Like many families who spent some of the break visiting colleges, I traveled with our older son, who is a senior, over the long weekend to look at a variety of schools. In our case, we toured schools in Chicago and Minneapolis. Why he wants to live in that kind of climate again is beyond me!
As a teacher of high
school juniors and seniors for twenty-five years, I have experienced the
college application process for students and parents somewhat vicariously.
I have written more letters of recommendation than I can ever count,
worked closely with college counselors, had innumerable conversations with
students—some of them joyous and some of them tear-filled―and I've tried to be
there for students and families as they navigate this sometimes exciting, sometimes torturous, journey. This has been a wonderful part of my work
since 1989, and I would never trade it for anything. Nevertheless, I had
never experienced it firsthand as a parent until this year.
Last weekend, we visited
four colleges in three days, and as a prospective parent, I learned a great
deal. For example, I found out that visiting two totally different
schools in one day can be mind-boggling. Which school has students living
in “houses” within dorms? Which college just built the new athletic
facility? Which university leaves the art museum open during finals so
students can study surrounded by beautiful paintings? Does every college
now offer quidditch as an intramural sport?
Our tour guides were all
irrepressibly cheerful, and everything at almost every college was, “Awesome!”
They did a great job of conveying pride in their schools; how they can
walk backwards for over an hour and remain upright still amazes me. The
information sessions were certainly informative, but after a while, they seemed
to run into one another. I started getting that glazed look that some
tourists have when they have visited so many cathedrals in so few days that
they forget whether they’re in Notre Dame or Chartres.
In addition, every
college representative attempted to describe in approximately two hours what
differentiated their institution from other schools. One university stressed
its commitment to the city and social justice while another emphasized its
devotion to an international education and the blessings of its small size.
One college focused on its core liberal arts curriculum requirements
while another boasted of its entrepreneurial business program. Guides
from every school described their professors as available and accessible, and
every university seems to want its students to be well-rounded Renaissance
people who, by the time they are seniors, have some expertise in their chosen
field.
As I accompanied our son
on the tours and listened to the admissions personnel describe their colleges,
I felt like I was existing on two planes—as a parent and as a head of school.
On a professional level, I admired the admissions processes at these
schools. They covered a great deal of information in a small amount of time,
they made us feel welcome, and they took excellent care of us—one person even
introduced me to the ride-sharing program Uber, which saved us a great deal of
money on the trip. When they listed what they were looking for in
students, I felt very confident about Bosque’s program and how we prepare young
men and women for college as students and as individuals. Many times, as
they described their ideal applicants, I thought of how many of our Bosque
students fit exactly their description: dedicated, interested in learning,
engaged, and committed to making their world a better place. As we toured
the campuses, I could easily see our seniors walking the grounds. (As a
matter of fact, we ran into a 2014 alumna at one school, and she looked very
confused and discombobulated to see us on her turf.) At the end of every
tour, I felt hopeful for and proud of our Bosque students, and I knew that
wherever they end up, they will be ready, able and successful.
However, truth be told,
I also felt somewhat sad as the reality hit me that as with every other year,
the members of the senior class will soon be leaving us, and we need to take
full advantage of our remaining time with them. And maybe I was even a
little more sad this year because one of those seniors is our son, and what was
once theoretical is suddenly all too real.
