Graduate Admissions Project (GAP) Departmental Info Session

1. Graduate Admissions Project (GAP)Departmental Info Session March 2011

2. Background • McGill receives approximately 14,000 applications to Graduate programs each year. • A manual, paper-based process. • One of the top reasons (besides funding) that applicants gave for not accepting McGill’s offer of admission was because of the amount of time it took to receive the offer. • Many applicants had received and accepted offers from other institutions by the time they receive notification of their acceptance to McGill.

3. Goals of the project • To assess the current application and evaluation process for Graduate Admissions, focusing on: • the student experience • availability of technologies. • improving the information available to the decision makers As a result of our analysis recommend and implement process changes in accordance with “best practices”. • To move the current “paper-based” Graduate Admissions Process to a model where information is collected and stored electronically, allowing access from various points in the process workflow.

4. Analysis Phase

5. Benchmarking • Telephone interviews were done with McGill’s peer institutions in Canada and the US. • Questions during the interview centered around the overall graduate admissions process and a paperless process. • Those deemed highly efficient or with similar technology were selected for site visits.

6. Benchmarking Site Visits Visits were made to the following institutions: Concordia University University of Waterloo University of Western Ontario Arizona State University

7. Departmental Meetings • Information Sessions (Large Groups) • 7 were scheduled covering all graduate departments • Took place between November 2009 and March 2010 • GPCs and GPDs were invited • Information was given regarding the background and goals of the project • Individual Department Meetings • Met with all 86 graduate departments • Meetings took place during the same time period as the Information Sessions. • Purpose of the meetings was to gather information about the admissions process of each department

8. Student Focus Groups • Three focus groups were held. • Groups were made up of a mixture of recently admitted graduate students (Masters, PhD, International, Domestic). • Students were asked their opinion of the current graduate admissions process.

9. Quotes from Focus Groups “If the decision to attend McGill was made just on the admissions process, I wouldn’t be here today!” “At U of Michigan where I applied, there was no comparison; everything was online, in PDF format you can build your admissions portfolio/ change and edit things right up until you pay. References are online you just put in contact information. “It would be nice to have the security to know that all your documents have been received by the deadline.”

10. Results of Data Gathering • Benchmarking other universities: • More sophisticated, dynamic, visually appealing and technologically advanced. • Graduate departments: • Current application is irrelevant; many don’t use the application as a source of information, many ask applicants to fill out additional forms • Many bottlenecks that slow the process down were identified in the current process. • Student Focus Groups: • Graduate applicants find application process confusing. • Clearer guidelines and more transparency would be appreciated by applicant. • Improved communication and customer service were also important factors to improving the student experience.

11. Admissions Process

12. Current Admissions Process Student admitted; GRF and Banner updated; Admissions letter and package sent Student is refused Applicant fills out online application on Minerva Applicant sends supporting documents to department Applicant Recommend? Department reviews applicants No Yes Department Paper applicant file sent by department to GPS Graduate Recommendation Form (GRF) completed by department on Banner No File given to GPS Admission Committee for final decision File reviewed for completeness by Admissions Officer File Complete? Justification Provided? File approved by Admissions Committee? Yes GPS Yes Yes No File reviewed by Admissions Officer for admissions requirements Meets requirements? Yes

13. Process Solution • Split the responsibility for the final admissions decision between the departments and GPS • Maintain GPS oversight for certain types of files that were identified during the analysis and consultation • Give departments responsibility to process final decisions for certain types of files • Introduce an in-system spot checking function to ensure quality control standards are being met within the departments

14. Breakdown of Departmentally Responsible Files The departmental portion is made up entirely of Canadian* applicants recommended for a Masters program with a CGPA > 3.0 43% * Canadian applicant defined as an applicant who has completed all of their university level degrees at a Canadian university • Based on figures from the Fall 2010 admissions cycle

15. This portion represents recommended PhD applicants Breakdown of GPS Responsible Files 24% This portion represents applicants recommended for Ad Hoc Masters programs and masters programs where the CGPA < 3.0 This portion represents applicants recommended for a Qualifying Program 4% 3% 26% This portion represents recommended international applicants

16. File Responsibility Split • Based on figures from the Fall 2010 admissions cycle With the new model the departments would have the autonomy to make final decisions for 43% of the applicants who are admitted.

17. New Admissions Process (Finalized) Applicant Completes Application Uploads Supporting Documents File Complete Refusal Letter Received Offer Letter Received Calculates GPA Evaluates Applicants No Recommend? Department Yes GPA > 3.0? Domestic Applicant Masters Applicant Yes Yes Yes Random spot checks of applicants admitted by departments No No English Req. Met Provide Justification No No Yes GPS Evaluation GPS Accept? Accepted? Academic Review of Applicant Refusal Sent No No Yes Yes

18. Solution

19. Deliverable • A dynamic online application platform • Departmental Self-service • Program specific questions • Program specific reference letters • Faculty/Department specific application deadlines • The collection and storage of electronic supporting documentation • Electronic letters of reference • Paperless environment • Electronic evaluation and decision making • The ability to move applicant files via workflow • Better and more transparent information provided to student about their application status

20. Publicly Accessible Systems

21. Administrative Systems

22. GPA Calculator • New web based tool that will replace the current Excel spread sheet. • Will automatically calculate the GPA to McGill standard. Users will still need to enter grading information from the transcripts. • Initial version will be available in September 2011 as the first deliverable of GAP

23. Benefits to Departments • More control over online application settings (deadlines and questions) • Faster applicant file completion time • Electronic documents uploaded directly from the applicant • No mail to open and sort • No paper to file and manage • Electronic file review • Files can be viewed by multiple staff members at the same time • Files can be viewed from anywhere • Collaboration between Departments and GPS quicker and easier • The new admissions process gives more responsibility to departments to admit graduate students without GPS intervention

24. Organizational Development/ Implementation of the Change Initiative • Development of structure to support initiative (Post Project) • Training of users • Development of training materials GO LIVE Sept 2012 Drupal Jan 2011 Feb 2011 Mar 2011 Apr 2011 May 2011 June 2011 July 2011 Aug 2011 Sept 2011 Oct 2011 Nov 2011 Dec 2011 Jan 2012 Feb 2012 Mar 2012 Apr 2012 May 2012 June, July, Aug Summer 2012 Sept 2012 Integrations Training Change Management

25. Questions?