Admissions accepts Universal College App
November 3Due to technical issues with the Common Application (Common App), the Office of Undergraduate Admissions this year decided to extend its Early Decision I deadline and accept the Universal College Application (UCA) in addition to the Common App.The university made these changes in order to help high schools and applicants struggling with the Common App, which previously served as the universitys sole medium for application, according to Dean of Undergraduate Admissions Lee Coffin. This years Early Decision I (ED1) deadline, originally scheduled for Nov. 1, has been extended a week to Nov. 8, Coffin said. The deadline for Early Decision II and Regular Decision will remain on Jan. 1.Coffin noted that although the extended ED1 deadline will put pressure on the admissions office, he hopes it will help alleviate tension among applicants.The Common Apps glitches began this past summer, when a new version of the application, known as CA4, was launched on Aug. 1. Coffin said that this update immediately posed issues for Admissions. We werent able to import and upload the applications, which is a significant problem, he said. We are now able to do that, but it took from August to about three weeks ago for the tech team at Tufts to be able to reprogram [the Common App].Coffin noted that Tufts was not alone in its problems with the Common App, as almost all of the colleges using the application experienced similar issues. Even with Tufts reprogramming efforts, however, high schools and applicants have continued to contact Admissions regarding difficulties with the Common App. What we are hearing now, with lots of phone-calls and emails, is that the high schools are having a hard time uploading the transcripts, guidance counselor letters and teacher recommendations, and the students are having difficult times with logging on to the Common App, saving their work [and] submitting their application fees, Coffin said. According to Moira McKinnon, director of College Counseling at Berwick Academy, a private high school in South Berwick, Maine, the Common Apps slow loading times have created anxiety among many students.The link between Naviance [an online college and career planning tool] and the [Common App], which allows teachers and counselors to send recommendations and transcripts, slowed to the speed of a slug, McKinnon told the Daily in an email. Wait times to upload a one-page PDF were 12 hours or more, and then ... it stopped altogether. This obviously was a major problem for anyone trying to meet a Nov. 1 deadline. Coffin explained that after Princeton announced in early October its decision to accept the UCA as well as the Common App, Tufts began to consider the option as well.Best case scenario, the Common App is working, and we have a second way for students to apply, he said. Worst case scenario, the Common App remains flawed, and we can point to a second place and say: Same application, different vendors. The decision to also accept the UCA was relatively easy to make, Coffin said, as the format of the UCA does not differ at all from that of the Common App. The UCA was founded about five years ago, when former Common App programmers created their own alternative college application. Competition between the UCA and the Common App, however, reduced the new applications impact. Before this years issues with the Common App, Harvard University was one of the few colleges that offered applicants the option of using the UCA, according to Coffin. Historically, not many places have signed up [to the UCA] because the Common App was fine, it was working and there was really no need for a second one, he said.Admissions is still considering the possibility of using a Tufts-specific application, Coffin said. Prior to the Common Apps launch in the 1970s, every college, including Tufts, utilized its own application. This practice died down when the Common App became successful, leaving Georgetown as the last major school to use its own application. In light of the Common Apps recent failures, however, there may be reason to revive the old Tufts application, he said.Has technology advanced to the point where college-specific applications are not as onerous as they were [before the Web]? he said. I dont know. I think thats a big question. On the other hand, Coffin emphasized that shifting back to school-specific applications would also likely shrink the size of the application pools, which have grown dramatically since the 1980s due to the ease of applying to multiple schools though the Common App. 12
![The Jumbos have held a lead in all four of their games. They have scored first three times. They are 0-4.Tufts' opponents have made the plays that count. Saturday's homecoming contest against Trinity, the top-ranked team in New England, was a case in point: The Bantams, after a sluggish start, made one big play after the next until the game spiraled out of control.First, Tufts forced a three-and-out and drove 99 yards to take a 7-0 lead. But Trinity scored the next 43 points to win 43-7, a turnaround reminiscent of Wesleyan's 52-point barrage in the season opener.After the Jumbos pulled ahead, Trinity sophomore Ian Dugger returned the ensuing kickoff 99 yards to tie the game. Then came another special teams lapse, as the Bantams recovered their own kickoff at Tufts' 30-yard-line.On its next possession, Trinity drove 55 yards to make it 14-7. Tufts responded by moving the ball to the goal line, but Trinity denied diving freshman Chance Brady on 4th-and-1. It was a golden chance to tie the game. The Jumbos would not get another. Junior Jack Doll attempted a screen pass on the next drive; senior defensive lineman Michael Weatherby tipped it, caught it and rumbled 30 yards to the end zone. Trinity led 21-7.After 19 minutes of play, the Bantams had scored a special teams touchdown, an offensive touchdown and a defensive touchdown. Freshman Ben Rosenblatt followed with two short field goals, the latter coming late in the half after the second of Doll's three picks, and Trinity entered the locker room leading 27-7.The Jumbos had more total yards of offense than the Bantams at halftime, including 106 yards rushing and a touchdown from junior Zack Trause. But the scoreboard indicated a blowout.We felt like we were the better team in the first half, but we made some mistakes," Trause said. "We all knew that if we just played our brand of football, we could have closed the gap. But we didn't come out as strong in the second half, and the score showed."In the third quarter, Trinity returned Doll's third interception for a touchdown, effectively putting the game out of reach."You can't expect to win games that way," head coach Jay Civetti said. "When [you make two mistakes] on special teams and you throw three interceptions, two of them for touchdowns - regardless of how well the defense played, it doesn't matter at that point."For a team that has now lost 27 straight, turnovers and missed opportunities told the story. Civetti said he expects better."We're evaluating everybody's job on this team right now," he said. "We've got to find guys who are in positions to help us be successful." With Tufts trailing 34-7, freshman Liam O'Neil replaced Doll for the final five possessions and completed four of eight attempts. According to Civetti, Doll knew coming in that if he did not protect the ball, he would not stay on the field. "I told him, 'You're starting the game, but if I feel like you're putting things in a place where you're not doing your job, I'm going to find somebody who will do what we're asking of them,'" Civetti said. "There's a handful of positions where I could say that," he added.The typically pass-heavy Jumbos took to the ground Saturday, racking up 251 yards rushing, including career highs of 114 from Trause and 78 from senior Jon Sobo. They finished with 69 yards passing. The 99-yard drive to open the game was masterful](https://snworksceo.imgix.net/ttd/6cf2433b-02b7-407d-8fb2-835a356caca2.sized-1000x1000.?w=1500&ar=4%3A3&fit=crop&crop=faces&facepad=3&auto=format)
![They arrived at Fenway Park with 15 games left and a greater than 15 percent chance of making the playoffs, according to Baseball Prospectus. They left Boston on Sunday with just over a four percent shot at the postseason, 2 and 1/2 games back with a dozen remaining and the Royals, Orioles, Indians and Rangers in their way. It's not quite over yet, and if any two teams know miracles do happen, they're the Red Sox and Yankees (see: 2004 ALCS). Still, the strange prospect of Alex Rodriguez parading through the Canyon of Heroes this October will probably be left to play out only in our minds. That's because the Sox outscored the Yankees 22-7 this past weekend, because they snagged six of seven games from New York in September and because they won 13 of 19 matchups this season."They've basically whipped our [butts]," A-Rod told reporters after Sunday's game, which he left in the fifth inning with calf tightness. The 2013 baseball season will go down as the one in which Rodriguez - and Ryan Braun and 11 others - were suspended for their roles in the Biogenesis case. But on the field, it may go down as the year the Yankees finally got too old and the balance of power shifted in the American League. You could see it coming. The Rays averaged almost 92 wins from 2008 to 2012 and will likely claim the top Wild Card spot this year. The Orioles made the playoffs in 2012 and have a young, talented offensive core led by a trio of 27-year-olds in Chris Davis, Adam Jones and Matt Wieters and a 20-year-old superstar in Manny Machado. That's not to mention the AL Central, where the Indians are battling for the second Wild Card while the Royals, with an entire lineup of players on the right side of 30, are anticipating their first winning season in 10 years. What you couldn't see coming was the Red Sox' stellar year. Boston made a slew of offseason moves, none of which made serious waves. Now, general manager Ben Cherington looks like a genius. His four offensive acquisitions currently in the starting lineup - Mike Napoli, Stephen Drew, Jonny Gomes and Shane Victorino - have seen their collective on-base plus slugging percentages increase by a total of 140 points over last year. Drew is having his best season since 2010, while Victorino boasts an OPS over .800 and the best ultimate zone rating among regular right fielders, according to FanGraphs. On the mound, Jon Lester has been solid and improving as of late, Felix Doubront has been serviceable and Clay Buchholz has been flat-out remarkable, returning from a neck injury last week and not allowing an earned run in his last two outings while improving to 11-0 on the season. And then there is John Lackey - he of the seemingly bloated five-year, $82.5 million contract - who returned from Tommy John surgery and has been the most consistent pitcher on the staff.Whether or not the Red Sox' 2013 season is a fluke, their performance against the Yankees - they had 13 wins, more than any team against the Yankees since the 1976 Orioles - is a bad sign for fans in the Bronx. The Yankees are an aging team with not much talent on the way in the minor leagues. They are also hamstrung by long-term contracts, namely Rodriguez's,which lasts through 2017. And they may struggle to hold on to some of their top players in the offseason. Most notably, Robinson Cano is a free agent after this season and is not likely to accept a hometown discount, even while being a client of Yankees fan Jay-Z's agency. Additionally, Lyle Overbay, Travis Hafner, Curtis Granderson, Kevin Youkilis and Andy Pettitte all have expiring contracts, while A-Rod will presumably be serving a suspension and Derek Jeter may not have much left in the tank for 2014.The Yankees find themselves in a precarious position. If they choose to re-sign Cano, he may not have much support around him. If they don't, they may go the Red Sox' route of gambling on a handful of cheaper options. After making the playoffs in 17 of the last 18 years and winning the division 13 times in that span, the Yankees are no longer the toast of the American League. Young teams with savvy spending habits have become postseason contenders. If the Yankees don't play their cards right, it could be a while before they reclaim their throne.](https://snworksceo.imgix.net/ttd/5bd2fffc-f542-4c26-9938-fc656872668e.sized-1000x1000.?w=1500&ar=4%3A3&fit=crop&crop=faces&facepad=3&auto=format)
![Simulcast in 94 different countries and in more than 1,500 theaters to millions of viewers around the world, the BBC's "Doctor Who" 50th Anniversary special, "The Day of the Doctor," was an absolutely spectacular treat for the show's dedicated fans. This record-breaking special has certainly earned its place as one of the greatest science fiction episodes of all time.For viewers, cast and crew alike, there was much anticipation and preparation for the special. While many fans - often known as Whovians - were thrilled about the return of the Tenth Doctor (David Tennant) and his former companion (Billie Piper), the writers were confronted with a difficult task. Not only were they expected to pay homage to a long line of Doctors, but they also faced the challenge of making the episode stand out on its own merit. Luckily, they have succeeded: Showrunner Steven Moffat has outdone himself, achieving a perfect balance between the two.While some of the episodes in season seven were criticized for being repetitive and anti-climactic, Moffat has redeemed himself with the anniversary special. He brings viewers an episode full of excitement, humor and, not surprisingly, fezzes - the Eleventh Doctor's signature hat.Two storylines run throughout the episode and later intersect. The minor arc involves the Eleventh Doctor (Matt Smith) and his companion Clara (Jenna Coleman) investigating the disappearance of figures from paintings hidden in the National Gallery. Meanwhile, the Time War - the conflict between the Doctors' own race of the Time Lords and their enemies the Daleks - rages on. In this storyline, the War Doctor (John Hurt) is about to eliminate his home planet, Gallifrey, and the Time Lords, by detonating a weapon of mass destruction in order to end the war.In a rather unusual plot twist, the weapon develops a conscience and allows him to step into the future to see what would result if he sacrifices Gallifrey. Unlike typical sentient machines in science fiction, this weapon - called the Moment - is interested in saving a planet, not destroying it.Because of the Moment's actions, the Eleventh and the War Doctors jump through time fissures. They end up in the Tenth Doctor's timeline, where hilarity ensues.The interaction among the three Doctors is unlike any in past multi-Doctor specials. Hurt, Tennant and Smith have undeniable chemistry as they bicker amongst one another. While Doctors Ten and Eleven pass petty judgments back and forth, the War Doctor seems in a constant state of skepticism toward his future selves. Still, it is touching to see them work together and recognize the mutual respect they eventually develop.Hurt's Doctor is arguably the most complex regeneration in the show's history. As the Eleventh Doctor rightly says, "[He was] the Doctor on the day it wasn't possible to get it right." Hurt's interpretation of this tragic role is spot on. He is torn apart by the choice he has to make, even denying himself the title of a Doctor. The anguish he feels as he mulls over his decision is palpable and affecting.One of the most powerful scenes in the episode occurs when the War Doctor mentions the Time War to the Tenth and Eleventh Doctors, creating tension between Ten - "the man who regrets" - and Eleven - "the man who forgets" - that gives the term "inner conflict" a whole new meaning. It shows both the audience and the War Doctor the lasting impact of the destruction of Gallifrey.The extermination of the Time Lords was a pivotal point in "Doctor Who" history. It turned the Ninth Doctor (Christopher Eccleston) into a bitter, battle worn character. It filled the Tenth with regret. It drove the Eleventh to forget an entire portion of his life. These emotions fueled the Doctor during those lives and motivated him even further to help anyone in need.Unfortunately, the episode's conclusion seems too happy to be realistic and thereby reduces the dimensionality of the Doctor as a character. Nevertheless, Moffat deserves commendation for honoring the classic "Doctor Who" series and breaking new ground.Although the Doctors featured in the special are from the reboot and a new, forgotten Doctor is introduced, the episode also pays tribute to the old Doctors. Perhaps the most exciting was the cameo by fan favorite Tom Baker, who played the Fourth Doctor from 1974 until 1981. The final scene of the special, with all 12 Doctors standing side by side, brings on a whirlwind of emotions. Seeing everyone involved in its multi-decade run together in one scene only further demonstrates the lasting legacy of the series.](https://snworksceo.imgix.net/ttd/0dad2908-6801-4af7-8276-8dfed8b7ae62.sized-1000x1000.?w=1500&ar=4%3A3&fit=crop&crop=faces&facepad=3&auto=format)
