Tuesday, February 10th marked the first day of Committee, and it has been off to a great start! From 9am to 4:30pm until the end of March, my counseling colleagues and I sit together in a room with the shades drawn and the projectors up to make application decisions. While we drink coffee and eat pretzels, goldfish, fruit snacks, and Twizzlers (total brain food, right?), we look at each student’s application carefully to determine their potential fit at Holy Cross. We also look at our master list of applicants for this admission cycle and study transcripts, essays, recommendations, test scores, art supplements, and any other admission item that may come our way. Together, all of these materials help us see if whether or not a student would make a good addition to the College.
2015 has certainly been a great year for us so far–we received over 6,700 applications for about 750 spots!–and I have learned some things that I wanted to share with prospective students and their families:
1. Contact is so important! We in the Admissions Office really do appreciate hearing from applicants, whether it’s during a visit to Mt. St. James or from a simple email. We want to admit students who want to be a part of the Crusader community, so please do reach out to us!
2. Please don’t hesitate to share your writing. Reading application essays is a treat for me and my colleagues. When a student sends us an additional statement, selection of poems, article, or research paper, we get really excited! Seeing multiple examples of an applicant’s writing is a great way to get a sense of the person as a student. At Holy Cross, students are expected to do a lot of writing, so if we can see samples now we can make a more informed decision on that applicant.
3. Highschoolers today are incredible. I have read so many wonderful, funny, insightful, warm, thoughtful essays this year. I had looked over so many extensive lists of school activities, service opportunities, trips abroad, professional internships and jobs, numerous awards, amazing athletic triumphs, and stellar performances. Students give so much of their time to hone their crafts, to pursue their personal passions, and to give back to their communities. Reading about their experiences has been wonderfully inspiring!
Stay warm, keep safe, and I look forward to offering more insight as we continue on in Committee!
