EARTH faculty travel the world to find their future students

Under the coordination of University’s Admissions Office, EARTH professors are getting ready to search for 110 young leaders around the globe who will make up the 2013 entering class. The active involvement of EARTH´s faculty, as well as alumni and staff, in selecting their future students, distinguishes the University´s admissions process as unique and highly personalized. They travel to some 27 countries to promote the University and then review the approximately 1200 applications received each year to select the most promising candidates. Later, they return to those countries to administer the entrance exam (SAT) and conduct individual and group interviews with each and every candidate. Their ratings of the interviews count as the most heavily-weighted factor in the final selection process.

“I am unaware of any Institution that has such a personalized admissions process and one in which faculty are so invested in the selection of their future students,” reflects Professor Junior Acosta, Admissions Director for EARTH University.

Luan Dionnes Kaiber (’13, Brazil) is from São Miguel do Guaporé in the state of Rondônia, Brazil. He had to travel eight hours to get to Cuiabá in the state of Mato Grosso to complete the exam and both interviews, which Professor Carlos Demerutis (Mexico) conducted.

Despite the length of the eight-hour journey, Luan comments that it is “a unique process, completely different from any other institution. We have to remember that Brazil is a big country. For us, traveling eight hours is not much, so for me the fact that a professor made the long journey to get there was great.”

An EARTH professor´s visit to Haiti also impressed Mitchel Monnin (’12, Haiti), “It is a big step to see a professor come all the way from Costa Rica. You really value his presence and the money and time invested to make the visit.”

Professor Jane C. Yeomans from the Research Unit with student Maria del Carmen Cevallos

The interviews allow the professors to get to know qualities of every student that can’t be measured in an exam. During both interviews, they assess communication skills by evaluating the way students share knowledge and ideas; maturity, through the structure of their answers and their analytical ability; and proactivity, through the applicants´ participation in dynamic activities. Professors also assess applicants´ values, entrepreneurial mentality, adaptability (how easily could they adjust to life at EARTH) and their plans after graduating (with the strong expectation that the applicants want to go back their home countries).

For Professor Johan Perret (France) three important factors make EARTH admissions program different: First, every student at EARTH has a significant subsidy. That is why, this subsidy can’t be “wasted” in a person who won’t complete their studies or who has no desire of returning home. It´s important to choose students who will take advantage of this opportunity.

Second, Perret points out professors´commitment to the process from the beginning. He comments: “We choose our students, we can dream along with them, this also makes us more careful when selecting them, because this will eventually affect the class”.

A professor will never want mediocre or undisciplined students, and through their involvement in the admissions process they take responsiblity for selecting those who attend their classes.

Finally, Perret explains how when professors visit their students´ countries of origin, they get to know the reality in which the students live. The experience influences the interaction and content of the courses.

“For example, I am a soils professor, and if I know the countries where my students come from, I can contribute more to their knowledge. We must remember that the mission of EARTH is that they return to their countries, they are going to end up working in those soils, so those are the soils they must know,” explains Perret.

The University invests a large amount of money, time and effort in the admissions process in order to select students who share EARTH’s commitment to building a more prosperous and just future.

“The admissions process allows us to get enthusiastic about our future students. It also makes us more personalized professors because we get to know our students before they are students, and for me that’s much more personal.” concludes Professor Perret.

Click here for more information about the admissions process or to apply.