Admission: Not Impossible

The summer before I entered Holy Cross, my Class Dean suggested all future Crusaders read Civility by Stephen Carter.  My parents bought it for me at the bookstore during Gateways and it sat on my shelf all summer.  Two days before I moved into Mulledy Hall I reluctantly read it and, (to my surprise) loved it.  During my four years on “the hill,” I was pleased to find that random acts of kindness existed and the Jesuit ideal of “men and women for others” lived strong…..and it still does. 

Yesterday, I contemplated what my most distinct memory of the 2009 travel season was and as a result I reflected on several months on the road.  One might think it was interviewing bright minds or meeting fabulous students, counselors, secretaries and teachers who all brightened my days on the road.  Undoubtedly, my interactions with those people were some of my favorite memories but definitely not the most distinct.  The day that truly sets itself apart was a lunch that managed to make me feel completely alone.

I had an hour break between high school visits so I decided to get some soup at Panera.  As I placed the bowl down on the table the massive platter went flying and landed all over me. From my hair down to my shoes, I was covered.  It was there, in a crowded restaurant, I became truly amazed with the lack of civility in today’s society.  To my amazement not one person came over and offered a helping hand.  Sadly, that day served as a tragic realization that civility sometimes fails to exist in our society.

Standing there embarrassed and smelling of vegetable broth I had a flashback to my first year at the Cross.  I was in Kimball, enjoying a meal with my friends, when a girl slipped on a wet tile and went flying.  The throngs of students that rushed to her side would have made Stephen Carter proud.  I truly believe civility is commonplace at Holy Cross and I find myself constantly amazed by positive student actions.  Sadly enough in the “real world” it is increasingly more difficult to find. 

After all, my clumsy arm did ruin my cream pants but it was the pure example of fading civility which managed to destroy my entire day.

Alyssa Trometter

Admissions Counselor

You’ve filled out the Common Application and submitted it online, double and triple checking to make sure that you’ve attached your essay upload. You’ve filled out the paper work at your guidance office requesting that they send along your transcript and recommendation letters to Holy Cross (in Massachusetts, not Indiana). You’re positive that everything has been sent to us. We have it, right? You think we have it. You hope we have it. How do you know if we have it?

There’s no need to stay up nights worrying about whether or not we have your materials, you can now check the status of your application materials online! Simply go to our online checklist, click “register”, put in your personal information and you will be provided with a glimpse into our database. More specifically, you’ll see your application checklist as it appears in our records.

Furthermore, you’ll be able to tell exactly what (if anything) is still missing. A list of required application materials will appear along with notation of whether or not each item has been received.

***One caution – It takes some time for us to receive your materials in the mail, open our mail, sort our mail, and input the pieces of your application into our system.

DO NOT PANIC if you do not see all of your materials listed. You may be positive that you sent in that Verification Form, you know that you put the right postage on it, it should have been here, it’s not listed, you may check compulsively – it WILL eventually appear. Give it some time, and if after 10-14 days you still don’t see your materials appear, feel free to call our office and we’ll tell you whether or not we think you need to submit the missing piece again.

We wish you all the best of luck as you finish up those college applications over the next few months. You’re in the home stretch of your application season, and we can’t wait to begin ours!

Diane Soboski
Assistant Director of Admissions

Just last Friday, I attended Shabbat dinner here on campus alongside five Holy Cross faculty members, and seven Holy Cross students. Rabbi Norman Cohen ’72 , led the service, and two  students prepared a traditional Jewish meal, including a fantastic matzah ball soup, and a beautiful loaf of Challah. It was a wonderful night of reflecting on our respective Holy Cross experiences, and getting to know each other. The night further solidified my love for Holy Cross, and its open-minded appreciation for diversity.

Growing up in Worcester’s Jewish community, I never thought that I could feel comfortable at Holy Cross. Now, having worked here for a little over two years, I can tell you that at no point have I ever been made to feel excluded, judged, or like an “other,” for not being Catholic. On the contrary, working here has helped me to more fully recognize how much we all have in common. The Jesuit sentiment of being “men and women for others” is very similar to the Jewish tradition of giving Tzedakah, or charitable donations.  The words Tzedakah comes from the Hebrew root Tzadei-Dalet-Qof, meaning righteousness, justice or fairness, (all words we rely on heavily at Holy Cross).

Though the majority of students at Holy Cross are Catholic, our community is enriched by Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist, Protestant, Orthodox, Coptic, Hindu and non-practicing faculty and students. While we do have a religion requirement among our common area requirements, it can be fulfilled with classes like Comparative World Religions, Ancient and Medieval Hinduism, and Zen Buddhism.

Shabbat dinner is just one example of the opportunities Holy Cross provides its non-Catholic students.  Earlier this year, our Center for Religion, Ethics, and Culture hosted a Zen Meditation and Social Justice Forum, and every Sunday, an interdenominational Christian service  is held on campus. Finally, the Chaplain’s office will drive any student to any of the wide array of worshipping communities in the city of Worcester.

Come for a visit, and hopefully you’ll find that Holy Cross is a  comfortable place for you to explore your own faith, and the faiths of others.

Julia Sanders

Admissions Counselor

You’ve filled in all the empty spaces; you’ve identified siblings, parents, CEEB code, guidance counselor fax number and now you’re hovering above the “SUBMIT” button. You’ve checked it two, three, four different times but you still get the sense that it’s not quite ready. Like a cake without frosting, your Common Application is still not ready for consumption. So for the nth time, you go back to check your essay – one last time, you promise yourself.

You meticulously check for spelling mistakes.

Nothing.

You review the 11 comma rules and check your essay again.

Looks good.

Yet, you’re still not ready to click “SUBMIT”.

Stuck in that position?

Here’s some advice for you:

Review the beginning of your essay – the first two or three sentences. Have you effectively captured your reader’s attention or have you simply begun telling your story? Have you grabbed your reader by the lapels and given them a good shake or have you quietly snuck into the room like a late arrival to the opera? Not sure?

Here’s what you should do – pick up a copy of People magazine and take a look at their articles (yes, there are articles). Actually, don’t read any article in its entirety – just read the first 2-3 sentences. Their articles aren’t brilliant or unbelievably well-written but the writers for People magazine do an outstanding job of grabbing their readers’ attention at the beginning of an article. And while admissions counselors do not read applications while standing in line at the grocery store, it is equally important for you to catch their attention at the beginning of your essay.

So get some inspiration from People magazine and spruce up your first 2-3 sentences. Remember, lapels are on our jackets for a reason. Give them a good shake.

Andrew Carter

Associate Director of Admissions

During my travels last week I received a number of questions about Early Decision…who should apply, what is the process, are there benefits to applying ED?  If you have had similar questions, please read on!

By applying Early Decision you are stating that Holy Cross is far and away your first choice for college. There should be no doubt in your mind that this is absolutely the place you want to be.  The process is binding, which means that if admitted to Holy Cross, you will withdraw all other applications and enroll here.  This is a serious commitment, so the decision to apply ED should not be made casually.

Unlike Regular Decision, Early Decision files are reviewed on a rolling basis, beginning November 1.  Once an application is complete, the application will be read by two members of the Admissions staff, and then presented to the full Admissions Committee. Students are notified of the decision as soon as they are made.  Therefore, the earlier you apply and complete you application, the earlier you will receive your decision. The deadline for applying ED is December 15.

If you plan on applying for Financial Aid, you will want to submit the CSS Profile at the same time you submit your application for admission.   Our financial aid policies for ED are exactly the same as for Regular Decision.  We are need-blind in the application process, which means that we do not consider the level of financial need in making our admissions decisions. We also meet full demonstrated need for all admitted students.  Financial aid for Early Decision is packaged in exactly the same way as in Regular Decision. However, if you and your parents are interested in comparing aid packages from other colleges, then applying Regular Decision would be the better course of action.

So what are the advantages of applying Early Decision? An Early Decision application demonstrates your commitment to and excitement about attending Holy Cross. Because the applicant pool is smaller, we have more time to evaluate your candidacy.  We respect the commitment you are making to Holy Cross, and value the fact that you are committed to attending the College.  Both of these factors are given serious consideration as part of our decision making process. Also, an Early Decision acceptance alleviates the stress of the college search during the remainder of your senior year!

Ann McDermott
Director of Admissions

By now, if you’ve made it this far in the search process, and this deep into the Holy Cross website, you’ve “done your homework” in a manner of speaking.  You’ve researched various schools and you know you like Holy Cross, but may still be wondering about a few things, and need some additional information.  So, how else might you connect with us to gather those final pieces of information you need?  No worries, there’s still time, and lots of ways for you to accomplish this.

• As my colleague Amanda Juriansz mentioned in her most recent blog post, an interview is one of the most important “connections” you can make throughout the process.  Interviewing is one of the single largest expressions of interest you can make in the College, and one of the easiest ways for you to tell us you’re really serious about your application here.  Interviews are offered here on campus until the end of the year, or with an alumnus in your area if that’s easier.  SO, as Amanda said, “What are you waiting for? “

• Chat it up with us! We will be offering several online chats over the course of the next several weeks and months, so login and chat away with Admissions Counselors, Holy Cross students, and other prospective applicants.  The next online chat will be happening November 4 … we’ll hope to see you online from 7:00 – 10:00PM EST, or for any portion of that time you may be available.

• Meeting students is always a great way to connect with a college and get a good feel for what life is like there.  In our Meet Some Students section online, you can actually specify your criteria, and choose who you want to connect with!  Whether its connecting with another student from San Francisco, or someone from Visual Arts, you can choose with whom you correspond.
• You can also make some additional connections with us on staff, or with our Admissions Senior Interviewers through the ‘contact us‘ link on the Admissions page.  We all have photos and email links there – - whether you recognize us or not, make a connection!

And finally, the absolute best way to “connect” is to apply!  Applications for Early Decision consideration are due here in the office December 15, but ED is a rolling process, and we’ll be reviewing applications as soon as November 1st, so feel free to submit your application as soon as it’s ready.  Regular Admission applications are due January 15.  Apply … and get connected!

Good luck!

James T. Richardson
Associate Director of Admission

Well what are you waiting for?!  There are still lots of opportunities to have a personal interview through the admissions office.  Holy Cross offers interviews until December 30th.  Early decision candidates- your interview deadline is November 25th.  So get on the phone and give us a call!  On-campus interviews are offered every weekday 9-4 p.m.

If you’re traveling from outside the northeast and can’t get to Holy Cross, off-campus alumni interviews are available.  All you need to do is submit your common application and then fill out the alumni interviews request form on our Web site.

An interview is the best way to show your interest in a school and also the best way for the admissions committee to get to know you in a personal way.  Transcripts and recommendations are nice, but nothing beats an interview when we’re trying to get a clear picture of what you’re all about.  So if you’re wondering “what can I do to make my application stand out?” here’s your answer:  schedule and interview!

Amanda Juriansz
Assistant Director of Community Outreach

I’m a driver.  I commute over an hour to and from work each day, and spend the better part of the fall months driving around various U.S. cities.  I like to drive, and I think I’m pretty good at it.  I’m not the type of driver who gets flustered or nervous about navigating around new cities.  I’m proud of my ability to quickly figure out the lights/wipers/radio/seat adjustor/cruise control on any rental car, and actually find it kind of exhilarating to drive in a new place.

My current driving conquest is Houston, TX.  I’ve noticed something very distinctive about the experience of driving in Houston.  There are highways–lots of them.  Loops too.  And those highways and loops have lanes–lots of them.  Most highways I’ve experienced in other cities have 3 lanes, and it is understood that speeders use the left, slowpokes use the right and Goldilocks sticks to the middle.  Other than that, the lane you choose means very little.

Not the case in Houston. Most of the highways I’ve driven this week have at least five lanes, and I learned the hard way that the lane you’re in is very important.  A lane could veer off and put you on a different highway at any moment.  The whole road could split in an instant, and if you haven’t chosen your lane wisely, you may find yourself on an unplanned detour or using one of Houston’s many handy u-turn lanes.  You might find yourself shaking your head as your GPS tells you to “stay left, then stay right, then stay right, then stay left”.  In Houston, it feels like you need to choose your lane before you put the car in gear.  It’s enough to turn the experienced calm driver into a nervous and dangerous lane-changer.

There should be an “undeclared” lane for drivers who need more time to figure out where they’re going.  At Holy Cross you can change lanes, and can even change back if you realize you picked the right one the first time.  You can hog two lanes for awhile–or for the whole ride if you like.  You can even drive right down the middle until you feel ready to make a choice.  And if you suddenly find that the path has veered and you’re not on the road you thought you were on, there are always those handy u-turn lanes.

Holy Cross students have until the end of their sophomore year to declare their major.  Many students enter Holy Cross undeclared, some pursue double majors, and many others will change their mind at some point.  So get excited, get in gear and know that we have faith you’ll find your lane when you’re good and ready.

Houston’s highways could learn a thing or two from Holy Cross.

Lynn Verrecchia
Sr. Assistant Director of Admissions

Thank you to all of you who attended our Open House on Sunday, October 4, 2009. After almost three weeks of work travel, it was my first time back on campus and it was a great opportunity to meet with prospective students.

Open House serves as a great “one stop shop” for experiencing life at Holy Cross. We’ll provide you with opportunities to talk with our students, faculty and staff. You will be able to attend information sessions about the admission process or talk with professors about our various majors on campus. Interested in athletics or student clubs or organizations? We’ll connect you with our coaches and club representatives. And perhaps most importantly, you will leave campus with your stomach full of some world famous Holy Cross Mac and Cheese.

If you’re sold on any or all that I have just mentioned, join us for our second Open House of the season. Register here for the November 8, 2009, Open House

Suzanne R. Timmons
Assistant Director of Admissions

It is already October and I am sure a day off from school sounds like a good idea right about now.  What could be better than skipping some classes and coming up to Holy Cross for a day and living the life of a current Crusader?  You might have to make-up some AP course work upon your return but I promise you it will be worth it.  Day Visits are offered to seniors in high school and take place Monday through Friday.  All you have to do is call our office, share your interests, and we will take care of the rest.  At Holy Cross we work hard to try and pair you up with one of our volunteers that match either your academic or extracurricular interests.  We ask that prospective students arrive to Admissions at 8:30 a.m. where they meet up with their host.  During the day most students will have the opportunity to attend a few classes, have a meal at Kimball, hang out in their host’s dorm, and you can even have an interview in Admissions.  There is no better way to get a true feel of what life is like on Mt. Saint James.

So what are you waiting for?

Alyssa Trometter
Admissions Counselor