1. Application due date is January 15.

2. Add a specific section to the department application where the applicants rank order the four focus areas, with the option of not ranking them all.

3. Faculty members from each area will examine the applicants from their area and rank order them. Criteria for ranking include: GRE scores, GPAs, letters of recommendation, statement of purpose, resume, and writing sample. Each faculty member makes their own determination of the relative importance of each criteria.

4. In their ranking of applicants, faculty also will indicate candidates who are strong, acceptable, or unacceptable candidates, and which ones they would be willing to advise.

5. The faculty will provide this information to the Graduate Admissions Committee within one week of the application deadline.

6. The Graduate Admissions Committee will use this information as input into their decisions.