Admissions Office works to recruit
Staff aims for involved students
Campus Times
March 14, 1997
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Advertisements, direct mail, college magazines, visits and college fairs
catch the eyes of high school students, and more than 24,000 of them inquire
about attending the University of La Verne each year. Being that this number
is so high, a recruitment process has been implemented to accept up to 1,200
annually.
There are two ways in particular a student can get recruited to come
to ULV; through the Admissions Office or the Athletic Department.
Both alternatives involve ULV representatives making direct contact
with the prospective student, often by phone, and both processes yield many
impressive candidates.
The Office of Admissions' recruiting process lasts 18 months, beginning
during a high school student's junior year and lasting through the summer
before they actually begin college.
This year, the number of students wanting to attend ULV has increased
by 46 percent. 1,700 applications have been received.
Doug Wible, director of admissions, said, "Mail is the most effective
method of getting students to come to this school. It allows them to look
at the University."
Mail is not the only method of the recruitment process.
In November 1995, the Admissions staff started a telecounseling system
in which staff members called applicants and did recruiting via phone interviews.
By fall 1996, this method became a part of the recruitment process.
"The calls to the students have worked very well, and it shows
that we care about the individuals," said Wible.
The recruiting processes of the Athletics Department have a slightly
different focus than that of Admissions.
"Coaches know what their needs are, they recruit by position need.
They're looking for something very specific. We recruit based on numerical
goals," said Wible.
Traditionally, 900 to 1,000 undergraduate freshmen and transfer students
are accepted to ULV every year, leaving room for approximately 100 more
to be accepted throughout the year.
"We look for somebody who wants to be successful in class and somebody
who will also participate out of class. Overall, we look for well-rounded
students," Wible said.
Of all the students who complete applications each year, an estimated
80-85 percent are accepted into the University of La Verne. Of these students,
about 30-35 percent actually end up enrolling in classes.
Admissions also purchases lists of high school students meeting certain
specific criteria from the College Board Student Search program. These students
are then mailed an informational letter about the University, and a response
card they can send back if they are interested.
During the recruitment process, the admissions staff looks at a student's
grades, Standard Achievement Test scores, English and math scores especially;
the applicant's essay and may ask to set up an interview, if necessary.
There is no bottom-line numeric value an applicant must have, either
in terms of SAT scores or grade point average (GPA), in order to be admitted
to ULV. Each student's file is evaluated on a case-by-case scenario, and
although academic scores are taken into account, letters of recommendation
and the written essay are also weighed into the decision.
"We are looking for students who have a potential to be successful
here," said Wible.
Athletic coaches go through a slightly different process than the Admissions
Office in their recruitment efforts.
Each Admissions counselor is assigned to one or two athletic coaches.
When coaches have recruits on campus, they arrange for the students to meet
with that specific counselor.
This keeps communication lines open between the two recruitment parties,
and ensures that prospective students get all the necessary information
they need to go through the admissions process.
Regardless of who recruits a student, Admissions or Athletics, the application
materials are all processed through the Office of Admissions, which also
makes the final decision as to whether a student will be accepted.
"The contact may be different, but [athletes] do have to go through
the same process as everyone else," said Leilani Gamboa, an admissions
counselor.
Wible said, "I feel that we have one of the most accomplished Admissions
staffs."
In addition to financial aid workshops and college fairs, there are
four annual events Admissions uses to recruit students.
Counselors Day, usually held the week before Thanksgiving, is the first
event that takes place in fall. Communications Day is the second event,
which occurs in February. The ULV Showcase, which is tomorrow, is the third
event that is held. The last is Spotlight Weekend, which this year is April
11-13.
During Counselors Day, high school counselors bring students to ULV
to attend workshops and get an overview of the campus.
On Communications Day, students attend workshops in radio, television,
journalism, graphics, photojournalism and speech. Every year, the Communications
Department hosts a keynote speaker, usually from a Southern California media
outlet.
ULV Showcase is another event for students who have applied. Certain
departments are chosen every year to showcase their talent by doing a show
or a skit for the students.
The last event is Spotlight Weekend. It allows students who have been
admitted to spend the night with a spotlight weekend leader, participate
in karaoke and a dance, meet current students and alumni, and attend sessions
on financial aid.
"One of the most useful tools for recruitment is when students
come and visit the school, whether they participate in the overnight program
or attend one of our on-campus recruitment programs," said Vicky Cabezas,
admissions representative.
Pat Widolff, track and field coach, said of prospective students, "If
we can get them to come visit, they usually leave wanting to go here. The
hard part is getting them to come."
Most of the ULV coaches have contacts within the coaching staffs of
high school athletics departments. When looking to recruit students, they
contact these coaches and get recommendations on who would be good candidates.
"I contact every high school in a 40 mile radius, and every junior
college in the state. Then I call every player that the coach recommends,"
said Don Morel, head football coach.
The Admissions Office and Athletic Department pass names of prospective
students back and forth to each other as they deem appropriate.
Wible estimates that about 30 percent of the new students who entered
La Verne last fall did so as a result of athletic recruitment.
"At the Division III level you're much more of a recruiter than
a coach," said Morel.
The Financial Aid Office also figures heavily into a student's decision
to attend La Verne.
A student's financial aid package is determined on a formula based on
need and merit.
"Admissions and financial aid are two separate processes,"
Gamboa said.
Athletes do not get preferential treatment in the financial aid office.
"They come because they like the school, and they want to play
the sport. They are willing to take the financial burden," Wible said.
Widolff said, "Financial aid keeps a lot of people from coming
here. A lot of SCIAC schools give better aid."
Morel tends to agree. He only contacts high school students with a 3.0
GPA or better, because otherwise, "They're not going to be successful
here, and they're not going to get the financial aid."