In an effort to enhance access and equity in their admissions evaluation process, Carnegie Mellon University has come out with a new policy eliminating the element of student demonstrated interest.
Included in this effort to better align the admissions process with student access, the university will no longer offer evaluative interviews. Instead, the interview will serve as a informational tool to help applicants better connect with CMU resources and programs.
Included in this effort to better align the admissions process with student access, the university will no longer offer evaluative interviews. Instead, the interview will serve as a informational tool to help applicants better connect with CMU resources and programs.
CMU's evolving policy extends beyond the initial application process itself. If at the end of the standard admissions cycle the university should decide to establish an applicant waitlist, CMU will no longer encourage or accept the submission of additional inputs such as extra recommendations; research projects; outreach letters to admissions representatives; etc. Rather, CMU plans to request from those students offered a place on the school’s waitlist a response paragraph to a yet-to-be-determined prompt.
For now, CMU says that they will hold back on publicizing such prompt so as to not to pre-empt a decision about whether or not they will eventually establish a waitlist. As of this writing, students will have to patiently stand by to see how CMU will ultimately handle waitlisting at the end of the current admissions cycle.
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Marla Platt, M.B.A. is an independent college consultant based in Sudbury, MA through AchieveCoach College Consulting, providing personalized guidance to students and families throughout the college planning, search and admissions process. Marla is a professional member of the Independent Educational Consultants Association and NACAC. Contact Marla via www.achievecoach.com