Confessions of an Admissions Junkie
Earlier this summer, President Decatur asked me if I had any vacation plans, and I excitedly told him I was going to visit seven colleges. He quickly pointed out that “we have very different definitions of vacation.” When our original plan to go to Iceland fell through, my partner and I decided to take a two-week road trip with our kayaks to what I fondly refer to as the American Iceland — Minnesota and Wisconsin. We traveled through cities and small-town America, by dairy farms and cornfields and along the Mississippi River. We waded in Lake Superior and Lake Michigan and searched for the best slice of pie. And in between hiking and kayaking, we made a few pit stops to see several colleges and universities.
I admit I’m an admissions junkie. I love traveling around the country, visiting high schools, and meeting students. I enjoy reading applications, deliberating over files at the committee table, and crafting the next class to admit. I read articles and books about admissions. I attend conferences to hear others talk about admissions. I hang out with people who work in admissions. So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that I enjoy visiting other college campuses, even while I’m on vacation. I am intrigued by how other institutions present themselves (physically, on paper, and in person) and am fascinated by how other offices “do admissions.”
Every school does admissions a bit differently, which is part of the reason why high school students (and parents) may find the application process to be daunting, complicated, or even illogical. Through this blog, we hope to demystify the college application process and to help students navigate their way through this personal, emotional, and sometimes stressful journey.
In “The Crowe’s Nest,” you’ll get an insider’s look at what happens behind the scenes in Ransom Hall, including advice about the application process, reminders about important deadlines and events, answers to frequently asked questions, personal commentary about the life of an admissions counselor, and other random musings on everything from food to music to travel.
Welcome to “The Crowe’s Nest”!
P.S. In case you were wondering, the Office of Admissions and, consequently, this blog are named after the founding editor of the Kenyon Review, John Crowe Ransom.
(Scenes from my summer travels.)