You’ve worked hard on your university application package and feel proud and confident after hitting the “Submit” button in their student portal, which sends it to the school’s admissions committee for review.
However, most applicants aren’t sure exactly how the committee operates behind the scenes once their application has left their hands.
In this blog, we’ll demystify the admissions committee so you understand what it is, who sits on it, and how committee members decide who is accepted into the upcoming class.
What is an admissions committee?
A graduate or professional program admission committee is composed of individuals who will decide on prospective students’ applications. These folks hold a lot of power in steering the course of the future for the institution.
However, committee members don’t take their responsibilities lightly. They must closely evaluate each application in detail to decide which candidates are accepted.
Who are the admissions committee members?
We get asked a lot about the people on the committees. Who are they, and how qualified are they to make such impactful decisions on a student’s academic and professional journey?
I, myself, am an Admissions Committee Member, and I have been for quite some time. Let me bring you into my experience.
Admissions committees are typically composed of anywhere from five to fifteen members, all of whom take their roles very seriously. They are very invested in welcoming students of the highest calibre into their program, want to ensure the sustainable reputation and success of their educational institution and know exactly what type of people would be perfect for the new semester of classes. (How do they make these assessments? Your application materials!)
Admissions committee members generally fall into at least two of the below categories:
Admissions Staff
These are university employees whose full-time responsibilities include engaging with potential students about the school and the application process. In some cases, they are graduates with intimate insights about what it takes to succeed at that particular school and can measure a prospect’s potential success based on those factors.
Admissions staff are often supervised by a higher-level administration team who can offer support during the selection process. These professionals, many of whom are deans or directors, bring a future-focused view on the university’s long-term direction and will assist the admissions staff in selecting students who can help create that long-term vision. They can also recommend accepting students who can help bolster departments that need development.
Faculty Members
Faculty members include professors, instructors, or other people with teaching and/or research responsibilities at the school. Like deans and directors, faculty members take an interest in helping influence the university’s future student makeup, environment, and culture.
Since faculty members interact daily with the student body, they understand what characteristics teachers look for in new students, making them an invaluable part of the admissions process.
Students
Some universities also allow students to serve on admissions committees. In most cases, these students have exemplary academic records that are respected by school faculty, administrators, and peers. They’re also often actively involved in university life in their respective program, whether serving in student government, on committees or participating in various clubs and activities.
Students offer a unique point of view to the admissions process that only a student can. They can help determine whether a prospect would fit the campus culture and has what it takes to succeed.
How do admissions committees make their decisions?
This might be the number one question students enrolled in my program ask. It’s a natural concern as every applicant wants to make a lasting impression that gives them an advantage over their competitors.
As someone who serves on admissions committees, I can promise that the selection process is detailed and fair. It begins with an admissions officer or administrative staff member being given your application to examine and evaluate in detail to ensure that all application requirements have been met (i.e., your application is not missing any component and meets the criteria for review).
Your application will, then, be given to a sub-committee of members from the admissions committee to review your application and vote on it. If there are any disagreements between admissions committee members on the merits of your application for acceptance, they will have as long a discussion as required with the other committee members for everyone to feel comfortable moving forward with a decision.
Admissions committee members will argue your application’s merits based on which aspects impressed them the most, such as your experience, academic record, accomplishments, interests, and unique personality characteristics. They will also share your Statement of Purpose and reference letters.
Your written materials communicate who you are to the committee. You are not a number and admissions committees want to get to know you. So, be absolutely authentic in your materials, while also framing your experience in a way that is compelling, professional, polished, and with integrity.
Your application might be given scores that act as an ongoing reference point throughout the process. These scores will apply to certain parts of your application, such as your academic record or interview performance, and are kept on hand during the thoughtful, in-depth discussions the committee has about which candidates to admit.
The admissions team will then convene a Selections Committee, where they go through a process to select students who will make up the next class. This process can last between two and five weeks, or more, by which time all applications will have been read, reviewed, and discussed at least twice and as many as five times. Final votes are cast, and decisions are uploaded into the student portal or mailed. The decisions are final once released and there is no appeals process.
A final word on admissions committees
I’ve sat on enough admissions committees to know one immutable truth: committee members want you to succeed! They spend hours reviewing your application for every detail that will help them present you at your very best to other committee members. The sad fact is that there are limited spaces available, and not everyone can be accepted.
However, with the right coaching and mentorship, you’ll have all the tools you need to impress the committee with a solid application. Believe me – you’ve got this!
Improve your chances of acceptance into graduate schools and professional programs with Apply YourselfTM
Book a strategy call with Dr. Adrienne Shnier, an Admissions Committee Member, to learn about how our signature course, Mastering Academic Applications: From Scratch to Submission, can help you finish your applications with clarity, support, structure, and strategy. We also offer customized 1:1 LSAT and MCAT coaching to help our clients achieve their best scores to get into their dream schools.