Admissions officers blog about search and application process
Whew! That was a long and exciting process. Breaking news from the Holy Cross Admissions office….. committee is over and all (but for a few) decisions have been made! Letters will be mailed at the end of the week; keep an eye out for the postman!
Amanda Juriansz
Assistant Director of Community Outreach
Winter is officially upon us. In fact, just yesterday, Holy Cross enjoyed its first official “Snow Day” since 1997. In Admissions, the arrival of winter shifts our focus from interviewing, to filing and reading applications. To commemorate this shift, I wanted to share a few scenes of the season with you. Enjoy!
Amanda Juriansz
Assistant Director of Community Outreach
Travel season is in full swing. Admissions counselors are out and about at high schools and college fairs, including myself. This year during my travels I’ve heard a few admissions myths from students and counselors alike that we would like to dispel.
Myth: “That school is too hard to get in to.”
Truth: You never know until you try. Even admissions counselors can’t tell you whether you would get in or not until the process is complete. There are a multitude of factors that are taken into consideration. First in your family to go to college? That’s a plus for you. Live in Washington DC? There’s another plus. You’ve probably got a lot more going for you than you realize.
Myth: “That school is too expensive”
Truth: You should never be intimidated by the sticker price of a school. If it is a school you are interested in apply for financial aid. Students are often surprised by how much aid they qualify for. And by the way, Holy Cross meets need 100%.
Myth: “I’ll save money by enrolling in a community college for two years and then transferring to a four year institution”
Truth: You may end up spending more time and money by attending a two year school first. Credits don’t always transfer and you may have to take some courses a second time. Also the quality of the education or the student life experience may not be the same. Be sure to consider all of the factors before making a decision to transfer.
Amanda Juriansz
Assistant Director of Admissions
The semester is in full swing up on the hill! Fall classes began on September 1st and we couldn’t be more excited for another year full of discovery and accomplishment. Passing through the music department the other day, the hall was filled with jazz music. It made me curious about the topic of the course seeing as how it was only the second day and they were already listening to some amazing music. Come to find out the music department offers several courses with topics in jazz. Just another fantastic opportunity at Holy Cross. Take a look at the catalog and see what courses catch your attention!
Amanda Juriansz
Assistant Director of Admissions
It’s December 15th already. Here in the Holy Cross admissions office that means two things. First, that Christmas music is continuously streaming out of Fr. Markey’s office (even as I type this the sounds of “Do They Know It’s Christmas” are drifting across the hall). Two, travel season is officially over and reading season has begun! So what does reading season mean? Well it means that our 13 admissions counselors are spending the majority of their time reading and summarizing thousands of applications.
We all have our preferences for what time of day we like to read best. There are a few of us who like to read first thing in the morning. One crazy staffer gets up a 5 am to get a head start! But then there are a few of us who like reading in the evening better, sometimes until 2 or 3 in the morning. But whatever the time we prefer to read, we are each reviewing about 40-50 files a day!
It takes a lot of time, but it can be fun. We finally get to see all the hard work you’ve been doing over the past few months. Reading all of your essays and all of those recommendations, we’re hearing your story, one piece of paper at a time.
Amanda Juriansz
Assistant Director of Community Outreach
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
So it’s July and while you’re (we hope) sitting by the pool enjoying your summer break, we’re here in the office thinking about your college applications. Yes, we’re already planning for next year. Over the past few weeks we have begun planning our fall travel schedules. We put a lot of thought into what schools we will be visiting. We consider where we have visited in past years, where we receive applications from, and also where we would like to build awareness about Holy Cross. After much deliberating, scheduling and rescheduling, each counselor will have approximately a seven week itinerary of high schools, community based agencies and college fairs to attend spanning from September to November. We can’t always visit every school or attend every event we would like but we do our best to fit everything in. In August, our schedules will be posted on the web page, so be sure to check that out to see when we’ll be in your area. We’ll see you on the road this fall!
Amanda Juriansz
Assistant Director of Community Outreach
We know you have a big decision to make. Over the next few weeks, members of the Holy Cross community will share their thoughts on what makes Holy Cross so special.
I love Holy Cross because the people here really look after one another. Before coming here, I had never experienced such a selfless community. Here, getting lost in the crowd is impossible. If you lose your student ID card, start to feel homesick, or need help with a class, there will be ten people there to help you get back on track. You’re not in this college thing alone. If you ever need help, you just have to say the word (and usually help is there before you can finish the thought).
Amanda Juriansz
Assistant Director of Community Outreach
Hello from Oklahoma City!
Travel season has been busy. In the last two weeks I’ve been through Texas, Arkansas, and now Oklahoma. A question that’s come up several times is, “How do I plan a visit? Do I have to call ahead?” Visiting is one of the most informative ways to decide whether or not a college is right for you. Most schools do not require you to call ahead to let them know you would like to go on a tour or attend an information session. All you have to do is show up in the Admissions office! The exception to this is if you would like to have an interview or sit in on some classes. These types of visits require you to call at least two weeks ahead of your visit to schedule a time. It’s usually possible to visit two schools in one day, so get out those maps and start planning your road trip
!
Amanda Juriansz
Assistant Director of Community Outreach
I can’t believe it’s September already! Where did the summer go? My name is Amanda Juriansz. I am the Assistant Director of Community Outreach in the Admissions office here at Holy Cross. I have some new and exciting travel territories this fall. I will be covering Essex and Suffolk counties in Massachusetts. I will also be traveling to Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas. I grew up in Rhode Island and graduated from the University of Rhode Island. I’m also getting married in RI next summer. I’m a New Englander for life and will probably never leave. I think it has everything to offer. Big cities, small towns, beaches, mountains all within driving distance. What more could you want?
Amanda Juriansz
Assistant Director of Community Outreach
College of the Holy Cross •1 College Street, Worcester, MA 01610 •508-793-2011
© 2024 College of the Holy Cross All rights reserved.
