Thanks so much for your wisdom and encouragement!
He’s now also gotten into Oberlin, Early Action. He likes it, though he has some reservations about what might be an intense political climate. He’s left-leaning but not super activist (I hope he might get a little more engaged in college). Oberlin’s music culture and strong sciences would suit him well. Now we’ll just wait till late March/Early April for other results.
11 Likes
Oberlin is really fantastic academically, but also a fit college for sure. Perhaps if it is a top finalist in the end he could do an admitted students day?
3 Likes
Great choices already! We didn’t visit Macalaster but the head of our local school’s music department went there and has a rich musical life. We spent 5 days in Oberlin to really get to know it and loved it. The students are so supportive of each other: student performances were packed. We saw a professor at a big table in a restaurant with students. We stayed in a community airbnb and drove around the countryside at sunset. Brown is still in the running, our other favorite school, but Macalaster and Oberlin are great choices to have!
6 Likes
Yes, we would definitely go for one of the admitted students days. We visited a couple of falls ago, but there’s so much growing and changing between the beginning of junior year and the second half of senior year. Important to check it out again if he decides it’s one of his top options. They’ve offered him a generous amount of merit aid, so that’s appealing, too.
3 Likes
I’m glad to hear that about Macalester’s music program. When we visited two falls ago we sat in on a lecture by Mark Mazullo, an amazing music theory professor who played, analyzed, and engaged us in discussion about the second movement of Beethoven’s Sonata 32. It was a breathtaking experience. He showed how Beethoven’s reading of Kant could have inspired the composition. (I encourage people to listen to that piece; you will have a hard time believing it’s by Beethoven–it’s syncopated and even jazzy in parts).
That is so great that you spent 5 days in Oberlin! What a good way to get a real sense of what it would be like to go to school there. It’s fun that our kids have overlapping lists. Maybe they’ll end up in the same place! Wishing yours the very best luck!
1 Like
Just an anecdote, but while my S24 was leaning a certain way after collecting all his offers, and in fact went that way in the end, we still did admitted student visits three places. I think for him, at least, that last bit of due diligence to confirm his choice really gave him peace of mind.
Of course some kids just know. Also fine!
3 Likes
Personally, I think the admitted days, while nice, are sales jobs.
If you can go, great. If not, you can go on your own, take a tour, stop kids on campus, eat in the dining hall, walk the town - even make appts with the head of clubs or professors.
I remember we had good food in the dining hall at school of MInes. One of the presenters at the student panel (on an admitted day) said we love the admitted student days - because the dining hall is suddenly not gross.
No problem with attending the days - but know what they are, a sales pitch, not necessarily something organic.
My kid valued the admitted student days, whether to confirm a decision - yay or nay.
First off, the one school that just didn’t pull this event off well came out of contention. If they couldn’t organize themselves for this, what then?
It was a great chance to see who your fellow classmates might be. They compared notes on the school they were visiting as well as their cross-admits. It was also a great opportunity to mix with current students. Particularly for LACs, where a dominant culture might infuse the feel of the place, this is nice.
Resources were made available, whether professors, club and intramural sports representatives, students, dining hall staff, etc.
Questions that would have been premature during a tour, such as how advising works, freshman classes are selected, the ins and outs of living learning communities or substance free housing, can be asked and will be answered.
So yes, it’s a sales job in that they are putting their best foot forward. it also means that they know they need to get buyers whatever they need to be sold - and they are most likely to be prepared to do that on these days.
3 Likes
I’m not saying not to go to the - I’m saying they are not necessarily the be all and end all.
A lot of what you say is true - and I imagine moreso at a smaller school.
But you note here - they’ll be prepared on these days. Will they be prepared to walk the walk after they gave the talk? That’s what concerns me.
It was really enlightening that the School of MInes kid highlighted the food on that one day. On the other hand, AU gave a sandwich box - and it was pretty gross 
My daughter still loved the school.
Really, I’m saying - just get there. A lot panic because the calendar doesn’t work for them. Getting back and visiting is the most important thing - regardless of the event type - in my opinion. But it will often be more raw and real on a non admit day - when you stop kids and even adults on the campus vs. the day when everyone is trying to win an Emmy with their best performance. But just get to campus - one way or another I’d say.
2 Likes
They are 100% the school trying to get kids with offers to actually accept those offers.
But I think there were still valuable for my S24 because there were some interesting nuances he picked up on in the way they chose to pitch themselves, and then of course there was just meeting a bunch of other kids who were also looking at that school and might be his future classmates (ETA: see also other poster making the same point.)
So is any of this strictly necessary before making a decision? Absolutely not. Could a visit outside of the formal program work? Sure! But if attending the organized event would help a kid feel comfortable and in fact excited about their final decision, and it is comfortably affordable for the family, it could be well worth it.
3 Likes
It was definitely interesting to me how the kids’ attitudes noticeably changed once they were no longer worried about admissions and just were kicking the tires on colleges that had given them offers. There were some pretty pointed questions from some of the kids at admitted students days (and also some parents, which I didn’t always love, but I also understand they might have some questions before actually paying the bills), frank expressions of concerns they wanted addressed, and so on.
5 Likes
As I remember first kid did admitted student days, other two went on regular days, attended classes, hung out in the dining hall etc. My son did an overnight. Pros and cons to both approaches. Having lunch with other prospectives also trying to decide has its benefits too.
2 Likes
Thanks for all the thoughts about as about the pros and cons of admitted students days.
Wanted to share an update. My son received an email from William & Mary saying that, based on his RD application, he is among 150 semifinalists for the 1693 Scholars Program. There will be 50 finalists and then only 9 scholars chosen for the program. To be considered for the next round, he would need to submit an essay, create a three minute video in response to a prompt, and have an interview. Finalists have to give a presentation to a faculty panel. Chances would be slim that he would get to be one of the 9 who make the final cut, but maybe it would be worth it to try. The perks are very appealing: the amount of full in-state tuition (we are OOS), room and board, $6000 per year research stipend, a dedicated faculty mentor, priority registration for courses, and priority housing (I think there’s a dedicated house for the 1693 Scholars. My son is feeling pretty done with the college application process, so the idea of writing another essay and making a video is a little daunting. He knows his chances of being selected are low, so he’s not sure he’s going to pursue it. I hope he does, but I don’t want to pressure him.
11 Likes
Huge congrats on your son’s 1693 candidacy! That’s massive! Though neither of my kids was tapped for that, one of them works in a research lab with the main professor who directs the 1693 program, and he’s incredible. (If you’ve seen my story about a W&M professor offering my daughter his own lunch when she was a prospective student because the two of them completely lost track of time talking about bird research, that’s the professor.)
I 100% get that your son might not want to put in the effort on doing that additional application work, but, even if not, CONGRATS on the W&M acceptance (and presumed Monroe, if he doesn’t go for the 1693!).
3 Likes
9 of 150 is pretty good odds all considering for a home run possibility !!
1 Like
There is an essay reader section on this forum.. I worked with a student who was applying for that scholarship. He can post a request after reading the instructions and a reader will respond by PM so that the work together is private.
1 Like
Thank you! It really is a nice honor for him to be invited to compete for this program. And even if he chooses not to pursue it, yes, good to know that he’ll be accepted in March (we are assuming). We weren’t sure if he could still be considered for the Monroe if he doesn’t apply for the 1693.
I love hearing about that wonderful professor! How great that your daughter gets to work with him! That story really contributes to my sense of W & M being a special place.
1 Like
Wow! I didn’t know about this option. Thank you so much for the suggestion!
1 Like
That’s a big deal! I totally understand not wanting to make the effort, but first off, there will be a number of the 150 who feel the same way and take themselves out of the running, making the odds a bit better than they appear.
Second, these opportunities are great practice for similar things down the road, academic and professional. Having done this - regardless of outcome, will give him a leg up when he goes through another competitive process, academic or professional.
And last, in some cases, the kids they see in this process are tapped for other opportunities or scholarships. People hate to see “wow” unrewarded.
4 Likes
Great points! I will see if I can inspire him (vs. pressuring) to give it a go. Your thoughts may convince him.
2 Likes