From California institutions like In-N-Out and Peet’s Coffee to vegan fare, sushi, Argentinean steakhouses and healthy Mexican take-out, we’ve got recommendations for you from the Admissions staff of California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. Personally, we would head for the Pie ‘n Burger. What’s not to like at a place with that name! Check all the reviews here in the Gourmet Guide.
The role diversity plays in college admission is complex, sometimes divisive, and often not well understood by students and parents. It is receiving renewed attention in the wake of the Supreme Court’s agreement to hear a case challenging the University of Texas’ admission policy, which will effectively consider whether affirmative action should be eliminated.
Why do colleges value diversity? Is it a worthwhile goal? What are its implications – pro and con?
Today, we begin a new series bringing you stories of what diversity has meant to deans of admission, educators, public figures and others – their personal “aha” moments with the subject.
Jarrid Whitney, Executive Director of Admissions and Financial Aid at California Institute of Technology, begins this exploration, touching on a moment in his own undergraduate experience that addresses a side of this issue many students of color may experience as they progress through their college careers. We think his personal and poignant response will resonate with students and families of all races and on all sides of the issue of affirmative action. Here is his response:
Jarrid Whitney, Executive Director of Admissions and Financial Aid at California Institute of Technology, joins us this month to answer five questions about college admissions and the private research university more commonly known as Caltech.
Our primer on standardized testing for international students applying from India is up on the New York Times' blog India Ink. Thank you to Jacques Steinberg, education writer and author of The Gatekeepers: Inside the Admissions Process of a Premier College, who helms the New York Times' blog The Choice, for inviting us to explain the role testing plays in the admission decisions of American colleges and universities. And thank you to the experts who contributed to the feature: Jarrid Whitney, executive director of admissions and financial aid at the California Institute of Technology; Katharine Harrington, vice president for admissions and planning at the University of Southern California; Jenny Rickard, chief enrollment officer at Bryn Mawr College; Jim Montoya, vice president for higher education at the College Board; and Amin Gonzalez, associate director of admissions at Yale University and his colleagues Rebekah Westphal and Jean Lee.
