My husband and I are having a special dinner Thursday night. Jessi called
from school at lunch break today to say that she had not talked with us
about anything but college, grades, and SATs for weeks and could we please
have a meal at which those topics are banned?
She has a point. For the next 12 weeks, every kid in the USA who is applying
to go to college in September 2007 will be preparing and sending in their
applications to their preferred schools. Even those who have already sent in
their Early Admittance or
Early Decision requests are probably working on the applications for their
backup choices. (It is a little disturbing that I now know the difference
between Early Admittance and Early Decision.) After years of discussion
and preparation, it is strange to be this deep in the process of deciding
where to send our beloved daughter and eldest child off to college.
Jessi’s college advisor at Harker
recommended that she and we read The Gatekeepers by Jacques
Steinberg. This is the story of the Class of 2004 admissions process for
Wesleyan, a university in Connecticut.
I found the book of particular interest because the SEED Engineering mentoring
program I manage for Sun has many similar application and admission processes.
The volume of college applicants far exceeds anything SEED gets,
thank goodness; however, we do hold the same discussions of how to value one
set of accomplishments over another. In Wesleyan’s case, the choices often seemed
to be high SAT test scores or grades
vs. demonstrated leadership vs. writing or dance or music talent vs. cultural origin.
In SEED discussions, it is often work history vs. demonstrated creative
ability vs. patents or publications vs. high recommendations vs. demonstrated
leadership or technical excellence. Few candidates excel in all areas and, just
like the admissions officers in the book, I always wish I could accept more than I
have spaces for.
It is hard to read The Gatekeepers just now because I keep thinking
over my own daughter’s academic, athletic, musical, and personal profile
and wondering what a college admissions officer will make of her. I think
Jessi is wise to call an occassional time out from college discussions
to reconnect as a family who loves each other.
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