<p>I’m not sure anyone really knows the answer to the selection of Echols…They say that essay quality plays a large part in selection , but who knows. Many of D’s 9 suitemates (all Echols) are either Jefferson scholar nominees and/or legacies also…
D is in one of the the 3 Echol’s dorms as a first year, but is not Echols. She wanted to room with an Echols gal, and they were not allowed to be housed elsewhere. Initially, she was concerned…felt that perhaps everyone would be so much smarter…form cliques, etc. Now she laughs at the situation. She says there seems to be NO consistency among her dorm peers with regards to SATS, grades, number or scores on AP’s. She thinks some are geniuses (suitemate is a “well chosen” Jefferson scholar/genius) and others are a pure mystery… All the kids are so different in abilities, interests, backgrounds that it is really impossible to see common demoninators.
For perspective, D was out of state, National AP scholar-11AP’s, 1480, Salutatorian, cheerleader, softball infielder. Although initially she wondered what it would take to get nominated…!!, now she couldn’t care less–and she lives with all of them. She thinks that Echols is really a non-factor except that it gets you out of the foreign language requirement! Most out of staters have so many AP’s anyway that other requirements are very minor.<br>
Her advice…don’t waste time worrying about it. There is SO much other good stuff about the school that it is just a nice little benefit–nothing more. And no one there even seems to know how they got selected.
She is loving every minute of her first year.</p>