How to Choose a College

There is barely a week to go until the May 1 deposit deadline and the office staff has really enjoyed working with the hundreds of you who have visited campus or met us at receptions across the country this month. We know many of you are still undecided, so I’ve compiled some words of advice from our staff:

Katie: “Ask yourself these questions.  At which school was I the most at ease?  At which school did I find conversations with students the easiest?  And lastly, if one college were to call you today and offer to fly you to campus for free next week, which would you be the most excited to return to?  You’ve done a very thorough job in this college search process.  Trust your gut.”

Robert: “Trust your heart! Reflect back on your campus visits and chose the place where you connected with the student body, faculty, and staff and where you felt most ‘at home’. Chose a place that is going to push you inside and outside the classroom and will provide you the opportunity to grow into the person you aspire to be. ”

Esther: “Look at the course catalog of the institutions you are considering. Which ones make you the most excited?”

Bruce: “Ask yourself these questions: Where could I see spending the next four years? What was it about college x that makes me feel it’s the best fit?
What do I want from my college experience/education? Does x college provide that? Can I/my family handle the financial obligations? Was the student atmosphere engaging?”

Josh: “If a place fit and you loved the classes, people or vibe, let that weigh strongly. Don’t pander to media antics. And no school is worth $30,000+ in student loans for undergrad.”

John: “Enjoy the view from my office:”

Songs to Celebrate By

Congratulations Class of 2016!

The entire Whitman community is looking forward to welcoming you to campus next fall! They’ll be plenty of time to work out the details. Now it’s time to get up, jump around, and celebrate all your hard work and success!

Tighten Up – The Black Keys
Signed, Sealed Delivered – Stevie Wonder
Good Feeling – Flo Rida
Home – Edward Sharp & The Magnetic Zeros
I Wanna Dance with Somebody – Whitney Houston
Dancing in the Moonlight – Toploader
All My Friends – LCD Soundsystem
Sweet & Dandy – Toots & The Maytals
Walking on Sunshine – Katrina & The Waves
Rock with You – Michael Jackson
Dancing in the Street – The Mamas & The Papas
All Right Now – Free
Summertime Clothes – Animal Collective

Don’t forget to join the Class of 2016 Facebook Page and like Whitman Admission! Again, congratulations; we here at the Office of Admission are thrilled to be the first to welcome you to the Whitman family.

Approaching the Finish Line

As a distance runner for more than half of my life I feel like I just rounded the final corner of a difficult race.  The crowd is cheering, people are ringing cow bells and I can see the canopy of the finish line, but I am still not there yet.  This is the point where it takes everything I have to get through the last mile.  I will get there though, I’ve come too far and worked too hard not to finish with gusto.

Whether you realize it or not, we all – you, me, the Whitman Admission Staff and all the other applicants to Whitman – started this race together at the end of August.  That is when the college admission cycle truly took hold for seniors.  My colleagues and I hit the road and students started collecting and submitting application materials.  It has been a long time since then, seemingly a lifetime.  Applications have been submitted, materials reviewed and decisions are being made.  The finish line is in sight.

For my colleagues and I it is time to put on our favorite Pandora station or “victorious” playlist, we are making final decisions and about to admit our class.  For those of you waiting on us, hold on we’re coming.  Check out the “Songs to Wait By” one more time and know that a “Songs to Celebrate By” is about to be released, as well as our admission decisions very soon.

You have all run a solid race over the last four months, really four years, and deserve a crowd of people yelling your name.  Enjoy the last mile (these next couple of weeks), there is nothing like it, you went the distance and completed the college admission cycle.  When you cross that finish line, do it with gusto – you earned it – raise your arms and claim your moment.

Songs to Read By – Tillie

I have to admit that silence is generally my ideal ‘song’ to read by, but when I’m feeling particularly in the groove, I’ll put on my favorite Pandora station – Louis Armstrong. There’s nothing quite like Louis to put me in a better mood on a long reading day. Here is list of some of my other Pandora favorites:

1.        Alison Krauss & Union Station
2.        The Tallest Man on Earth
3.        Ingrid Michaelson
4.        Amos Lee

As for my favorite place to read- it is unquestionably on my big maroon couch with the sun pouring through the windows. On an indulgent day, I’ll make a steaming cup of hot chocolate (overflowing with marshmallows, of course!) and hunker down comfortably in my fuzzy black slippers. Pretty cozy for a work day!

Songs to Read By

I  generally like to keep my music upbeat when reading applications; it helps me set and sustain a good pace and keeps my energy level high, even when I’m pushing through into the third or fourth consecutive hour.  In no particular order, some of my favorites lately have been:

1) Ophelia – The Band
2) And Your Bird Can Sing – The Beatles
3) Into the Mystic – Van Morrison
4) Morning Sun – Al Barry and The Cimarons
5) Animal – Miike Snow (Punks Jump Up Remix)

So now you can probably guess my picks on the Songs to Wait By list last week. My favorite place to read is by far my house. Lucy, my puppy dog, can hang out and is more than happy to distract me for a minute or two in between each file. That way I can start each one with a fresh eye. Snacks are also in close proximity, a clutch component of being well-prepared for an afternoon of reading.

Songs to Wait By

While time certainly seems to be flying, especially for seniors nearing graduation, college acceptance letters are still a good month or more away from arriving. To help get you through this next month we’ve compiled the second annual “Songs to Wait By” list, with links to listen / watch online. As you can hear, inter-office group car rides can get crazy…

You Can’t Hurry Love – The Supremes
Pressure Drop – Toots & The Maytals
The Weight – The Band
Dog Days Are Over – Florence + The Machine
Temple of Time – Koji Kondo
Mr. Postman – The Marvelettes
Mr. Postman – Cragga Dub Remix (Apologies to the purists)
Hang Me Up To Dry – Cold War Kids
Hold On – Wilson Phillips
Tell Me Something Good – Chaka Kan & Rufus
Say– John Mayer
In the Waiting Line – Zero 7
Rumour Has It – Adele
A Change Is Gonna Come – Seal
Time Bomb – Old 97’s (Live in Seattle)
Ain’t Too Proud to Beg – The Temptations
Hello Goodbye – The Beatles
Ooh La La – The Faces

We’ll call those seventeen good for now, but look forward to a series of  “Songs We’re Reading By” posts starting next week.