Reject

I am currently serving as a part of screening committee for a graduate program. I am the last step in a long process. Students apply, their materials are reviewed, and a senior faculty member decides if the person should be interviewed or not. Once this is done, I get a packet with the application, letters of recommendation, resume, transcripts, and senior faculty comments. I pick up the phone and interview the applicant. Each interview takes about 30 minutes or so. I am neither overly sweet nor overly abrasive. I grill each person appropriately. Why are his or her grades such and such? What are his or her long-term goals? Why does he or she think she should be in this program? Etc. The goal is really to see if the person is cut out for graduate studies and to ensure his or her goals for the program are realistic. To say I have had some interesting calls would be an understatement.

The calls really are not what is on my mind though. You see, after each call I check one of two boxes: Accept or reject. Me! What makes me competent to make that decision? Why should I have that much of an impact on a person’s future? Am I really capable of reviewing a packet, engaging in a brief dialogue and making such a decision? Sometimes in life I find myself in positions that confuse me. For example, how did I get here? What did I do that makes me qualified to take on this task? It is not that it is difficult, but am I the correct person for the job?

Either way, it seems that I am the one in the position. I hope that I have the assessment skills to make the correct determinations. I hope that I am wise enough to make the correct decisions.