Adventures in Admission

Final Round of Admission Letters Delivered!

Congratulations to the Regular Decision applicants who just received their admission offers! As many of you prepare for spring break, I hope this news makes your time away from school that much more enjoyable.  

We are extremely proud of our admitted students- they come from many walks of life with much to offer our campus. Academically, our Early Action and Regular Decision admitted students are the strongest in DU history with an average GPA of 3.71, ACT of 28 and an SAT of 1227 (1600 scale).

Now that our file reading season is complete, I am equally as proud of our staff. Our counselors spend a great deal of time learning about their applicants and organizing notes to present to our admission committee. We don’t claim to make perfect decisions, but we strive to be fair and consistent for the students and our University. Our most recent committee meetings ended two weeks ago on a very high note with admission offers to a fantastic group of students who will no doubt make wonderful contributions to our campus next year.

For our newly admitted students, we encourage you to visit campus to learn more about DU. Many of you have visited campus previously, but I recommend that you visit again to examine our campus through the lens of an admitted student.  Finally, while our priority deadline to apply for financial aid has passed, I urge you to apply to be considered for need-based funding by submitting a FAFSA and CSS PROFILE. 

As you consider DU for next year, please don’t hesitate to contact me or any of our counselors if questions arise.  We look forward to officially welcoming you to the DU family this fall!

 

- Todd Rinehart, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Enrollment and Director of Admission

The Excitement of Pioneer Days

I am finishing up Hyde Interviews in MN and ready to head to Denver.   Being based in the Midwest is great, but I love this time of year when I am about to head out to Denver and enjoy campus for nine whirlwind days.  I will be busy reviewing those last few applications and participating in our applicant selection process, what we fondly refer to as the “Great Debate”.   As exciting as debate is, one of my absolute favorite days is yet to come.  We offer three Pioneer Visit Day Programs March though April.  Our first on is on Monday, March 3.  http://admission.du.edu/admissions/visit/pdays.asp

The Pioneer Visit Days programs are available for our admitted students and their parents.  What I love about these programs is the energy and excitement it evokes.  When I describe this program to families, I tell them they will have questions answered that they did not even know they had.   Students are trying to determine their college “fit” and it is important to visit their top choices to get those last minute questions answered.    Students find out they are not alone in the process and the other prospective students they meet can provide them with insight into their own decision process.

The Pioneer Days program is full of opportunities to see DU up close and personal.   We start with a presentation on the “Next Steps” to help explain the good old question…”Now that I have been admitted to DU, what do I do next?”  Chancellor Coombe speaks candidly with the parents during a presentation of the Vision of DU and Parent Q & A.  Current DU students entertain questions about DU from prospective students on varying topics.  A campus tour allows the families to become more familiar with the University’s beautiful setting and experience the walk-ability of the campus.  After lunch in one of our dining halls, there is the opportunity to visit with professors from the different majors we offer and a speak to representatives from a range of our student activities and services – this part of the day is set up college fair style and gives everyone a chance to check out all of their interests.  Families can set up individual financial aid appointments throughout the day and have the option to take part in a departmental tour at the end of the day. 

It is amazing to see the excitement and energy the day brings.  Prospective students may run across former high school classmates attending DU, meet a potential roommate for the fall or even decide DU is their college fit and submit their tuition and housing deposit before the end of the day.  

It is good to get the answers to your last minute questions to determine if DU is the right college “fit” for you.  As my dad once told me, “Education is a gift your mother and I can give you that will never be taken away.”  Please feel free to contact your DU counselor if any questions come up.  We are here to help you get the information you need to make an educated decision.  Have a great senior year and keep the senioritis at bay until your last final is complete.   

Best wishes,

Jenn Paar

Midwestern Regional Director - Chicago Area Office

Managing unmet cost through student employment options

As students examine the various ways to manage unmet cost when attending a college or university, one mechanism to consider is working over the breaks or part-time during the school year.  Here at the University of Denver, many students view employment is an excellent way to help finance their education and there are several offices that will assist them in the search for employment opportunities. Three of these offices include the Office of Student Employment, the Career Center, and the Center for Community Engagement and Service Learning and each offers a unique cross-section of the employment options at University of Denver.

The Office of Student Employment
The Office of Student Employment assists students in finding part-time jobs while students are pursuing a degree, regardless of financial need. It develops off-campus job opportunities for students and manages the Work-Study program.

Off-Campus Jobs
For undergraduate and graduate students who want jobs regardless of their financial need, the Office of Student Employment specializes in locating and developing part-time off-campus jobs. All jobs pay a minimum of $10 per hour and are local community organizations easily accessible by utilizing the bus and light rail systems available to all students. The positions are updated daily, so there are always options for students to pursue.

Work-Study
The Work-Study Program provides jobs for students with financial need, allowing them to earn money to help pay education expenses and is awarded through the Office of Financial Aid. The program encourages community service work and work related to each student’s course of study. Work-Study jobs are available both on and off campus. If the student works off-campus, then the employer will be a private nonprofit organization or a public agency. The work performed must be in the public interest (more information below).

Although many students qualify for Work-Study, a Work-Study award is not offered to all eligible students because funding is limited. Because Work-Study is a highly competitive financial aid award, it is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis until funds are exhausted. To be considered for the Work-Study program, it is imperative that prospective students complete their FAFSA and CSS PROFILE by the priority deadline of March 1, 2010. We make a conscious attempt to support the employment needs of all University of Denver students to the greatest extent possible.

The Career Center
The Career Center serves as a career planning and internship/job search center for the University. Students can utilize the following specialized services:

· Job & Internship Resources

· Career Assessments

· Career Fairs

· Interview Preparation

· Professional Network of alumni, employers and parents

· Major & Career Counseling

· Resume & Cover Letter Critiques

For more information visit:
http://www.du.edu/studentlife/career/

The Center for Community Engagement and Service Learning
The Center for Community Engagement and Service Learning seeks to educate, engage, and equip the campus community to accomplish tangible, public work that improves the lives of people in our communities.

Community Service Work-Study
If awarded a Work-Study award through the Financial Aid process, you will have the option to pursue a position in a community service position. For the purpose of the University of Denver Federal Work‐Study Program, community services are defined as services designed to improve the quality of life for community residents, particularly low‐income individuals, or to solve particular problems related to their needs.  through the CCESL, you can earn your work-study money by working in any one of our Denver Public School partners or in any of several non-profits that they work with throughout the Denver community.

AmeriCorps Service Scholarship
If you decide to utilize your Work-Study award in a community service setting or you pursue a volunteer service position, you may also be eligible for an AmeriCorps service scholarship. In exchange for providing an unmet human need in the community, DU AmeriCorps members receive a federal educational award. The award comes in the form of a voucher, and can be used for tuition or outstanding student loans. In addition, the award can be held in an account for up to seven years if a member wishes to use it at a later date. The dollar amount of the award depends on the length of service. Often times, it will not require any extra hours or commitment, just additional paperwork and tracking of hours. It will also connect you with other DU students engaged in their community. This scholarship amount is directly related to the number of hours you work in your position:

· 300 hours over 1 calendar year = $1000

· 450 hours over 1 calendar year = $ 1250

· 675 hours over 1 calendar year = $ 1800

· 900 hours over 2 calendar years = $2363

In addition, a portion of the interest accruing on your federally backed student loans will be paid while you are a member. Members are also eligible to apply for an additional $250 scholarship that can be applied toward professional development training opportunities and conferences.

I hope this gives you a good overview of the different types of employment services available for students on our campus.  We look forward to helping you throughout your time here as a student!

Joslyn Robich, Assistant Director of Student Employment

Where do I find outside scholarships?

In addition to federal, state and University of Denver  funding, there are scholarship awards sponsored by local and national corporations, civic organizations, credit unions and banks, religious organizations and other groups, which are designed to help students with their college costs. We list many private scholarship opportunities on our website:

http://www.du.edu/finaid/ugradprivateschol.htm 

Scholarship Application Tips:

1.    Follow directions

2.    Be concise and to the point

3.    Directly answer the prompt

4.    Present yourself well: give yourself credit for accomplishments and circumstances you have overcome

5.    Proof-read! Have someone else edit your essay.

6.    Be professional

You can also find awards on the Web through a variety of free online scholarship searches. The University of Denver recommends the following sites:

• FastWeb: Scholarships, Financial Aid and Colleges
  One of the first free online search services with a database of more than 400,000 scholarships.
• College Board Scholarship Search
  A database of scholarships, internships and other financial aid programs from 2,300 sources.
• FastAid! A SmartStudent Guide to Financial Aid
  A database of awards for undergraduate through postgraduate studies.

Lori Orzech, Scholarship Administrator

Congratulations to our admitted students

Congratulations to the students who just received their admission offers for Early Action! I hope this news made your holiday season. 

We are extremely proud of our admitted students- they come from many walks of life with much to offer our campus. Academically, this was our strongest admitted pool on record with an average GPA of 3.74, ACT of 28 and an SAT of 1231 (1600 scale).

I am equally as proud of our staff during this busy file reading season. Our counselors spend a great deal of time learning about their applicants and organizing notes to present to our staff. We don’t claim to make perfect decisions, but we strive to be fair and consistent for the students and our University. Our most recent debate concluded on a very high note with admission offers to a fantastic group of students who will no doubt make wonderful contributions to our campus next year.

For our admitted students, we encourage you to visit campus to learn more about DU. I also recommend that you apply for financial aid by submitting a FAFSA and CSS PROFILE. As you consider DU for next year, please don’t hesitate to contact me or any of our counselors if questions arise. 

If you are a senior and haven’t applied yet, the Regular Decision deadline is January 15^th. You have two options to choose from- the Common Application or our own application, the Pioneer Application (links to both are available on our site).

Best wishes to all for a productive and fulfilling 2010!

- Todd Rinehart, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Enrollment and Director of Admission