Admissions defends recruitment

Administrators from the Office of Admissions said Wednesday that they actively recruit Philadelphia high schoolers and publicize the Mayor's Scholarship, contrary to a complaint filed in court earlier this week. "We have never turned our back on the Philadelphia area," Admissions Dean Willis Stetson said. "We are committed to visibility in Philadelphia." The complaint also alleged the University "has systematically acted to reduce the number of students at the University from schools in Philadelphia." But Stetson said that his office is "heavily recruiting" Philadelphia high schoolers and will travel to over thirty high schools this year throughout the city. He added that the Admissions Office has a host of programs planned specifically to recruit minority students, including several college conferences with black and Latino organizations. Stetson also disagreed with PILCOP attorney Thomas Gilhool's statement that the University has recently been covering up the Mayor's Scholarship. The dean said that admissions officers explain the scholarship at all of their visits to Philadelphia high schools and an explanation of the scholarship is included in the application. "Also, we have sent an announcement of the Mayor's Scholarship this fall to all principals and high school guidance counselors in Philadelphia," Stetson said. "Plus we have sent the letter to all the students in our contact file -- that's over 1700." Stetson added that the Admissions Office already has received 30 early decision applications from Philadelphia high school seniors -- as opposed to 15 from last year.

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