How to measure cache performance?

How do universities measure the performance of their admissions officers?

• The quality of their students is likely the central question, but how do they measure the quality of the students? Isn't that the very question the admissions officer is hired to answer? How specifically are their decisions assessed? If it's objective metrics like the mean GPA, SAT score, or number of valedictorians, then the admissions officers are incentivized to ignore the qualitative measures of students and could just be replaced by a computer algorithm. I'm sure it's not just objective measures, but it seems difficult to measure their work product holistically, which is why I asked the question because I'm genuinely curious how they address this issue. My guess is that they might have to wait and see the students a particular admissions officers accepted do in their first couple semesters (e.g. GPA and disciplinary wise) and ultimately how many graduate. I'd like to see if my guess is true or not, and what other considerations what be taken into account. If I were an admissions officer in my first year and were to get a review by my supervisor, on what criteria would they judge my job performance?

• Answer:

  As a former admissions director and dean, my work was measured on several different metrics.  I elaborate on these benchmarks in a webinar I delivered for http://Accepted.com entitled http://www.accepted.com/mba/realitycheckwebinar.aspx. While my performance was measured on objective criteria like number of recruits, applications, matriculants, yield, test scores, grade point average, feeder schools and for graduate programs feeder organizations, the art of admissions is in the more subtle nuances.  We build classes like artists build mosaics,  We try to make certain that each individual fits well with the culture of the school, graduate satisfied and successful students, push the innovation envelope by bringing in resourceful and creative leaders that add value to the class.  The faculty and students create the brand for the school.  They leave their legacy behind. They are the face of the school as alumni and emeriti long after I hand over my position to staff whose skills I have built up to take on the role of gatekeeper.  An algorithm would only offer only part of the story.  Personal achievement, connections and energy: the art behind the science, makes the school thrive.  While we did not have financial incentives, I was motivated to always surpass the the quality of the class I brought in each year. And it was on all of these qualities on which my deans measured my performance.