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Contents © 2020 Golan Levin and Collaborators

Golan Levin and Collaborators

Projects

Admitulator

2009 | Golan Levin

Admitulator

The Admitulator is a custom tool for quantitatively evaluating university applicants according to a diverse array of weighted metrics. A pie chart is the core interface for ranking, sorting and evaluating applicants; it allows faculty with different admissions priorities to explore and negotiate different balances between applicant features (such as e.g. portfolio scores, standardized test scores, grade point averages, essay evaluations, etcetera).

Another important feature is a set of Bezier-based weighting functions (in squares at lower left), which provide non-linear weighting factors for each individual applications metric. Using these interface elements, the admissions team can ensure (for example) that a 400 on the SAT (a very low score) will "count for" less (or more) than 50% of an 800 (an excellent score).

Using the Admitulator, faculty who prioritize community service and recommendation letters can compare their rankings with those who feel that grades and test scores are a better predictor of success. The highly-quantitative Admitulator is insufficient for use as the sole tool for making admissions decisions, but it is helpful. Ideally, it is used in tandem with database systems that can retrieve and display the applicants' qualitative data: their essays, letters of reference, and portfolio slides.

The Admitulator was built in Processing for the Admissions Committee of the School of Art at Carnegie Mellon University.

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