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From the monthly archives: October 2006
For many applicants, the main point-of-contact among admissions staff members is Justin Norton. Justin greets visitors who arrive for an information session or an interview, and helps student interviewers prepare for their sessions. Here are Justin’s thoughts at this point in the admissions process:
Hello Fletcher Applicants!
Things are moving at warp speed in the halls of Fletcher as we mark the midway point of our evaluative interview season.
With an unprecedented number of student volunteers conducting interviews, and many enthusiastic and unique candidates, it has been a memorable admissions season! Although Monday and Friday interview slots are pretty much booked through December due to the popularity of information sessions and class visits, there are still slots available Tuesday through Thursday. Call 617-627-3040 or email us at fletcheradmissions@tufts.edu to make an appointment.
We are also in the process of evaluating applications for Spring 2007 Admission. Our staff has been hard at work reading essays and reviewing transcripts. Our travels continue, too. During the second week of November we will be in Europe speaking with prospective students at APSIA fairs. Stops on this final leg of our travel schedule include Madrid, Milan, Berlin, and Copenhagen. We look forward to describing our vibrant academic community and fielding all of your questions about the admissions process.
Fresh off mid-terms and armed with newly minted business cards, Fletcher students are gearing up for the New York City career trip next week. Run by the Office of Career Services, this annual event connects current Fletcher students with employers and alumni in many fields.
Hope you are all having a great fall! We look forward to reading the applications submitted before our November 15 Early Notification deadline.
Applicants for September 2007 admission who wish to take advantage of Fletcher’s Early Notification Option should note that the deadline, November 15, will soon be upon us. Under the Early Notification plan, students who are offered admission will be notified before the end of the year. This can be a great benefit for people who need to start planning to leave their jobs and relocate.
The Committee on Admissions does not deny admission to anyone in the Early Notification round, and will reconsider applications with the majority that arrive by January 15. Check our web site for information on applying.
One of the questions we’re asked most often is: When Fletcher’s admissions committee reviews an application, what is it looking for?
To answer the question most simply, we are looking for students with potential for academic excellence and professional success, who will add to the community. Of course, pursuing this goal is not that simple.
The bottom line for the admissions committee is that every admitted student must be able to succeed at Fletcher. For some applicants, we need look no further than a strong undergraduate record and supporting standardized test scores. For many applicants, though, the assorted credentials might point us in different directions. To assess these materials, we look not only at the undergraduate GPA, but also at the courses taken and trends across the four years. Standardized exams (the GRE or GMAT) can provide context for our review. Recommendations also help to fill in the blanks.
Once we feel confident an applicant would succeed as a student, we consider work history, international experience, and the applicant’s goals. There is no minimum acceptable amount of experience, but we want all students to have a background that will serve as a strong platform on which they can rest their studies and future careers.
The truth is that we want every student to have great academic skills. Where I believe Fletcher gets it right, though, is in avoiding formulas and in considering the whole applicant. We strongly believe that people continue to learn after they have left their undergraduate academic training. By looking at the whole application, all its many parts, we can best assess each applicant’s potential.
Our travels continue. Fletcher admissions officers are enjoying meeting prospective students at graduate school fairs and during visits to colleges and universities throughout the U.S. This week will be among our busiest, with APSIA fairs in Washington, Philadelphia, and New York. There are still many visits to come. Check our schedule to find out if one of our staff will soon be in your area.
And we are especially excited to see so many applicants during their visits to the School. Nearly every one of our 31 interview slots are filled this week and next. Prospective students have also been sitting in on classes and attending information sessions. If you are able to make the trip, and haven’t yet done so, I encourage you to schedule an interview appointment as soon as possible. Please note that the schedules for most Mondays and Fridays are fully booked. There are still appointments available on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. (If the trip is impossible for you, please be assured that the interviews are valuable, but strictly optional.)
Of course, Fletcher life is in full swing for our students, as well. I’m starting to hear talk of exams and papers (and the need to bring discipline to study habits!). Each week also includes many opportunities to strengthen professional skills through sessions on internships or special events such as last week’s “Starting an International Humanitarian Organization.” The subjects of guest lectures last week truly spanned the spectrum, ranging from “Making International Justice Work for Rape Victims: Experiences from the ICTR,” to “From Mecca to Metropolis: Creating Superheroes for the Islamic World.” Fletcher students approach their future international careers from so many different directions.
Finally, Sunday, October 15 is the deadline to submit applications for January 2007 admission. The “Januarian” class (as a former Januarian dubbed it) is generally small but tight-knit and we look forward to “meeting” our future students through their applications.
