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Johns Hopkins - Zanvyl Krieger School of Arts and Sciences Advanced Academic Programs Application Bungled, Internet
The application process to the advanced writing program is deceptively
easy. The site states "While students may apply throughout the year and
begin study during any
of the three semesters/terms, there are application dates to be aware
of" (Step 3 Admissions). When the applicant visited the Admissions
office, the applicant was told that he could submit application
materials piecemeal. The application submitted some materials. Later the
applicant had references mail letters in. Still later, the application
submitted a complete application in person, having revised materials
from before and with additional references. Upon visiting the Admissions
office, some materials had been misplaced. The earlier reference letter
was never received. Nevertheless, since the application was complete,
it was accepted. When the applicant asked about repaying the admission
fee, the officer said it was unnecessary should there be a check within
the folder. (Interesting point). The senior admissions officer generated
a curt one-paragraph email stating "all materials were now received and
the application would be forwarded." The review process for the writing
program normally requires several weeks. Within a couple weeks,
the applicant received a letter from the senior admissions officer which
contained only a curt paragraph of rejection. (The office claims that
the review process normally allows for six weeks).
Evidently the
writing faculty do not even do applicants the honor of writing letters
themselves (unlike any other graduate program the
applicant applied to). Further notes are that applicants should
study the quality of the faculty
(http://advanced.jhu.edu/academic/writing/contact/?lid=783) since this
has a bearing on the type of applicants accepted (as opposed to
rejected); if one has earned a similar masters degree can one seriously
believe that these inbred faculty will challenge one to write his uncontested best. If you are a graduate student or
higher and have published book or blog (as I have), it counts
as a disqualification, although that will never be openly stated. The
application process required a writing sample, and the fact that the
faculty provided no evidence of having received, read, or reviewed the
writing sample personally reflects poorly. Usually the faculty are
willing and do prepare reviews or reasons for rejection or acceptance
(that is my experience). The shut-off or shut-out by mere admissions
officers conveys that not only are they inbred, but hired staff are
incapable of writing, since their rejections leave no room for
reconsideration to apply to related university programs. In short, the
applicant believes that the staff incompetency is a reflection of the
faculty; in particular, the applicant could work as staff but is not a
person of color. With regard to ignoring applicant email? Most likely,
the faculty are too busy practicing snob appeal to respond.