0 0 0 0 0 IM Wenedy erur 9. 01 /.h Saemn Wednesday,Fn 3B news in review Five of the most talked-about stories of the week, ranked in ascending order of actual importance N N fUk ~ i~tt t, l 'vU h 1F/ ath_,fftn. Remember senior year of high school when you got more mail than ever before in your life? One day's mail would contain at least one postcard from the armed forces and several letters from colleges - many you didn't even know existed. Hundreds of thousands of students apply to the University of Michigan every year. Of those, only a fraction gain acceptance and end up matriculating atthe Ann Arbor campus. But how do those students decide they want to bleed maize and blue? How does the University sell itself to bright high school seniors? Attracting true Wolverines When most people think of advertising, they think of mass mailers, widespread e-mails or nationwide television ads. While the University sends recruitment materials to hun- dreds of thousands of students, according to a former admis- sions officer, they're not sending those materials out to just anyone. Brie Jeweler-Bentz is an education consultant at the School Counseling Group in Washington, D.C. Considering that her job title isn't exactly self-explanatory, she says you can think of her as a "private guidance counselor." Jeweler-Bentz is hired by families with children entering their junior year of high school who need extra help with their college search. She helps her clients throughout the applica- tion process, from choosing where to apply to editing their application essays. Jeweler-Bentz, the self-described "college matchmaker," said not everyone is a perfect fit for the University of Michi- gan. When matching students to the University, Jeweler-Bentz noted that in order for students to stand out among the thou- sands of applicants, they have to make an effort. "It's not a school for an introvert," Jeweler-Bentz said. "You need to be an initiator." Jeweler-Bentz added that though the University does tend to have large classes and an exceptionally large student popu- lation - this year 6,900 freshman are enrolled - it is possible to have relationships with professors. You just have to try. "It's one of those big schools that feels smaller to me," Jew- eler-Bentz said, reflecting on her time as an undergraduate student here. In an e-mail interview, Erica Sanders, director of recruit- ment and operations in the Office of Undergraduate Admis- sions at the University of Michigan, wrote that prospective students should embody the characteristics of well-rounded individuals. "Students most interested in the University of Michigan recognize the importance of academic excellence, commit- ment to service learning and community engagement, interest in the creative arts and school spirit," Sanders wrote. Jake Timmis - a senior at Groves High School in Beverly Hills, Mich. and an applicant this year - said he thinks most high school students see Wolverines as students of high aca- demic caliber. "It's a really respectable school," Timmis said. "Anyone that goes to Michigan is thought to be a smart kid." Students want Michigan ... does Michigan want them? If the reputation of a Michigan student is so prestigious, does this world-class university - one that is sometimes referred to as the "Harvard of the West" - really need to advertise to attract students? Timmis said he thinks advertising is unnecessary and that student recruitment played no role in his decision to apply to the University. He added that he's never been to a college fair, nor has he attended an official campus visit. Considering the already overwhelming demand for the Uni- versity and increase in applicants after the University switched to the Common Application last fall, Timmis said he doesn't believe there's a need for the University to reach out and recruit students. However, Jeweler-Bentz said the University does desire stu- dents, just as students desire the University. "Michigan wants to attract high-quality students," Jeweler- Bentz said. Jeweler-Bentz said the University tries to target specific groups of students - citing high school visits as an example. "Michigan knows that they're competing with the top schools in the country for these amazing applicants," Jeweler-Bentz said. "Theyneed to make areally good first impression and try to connect and have that personal relationship." Admissions officers at the University conduct outreach and recruitment in-state as well as out-of-state. They do this mainly through school visits and other types of marketing. According to Sanders, University admissions officers desire students who contribute to a "unique campus culture." "Sharing the experiences of current students regarding their U-M experience is the best way to help prospective students understand the Michigan campus community culture," Sanders wrote. Sanders added that the University uses multiple mediums - including e-mails, mailings, phone calls and alumni recruitment - to reach out to prospective students who match that culture. The out-of-state Michigan student Being an in-state student, Timmis was aware of the Univer- sity before he applied. But out-of-state students have to do alittle more research to learn aboutthe AnnArbor campus. Julie Weltman, a senior at Plano Senior High School in Plano, Texas, said she wouldn't have known much about the Univer- sity if she didn't have relatives in Michigan. Admissions offi- cers didn't visit her school, and she never attended a college fair where University officials were present. "I already know about Michigan because I have a lot of family up there," Weltman said. "If I didn't, then I would really have no idea and probably wouldn't have applied." Some Michigan residents argue that the University - being a public university in the state of Michigan - should feel an obliga- tion to admit more in-state students over students who apply from Lindsay Lohan was charged for grand theft on Tuesday after steal- ing a necklace valued at $2,500 from a jewelry store last month. The actress is already on probation for a drunk driving charge. °1 T T 11.T ITTT Immigration raids over the past few weeks at Chipotle Grill Inc. in Minnesota resulted in the depor- tation of hundreds of employees. The Mexican restaurant has 1,100 locations in the U.S and employs about 25,000 people. Keith Olbermann, former host of MSNBC talk show "Count- down with Keith Olbermann," announced Tuesday he will be fea- tured on Current TV. The network said it hopes his presence will attract more viewers. A 10-month NASA survey con- cluded on Tuesday that Toyota's acceleration gliches were not due to a mechanical error. The study found that the problems were a result of an electronic malfunction. AOL merged with The Huffington Post on Monday in a $315 million deal. The merger is the biggest event in AOL's history since the company's seperation with Time Warner in 2007. 121 131 i 4 _----_-__ -_ --_ --_-_IT_--_-__-_--------- L I I I ( I i l l l l l l l l l quotes of the week "So he understands ... its dangers andI think has done a lot of extraordinary work to wrestle with that habit, as millions of Americans have." PRESS SECRETARY ROBERT GIBBS, discussing that President Barack Obama officially quit smoking. "I can only hope that everyone could feel my love for this country and that the true spirit of its anthem still came through." POP STAR CHRISTINA AGUILERA, apologizing for her loss of memory during her rendition of the National Anthem on Super Bowl Sunday. the rules from the archives Rabbits, tarantulas andfish, oh my! No. 313: Your first study abroad photo album on Facebook was interesting. Not your tenth. No. 314: Pedestrians hate drivers. Drivers hate pedestrians. We all hate cyclists. No. 315: Forget the romantic date. The best valentines come from your parents anyway. coURTESY OF ABC Confiscating pets from dormitory residents was never explicitly stated in their job description. The South Quad Residence Hall in 1982 had to deal with exactly that. As described in The Michigan Daily article, "Sorry, Rover must stay home," (10/24/1982) RAs had problems with students bringing ani- mals to live in their close quarters - advisors actually confiscated a rabbit and a tarantula during the academic school year. Excessive attention and whispers gave away the secret pals. One resident successfully got away with a 20-gallon aquarium with two tropical fish. One of the fish, an 8-inch Oscar, actually ate live goldfish. The anonymous resident cleverly placed the aquarium in a strategic way as to avoid prying stares from passerby. Those who want to have a companion - either in their dorm or off- campus housing - will have little to no luck, as most off-campus landlords forbid critters. Sorry Rover, you're just not allowed. by the numbers COURTESY OF THE WASHINGTON POST The millions of views The Huffington h The millions of views worldwide the Percent decrease in AOL revenue during Post has each month. AOL-Huffington Post merger is expected the fourth quarter. The revenue dropped to attract. to $516 million.