So sorry for the radio silence–we have been incredibly busy focusing our on applicant pool! Since mid-February, our counseling staff have been reviewing applications and shaping the Class of 2020. From 9am to 4:30pm, my counseling colleagues and I sit together in a room with the shades drawn and the projector screens up to make decisions on applicants hopeful to be part of the Holy Cross community. While we drink coffee and eat a variety of snacks, we look at each student’s application carefully to determine their potential fit at the College. We also look at our master list of applicants for this year, as well as study transcripts, Common App essays, teacher and counselor recommendations, SAT/ACT/AP/TOEFL test scores, a variety of types of art supplements, and any other admission items that may come our way!
2016 has certainly been a great year for us so far, 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 are able to make a more informed decision on that applicant.
3. High school students today are incredible. I have read so many wonderful, funny, insightful, warm, thoughtful essays. I have 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. It is clear to me in reviewing applications that 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 diverse experiences has been wonderfully inspiring!
