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Happy Thanksgiving!

Annmcdermott It’s Wednesday.but not just any Wednesday.  It’s the day before Thanksgiving.  I was reminded of this (as if I could really forget) as I drove into the College’s near empty parking lot this morning.  The student exodus began mid-morning on Monday and continued throughout the day yesterday.  The campus is now peaceful and quiet with little observable activity.except for the Admissions Office. The staff is here in full force, conducting interviews, processing applications, answering phone calls and reviewing candidates for Early Decision.  Our Thanksgiving break will begin later this afternoon, hopefully before the traffic build up begins.

On behalf of the entire Admissions staff I would like to extend to you and your family our very best wishes for a happy Thanksgiving. We hope you have a wonderful holiday surrounded by family, friends, and of course, good food.

Best wishes,
Ann McDermott
Director of Admissions
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Is Early Decision right for you?

LynnThink back to when you began your college search.  How did you decide which schools to consider?  Likely you cracked open one of the many college books at your disposal, and your list began to form based on your pre-determined criteria.  Statistics likely built your initial list.  This was a good start, but only a start.

Remember those campus visits?  While logging hours at information sessions or on campus tours, your ideal college probably began to take shape in your mind.  Your list of likes and dislikes grew as you learned more about yourself and about what each school could offer.  When I interview a student, I always try to get a sense for what drew them to Holy Cross, and what keeps them coming back.  There are certainly some common responses.  Many students are drawn to Holy Cross because of its size, location, Jesuit identity, or its strong liberal arts curriculum.  But what I tend to hear from the most enthusiastic prospective students is that it just “felt right”.  They came.  They saw.  They’re hooked.

Early Decision (our deadline is December 15) will be a great option for some of these students.  They have done their research and know what they want.  They have determined not only what Holy Cross can offer them, but what they could bring to the College.   They have determined with virtual certainty that this is where they would like to spend their next four years, without interest in competing offers of admission or scholarship.  If this sounds like your experience with Holy Cross,  then Early Decision might be for you.

Whether applying via Early or Regular Decision, don’t let numbers alone make your decisions for you.  Use the wealth of information at your fingertips, but include your instincts in the equation.
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Diversity at Holy Cross

Tran If you were to look at the percentage of underrepresented students at Holy Cross and then compare it to other colleges’ numbers, you’re not going to find much of a difference.  But just like you can’t judge a book by its cover, you also can’t gauge a college’s multicultural atmosphere by percentages alone.  That only gives you one part of the bigger picture.  After this past Perspectives Multicultural Overnight Program, which is under my umbrella of office responsibilities, I have been thinking a lot about diversity and multiculturalism, especially as it pertains to Holy Cross.  After having attended another wonderful liberal arts institution and worked at a different one in admissions prior to my current gig, I have the luxury of observing the multicultural atmosphere at two other liberal arts colleges.  What in my mind is unique about Holy Cross is the support systems that are in place to one support students who don’t feel represented by the majority and two to increase awareness of other cultures and identities on campus.

First, there is a consortium of Multicultural Student Organizations (MSO’s) that is comprised of about a dozen student organizations classified as multicultural in nature and represent identities ranging from Asian to LGBTQ to international students.  Second, there is a group of multicultural peer educators (MPE’s) who work with various groups on campus from students to staff to educate them about various issues of acceptance and diversity and do a wonderful job.  It’s programs like these that strengthen diversity on college campuses and not the number of underrepresented students present.  But more importantly it is the people who are behind the programs who make multicultural life at Holy Cross what it is.  I’ve had the opportunity to work one-on-one with many of the wonderful people who are involved with multicultural affairs and they are some of the most dedicated, supportive and innovative individuals I’ve met.  As a former underrepresented student, I find myself often impressed and envious of the kind of support that students at Holy Cross receive to help them acclimate to life on the hill.

You might be asking why the people at Holy Cross are different and I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that this is a Jesuit institution that very much emphasizes social justice and service.  There is a different kind of accountability that we have to each other as members of this community because of this identity that doesn’t exist at other campuses.  It goes beyond just being civilized but takes it many steps beyond to another level of kindness and caring between community members that I don’t find at other colleges, at least not the ones I’m familiar with.  So for those of you who are very much concerned about multiculturalism at Holy Cross or at any other institution, I encourage you to do some digging into the community beyond the percentages of underrepresented students.  High percentages don’t mean a thing if there aren’t systems in place to cultivate intercultural learning and provide support for the underrepresented students.  And if you have questions about multiculturalism at Holy Cross, please don’t hesitate to shoot me an email.

Tran Kim-Senior
Assistant Director of Admissions
Coordinator of Multicultural Recruitment
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The Standardized Test Affair, Part Deux

Drew_2 So it’s one thing for us to proclaim to be standardized test optional but then comes the inevitable question – how do we know whether or not a student wants their standardized test scores used?

Well, that’s where the verification form comes in.

Once we’ve received your application, we will send you a confirmation letter letting you know that we’ve received it.  Within that envelope is a very important form, the final part of our application process.  The verification form (see picture) is our final chance to verify some key information.  First off, we want to make sure we’ve got your name and address spelled perfectly (because that’s how we want to address the decision letter); secondly, we want to verify that we have your numbers correct – phone number, social security number and birth date.

And then, once and for all, we want to know whether or not you wish to have your standardized test scores considered with your application.

Verificationformtn_4

(Have doubts about whether or not to submit then see my blog entry from October 6: http://holycrossadmissionsblog.typepad.com/admissionsblog/2007/week40/index.html)

Finally, we ask about Holy Cross alums in your family and contact you’ve had with the Admissions Office at Holy Cross.

So please take this form seriously – we do – and please return it to us completed as soon as possible so that we can process your application effectively.  Your hard work is done but ours has just begun.

Andrew N Carter
Associate Director of Admissions
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Application essay tips

Jrichardson Hi everyone!  After 17 flights, 4 buses, 2 boats, many a rental car, taxis and trains, I’m finally wrapping up the 2007 fall travel season and coming home!   Its been a wonderful fall, and all of the travel has been very interesting; I feel blessed to have met so many dynamic and intellectual students along the way!  From Flekke, Norway, to Tucson, Arizona, its all been very exciting.

Travel tip of the day: GPS.  If you don’t have one of these, get one … you’ll never be lost or frustrated over maps or directions again.  I would personally endorse the Garmin line.  I rented one of these while in Arizona and New Mexico, and am now poised to invest in my own – – a lifesaver!

So now its time to come back home and begin the “climb to the top of the mountain” as I call it – – the mountain of applications.  While we will likely receive more than 7,000 applications this year, one of the aspects of our process in which we take a tremendous amount of pride is the lengths we go to attempting to get to know each candidate.  Every application is read multiple times, by different people, each evaluating the various credentials we find within.  We rely on your transcripts … and what you teachers say about your work ethic and perseverance … and how well you did in your interview … and of course, how well your essay is written.

The Essay is undeniably one of the most important parts of your application materials.  By now, we hope, you’ve created your www.commonapp.org account, begun your application, and have presumeably been able to breeze through the first several pages which require you to complete your name, address, parents information, etc.  Presumably one of the items you’ve left for last is the essay.  Either you’ve decided to continue pondering the questions and are still debating which of the five you’d like to tackle, or you’re just outright procrasinating.

Do not procrastinate.  Get to work.

Please spend a lot of time working on this.  We spend a lot of time reading it, so we hope you spend a lot of time writing it.  A well written essay stands out not for its length, but rather for its content, imagery, and to what extent it “speaks to us”.  A few pieces of essay advice:

  • Take me there.  Make me react.  Allow me to see, smell, or hear (or do all of those) the subject about which you are writing.
  • Take caution on this windy road to a well written essay … you will never know who will be reading this masterpiece.  As you’ve seen through the blog and potentially through your other interactions with our staff, we have men, women, young, old(er), a priest, lay people, democrats, republicans … you will never know who will be reading your masterpiece.
  • Avoid humor; this can be very dangerous .. for the same aforementioned reasons .. you’ll never know who will be reading this.
  • Proofread – Proofread – Edit – Proofread     Edit – Proofread.     An essay which is free of grammatical and syntax errors says you care about your application and whether you not you are admitted; an essay which is less than perfect says something else – – I’ll leave that to you to imagine what it says.
  • Answer the question.  Whichever question you choose to answer, write about the subject.  Avoid tangents.  Get to the point already.
  • Always bring it back to speak about yourself.  Its wonderful for us to read all about the influence your Grandmother/father had on you, but Grandma isn’t applying to be a part of the Holy Cross community .. you are .. so always bring it back to talk about yourself.
  • Feel good about your finished product.  Write about those things you enjoy, believe in, or to which you are committed.  Doing this will show; not doing this, will show.
  • Spend more time on this, collectively, than on any other aspect of your application.  Make it good .. this is the only piece of writing you are required to submit.

Well, there are applications to read … I best get to work.  Good luck!

“Oh Auntie Em … there’s no place like home!”
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Come on in for a campus visit…We’re open!

PmaloneyThis time of year is very popular for campus visits.  Here at HC in New England, the fall months mean leaves are falling, the mornings are cool and crisp, and high school students and parents are getting a workout on the stairs while walking around our campus.  While I encourage any and every visit to campus for students, if you find the days growing shorter and your free time decreasing one great way to get the most out of a campus visit is by going to the Open House.

Open House is one day that you can visit the campus and, at least at HC, take a campus tour, discuss your interests with a professor, go to a session on the admissions process, talk with the coach of a sport you’re interested in, find out more about financial aid, etc.  What I’m trying to say is Open House is a great way to get a lot of information in a short period of time.  The second of our two Open Houses will be this Sunday, November 4th.  For more info: click here:
http://www.holycross.edu/admissions/visit/fallopen.html

Hope to see you there!

Plus, I heard Kelli Powell is going to be there, so if you weren’t convinced before, I bet you are now!

pat.

Patrick Maloney ’02
Assistant Director of Admissions
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What factors make you like a city?

DrewWhile driving back from Buffalo last week, I reflected on how much I liked Buffalo.  That got me to thinking . . .

What specifically was it about Buffalo that made me enjoy my visits every fall?

And what are the factors that contribute to whether or not we “like” a city?

The answer, I believe, is highly personal.  For me, in any city, I always end up looking for tacos, trails and tea.   Here at home . . .

1. For tea, coffee and breakfast sandwiches that will change your life, I go to Culpepper’s Bakery.  It’s walking distance from Holy Cross.  I’ve had and loved everything on the menu but the Hammy (egg, ham and cheese on a sesame bagel) will change your life.

2. For trails, I go to Wachusett Mountain State Reservation (20 minutes from HC) which, during the warmer months, offers 3,000 acres worth of scenic hiking: http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/central/wach.htm.   In the winter, it is one of the premier skiing destinations in New England: http://wawa.wachusett.com/mountain_info/default.cfm

3. And as for tacos and burritos, the choice is easy: Tortilla Sam’s (5 minutes from HC) http://www.tortillasams.com/menus/cantina.html.  All of their sauces, salsas and marinades are homemade and you can watch them make their tortillas fresh every day in the front window.  When you’re there, don’t miss the boneless buffalo wings and the spicy spuds.

So as you make some of your final college visits, take some time to look off campus for the things that you might find yourself looking for during your four years of college and if you find yourself in Worcester, don’t miss the tacos, trails and tea.

Andrew N Carter
Associate Director of Admissions
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Help chances of being admitted

Kelli Lately, my inbox has been filling up with e-mails from students wanting to know, “what else can I do to help my chances of being admitted?”  But before getting to this question, many of these electronic notes begin with a inventory of all the things the student has already checked off their college application to do list: visited the campus, set-up an interview, had an interview, written their essay, edited and re-edited their essay, re-edited the re-edited essay, created a detailed activities resume, met with athletic coaches, spoke with current students, spoke with alums, met with a fortuneteller (just kidding), studying hard and focusing intently on senior year coursework…and so on.

I understand the intense desire many of you have to make sure you’re covering your all you bases.  The college application process is extremely intimidating, because in many respects, it is set-up to make you feel like you only have one chance to get it right–to do it perfectly.

So what’s my answer to the aforementioned question?  What wisdom do I have to impart to you and these students who have written me wanting to “improve their chances?”

Breathe.

I think some of you are about to hyperventilate from the stress of trying to juggle collegiate concerns, with your already busy senior year schedules.  This post is really more of a public service note advocating (at least) the occasional mental decoupling from the whole “college thing,” to improve your current quality of life.  My advice is to breathe…relax…take a moment and go try to find some cloud animals or something.  The catalog of activities would suggest you’re already doing the things that “improve your chances.”

Perfection is an illusion.  There isn’t a prefect or magic combination of activities and contacts with the school that will assure your admission. There is no secret kernel of advice we’re not sharing (we share it all–hence the blog!).  All the listed items can be important parts of the your college application process, but do yourself a favor and investigate what economists refer to as the “law of diminishing returns.” If you’re already doing the things your guidance/college counselor, parents, teachers, and/or colleges recommend, know that you can let go of the some of the worry and anxiety that assail you.  You’re on track.

Now go see if you can find a cumulonimbus cow or some altostratus alligators.
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Extra-curriculars help admissions

Lynn Have you seen the movie “The Break Up”?  I did, and it was terrible.  Seriously, really terrible.  Even so, I’ve managed to find blog inspiration from it.  There is one scene in which the wife is angry at the husband not because she wants him to do the dishes, but because she wants him to want  to do the dishes.  Which clearly leaves him baffled and infuriated.

During recent high school visits, I was asked about what Holy Cross wants to see students do.  Do we want you to do community service?  Play a sport?  Take on a leadership role?  Sure we do.  But more importantly, we want you to want to do it.  “It” can be just about anything.  Holy Cross creates no hierarchy for extra-curricular involvement.  We want you to be active in your school and in your community, in the ways that you think you can most contribute and that you find most enjoyable.  The best way to prove that you will contribute to a college both in and out of the classroom is by doing just that at your high school.  Whatever you choose to do, do it with gusto.  When you tell us about your involvement, make us believe you love it–not that you love the way it looks on your resume.  You have a lot going on right now.  You owe it to yourself to spend your time doing what you love.  And we’ll love you for it.

Oh, and skip “The Break Up.”
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Interview inspiration from Facebook

Julia
We spend a lot of time online: researching, doing business, emailing… maybe even procrastinating. And without much contemplation, I can guess that you probably spend more time renovating your Facebook pages than you do reading our Holy Cross admissions blog. Terrible pity. But understandable nonetheless.
The fact of the matter is, you’re living in a world where opportunities to advertise yourselves are countless, and extremely accessible. Forums like Facebook, Myspace, and Youtube give you the opportunity to paint fantastic portraits of yourself, package them up nicely, and send them out across the universe for all eyes to see.

Ironically, one of the biggest problems I encounter in the interview process is a student’s inability to do just that: to paint an honest and glorious portrait of him or herself and hand it to me in a pretty little package. Many students are extremely uncomfortable with the idea of self-promotion in the interview arena. They struggle to pinpoint significant accomplishments, and to list what they’re proud of, for fear they will come across as conceited, cocky, or even worse, corny.

Throw those fears out the window. The interview is your time to shine. If you have nothing to be proud of, why should we admit you?

Now we’re not asking you to jump around our offices Muhammed Ali –style, air boxing and listing off accomplishments with reckless abandon, but we do urge you to think about achievements – big or small – and come prepared to tell us about them.

So start thinking of the interview like you think about your Facebook page. Don’t be afraid to promote yourself. It may be the only time you have to tell us how truly awesome you are. If you do a good job, we may just “add” you (sorry, just couldn’t help myself) to our next class of Crusaders.

Julia Sanders
Admissions Counselor