I’ve been taking some time away from my “online presence” to tend to some real life stuff that’s dominating my world. Believe me, I miss it; limiting my blogging, twitter, RSS, and podcast time is difficult at best. I feel so disconnected.
I’ll be taking a few more days off, but until then, I have a few thoughts about experiences with admissions offices.
I got mail from Lafayette College and RPI last week. The contents of the mail typifies my overall experience with the schools. RPI sent me a very pretty box containing an object that I’d really lost interest in – the Rensselaer Medal. After all this time, I finally received the physical object that accompanies the scholarship I received there; to be honest with you, it isn’t all that impressive. It’s more like the Rensselaer keychain than anything else and it feels too hoity-toity for my taste, much like the entire RPI experience from the mouthes of their admissions officers.
A complete contrast, Lafayette College sent me a letter containing this:
Thank you for notifying us of your decision to withdraw your application for admission to Lafayette College.
Best wishes for a successful conclusion to your senior year. If we can be of assistance to you at any time, please do not hesitate to contact me or any other member of the admissions staff.
After spending a considerable amount of time on the Lafayette campus and more time corresponding with the school’s admissions office, I really believe their offer of help.
Always – it’s all about the brand.
Seems my cynicism (and vocabulary) has rubbed off on you.
Michael,
I’m afraid I disagree with you about the brand. The brand is what suckers every student into believing that without it, you’re somehow second rate. Teachers, friends and family are co-conspirators in the process. Focus on what schools fit what you’re looking to study, and if you have a problem in not knowing what you want to study, I suggest you look at this website: http://www.about-u.com
To take the assessment will help you discover what really motivates you, what your needs are, and what environments you are most effective in. Otherwise, you’re walking into a college blind, with the hope that you’ll discover something you like without being part of the 60% of students who will take 5 to 6 years to graduate, still searching and wondering if they took the right major.
I reqwuire all my students to take the assessment before I even discuss college.
Hope this helps.
Good luck.
This is one of the things that makes the admissions process so difficult for both sides–trying to appeal to people you’ve never met, you are invariably going to rub some of them the wrong way. And that’s probably for the best–it lets you know where you’re a good fit.
RPI gives me the impression of thinking it’s a much better school than it actually is.
Paul,
I’m not convinced you understood entirely what I was saying. I agree with Rick; the “brand” concept certainly exists, for better or worse. You do not seem to quite understand what you are arguing against, and a solid, objective definition of “brand” would help us both. I believe “brand” is the perception that a college is more classy or worth more than another.
In any case, I advise all of my peers to avoid questionnaires at ALL times, as they are often skewed or inapplicable. No other person, group, or company can tell any individual what he or she is best at.
@Michael: I doubt it.
@Paul: Thanks for stopping by the blog! You offer an interesting perspective on a complicated issue.
@Kim: I agree, wholeheartedly. College admissions is a game of both objective and subjective criteria and going on objective criteria alone will inevitably lead to disaster.
@Michael: Very good points. Like, props.
I’ll be doing another post on this topic soon.