Recently, I was at Tortilla Sam’s (Worcester’s finest establishment for Mexican food) and I began thinking about the perfect burrito. What makes a burrito the perfect burrito? Is it the ratio of rice to beans? Is it the freshness of the salsa? Or perhaps it’s the texture of the tortilla?
The more I thought about it, the more I realized that a burrito is comprised of so many components, so many complementary parts, that it’s impossible to identify which one plays the largest role. Put differently, you don’t know what makes a burrito the perfect burrito until you taste it and even then you’re unlikely to know why it’s perfect – more likely, it’s the precise combination of all the assembled parts. In addition, perhaps we all have our own unique tastes which dictate what will make a burrito perfect for each and every one of us. The perfect burrito for one person might be far too spicy for someone else.
As the days tick by on April’s calendar and we move closer to the May 1st deadline when all admitted students must decide at which college to set up their futons and mini-fridges next year, let’s remember the lesson of the burrito. Colleges are complex and complicated homes for living and learning and they can’t be summed up in a sound bite nor summarized in a Facebook posting. The best way to identify the perfect college is to think for yourself and know that when it happens, you won’t know why – you’ll just know that you’ve found the perfect college for you. In the meantime, keep an open mind and keep the salsa off your shirt.
Andrew N. Carter
Associate Director of Admissions
Spring marks an interesting time in the life of an admissions officer. Letters are in the mail, and we will work over the next month to convince our amazing body of admitted students that Holy Cross is where they should spend the next four years. At the same time, we will begin to work with high school juniors as they begin their college search. We are simultaneously working with students who are at the beginning of this process, and with students who have lived to tell about it.
It is that time of year again, the time where high school seniors sit in front of their mailboxes anxiously awaiting their admissions decisions. Do not fret, the wait is almost over! As of the end of last week, the admissions decision letters were boxed up and sent to our mail house in order to be sent to all of you. Here is a quick glimpse at us sending out our decisions to all of you. Enjoy!
About five weeks ago, the twelve members of the Holy Cross admissions staff convened to start our “committee” process. As a first year Admissions Counselor, I’ll admit that I was a bit nervous. After weeks of reading applications, highlighting students’ academic success and getting to know them through their essays and extracurricular accomplishments, I knew the decision making process would be no easy feat.
We’ve just completed the third week of committee. 4,424 decisions made, 2500 left to go. And yes, all 6900+ applications will be seen by the twelve members of the Holy Cross admissions committee. The discussions so far have been very good. We don’t always agree, and very often we will dig deeper into the file, going beyond the 
Surrounding me: Piles of files, post-it notes, mechanical pencils, and caffeinated beverages.
When it comes to the college application process, it’s never too early to start. At this point as a junior or younger in high school, you may not know exactly what you want in a college, and that’s perfectly OK. You should treat this period as your window shopping stage where you’re simply going out and checking out a whole bunch of different things to see what you absolutely do NOT like and what you kind of like or really like. The college tour is the best way to window shop for colleges. It’s quick and gives you a great overview of what the college is all about. From there you can hopefully get a sense of whether you prefer a big school or a smaller school; a school right in the city or one in a more remote area. You should check out all the schools you can so that you can get a better sense of what type of school best matches who you are.
I sat down a few weeks ago, cup of tea in hand, glanced out the window at the snow coming down, and began to read files. As I moved through the stack of applications on the table before me, I encountered several notes and emails thanking the admissions staff for interviews, visits, and advice on the application process. Also in the files were hundreds of pages of letters, essays, and descriptions of amazing accomplishments that our applicants have decided to share with us. For that, I thank you!