker and a change agent in some way. That makes the University of Miami better within the context of: do we feel that they can be successful in and out of the classroom.
Q: How does admissions differ from school to school?
A: Compare two institutions: Miami, to where I came from Saint Joseph’s University, which is a Jesuit Catholic institution. So the mission of that institution is going to be different from the mission of the University of Miami. So that in itself is going to have different types of students that just naturally apply, and differences in things that they’re interested in. It’s kind of self-selection of who’s applying to the university and then based on that we narrow down from there.
Q: Recently ACT changed their formatting, how do you see this changing admissions in the near future?
A: It definitely has a factor in admissions. I mean, I think some institutions will continue to rely on test scores. That said I think the majority of institutions will start relying less on standardized tests than they are now. Where is the data that shows that one test on one day of your life is more meaningful than four years in high school?
Q: As far as comparing from High School to High School how do you deal with grade inflation and deflation?
A: We look at how this plays out in the context of a student’s high school because we know that there are differences. It’s really hard to account for these differences without building in the biases between high schools like a higher or lower socio-economic status, right? So we look at those students in the context of their school and see if they have taken the most rigorous courses, and how they’ve done in that course load, and where they sit relative to other students. So that’s how we do it at Miami. I can’t say that’s how every school does it, but that’s how we look at it.
Q: The college application process, and college admissions is incredibly stressful, tedious and difficult for most students. How would you recommend approaching this for a high school senior?
A: I would start at the beginning of your junior year and ask these three questions. Do I want to go near home or far away from home? Do I want an environment that is suburban, urban or rural? Do I want a school that has a learning environment that’s more lecture-based or more discussion-based? If you answer those three questions you can narrow it down relative to your overall academic profile in high school.