The Cornell Alumni Admissions Ambassador Network (CAAAN) CAAAN Overview: An Introduction for New Volunteers September 2012

Please direct questions and comments to your CAAAN chair. Using This Document It is intended for new CAAAN volunteers and those needing a refresher. It is available as .pps (PowerPoint slideshow) file containing clickable links. It can be used as a self-training file or used by chairs in broadcast mode. It can be edited by changing the file extension from .pps to .ppt. Please direct questions and comments to your CAAAN chair.

This Overview Covers… What is CAAAN? Roles of CAAAN volunteers CAAAN contact meetings Undergraduate admissions Financial aid

What Is CAAAN? CAAAN is the “Cornell Alumni Admissions Ambassador Network” 9,500 alumni volunteers worldwide #1 Cornell alumni activity! Organized into about 350 active committees Acts as an extension of the Undergraduate Admissions Office (UAO) to help with recruiting and yield efforts Ambassadors for Cornell first, but also a resource for students and parents 4

CAAAN Mission Assist Cornell Admissions community with freshman recruitment and enrollment Promote Cornell University by serving as ambassadors throughout the world Personalize the admissions process for freshman applicants Engage CU alumni with future alumni

CAAAN Volunteers Conduct informational contact meetings with applicants (not evaluative interviews) Typically contact 50-60% of the total applicant pool Submit informational contact reports that add depth/perspective to students’ applications Conduct admitted student receptions, entering student events Represent Cornell at college fairs Hold receptions for admitted applicants and sendoffs for entering freshmen

The CAAAN Structure CAAAN Coordinator and CAAAN Assistant (Kyle Downey) (Colleen Chaffee) CAAAN Advisory Committee (‘C’AC) 350 committees led by experienced CAAAN volunteers 9,500 alumni ambassadors worldwide *The CAAAN Coordinator and CAAAN Assistant are employees of Cornell; all other positions listed above are held by volunteers. 7

Your CAAAN Chair Is an experienced volunteer Assigns and tracks applicant referrals Is your first contact for questions and suggestions Areas vary, but the average chair receives 100 referrals per year 8

CAAAN and Cornell Clubs A CAAAN committee is often closely linked to a local Cornell Club CAAAN chairs are frequently club officers Cornell Clubs generously co-host and provide funding for many local CAAAN events each year

CAAAN Contact Meetings: Overview (1 of 3) Meetings are the core role of CAAAN volunteers Contact Meetings help personalize the admissions process for Cornell applicants Should be positive, informal, and informative meetings Not evaluative interviews to assess worthiness of candidates for admission Opportunities for applicants to learn more about the Cornell Experience and for Cornell to learn a bit more about its applicants, too

CAAAN Contact Meetings: Overview (2 of 3) Provide info about Cornell Answer applicant’s questions - research and follow-up after meeting, if necessary Put a positive face on Cornell - bring in your own relevant CU experiences Submit a report with info about the applicant Focus on info not in the application Reports are read by admissions

CAAAN Contact Meetings: Overview (3 of 3) CAAAN volunteers meet with freshman applicants to the following divisions: Fine Arts; Urban and Regional Studies majors in College of Architecture, Art, and Planning College of Agriculture and Life Sciences College of Arts and Sciences College of Engineering College of Human Ecology School of Industrial and Labor Relations The following programs require a formal interview instead Architecture major School of Hotel Administration

CAAAN Contact Meetings: Arranging the Meeting Your CAAAN chair emails you an applicant referral Contact the applicant ASAP by email* and/or phone to arrange the meeting (not on the spot) Identify yourself as a Cornell alumni admissions ambassador Explain the purpose of the meeting: informational, not evaluative Select a mutually convenient time and location Exchange cell phone numbers If applicant declines or doesn’t respond after two attempts, indicate so in the contact report Contact meetings are optional for applicants * Use your Cornell email address if possible

CAAAN Contact Meetings: The Applicant Referral Email Applicant Name: Ezra Cornell Applicant Number: 1234567 Mailing Address: 1 Cornell Place, Ithaca, NY 14853 Mailing Phone: 607/123-4567 Email address: ezrac@ithaca.org High School: Ithaca HS in Ithaca (CEEB: 123456) Gender: Male Ethnicity (Self-Reported): N/A College: A&LS Intended Major: Applied Economics and Mgmt Special Characteristics: Legacy

CAAAN Contact Meetings: Where to Meet Face-to-face meetings are strongly preferred, but alternate approaches exist Meet in a neutral, public place, e.g., coffee shop, library, local school Do NOT meet in your home Do NOT meet in the applicant’s home unless the applicant suggests that

CAAAN Contact Meetings: When to Hold Meetings Meet as soon as you can, typically within two weeks from referral File a narrative report online ASAP after the meeting Be aware of the CAAAN calendar Early decision reports usually due November 30 Regular decision reports usually due March 1

CAAAN Contacts – Alternate Approaches Sometimes geography or applicant volume makes a face-to-face meeting unrealistic. Consider: phone or video (e.g., Skype) contacts small group meetings a personal email introducing yourself and offering to answer any questions and/or share some information about your CU experience

CAAAN Contact Meetings: Conducting the Meeting (1 of 4) Arrive on time (or call on time if a phone meeting) Set the applicant at ease Remind the applicant that this is an informational meeting, not an interview Ask open-ended questions to promote conversation Share a favorite Cornell memory with the applicant Don’t take notes during the meeting, but do write up a few words soon after

CAAAN Contact Meetings: Conducting the Meeting (2 of 4) Ask the applicant… Open-ended questions, such as What’s important to you in a college? What questions do you have about Cornell? What would you like to know about my Cornell experience? Is there is anything that you did not share in your application that you would like to share now? Give the applicant ample time to think, respond, and expand

CAAAN Contact Meetings: Conducting the Meeting (3 of 4) Do NOT… Take notes during the meeting Ask about GPA, SATs, rank in class Compare Cornell with other universities Attempt to estimate the candidate’s chances of admission

CAAAN Contact Meetings: Conducting the Meeting (4 of 4) Cornell topics to discuss, based on the applicant’s interests… “Any person, any study” Diverse, talented student body 4,000 courses! Beauty of the campus Traditions and service/outreach World-renowned, accessible faculty Freshman experience Loyal alumni – Cornellian for life

The CAAAN Contact Report (1 of 2) Intended to add information and perspective to the application, not to recommend for or against admission File your report within a few days of your meeting and before the CAAAN deadline Include examples of what was discussed during your meeting Report facts and observations, not judgments or conclusions Admissions committees report that timely, well-written reports can aid in their decision-making process

The CAAAN Contact Report (2 of 2) File report online at CAAAN website Report unusual circumstances, e.g., time-consuming responsibilities at home Include any new information that the applicant asked you to share with the admissions committee Don’t report physical characteristics (height, weight, level of attractiveness) The length of the report is limited; don’t use space to repeat information that is already in the application

The CAAAN Website Primary site for CAAAN volunteers At caaan.admissions.cornell.edu Primary site for CAAAN volunteers CAAAN overview and training Contact report submission Loads of links to important resources Key links on Members page No login required Revised for 2012-13 Easier to navigate Updates to many of the training materials

The CAAAN Advisory Committee (‘C’AC) (1 of 2) Helps guide and manage CAAAN Assists in defining CAAAN strategy, processes and organization Trains and mentors Chairs Helps UAO troubleshoot areas with leadership gaps or other issues Trusted advisors to UAO on matters such as communication with alumni and students

The CAAAN Advisory Committee (‘C’AC) (2 of 2) Volunteers appointed by Coordinator of Volunteer Programs to actively assist in guiding/managing/training CAAAN Experienced CAAAN leaders and one or two current students/young alumni Averages about 18-20 members An intentionally diverse group Geography Culture Graduation Year Meets twice per year, plus conference calls as needed to work on projects

The CAAAN Calendar* October – February: contact meetings with applicants Reports on contact meetings due Early decision: late November Regular decision: early March Admissions decisions available Early decision: mid-December Regular decision: early April Rolling notification: early March (ILR and Hotel only) *Dates vary slightly each year

Undergraduate Admissions Cornell applicants… select early decision or regular decision submit both the Common Application and Cornell Supplement apply to one* of seven undergraduate colleges/schools Separate, optional application for financial aid *May also indicate an alternate college/school See Updates from Campus slideshow on CAAAN website and Undergraduate Admissions website for additional details 28

Financial Aid Goals: Make Cornell as affordable as possible for students who demonstrate financial need and be as competitive as possible in recruiting and enrolling undergraduate students Admission decisions are 100% need-blind All Financial Aid is need-based (no merit or athletic scholarships) Initiatives in place to increase access to Cornell and improve competitiveness of financial aid awards Online financial aid calculator See Financial Aid Update and other financial aid links on References page of CAAAN website 29

Freshman Life Strong Cornell focus on new student support and acclimation programs All freshmen housed together on North Campus, a living and learning community Variety of architectures and room styles Carol Tatkon Center – an academic and personal resource center Fitness centers and great food Short walk to central campus Wonderful satisfaction and retention – 97% of first-year students return for sophomore year 30

Thank You For Volunteering Your Time Through CAAAN! 31