SUCH Tour: Day 2 Hamilton and Colgate

The Dark Side

The Light Side

The second day of the tour started out with a visit to Hamilton College. Set apart from the other schools we saw (along with most other schools in the country), Hamilton is a liberal arts college with an open curriculum. This means that it is best suited for self directed students who are intellectually curious. There is also a serious emphasis on writing (there is a quill on their quintessential weather vane prominently featured on many marketing materials). Within the open curriculum, students do have the requirement of taking a writing intensive course and a quantitative course, but they can come from any department of their choosing. After a failed foray into founding a women's college (Kirkland) in the late 1960s, Hamilton became co-ed in the 1970s, with a legacy of these two sides of campus referenced today as the light side and the dark side (not too surprising given when Star Wars came out). These dual personalities - one traditional and conservative and the other funky and liberal - still appear to endure and Hamilton sees itself as a home that embraces all types of students with all different personalities. But, those who thrive are described as being 'smart as hell but don't take themselves too seriously." They identify schools like Davidson, Carleton, and Grinnell to be their spirit animals - an impressive group. Note, when it comes to admission Hamilton's unique edge also shines through. They have a testing 'flexible' policy that allows students to submit alternate combinations of subject tests and AP exams in place of the SAT/ACT. They also are open about the value put on demonstrated interest and are a school that does still recommend having an interview. I will say, as a person who has gone on a lot of college tours, I've never seen a tour guide say hello/be greeted by so many people during the course of the tour. He even got an unsolicited hug from his Biology professor while he was explaining the dining options. If you aren't sure why some people are drawn to small schools, that's why.

Our final stop on the tour was Colgate University, located ironically in Hamilton, New York. Again we found ourselves at a school deeply committed to the liberal arts. There seemed to be a constant theme of the value of interdisciplinary study and combining academics and co-curricular life. The 'largest' of the schools we saw at 2,900 students, Colgate is also different from the other three because it has Division I athletics and a core curriculum. The core has been around since 1929 and consists of five mandatory courses: two relating to the Great Books, one on communities and identities, one on scientific perspectives, and one on global engagements. All courses are, you guessed it, interdisciplinary. Greek life is a large part of the social scene, but students can't rush until their sophomore year. Here demonstrated interest is not a huge factor in admission (though, to be fair, almost half the class comes in ED, so that is technically demonstrating a lot of interest. But, they say they aren't paying attention to visits or phone calls until it comes to the waitlist). I would be remiss if I talked about a visit to Colgate without also mentioning the physical layout of the campus. Be prepared for a big hill. If you aren't crazy about walking up/down a serious incline (and doing it in the snow), this won't be the campus for you. At the same time, if you want a built-in way to ward off the Freshman 15 that also provides stunning views of the surrounding town, add this to your list pronto.

A huge thank you to Skidmore, Union, Colgate, and Hamilton for hosting me on this tour. I learned so much about these four schools and can't wait to share that knowledge with ElRo students!

SUCH Tour: Day 1 Union and Skidmore

As a native Midwesterner, part of the fun of college tours is getting to explore new parts of the Northeast. This tour is particularly great because I am getting to see new parts of New York and campuses that are very frequently on college lists at ElRo. The tour includes: Skidmore, Union, Colgate, and Hamilton.

Our first stop today was Union College, a small college of 2,100 students with options in both the liberal arts and engineering. Unique aspects of Union include: working on a trimester system, meeting full financial need of students that are admitted, being both selective and testing optional, and having a campus that was founded in 1795 (that is 20+ years before University of Virginia, for those keeping track). The thread among all of the panels/experiences that we were shown at Union had to do with being interdisciplinary. I got the keen sense that the students who fit in best are those with interests in more than one field, who are interested in learning to think from many different perspectives but who are also willing to delve deep into their specified field of study. I was pleasantly surprised with our quick drive through Schenectady (a 10 minute walk from campus), a place that is clearly experienced an urban renewal. Between 40 and 45% of Union students end up joining a fraternity or sorority-- though rushing is not allowed in the first year. All students are also assigned a membership to a Minerva, which is a community building technique that gives each student a 'home base' on campus-- used partly for housing some students but more to organize social activities and give all students use of a full kitchen. Facilities as Union are almost completely up to date, I didn't feel like I stepped foot in a single place that was dated or run down. I can't help but wonder what historic details have been lost to these renovations, but for a student who values modern facilities and interiors, I don't think Union will disappoint. Located right in between the state's largest state park (Adironack) and the state capitol, there is something for both rugged sportsperson and those who crave the political pulse of urban life. There is a strong connection with practical STEM fields, but still plenty of students studying the liberal arts.

In the afternoon, we visited Skidmore College. At 2,700 students, it was the larger school of the day. Located in Saratoga Springs, it is a school that describes itself as the best fit for an eclectic student. They have strong connections with creativity and the arts, yet the most popular major is business. Originally a women's college that is now co-ed with a 60/40 split, they do not have a greek system and the social scene was described as laid back. About 60% of students spend time studying abroad and the professor's described the students as ambitious, self-starting, independently minded, curious and comfortable with multiple ways of being. I was particularly struck with the strong campus emphasis on women's rights and embracing the LGBT community. I saw gender neutral bathrooms throughout our tour and the campus is plastered with posters from a student generated campaign called 'Show Your Sport' that displays portraits of student athletes standing as allies for the LGBT community. I also loved the posters up about building consent culture in college. More colleges need to follow this lead (like ASAP). If you are looking for a traditional northeastern college campus with Gothic architecture and stained glass, you won't find it at Skidmore. The school was founded about a hundred years ago in downtown Saratoga but moved to the current campus in the 1970s when they went co-ed and outgrew their original digs. This means that you are going to see architecture that reflects that time period up to the present day (it reminded me in some ways of places like Hampshire and Ithaca). About 40% of the class comes to Skidmore through Early Decision. I appreciated also the transparency offered about the fact that Skidmore opts to be need aware but promises to meet 100% of demonstrated need for students that are admitted. To be honest, I'd rather them take this route than admit students and then proceed to gap them in the financial aid process. As anyone who can see the Naviance scattergram knows, Skidmore is not a strictly numbers based admission process. Aside from the need aware issue, they are also a place that pays attention to demonstrated interest. Or, to put it more accurately, they said they pay attention to demonstrated disinterest. Students are given space to share how they have connected with campus. When a student doesn't have anything to share, their disinterest is being heard loud and clear, along with the arrival of their waitlist letter.

The first day of the tour was a great success. Despite being in relatively close proximity and similar in some surface type of ways, I think there were some clear differences between Union and Skidmore and I'm so thankful to have had the chance to see both of them so I can be more informed when talking to students and families.

College Night Follow Up

 
Thank you to everyone who attended (and participated in) College Night last week. It was a great event and I'm always pleased to see so many students and parents gaining knowledge about the college process. The intent of the night is that 9th, 10th, and 11th grade students and families can come to learn information so that by the time college applications roll around in the fall of 12th grade they are prepared and know the basics.

Because we are always tight on time, I have to limit the panel discussion at the start of the night to only about twenty minutes. This year, I asked for people to submit questions ahead of time using a google survey. I wanted to use this space here to address some of the questions that we didn't have time to answer.

Is it appropriate to include pictures or links in the application essay or anywhere else in the application?

With the exception of a very few rare cases, I would strongly discourage including links in the application essay. Reason being: if the student is applying to a portfolio program or a visual art major that is looking to see images as part of the application, there will be a separate method for uploading images and using a centralized platform to show student work. If you include a link in an essay one of three things might happen. 1) The reader is reading on paper and a link is useless 2) The reader is reading on a computer, and while the link might work, it will pull them out of their reading portal and require extra time/steps on their part 3) The reader will forward on the link to their colleagues, usually for reasons of being memorable in the wrong kind of way. That isn't to say that this is an automatic application killer, only that the best way to stand out in the application is by being a remarkable person. You can do that without images.

One thing to consider though is that there are some colleges that specifically request creative or multimedia portions of the supplemental application. These could include things like sharing a YouTube link or making a piece or art to connect with the rest of your application. Here you are being given space and instructed to give the reader something that is expected to be visual. Link away.

How do you reconcile a student's need to explore various fields in order to find their passions with the college's desire for students to demonstrate interest/focus in or two areas?

I think the heart of this question is asking: do you want me to be well rounded or do you want me to be sharply pointed? Do you want teens who have dabbled in lots of things to 'find themselves' or should I curate my life and resume to show my commitment to my future career path?  I think the answer is to throw out those considerations entirely and understand that you can't be all things to all colleges. Instead, just be yourself. It is way easier and way more satisfying.

I don't say this to be glib. I say it to be honest with you about the fact that yes, colleges each have their own individual enrollment goals. This sometimes means being super impressed with the prodigy who has dedicated every waking moment to the violin and rewarding that person with admission based on this clear talent. But, that same school isn't looking to enroll an entire army of violinists. For every musical genius, they also need to admit an athlete, and a student body president, and an environmentalist, and a person who is an undecided liberal arts major who just has great grades all around and lots of diverse interests. Instead of trying to work backward from admission to extracurriculars, let your interests be your guide. When I was in high school, I was involved in lots of different things. Some of these things are still connected to what I do now as an adult. Other things are no longer a huge part of my life, but they added value at the time. Your goal doesn't need to be breaking the admission code at every single college. Your goal is to pursue your passions and identify colleges where your interests will be recognized, embraced, and rewarded.

High school IS the time to explore lots of fields. You aren't expected to start every single thing in 9th grade and continue it for four years. But you are expected to tell a story through your application. There should be some kind of theme or narrative that helps the reader get a glimpse of your life and what gets you out of bed in the morning. Lead a full life and the crux of this question will become irrelevant. Colleges admit both well rounded students and pointy students. Stop spending time debating which one you should be and be the one you are.

Can a great personal statement make up for a low test score or weaker grades?

To be frank, the honest answer to this question is: probably not. At least not at a highly selective school in regular decision. A great personal statement is certainly not a bad thing to have. But the reality of an essay taking an application from deny to admit is just very very rare. With that said, a great essay can help bring you into the committee room at a highly selective school. It can help you stay on the WL instead of being denied. It can help you be identified for merit scholarships at schools that offer them. But the transcript is the single most important part of an application. For schools that look at testing, testing is usually the second most important part of the application. So for an essay to trump both of those things is unusual.

The better way to look at it is to say that if you are already in range with testing and grades, a great essay CAN help you over the finish line at a highly selective school. The reverse is also true, where at a highly selective school, a student who is in range with scores/grades/extracurriculars a very weak essay can hurt the applicant.

If you have low test scores or weaker grades, don't lose hope. This answer refers mainly to highly selective schools (in my experience, those are usually the schools people are asking about). There are schools out there that admit students from ALL parts of the grade spectrum. There are also hundreds of testing optional schools (www.fairtest.org).

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Thanks Vanderbilt!

Thanks to Vanderbilt University for hosting me and 80 (yes 80!) other counselors for a two day in-depth look at life and learning on Vanderbilt's campus. Especially since leaving New York for Tennessee can sometimes be such a tall order, having the ability to speak about a distance campus through first hand knowledge is a huge help in guiding students toward applying to a school like Vanderbilt.

Vanderbilt is a medium sized (approx 6500 undergraduates) Research I university located in Nashville, Tennessee. But it is a national university, not a regional one. Only 9% of enrolled students hail from Tennessee. For students concerned about leaving New York and being in the middle of nowhere, this will not be an issue at Vanderbilt. Students can take comfort in the thriving music scene and general energy around campus without fear of being the city puppy who has lost its way.

When applying to Vanderbilt, a student is asked to select one of four 'doorways' 1) Arts and Science 2) Engineering 3) Peabody (Education and Human Development) or 4) Blair (Music). Other than the things you can infer from those names, note that Peabody is not just for teachers, it also houses majors related to psychology and child development and Blair is mainly focused on classical music. If admitted, all students must stay in the college they were admitted into for one year. But then if it is truly the wrong fit and internal transfer process can begin. Vanderbilt combines highly selective academics (how selective? There is somewhere around an 11% admit rate this year, so prettttttty selective) with a school that can also offer Division I athletics. Once you start comparing those stats with other things like size and location in an urban area, the number of schools with a similar profile really does drop and drop quickly.

So who thrives at Vanderbilt? One professor selected the adjective 'risk taker' when describing who succeeds in his classroom. Students are bright, but they don't seem to always believe it (a student we talked to on campus felt embarrassed to admit his 'low' ACT score of 32. We assured him it was not low). Students are ambitious and outgoing with a strong dose of southern hospitality (apparently gained through osmosis since, as I mentioned, this is not a regional school). Admitted students are all leaders in some way --be it as captain of the Lacrosse team in high school or first chair Violin in orchestra.

What makes Vanderbilt unique? For starters, on campus housing is required for all four years. So expect to be a four year member of the community. Then there is Opportunity Vanderbilt-- a financial aid initiative boldly started AFTER the 2008 crash in which all admitted students are awarded financial aid that covers 100% of demonstrated need. Domestic students are admitted need blind. Other than a $2,300 work study component, the only thing a family is asked to pay is the EFC (Estimated Family Contribution). If you are wondering about loans, keep wondering, because Vanderbilt doesn't proactively offer them. Any family that opts to take one (about 23%) does so by choice. They also offer merit scholarships. Again, when we are talking about schools as selective as this, providing merit scholarships is a very very unique thing. (Who gets merit scholarships then? Assume that one must be in the very top of the class with the very highest test scores to be a serious contender. But, also note that merit scholarship consideration is initiated by the STUDENT via an online application. So those winners are self selecting and the school expects them to take the first step by filling out the scholarship application.)

Though not highlighted much on this tour, it doesn't take much digging to discover that Vanderbilt fills almost half of their class through ED. For a school with overlaps like theirs, that isn't a tremendous shock to me, but it might be to you. This means that the mantra of ED rings true here: if this school is your first choice and you don't want to go anywhere else, you should strongly consider pursuing Early Decision. That isn't to say that you can't be admitted in regular, only that the game of musical chairs ramps up from intramural to Olympian. They are also a school that consistently uses the wait list to shape the class and prevent being overenrolled, so being wait listed really might end up in eventual admission for a sizeable chunk of the class.

Thanks Vanderbilt for a great two days (and letting me wear sandals for the first time in 2015)!