Published:

Adelphi admissions experts share tips about the process

Adelphi University Admissions Experts Share Important Tips About the Process


admission adelphi posterIn Emmy Award-Winner Tina Fey’s newest romantic comedy with Paul Rudd set in the high-stakes world of college admissions, the actress plays a career-minded Princeton admissions officer named Portia Nathan in Admission, which opens in theaters on March 22, 2013. The movie provides a humorous glimpse inside America’s admissions offices and the intense pressure placed on admissions counselors making decisions to hopeful candidates.

As anxiety increases as a young adult begins the college application process/essay, goes on campus tours, explores scholarship opportunities, learns how to be involved on campus, and applies for student loans, Adelphi University’s admissions experts impart some words of wisdom about the college admissions process.


Here are some excerpts that previously appeared in media interviews and blog posts.

“The essay is an important facet of the application,” said Christine Murphy, assistant vice president of admissions to Garden City Patch. “One mistake students make is to recount information that is already included on their transcript or application. We already know a lot about the student before reading the essay.”

What does she look for in an essay? “It should be well written, memorable, engaging. Tell us something that we don’t already know,” Murphy advised.


Christine Murphy of Admissions

Christine Murphy (pictured at left) spoke about navigating a college fair to New York Post education writer Erika Prafder.

“The more groundwork you can do beforehand, the more productive your day at the fair will be. For starters, use the College Board’s matchmaker online tool (collegesearch.collegeboard.com) which provides a list of schools based on your information.”

“Get recommendations from your teachers and guidance counselors who know your strengths. They are great resources in helping you build your ideal list of colleges to attend.”

 


In a New York Post article, “Colleges aim to ease the transition for transferring students,” Christine Murphy detailed Adelphi University’s transfer admissions process. “The number of transfer students is on the rise here. We recently instated a Transfer Initiative Committee, which is a cross-functional team [including members of the admissions, enrollment management, student affairs and academic affairs departments] which works on every issue related to transfer students.”


Kristen Collins, director of undergraduate admissions, reads more than 30 essays a day. She has found that too many students thank their mothers for being such great “roll” models or lament the loss of their best “fiend.”

In an interview published on the New York Times Choice Blog titled “Demystifying College Admissions and Aid,” Ms. Collins says she reads essays about students’ determination to be world-class architects, which fails to dazzle a university with no architecture program.

Recently, she’s seen a spate of cute essays that draw on the shorthand of texting. That’s become a cliché.

Her advice: “u shud reale b careful wit ur spelling.”


“The concept of finding “the right fit” can often be daunting for students,” says Kristen Collins in a U.S. News University Directory online interview. “However, in looking at coursework, affordability and quality, a student may better be able to assess colleges and universities during his or her search by focusing on one specific factor; value. A student should pursue an institution possessing the maximum value relative to his or her wants and needs. While value may take on a different definition for each student, it can be measured through a number of qualities including support services provided, educational opportunities offered, accessibility of internships, etc. – all of which should be matched with the out-of-pocket cost for an individual. This comparison should better enable students to discover the “best buy” in a group of contenders. When viewed in this light, students may better be able to select the most appropriate school in terms of coursework, affordability and quality.”


Kristen Collins spoke with USA Today College Guide magazine: “Students are going to be most benefited by visiting campus in person rather than relying solely upon virtual information. Families should maximize the benefits of a visit by adding on activities to a traditional tour. Ask to sit in on a class. Request access of the campus cafeteria and try the food on an average day of the week.  Enjoy a sporting event and chat with fellow students in the stands. By immersing oneself in the average day of the college student, a student will feel more informed and have a much more accurate feel for how he or she fits into the everyday lifestyle of a particular campus.”


For more insight into Adelphi University’s admissions process and tips to navigate the road to higher education, follow the Admissions Counselors’ Corner blog. To learn about Adelphi programs, students, and faculty, visit us on YouTube.


For further information, please contact:

Todd Wilson
Strategic Communications Director 
p – 516.237.8634
e – twilson@adelphi.edu

Contact
Phone Number
More Info
Location
Levermore Hall, 205
Search Menu