Weekly Update x2: May 15

Coming in with a double weekly update since we didn’t post last week!

The end of the second week of AP exams draws near, and we wish good luck to all who took or are still getting ready to take their exams! We know that some students will also have their own schools’ exams to look forward to in the coming weeks. Here’s to happy and productive studying for everyone! 🤞🍀

BIGGEST COLLEGE-RELATED NEWS OF THE LAST 2 WEEKS

COLLEGES STRUGGLE WITH HOW TO PROCEED WITH GRADUATION CEREMONIES

As campus protests continue, many colleges faced challenges in determining how to hold graduation ceremonies without the chaos – or if that’s even possible! Columbia University canceled their main commencement event and instead held smaller ceremonies for each of their colleges - but a few protesters were present regardless.

From the University of Virginia, to the University of Michigan, to Indiana University and beyond, clashes between police and protesters mean that university administrators are walking the line between free speech and campus safety. For some, this involved carrying on with ceremonies despite clashes, and others, like University of Southern California, canceled them altogether. 

FRATERNITIES TAKE UNEXPECTED CENTER STAGE AT SOME COLLEGE PROTESTS

At the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity found themselves defending the U.S. flag as protesters attempted to replace it with a Palestinian flag. They were successful in doing so the first time, but the fraternity brothers managed to hoist the U.S. flag back in place and keep it from being taken down a second time. The White House called their actions admirable, and a gofundme by an independent source unrelated to UNC or the fraternity has raised over $500,000 to throw a “rager” for them.

On the campus of Ole Miss, a student who was captured on video making racist taunts at a Black student was expelled from the Phi Delta Theta fraternity. They found that “the action in question was offensive, outside the bounds of this discourse, and contradictory to our values.” 

ARRESTS CONTINUE ACROSS US COLLEGE CAMPUSES

The tally of how many arrests have taken place on US college campuses in the past weeks vary, with estimates around 2,800 at the time this post was written. Many professors have also been arrested.

The police in Hanover, NH released a statement about the 90 Dartmouth students arrested, while over in Durham, NH, a reluctant Chief of Police also made arrests at the University of New Hampshire.

WHO ARE THE CAMPUS PROTESTERS, ANYWAY?

Protests continue on campuses around the country and as arrests are made, university administrators and local police forces are finding that not everyone involved in the encampments, building take-overs, or marches are actual students or part of the school at all. Of the 112 arrested two weeks ago at Columbia University, 29% were not affiliated with the schools. At City College in Manhattan, 60% of 170 people arrested were not members of the school community. This makes us wonder how actions taken by the police and administrations may change going forward, if at all.

ANOTHER COLLEGE LOSES ITS PRESIDENT

Cornell University is the fourth Ivy League university, after Harvard, UPenn, and Yale, to lose their president within this past year. Dr. Martha Pollack recently resigned, in a move that seemed to surprise everyone at the university, and she will depart July 1. The search is on at all of these institutions for new leadership, a process that can take months or even years to complete.

MORE COLLEGE PRESIDENTS ARE UNDER THE MICROSCOPE

As colleges end their semesters and graduation ceremonies take place, some in altered forms or alternative settings, people are probing the methods used by university administrations, campus safety officers and local police forces in dealing with protestors on their campuses.

The president of the University of Virginia is defending his approach to use the local police to arrest a number of protestors even as others, including some faculty, express concern that it was too aggressive.

Across the country, it appears that faculty are placing their university presidents under greater scrutiny, as more members are holding “no-confidence” votes. UCLA faculty will continue to deliberate this week on the matter and Columbia University faculty are considering whether to make a “no-confidence” motion. University of Southern California, Barnard, UMass, and Emory faculties have all come down with a no-confidence or censure vote for their presidents in the past few weeks.

BEST ARTICLES OF THE LAST 2 WEEKS

As college counselors, we tell students to find schools that “fit” them — explaining that the time and effort spent searching and researching will lead to the right institution that will be their home for the next four (or maybe more!) years of their lives. Unfortunately, sometimes students get fixated on finding the “perfect” school and then panic when they fail to hear an angelic choir and heralding trumpets go off — even though they have toured dozens of amazing schools.

The reality is that there is no one perfect school! In fact, there may be several fantastic schools for each student, all a bit different and each with their own unique attributes, opportunities, and challenges. And the “challenges” part is just as important to a great college experience as the other two. Very often it’s when students are outside their comfort zone that the real growth happens: where they can expand their horizons and push themselves in new directions. This New York Times piece does a nice job of talking about the way some students can surprise those around them as they reveal how multifaceted they are. We encourage all students to find the schools that will make them feel comfortable, yet also just uncomfortable enough to grow in new and exciting ways. 

Paying for college these days is no joke! With questions about return on investment, the value of a college education, and the realization that college-related debt is proving to be a life-long albatross around a whole generation’s neck, it’s important to find new degree paths. For a long time, community colleges have been that path.

Unfortunately, they have also been looked down on and seen as “not good enough” for someone who did well in high school; it just wasn’t seen as a truly “academic” path. But the good news is that this stereotype is finally being overcome and the myth: busted!  This article shares how a California student with a 4.5 GPA chose the community college path for her first two years of college before transferring to a four-year school. The author notes, “[s]having two years off the costs of a four-year degree can save a student anywhere between $65,000 to $180,000 or more. That’s life-changing money for someone starting out.”

We actually live in one of the best areas in the country for guaranteed transfer opportunities, with NOVA's Guaranteed Admission Agreements in Virginia and University of Maryland’s Transfer Advantage Program. Both of these offer smart ways for students to be able to earn degrees from highly selective schools that may not have been realistic options directly out of high school. Additionally, for other students, these programs can make the attainment of a four-year degree a reality perhaps otherwise thought out of reach. We encourage our students to consider all of their options: both where they can get in today, and where they can graduate down the road.

Almost all of us have smartphones. And teens these days have never known a world without social media, selfies, or the algorithms that control their daily feeds. We are also at a time where mental health is at the forefront of our news, our culture and our health care. The question is: are all these things related? This author wonders if it really is the phones, as new data shows some changes in that line of thinking. However, it also shows how some of the more distressing news — an increase in suicide in teens and adults — seems to be a uniquely American trend. What is the role of culture on how we consume and relate to social media, our mental health and each other?

Visiting college campuses can be a fun, exciting and sometimes daunting experience. What are you looking for? Ivy covered brick? Expansive green quads? Modern buildings? Large, leafy trees? What makes a college campus beautiful is very much in the eye of the beholder, but see if you agree with this list of 37 of the Most Beautiful Campuses in the World! Did your favorite campus make the cut?

As a student and family research schools, an important question to ask is what new and innovative programs are they developing for an ever-changing future? How are they preparing students for jobs that may not even exist yet? Lehigh University has announced an exciting new undergraduate major that will begin taking applicants in Fall 2024 for admission in 2025: a BS in Integrated Business and Health. Housed jointly in the College of Business and the College of Health, the new Lehigh program is described as: The inter-college interdisciplinary program in Business and Health, Integrated Business and Health (IBH), trains students to become leaders in the health industry by developing an understanding of the core principles of business alongside an in-depth knowledge of health economics and policy. The program prepares future leaders of the health industry to better understand and address the vital conditions that shape community health and promote health equity.

“No,” is a complete sentence, but saying no to your child can be hard. So how do you have the conversation that the college your son or daughter wants to attend is just too expensive? This Washington Post article offers some strategies for having this difficult conversation. Working with your child to see the long-term benefits and get past the more immediate gratification can be a challenge, but chances are, they will thank you in the long run. Being able to graduate with little to no debt could shape their future for the better.

OFFICE HAPPENINGS

I spent last week in Connecticut, attending the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA) Annual Conference. This is a great opportunity for professional development and networking with some of the country's best educational consultants, in addition to many undergraduate and graduate admissions officers. Fun fact: I currently serve on the organization's finance committee and in past years have served on the business practices committee.

In addition to attending breakout sessions including "Out of the Mouths of Deans: An Interview With Admissions Leaders from Selective Colleges" and "How to Stand Out When A is an Average Grade," I have also been making time to visit colleges. Fairfield ended up to be a surprise favorite - I’ll be back next week with a recap of everything I learned!

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Lastly, I wanted to mention that William & Mary just released their interview slots for the upcoming summer. If you plan to apply to W&M, you should definitely take advantage of this opportunity and sign up. They fill VERY quickly, so don’t wait!

Interested in reading more on ROI? Check out the posts below!

Tips For Creating Your College List

Because deciding where to apply to college is a critical step in the college admissions process, it’s important to be thoughtful and thorough.

Creating a college list can also be really fun and exciting, as you explore all of your options and imagine where you’ll be for the next four years. However, with so many schools to choose from, it can be overwhelming! Here are some tips to help you get started and make a strong college list.

Start early

Junior year is the ideal time to start putting together your college list. After all, the earlier you begin this process, the more time you will have to consider your options. Plus, you’ll save yourself a lot of stress later on! During the spring of your junior year, set aside some time to talk with your college counselor (if you haven’t already) and attend any college fairs or information sessions in your area. This is also a great time to tour colleges and see what campuses look like while school is in session!

A note to eager ninth and tenth graders: While it’s never too early to start thinking about college and doing some preliminary research, don’t pressure yourself to make a definitive college list right now. Your interests and goals may change over the next few years, and you’ll want to keep your options open. What you can do, however, is start thinking about preferences in a big-picture sense. Keep reading..

Determine what you want

Before you start sifting through thousands of colleges and universities, you’ll need to figure out what you actually want in a school. For example, do you think a small, liberal arts college is the environment for you, or do you like the idea of a big university? Do you want to stay close to home or maybe venture to a different part of the country? Is it really important that you go somewhere with small class sizes or a particular academic program? Here are some important factors to consider, which can help direct your college search and list: 

• Size of school

• Location

• Student demographics

• Academic programs

• Extracurricular opportunities

• Campus culture 

As you determine what you want, also take note of any priorities, as well as must-haves. It’s really helpful to understand the MOST important factors driving your search and areas where you are willing to be more flexible and open. 

Research, research, research! 

When it comes to researching schools, a quick Google search won’t cut it. You’ll need to dig a bit deeper. Take advantage of college search websites and databases to help you find schools that match your criteria and learn more about specific colleges and universities. The Princeton Review, Niche, and Cappex are just a few resources that make collecting data and comparing schools easy.  You’ll also want to look at individual school websites and social media accounts. Why? Well, because third-party websites can tell you a lot about the numbers, but the school itself will be able to give you insights into its campus culture and student body.

But don’t just rely on your laptop to conduct research. There are plenty of ways to collect information IRL (in real life), too! Attend college fairs in your areas and information sessions at your school. You can also reach out to current students and alumni, as well as admissions representatives. Check a school's admissions web site to learn how to contact representatives. Bonus: You might also find opportunities to attend live webinars or information sessions, too!

Visit campuses

One of the best ways to get to know a school is to visit the campus. Ideally, it would be great if you could visit all of the campuses on your college list. But in most cases, that’s just not realistic. So if you can’t visit a school on your college list, consider touring a comparable college or university in your area. That way you can still get a feel for factors such as size and setting. 

We also recommend taking a virtual campus tour, which most schools now offer. Check out Campus Tours or a specific school’s admission page to start your virtual walk! 

Stay organized

Conducting research is great, but it’s not going to help you make a college list unless you stay organized. Create a system for keeping track of the information you gather for each school. We HIGHLY encourage students to set up a spreadsheet to easily compare multiple schools. 

Revise and refine

Making a college list is NOT something you can create in just a weekend and then check off your ‘to-do’ list. It’s a living, breathing document that will continue to change as you “do your homework.” Be sure to update your list regularly as you narrow down your priorities, visit schools, and learn more about what you like and don’t like. 

Strike a balance

When it comes to a college list, balance is key. You want to make sure you have a healthy mix of safety schools, target schools, and reach schools. In the past few years, the admissions world has changed a LOT, and schools that were once considered safeties are now much more selective. Be sure to research admissions data to get a better sense of how likely you are to be admitted to a particular school. 

As part of creating a balanced list, don’t overdo it on the number of colleges! You may think that applying to 25 schools is increasing your odds and keeping your options open, but more isn’t always better. You’ll be bombarded with a lot of essay writing and a lot of confusion. Of course, the number of schools on a college list will vary depending upon a student and their particular situation; however, a good rule of thumb is that if you’re starting to get past 15, you might want to take a step back.

Be open-minded

Finally, it’s important to be open-minded as you make your college list. The dream school you’ve been thinking about for years might not actually be such a dream once you visit. Or maybe a big university is a little too overwhelming for you after all, even if you don’t want to admit it. Explore your options, knowing that you might just find a great fit in an unexpected place. 

Do you need help creating your college list?

That’s what we’re here for! Whether you’ve just finished sophomore year and want to start getting serious about your college list now, or you’re a soon-to-be-senior in need of some motivation and strategy, we can help. Book a session today!

Weekly Update: June 24

BIGGEST COLLEGE-RELATED NEWS OF THE WEEK

ROE V. WADE OVERTURNED

With the Supreme Court’s decision on Roe v. Wade overturned as we write this post, we wanted to provide a state by state breakdown of where abortion laws currently stand. We know that this is an important consideration for some parents and students when it comes time to think about possible college locations. If this matters to you and your student, make sure to do a search before finalizing their college list.

DARTMOUTH ELIMINATES LOANS FROM AID PACKAGES

Dartmouth College is the latest institution to eliminate loans from student aid packages. Beginning yesterday, the college has replaced loans in student aid packages with grants, and already students enrolled in the Summer 2022 term are benefiting from this change (P.S. This is many more students than you might think - Dartmouth’s D-Plan requires EVERY student to complete at least one summer term on campus). 

Dartmouth already had loan-free packages for students with a household income below $125,000, but the change will now apply to all students, including those with higher household incomes. This change is supported by donations from 65 Dartmouth donors, totalling about $80 million. 

The campaign will also allow Dartmouth to offer need-blind admissions to international students, and raise the income threshold for full scholarship recipients to $125,000. 

$6 BILLION IN STUDENT LOAN DEBT CANCELED

Speaking of student loans, the government will cancel $6 billion in loans for students who were “defrauded” by (mostly for-profit) colleges. The settlement will benefit about 200,000 students, many of whom applied for relief from colleges that are now out of business, as well as operating for-profit institutions like the University of Phoenix and DeVry University. 

UMD GOES TEST OPTIONAL

The University of Maryland system has gone test optional. But before you get too excited, the Board of Regents is not requiring specific schools within the system to disregard SAT and ACT scores. Instead, each school (College Park, Baltimore County, etc.) will get to make their own decision when it comes to considering test scores. At present, the University of Maryland - College Park will be test optional until 2027, while the University of Maryland - Baltimore County president said that he believes standardized testing is an important process for students to complete. 

GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY MONKEYPOX CASE

Georgetown announced this week that a community member assumed to have monkeypox is currently isolating in off-campus housing. Students and staff who have been in contact with the individual have been notified and are being monitored. This comes on the heels of the first reported case of monkeypox in the DC area, which appeared last week in Maryland.

BEST ARTICLES OF THE WEEK

Looking for a side hustle to earn some extra income this summer? It’s not too late to find a job or freelance position! Check out this article for some ideas to get started. Some students feel that if they don’t have an impressive internship, they’re disadvantaged in the college process, but colleges really love work experience and we’ve read some wonderful and heartwarming essays that students have written about cleaning the pool as a lifeguard or chopping lemons as a restaurant hostess. 

A student at Bowling Green State University died from alcohol poisoning after a hazing incident, and his parents are now speaking out. Shari and Cory Foltz are filing a lawsuit against Bowling Green for the preventable death of their son, Stone Foltz. The parents allege that the school encourages students like Stone to join fraternities, while turning a blind eye to hazing. 

Here in Virginia, we’ve heard a lot about admissions at TJ, and we aren’t the only state with a highly desirable public school facing changes in its admissions process. This podcast dives into the trend at schools like TJ and Boston Latin, and provides an in-depth exploration of the admissions changes at Lowell, an elite public high school in the Bay Area.

OFFICE HAPPENINGS

Essay work is ramping up as some of our students start on their school-specific supplemental essays for UVA, Virginia Tech, the UCs, and other schools that have already released their essay prompts. We’re very excited to welcome back McClain and to welcome our newest essay coach, Stephanie, who will be starting with us in July (keep an eye out for a longer introduction soon!). Our schedules are now posted throughout the summer, and we encourage our current clients to book meetings ASAP to ensure they get their preferred times to complete their essay work this summer. 

Have a great weekend!

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Weekly Update: September 3

A bit of a chill in the air when we came into the office this morning, kids back at school, and seniors submitting applications almost every day - happy September!

BIGGEST COLLEGE-RELATED NEWS OF THE WEEK

TULANE EXPERIENCES BACKLASH FOR IDA RESPONSE

Early on Tuesday, Tulane University began evacuating students to Houston in response to Hurricane Ida. Students won’t be permitted to return to campus until October, and classes will continue online, so many are headed home while others will stay with faculty in New Orleans. 

Tulane blamed faulty forecasts for the late evacuation, and people on Twitter became ANGRY! Criticisms of the university’s response went viral, demonstrating that the path of the hurricane had been predicted to hit New Orleans several days in advance of the evacuation. We touched base earlier this week with a current freshman we have at Tulane and were glad to hear that she is safe and doing well, but really sad that she won’t be able to return to campus for six weeks. 

(Side note: Despite the sometimes unpredictable weather, Tulane is growing increasingly popular with students - their acceptance rate dropped from 30% a few years ago to 9.73% this past year! The class of 2025 at Tulane set records for diversity as well as academic excellence.)

BUT THE AMHERST COVID BACKLASH IS WAY WORSE

I have always been on the more conservative side with Covid - just this week I kept one of my kids home from school for days as a precaution because kids in other classes there were testing positive and I didn’t want to risk exposure. So I do understand being cautious and in general applaud that.

But what is Amherst thinking? They are taking their Covid restrictions way too far, in my opinion, and students are furious. This piece from the New York Post made me laugh - “Students, all of whom were already required to be vaccinated, will spend non-class time in their dorm rooms and may leave campus only in a handful of defined emergency situations. One of these is apparently going to the bank, though what a bunch of would-be rowdy undergraduates who can’t hit up the local dive bars or have a coffee will need money for is a mystery.” Sounds fun, right? I really like Amherst, but yikes.

COVID-19 OUTBREAK AT LIBERTY UNIVERSITY

On the other end of the spectrum, Liberty University switched abruptly to remote learning this week following a coronavirus outbreak on campus. Their numbers tripled within the last week and they now have 4x as many students with Covid as UVA, JMU, VCU and Virginia Tech COMBINED!!! To put this into perspective, their student population is about 15,000, and the combined student population at those four schools is about 115,000. Time to start getting vaccinated, guys! With limited ICU space at the only local hospital, the university had to pivot to protect its students. Liberty is just one of several schools, including Rice and Duke, that have made changes in the last few weeks in response to the Delta variant. 

One week ago at Liberty. Seriously???

COLLEGE FOOTBALL KICKOFF

College football started this week, with fans eagerly awaiting yesterday’s top-25 matchup between Ohio State and Minnesota. As universities struggle with the Delta variant, it is up to the colleges to manage COVID-19 during these travel games. Some football teams, including Ole Miss, Arizona, and Boston College, have 100% vaccination rates headed into the season.

BEST ARTICLES OF THE WEEK

My favorite college rankings were released this week! I look forward to the Princeton Review’s rankings every year, and we often recommend them to our clients. Instead of ranking the colleges from best to worst in a general sense like many other guides, Princeton Review identifies the characteristics that students seek in an undergraduate education and identifies the top 25 schools that best fit each one. They are called "Great Lists" and range from "Great College Dorms" to "Great Career Services" to "Great Professors" and more. 

I also really like the write-ups in the Princeton Review rankings - they give a "School Says" and a "Students Say" section for each aspect of the school. This gives you a more realistic sense of what's happening on campus. For example, the "School Says" part about Wash U's campus life reads: "Washington University offers a nurturing, yet intellectually rigorous, environment where students from all identities and backgrounds thrive." But what do the students say? "WashU is ‘the package deal. Great academics, amazing extracurricular activities, and the best people.’ There’s ‘always funding for student groups, student initiatives, university-run activities, research, and the infrastructure is unmatched’: ’Dorms are five-star hotels, food is delicious with tons of variety, [and] the buildings are gorgeous.’ (I agree!). 

Create a free account on review.com to check out all of the rankings and write-ups, or buy the brand-new "Best 387 Colleges" book, which contains the same information all in one place.

Tulane and Penn State joined together this week for a webinar on “Making the Most of Your Common App.” If you missed the event, you can check out this recap. There are some common sense tips from each school, but our biggest takeaway is the importance of demonstrated interest at Tulane. As we mentioned above, their acceptance rate has dropped into the single digits, and Tulane is a school that takes demonstrated interest seriously! Students who are applying this cycle should make sure to prioritize visits, optional essays, and interview opportunities to maximize their admissions strategy. 

Lastly, the WSJ published a fascinating piece that I know would strike a chord with MANY of our readers here in Northern Virginia. It explores the increasingly problematic issue of public universities rejecting their own state’s students in order to accept more out-of-state applicants. Why is this happening, you ask? Because the out-of-state students pay a whole lot more in tuition. Texas and North Carolina were identified as two schools that are bucking this trend, which is why it’s next to impossible to get into UT Austin or UNC Chapel Hill from out of state. According to the article, the other “48 out of 50 flagship universities increased their share of out-of-state freshmen from 2002 to 2018. The average increase was 55%, although some … increased by more than 150%.” So basically everyone just pays extra to go to their neighboring state’s universities since they can’t get into their own, which brings the states more revenue but also increases student debt.

OFFICE HAPPENINGS

As I have mentioned before, we are continuing to transition from working primarily with our original Class of 2022 cohort to kicking off the application process with our juniors and spending more time with our Late Start Seniors and grad students. And we’re hearing from our Class of 2021 students as many of them finish up their first week of classes, which is so fun!

One of our 2021 students sent us this absolutely adorable plant a few weeks ago (the picture doesn’t do it justice). I’m considering kidnapping it for my home office instead because I like the color so much ;)

Remember, if you just started senior year and are feeling overwhelmed - it’s NOT too late for help! Seniors who book a Meet & Greet within the next several weeks will likely be able to finish their applications by November 1. It never fails to amaze me how we can completely dig these families out of a bad situation and put them on a path to success in a matter of days, and it’s really gratifying because they are always so thankful and appreciative. A mom told me the other day that working with us was like taking a magic pill and losing ten pounds overnight. I wasn’t sure where she was going with that (haha) but then she explained that while it’s always better in retrospect to do things the right way (I.e. diet and exercise, or spending a year on the college application process), sometimes you really just need a quick fix and that’s exactly what we gave her! :) I can appreciate that!!

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William & Mary: #4 for College with the Happiest Students

NOTE FROM COLLEEN:

SHANNON IS TAKING OVER TODAY WITH A TOPIC THAT I’VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT FOR YEARS. I’M ALWAYS FASCINATED BY THE FEEDBACK I HEAR ABOUT WILLIAM & MARY FROM KIDS IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA. I HONESTLY DON’T UNDERSTAND IT!

SO MANY STUDENTS HAVE SOMETHING NEGATIVE TO SAY BEFORE THEY HAVE EVER SET FOOT ON CAMPUS, YET THE ONES WHO END UP ACTUALLY GOING THERE JUST LOVE IT - I HAVE MULTIPLE STUDENTS THERE NOW AND THEY COULDN’T BE HAPPIER.

AND WHEN I ATTENDED A COUNSELOR DAY ON CAMPUS A FEW YEARS BACK, I COULD NOT HAVE BEEN MORE IMPRESSED. SO I WAS GENUINELY CURIOUS TO GET THE REAL SCOOP FROM SHANNON! HOPE YOU FIND IT INTERESTING TOO :)

HERE IT IS…

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As a proud College of William & Mary alumna, I’m always excited when I hear good news about my alma mater. And last week brought some fantastic accolades for W&M from the Princeton Review - we are now ranked #4 for Happiest Students and #15 for Best Quality of Life! 

When I first learned about William & Mary, I was just beginning my own college search process at my New England prep school - I probably googled something like “medium-sized colleges East Coast” and went from there.

I was drawn to the gorgeous campus and the warmer Virginia weather, but what sealed the deal for me was the feeling, from the moment I stepped on William & Mary’s campus, that it was a place where I could be the “real me.”

So much of my application process felt disingenuous to who I was as a person (hence my passion at DC College Counseling for making sure each application is authentic and unique to the student!) that it was a relief to walk into a place that seemed accepting of every part of me, not just the skills I tried to emphasize on my application. 

I still remember meeting everyone at orientation, listening as student after student introduced themselves and said they were from “Nova.” Wow, I thought, how are all these kids from the same town?

It wasn’t until after I had moved in, met my (still) best friends and hallmates, and discovered that Nova wasn’t just a single town that I learned about the rumors that plagued William & Mary from the in-state students - students at William & Mary are terrible overachievers, the quality of life is horrible, no one is having any fun.

I was completely shocked by the rumors because they were so far outside of my William & Mary experience. I don’t want to dwell on “suicide rates” in this post, because I don’t want to reduce a widespread mental health issue to a statistic, but rates for students at William & Mary, while deeply tragic, are the same as the national average.

I think that W&M has come to bear the brunt of rumors that speak more to a general concern for the mental health and well-being of high school and college-age students than to any particular aspect of the William & Mary community.

I don’t mean to diminish the problem - it is essential that W&M, like every higher education institution, put more emphasis on mental health resources for students. I am hopeful that the campus’s new McLeod Tyler Wellness Center, home to mental health services including the new Center for Mindfulness & Authentic Excellence, is a step in the right direction by a school that is committed to caring for its students.

I met my best friends in this dorm freshman year, so we had to come back and take a photo before graduation!

The new Princeton Review rankings are much more representative of my time at William & Mary than any rumors I have heard. The idea of “Authentic Excellence” is a way of life for the Tribe, and throughout my four years of college, I was never dissuaded from the knowledge that my authentic self was accepted at W&M.

That sense so many students experience in high school, of feeling “uncool”? You will never feel it in Williamsburg. W&M students are unabashedly uncool. Everyone is nerdy about something: pop music production, marine biology, obscure 18th century literature, MLB statistics, you name it and someone on campus is willing to geek out with you about it. The tight group of friends I made during college have a wide variety of interests and experiences, and I love hearing about their passions because I never fail to learn something new. And I promise - we had a lot of fun too! 

Even though COVID-19 means that I have to miss homecoming this year, I will always consider William & Mary my home, and I’m counting down to the day when I can step back onto campus and visit all of my favorite Williamsburg places.  

In our William & Mary gear, making sure Thomas Jefferson is ready for Mardi Gras!

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COLLEEN AGAIN! IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN W&M, CHECK OUT THIS INCREDIBLY HELPFUL SLIDE FROM THE COUNSELOR DAY I ATTENDED:

I KNOW IT’S A LITTLE HARD TO READ, BUT HERE GOES - IT’S ABOUT QUESTIONS THAT W&M ADMISSIONS STAFF CONSIDER WHILE REVIEWING APPLICATIONS:

• IS THE STUDENT PREPARED TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN OUR ACADEMIC COMMUNITY?

• HOW DOES HE OR SHE COMPARE TO OTHERS IN OUR POOL?

• HAS THE STUDENT GONE ABOVE AND BEYOND TO PURSUE A RIGOROUS CURRICULUM IN A WAY THAT DEMONSTRATES AN INTEREST IN DOING SO IN COLLEGE?

• DOES THE STUDENT HAVE A MATURE WRITING VOICE?

• IS THE STUDENT INTERESTING WITH A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE ABOUT THE WORLD?

• DOES HE OR SHE HAVE SPUNK, ZEST, OR AN INTERESTING ATTITUDE THAT WOULD ADD A NEW DIMENSION TO CAMPUS LIFE?

• WHAT IS THIS PERSON GOING TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE CAMPUS COMMUNITY?

• WOULD HE OR SHE BE AN INTERESTING ROOMMATE, CLASSMATE, LAB PARTNER?

Practical Tips for Researching Colleges

As we’ve begun the process of finalizing college lists with this year’s junior class, we realized that lists of school recommendations aren’t all that helpful if students aren’t able to narrow that broader list down to one that is manageable. This is especially the case when trying to prioritize which schools to visit.

Below I have outlined our recommendations to help students work toward finding their home away from home for the next four years, once they already have a starting point of schools from which to choose.

1. Spend time exploring each school's website. I would specifically recommend looking for information on the following:

(a) General Education Requirements - How strict/liberal are they? How do they align with your preferences?

(b) Career Center - What do they offer? What statistics do they share? Be wary of any school that brags about a 100% acceptance rate to certain graduate programs - this usually means that they restrict where you can apply to manipulate their statistics and is not a good sign, in my opinion, for a number of reasons. What about internship opportunities?

(c) Residential Life - What is the dorm situation like? What kinds of activities are offered on weekends? 

(d) School Mission - A lot of people don't pay attention to mission statements and I think this is critical! This will give you a lot of information about a school's priorities. 

(e) Alumni Relations - Which cities are represented most with alumni gatherings? How often are events planned? This will give you an idea of the strength of the alumni network.

(f) Major Information - What is offered? What are the major requirements and options? What extracurriculars are available in conjunction with that major?

(g) School Newspaper - My secret weapon! You'll learn about everything, good and bad. 

EXTRA TIP: Write lots of notes during this part of your research. These will come in handy during the supplemental essay process.

2. Take a virtual tour, either on the school's website or at youvisit.com.

3. Create an account at Princeton Review's website (review.com) and read their write-ups. I particularly like the "students say" perspective vs. the "school says" perspective.

4. Read reviews at unigo.com (I like the "most answered questions" part).

5. Check out the "report cards" at niche.com.

6. If you want to buy a book to read profiles, I like the Fiske Guide the best, personally, but I also don't really think this is necessary because you will find so much online! Some people like to read a book, though, and that is fine too!

Once you’ve checked off these steps, you should end up with a clear grasp of which schools deserve a planned visit and which do not. Don’t forget that I ultimately recommend a final college list of about ten schools: one dream reach, three “regular reaches,” three middle schools, and three safety schools.

If you have any burning questions about school, college, graduate admissions, or even high school in general, please shoot us an email and we will be sure to get back in touch.