Nail biting and other preoccupations

In college admissions offices across the country, admissions deans hardly have time to bite their nails, but give them a moment of unstructured time and that's exactly what they'll be doing. It isn't pretty nor even sanitary—but it's essential to making it through the next five weeks.

May 1—International Work's Day, Maypole Day, whatever day it is, the deposit deadline for the Class of 2012—looms large on the horizon. We've all gone out with our best offers to prospective students and families. If we gap in our financial aid offers, we've tried to lessen that gap. If we meet full need, we've watched those numerous large packages go out the door—and hoped that they will (or won't) be accepted. We've looked ourselves in the mirror and asked ourselves, "Do we feel that we've done the right thing by our applicants? Do we feel we've done our right thing by our institutions?" And yet, we've not seen economic conditions like this in our lifetimes. How will students and families respond? With the "automatic bank" of their home equity gone, how will families find resources to pay for the children's educations?  

Those of us on the front lines of college admissions won't sleep well for another six weeks. And this time reminds those of us who have gestated. It feels like the third trimester of growing a child. We feel awkward and anxious—what class will emerge from those birthing pains?

I noticed several trends this year. I've read applications from students with huge losses on the personal front—of their parents, their parents' jobs, their homes, their own health. Students with huge accomplishments—especially in their communities. I've read applications from students who have taken a "back to basics" look at their lives and the world around them. This class feels more like the class I went to high school with (1975) than previous classes. No wonder there is a revival of "Hair" on Broadway! I've also read applications from students who have achieved more than I could ever imagine. This is really an extraordinary generation of principled, compassionate and focused young people coming through the turn styles of our institutions.

And back to basics is what we're doing at colleges. We're reinforcing value and outcomes. We're not taking students' campus visits or interest in our institutions for granted. Personal service and personalization of our messages are the coin of the realm—and translating our distinction into tangible terms and stories.

I would love to write more—but a coma is in the offing. And there are so more programs to plan and letters to sign ...

Kenyon's chief admission officer Jennifer Delahunty, a TLG alumna and former Lawlor Review editor, recently shared with us these musings. With her permission, we've posted them here.