Davidson Tour - Part II

Downtown Charlotte, outside the art museum!

I'm back in NYC now, but wanted to add some additional comments about the rest of my time in Davidson, North Carolina. As you read in my first post, a key theme at Davidson is trust. But that word goes beyond their honor code, it also relates to the Davidson Trust, a pledge made by the school to have need-blind admissions (even for the Waitlist) and meet 100% of demonstrated need for every student. That translates into a no loan policy (unless a family feels the need to take a loan to cover the estimated family contribution) and a major commitment to making Davidson affordable for every student that is deemed eligible to be admitted. In the realm of financial aid, Davidson is also part of a small group of highly selective schools that do still award merit scholarships to about 10% of the class.

(Intrigued by the idea of schools that have no loan policies? Read more about that here)

In addition to learning more about Financial Aid, we had the opportunity to hear from a panel of students, attend a class, and have a candid conversation about the admission process. Here are the main take aways:

--- Something is working because the students we heard from (both on the panel and throughout our time there) were off the charts impressive.

--- The file reading process is deeply methodical - with counselors having a shockingly small reading load (compared to the 1800 files I used to read per year when I worked in College Admission . . . ). What does that mean? It means that they take care to pick the students they think will truly be a good fit for Davidson.

--- They really want to hear from students when there are questions or issues with the application. Parents, I know we talk about letting the student be in the driver's seat, here is an example straight from the Dean of Admission of them saying they do not want to hear from you. The applicant is the one going to college, the applicant can pick up the phone and call with questions. Don't kill the messenger.

--- Davidson is a school where ED does fill a significant portion of their freshman class. You can read more about my thoughts on ED here, but before you get nervous or upset if you don't like the sound of their stats -- think about it for a minute. This is a small liberal arts school with the highest alumni giving rate in the country. Having an applicant say they will come if they are admitted is a meaningful declaration and, for a place with such a serious honor code, it isn't the right place for everyone. One can't be surprised if a lot of the applicants they end up admitting feel it is the best school in the country for them.

Long story short - if you are thinking about small liberal arts colleges, care deeply about academic integrity, and are willing to leave the Northeast, Davidson should be on your list of places to research and visit.

Davidson Tour

As we exited a building on the tour we stumbled upon these students conducting some type of experiment. Science in action!

Back in the days before New York City had superstorms, I got a phone call from Davidson College inviting me on a counselor college tour to see the school during my February break. I said to myself, "Great! I don't even have to miss school in order to go!" Famous last words . . . .

I arrived in Charlotte today and will be here for the next 48 hours getting an in depth look at Davidson College, a small liberal arts college about 25 minutes from Charlotte. Today we had the chance to take a campus tour, attend a faculty panel, and have dinner with the opportunity to hear remarks from the President of the college and a member of the faculty.

A few things stand out to me as I reflect back on the day. With about 2,000 students (about four times the size of ElRo) Davidson is the kind of school that one should only explore if you want to be an active learner in the classroom. If you don't know what I mean, let me put it this way: the largest classes at Davidson are capped at 35 students. I repeat, the LARGEST classes at Davidson are capped at 35. As in only one more student per class than the current ElRo class size limit. No huge weed-out lab science lectures. No darkened auditoriums with 500 seats. 35 students. Attendance at class matters. Participation in class matters. If you want to be a passive sponge with the chance to repeat back facts from powerpoint on a multiple choice mid-term, this is not your school. However, if you like the idea of stopping by your professor's living room ever other week or getting back the first assignment of the term without the instructor needing you to tell him your name (because he's memorized the faces from the school ID cards that appear on his roster), keep reading.

Honor Code signatures

 I feel that a key aspect to Davidson's identity is its Honor Code. The Honor Code isn't some archaic list of rules that students believe in in spirit but forget to use in practice - it is a living and breathing spirit on campus that students pledge not to cheat, lie, or steal from one another. Tests are often scheduled by the students and given without supervision. Bikes are all over campus but I didn't see a single one with a bike lock. Trust is paramount. I was impressed to see the halls of a main campus building lined with row after row of 8.5 x 11 sheets of paper, each one filled with signatures of each enrolled student, a visual reminder of the pledge each student takes when they arrive on campus.

Professor Alexander

Tonight at dinner, we heard from President Carol Quillen who is, herself, a relatively recent addition to Davidson's campus. I get the sense that the faculty, staff, and students are eager to see how her vision can come to life and they have great faith in her ability to reach her goals. One of my favorite parts of the day consisted of remarks shared by Dr. Chris Alexander, a professor of Political Science. Holy cow, give this man a TED talk already. He spoke about the interesting phenomenon that studying abroad has become more popular than ever with American students, but that these experiences have actually decreased in length as they have become more common (foreign language fluency has also decreased over time). Begging the question of whether studying abroad has become more about checking a box on a resume building quest and less about international understanding, exposure, and growth. A staggering 83% of Davidson students have some type of international experience during their 4 years - over 60% of which are credit bearing experiences. Professor Alexander shared anecdotes about how Davidson is working against the grain to emphasize meaning through international experiences. It was a pleasure to hear him speak. 

It is hard to summarize all that we've seen in just one day - but I'll do my best. One theme that the faculty panel really stressed was access. A small college like Davidson can give students unparalleled access in all senses of the word (financial aid leading to access, physical access to campus resources, small class size, faculty and staff access, etc). 70% of faculty live in the area immediately surrounding campus. The liberal arts education at Davidson means intellectual dexterity that can prepare students for the world of work in a way that a pre-professional major at a Research I university just can't.

Speaking of things you won't find at a large university: students get two loads of drop-off laundry per week included as part of tuition.

OMG the new essay topics!!

I literally squealed when I opened the email from the Common App announcing the new essay topics for the Common App 4. The NACAC session this fall (where I got to sit on the floor) really built up the anticipation for the new essays - most notably the end of the 'choose your own topic' choice and the enforcement of a new hard cut off in terms of word count. So, here is the deal: essays now must be between 250 and 650 words. And the essay prompts are:

• Some students have a background or story that is so central to their identity that they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

• Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what lessons did you learn?

• Reflect on a time when you challenged a belief or idea. What prompted you to act? Would you make the same decision again?

• Describe a place or environment where you are perfectly content. What do you do or experience there, and why is it meaningful to you?

• Discuss an accomplishment or event, formal or informal, that marked your transition from childhood to adulthood within your culture, community, or family.

Just in time for Valentine's Day, I'm in love. **Attention overeager Juniors -- do not start drafting your essay now. It is too early!**

Image (JFK's college essay)