On Oct. 12, Professor Julie Posselt, of the University of Southern California and author of Inside Graduate Admissions: Merit, Diversity, and Faculty Gatekeeping, tailored two powerhouse talks: one to MIT graduate students, and the other to faculty and staff. She shared firsthand observations of graduate admission committees and interviews conducted with faculty from 10 top-ranked doctoral programs in the natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities.
The sessions provided a window into the decision makers’ point of view, highlighting how disciplinary norms shape the definition of merit; how professor’s good intentions around diversity often don’t translate into results; and she provided concrete strategies to improve the admissions review process and promote transparency and accountability. Read more