Sign the Deans Commitment Letter (2019)

We invite college admissions leaders to join their colleagues across the United States in signing the Deans Commitment Letter (2019).

The Deans Commitment Letter is a pioneering statement endorsed by more than 140 college admissions deans, which seeks to clear up misconceptions about what admissions offices value in applicants and affirms the value of high school educators, parents, and students shaping curricular and related decisions at the high school level.

This resource is part of Character Assessment in College Admission Guide. Read more →

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Deans Commitment Letter (2019)

As admission deans, we recognize that we and the institutions we represent send signals that can shape students’ priorities and experiences throughout high school. We seek to work together with other key adults in students’ lives to support high school learning that is authentic, meaningful and appropriately challenging, to reduce problems related to excessive achievement pressure in certain communities, and to promote an admissions process that is healthier for students and families.

This document affirms this commitment and serves two core purposes. First, it seeks to build on the recommendations of “Turning the Tide,” clearing up misconceptions about what we value in applicants. Second, it affirms our belief in the value of high school educators, parents and students shaping high school curricular and related academic decisions. It is these community members who know best what will make students thrive academically and emotionally in their specific contexts.

Our commitment to high school students, parents, and educators:

• We respect decisions by schools that encourage students to strike an appropriate balance between challenging themselves academically and caring for themselves and others. For that reason, we are committed to honoring these schools’ decisions about curricula and instruction. For example, some schools may limit the advanced courses they offer (such as AP and IB courses) and/or limit the number of advanced courses students can take. Students attending such schools will not be disadvantaged in the admissions process. We also value a variety of high school environments, missions, course offerings, requirements, and extracurricular opportunities, and we count on high school personnel to describe via the school’s profile the academic and extracurricular environment of their particular school. While we view favorably students who engage in rigorous courses, we place more value on the quality of students’ academic engagement than on the number of advanced courses they take.

• We recognize that large numbers of students have access to very few—if any— advanced courses. We view increasing these students’ access to such courses as critically important. These students will be reviewed in the context of what courses are available to them and will not be penalized in admissions decisions because they lack opportunities to take advanced courses.

• We will not penalize in the admissions process students who engage in only a few extracurricular activities in high school. While there are good reasons for some students to engage in numerous extracurricular activities, we view meaningful engagement in two to three activities as sufficient.

• We pledge that family commitments and obligations, such as taking care of a younger sibling or working at a job to contribute income to the family, are highly valued by our admission staff and will be considered in admissions decisions. We encourage students to report these responsibilities in their applications.

• We are more interested in what students have learned from community engagement and service and what they have contributed to others than in whether students started a new project or conducted service in a far-away country. While many students can benefit from service work in other countries, service work done locally is typically just as meaningful. What matters to us is not whether service was local or in a distant place but whether service deepened students’ understanding of themselves, others and their communities and increased their commitment to others and the public good.

• We will consider students’ applications holistically. This means that we will not only consider students’ grades and standardized test scores (if we require them) but will also consider other important attributes, including how they might contribute to our campus and society in meaningful ways. We are interested in what students have learned and want to learn, what they care about and why, and what they have done to pursue their interests and passions. We value students who are authentic and honest in their applications. Because colleges vary in many respects, including their curricula, values and expectations of students, it's important for prospective students to review carefully college admission office materials and websites.

Download the Deans Commitment Letter (PDF).

Signatories

1. Tamara Long, Vice President for Enrollment and Dean of Admissions, Abilene Christian University

2. Kristen E. Capezza, Vice President for Enrollment Management, Adelphi University

3. Cornell B. LeSane, II, Vice President for Enrollment & Dean of Admissions, Allegheny College

4. Courtney Minden, Vice President of Enrollment Management and Marketing, Babson College

5. Robert Mirabile, Vice President for Enrollment Management, Beloit College

6. Tony Cabasco, Vice President for Enrollment, Bennington College

7. Sara H. Newhouse, Vice President for Admission & Financial Planning, Birmingham-Southern College

8. John Mahoney, Vice Provost for Enrollment Management, Boston College

9. Kelly Walter, Associate Vice President for Enrollment & Dean of Admissions, Boston University

10. Whitney Soule, Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid, Bowdoin College

11. Logan Powell, Dean, Brown University

12. Michelle L. Cloutier, Vice President for Enrollment Management, Bryant University

13. William Conley, Vice President for Enrollment Management, Bucknell University

14. Paul Thiboutot, VP and Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid, Carleton College

15. Mary Alice Ozechoski, Vice President of Student Affairs & Traditional Enrollment, Cedar Crest College

16. Rob Lange, Dean of Admission, Christopher Newport University

17. Dr. Meredith Twombly, Vice President for Admissions and Financial Aid, Clark University

18. Matthew Proto, Vice President and Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid, Colby College

19. Gary L. Ross, Vice President and Dean of Admission and Financial Aid, Colgate University

20. Heather Albert-Knopp, Dean of Admission, College of the Atlantic

21. Ann Bowe McDermott, Director of Admissions, College of the Holy Cross

22. Tim Wolfe, Associate Provost for Enrollment and Dean of Admission, College of William and Mary

23. Scott Friedhoff, Vice President for Enrollment and College Relations, College of Wooster

24. Mark Hatch, Vice President for Enrollment, Colorado College

25. .Jessica Marinaccio, Director, Vice President for Enrollment Management, Columbia University

26. Andrew K. Strickler, Dean of Admission & Financial Aid, Connecticut College

27. Jason C. Locke, Associate Vice Provost for Enrollment, Cornell University

28. Sarah Richardson, Director of Admissions and Scholarships, Creighton University

29. Iris P. Godes, Associate Vice President of Enrollment and Dean of Admissions, Dean College

30. Gregory Sneed, Vice President for Enrollment Management, Denison University

31. Robert Andrews, Vice President for Enrollment Management, DePauw University

32. Anne E. Kremer, Dean of Admission, Drake University

33. Robert Massa, Senior Vice President for Enrollment and Institutional Planning, Drew University

34. Evelyn Thimba, VP and Dean of Admissions, Drexel University

35. John Sullivan, Vice President for Enrollment Management, Eckerd College

36. John F. Latting, Assistant Vice Provost for Undergraduate Enrollment, Dean of Admission, Emory University

37. Alison Hildenbrand, Director of Undergraduate Admission, Fairfield University

38. Hege K. Ferguson, Director of Admissions, Florida State University

39. Patricia Peek, Dean of Undergraduate Admission, Fordham University

40. John Chenier, Assistant Dean of Admissions, Framingham State University

41. Kathryn Coffman, Vice President and Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid, Franklin College

42. Rick Clark, Director of Undergraduate Admission, Georgia Institute of Technology

43. Gail Sweezey, Director of Admissions, Gettysburg College

44. Julie McCulloh, Dean of Admission, Gonzaga University

45. Monica C. Inzer, Dean of Enrollment and Retention, Hamilton College

46. Dr. William Fitzsimmons, Dean of Admissions & Financial Aid, Harvard University

47. Thyra L. Briggs, Vice President for Admission and Financial Aid, Harvey Mudd College

48. Jess Lord, Vice President and Dean of Admission and Financial Aid, Haverford College

49. D. Andrew Bills, Senior Vice President for Enrollment, High Point University

50. William Vanderbilt, Vice President for Admissions, Hope College

51. Anthony Jones, Assistant Vice-President of Enrollment Management, Howard University

52. John F. Champoli, Director of Admissions, Husson University

53. Steve Herendeen, Vice President for Enrollment Management, Indiana Institute of Technology

54. Boyd A. Bradshaw, Associate Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)

55. Gerard Turbide, Vice President for Enrollment Management, Ithaca College

56. Steve P. Vitatoe, Assistant Vice President for Undergraduate Admission, John Carroll University

57. David M. Phillips, Vice Provost for Admissions and Financial Aid, Johns Hopkins University

58. Eric Staab, Dean of Admission and Financial Aid, Kalamazoo College

59. Diane Anci, Vice President, Enrollment Management & Dean of Admissions, Kenyon College

60. Cornelius Darcy, Vice President - Marketing, Communications and Enrollment, Kettering University

61. Jennifer Sekol, Director of Admissions, Keystone College

62. Chris Ellertson, Vice President for Enrollment, Lake Forest College

63. Ken Anselment, Vice President for Enrollment & Communication and Dean of Admission, Lawrence University

64. Edwin Wright, Vice President of Enrollment Management, Lebanon Valley College

65. Matthew X. Fissinger, Assistant Vice Provost for Undergraduate Admission, Loyola Marymount University

66. Michael Konopski, Vice President for Enrollment Management, Lycoming College

67. Kent Rinehart, Assistant Vice President for Enrollment Management/Dean of Admission, Marist College

68. Brian Troyer, Dean of Undergraduate Admissions, Marquette University

69. Leah McDermott, Assistant Director of Admissions, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

70. Stuart Schmill, Dean of Admissions and Student Financial Services, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

71. Shery Boyles, Director of Admissions, Meredith College

72. Michael S. Kabbaz, Vice President, Enrollment Management & Student Success, Miami University

73. Bill Sliwa, Dean of Enrollment Management, Moravian College

74. Terri Snyders Crumley, Assistant Vice President and Dean of Admissions, Mount Mercy University

75. James W. Smith, Associate Vice President of Enrollment Management, Mount Vernon Nazarene University

76. Robert G. Springall, Vice President for Enrollment Management, Muhlenberg College

77. MJ Knoll-Finn, Vice President for Enrollment Management, New York University

78. Jon Westover, Associate Vice Provost & Director of Admissions, NC State University

79. Martin Sauer, Vice-President for Enrollment Management & Athletics, North Central College

80. Shawn Blenker, Executive Director of Admissions, Northwest Nazarene University

81. Manuel Carballo, Vice President and Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid, Oberlin College

82. William Eilola, Vice President for Enrollment Management, Ohio Northern University

83. Candace J. Boeninger, Associate Vice Provost for Enrollment Management and Director of Undergraduate Admissions, Ohio University

84. Emily Roper-Doten, Dean of Admission and Financial Aid, Olin College of Engineering

85. Kristy Paredes Collins, Dean of Enrollment Management, Pepperdine University

86. Mitch Warren, Director, Office of Admissions, Purdue University

87. J. Carey Thompson, Vice President of Enrollment and Communications/Dean of Admission, Rhodes College

88. Faye Felterman Tydlaska, Ph.D., Vice President for Enrollment Management and Marketing, Rollins College

89. Lisa Norton, Dean of Admissions, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology

90. Michael Sexton, Vice President for Enrollment Management, Santa Clara University

91. Kevin McKenna, Dean of Enrollment, Sarah Lawrence College

92. Mary Lou W. Bates, Vice President and Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid, Skidmore College

93. Audrey Smith, Vice President for Enrollment, Smith College

94. Elena Hicks, Dean of Admission and Executive Director of Enrollment Services, Southern Methodist University

95. Enga Almeida, Vice President for Enrollment Management, Southwestern Adventist University

96. Christine Bowman, Dean of Admission and Enrollment Services, Southwestern University

97. Kevin D. Brown, Senior Admissions Director, Spring Arbor University

98. Benjamin S. Baum, Vice President of Enrollment, St. John's College

99. Yvette Sobky Shaffer, Director of Admissions, St. John's College, Santa Fe

100. Jeff Rickey, VP and Dean of Admissions & Financial Aid, St. Lawrence University

101. Pamela Holsinger-Fuchs, Dean of Enrollment, St. Martin's University

102. Rosalind V. Alderman, Ph.D., Vice Provost for Enrollment Management, St. Mary's University

103. Chris George, Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid, St. Olaf College

104. James L. Bock, Vice President and Dean of Admissions, Swarthmore College

105. Maurice A. Harris, Dean of Undergraduate Admissions, Syracuse University

106. Heath Einstein, Dean of Admission, Texas Christian University

107. Dr.Carol Kim, Vice President for Research, The New School

108. Rick Longo, Vice President for Enrollment Management & Student Affairs, The University of the Arts

109. James G. Nondorf, Vice President for Enrollment and Student Advancement and Dean of College Admissions and Financial Aid, The University of Chicago

110. Peter Wilson, Director of Admissions, Deputy Dean & Chief of Staff, The University of Chicago

111. Lee Ann Backlund, Vice President for Enrollment Planning and Dean of Admission and Financial Aid, The University of the South/Sewanee

112. Stephen Lazowski, Vice President for Enrollment Management, Thiel College

113. Scott J. Goplin, Vice President of Enrollment Management, Trine University

114. Angel B. Perez, Vice President of Enrollment and Student Success, Trinity College

115. Eric Maloof, Vice President for Enrollment Management, Trinity University, Trinity University

116. Dale Bittinger, Assistant Vice Provost for Undergraduate Admissions, Orientation, and School Partnerships, UMBC - University of Maryland, Baltimore County

117. Matt Malatesta, Vice President for Admissions, Financial Aid and Enrollment, Union College

118. Robert D. Broshous, Dean of Admission, University of Dubuque

119. Shane Davidson, Vice President for Enrollment, University of Evansville

120. Zina Evans, Vice President for Enrollment Management and Associate Provost, University of Florida

121. Jared Cash, Vice President for Enrollment, University of Maine at Farmington

122. Kedra Ishop, Ph.D., Vice Provost for Enrollment Management, University of Michigan

123. Scott Steinberg, Dean of University Admissions, University of New England

124. Stephen M. Farmer, Vice Provost for Enrollment and Undergraduate Admissions, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

125. Don Bishop, Associate Vice President, Undergraduate Enrollment, University of Notre Dame

126. Dr. Robert J. Thompson, Vice President for Student Services and Enrollment Management, University of Oregon

127. Eric J. Furda, Dean of Admissions, University of Pennsylvania

128. Dr. Stephanie Dupaul, Vice President for Enrollment Management, University of Richmond

129. Jonathan Burdick, Dean of College Admission; Vice-Provost for Enrollment Initiatives, University of Rochester

130. Michael Beseda, Vice Provost for Strategic Enrollment Management, University of San Francisco

131. Timothy E. Brunold, Dean of Admission, University of Southern California

132. Gregory Warren Roberts, Dean of Admission, University of Virginia

133. Dr. Jeffery T. Gates, Vice President for Student Affairs & Enrollment Management, Utica College

134. Martha Blevins Allman, Dean of Admissions, Wake Forest University

135. Robert A. Adkins, Dean of Admission, Washington & Jefferson College

136. Joy St. John, Dean of Admission and Financial Aid, Wellesley College

137. Josh Jensen, Vice President for Enrollment and Communications, Whitman College

138. Thomas K. Malloy, Associate Vice President Enrollment Management, Widener University

139. Richard L. Nesbitt, Director of Admission, Williams College

140. Mary Ann Naso, Vice President for Enrollment, Wilson College

141. Brand Stille, Vice President for Enrollment, Wofford College

142. Andrew Palumbo, Dean of Admissions & Financial Aid, Worcester Polytechnic Institute

143. Jeremiah Quinlan, Dean of Undergraduate Admissions, Yale University

Thanks also to college admissions leaders at Agnes Scott College, Alfred University, Alma College, Amherst College, Bennington College, Carroll College, Catawba College, Central Methodist University, Champlain College, Clarke University, Dickinson College, Hampshire College, Luther Seminary, Maryland Institute College of Art, North Carolina State University, Notre Dame de Namur University, Ohio Wesleyan, Rice University, Smith College, St. Edward's University, Susquehanna University,The College of Mount Saint Vincent, University of Dayton, University of Washington, and Wheaton College of Massachusetts who have supported the Turning the Tide goals.

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