Behind the Decision

On the whole, the weather this summer has been a washout. But last week I was on vacation, and I lucked out with five sunny days in a row. Every year, I spend a week on a tiny island off the coast in a little one room place that's a wee step above camping. It has electricity and therefore a fridge, and there's a gas stove as well. There's no running water, but a well is just a few steps off the deck. It has been so wet this year that the water table is right at ground level, so for the first time in all my years there, I just leaned down and dipped the bucket into the water rather than having to drop it in and haul it back up. The best thing about this place, though, is the location: just above a beautiful sand beach where 20 people would be considered a big crowd. The deck overlooks a couple of other islands and is the ideal place for reading. And that's what I did: five books in eight days, interspersed with throwing the ball into the ocean for our dog, who loves the island as much as I do.

But once back in the office this week, the rain has returned, although not as vehemently as in June. None-the-less, our visitors to campus have been making ample use of our supply of ponchos and umbrellas; as the intrepid tour guides lead stalwart families around the campus, I can't help thinking that it looks like a parade of mushrooms outside my second story office window. I keep wondering if anyone will actually come to Colby, given the dampness of their experiences; even though I realize that all of the Northeast has been suffering the same wet fate this year, I worry about the students I've been interviewing from Minneapolis, Chicago and other points beyond this persistent weather pattern. So far, though, everyone seems to have been quite game.

I have had some interesting interviews: among them, a triplet from Pittsburgh who's striking out on her own in terms of the college search (her brothers are looking in the South); a boy from Denver who holds three passports and not surprisingly loves languages; a girl from just down the road in Hallowell, Maine who is having trouble stuffing all the sciences she'd like to take into her schedule. A first this summer: the girl who likes to read Thomas Hardy and James Joyce for fun. Interviews give us a chance to find out things about prospective students that may not be highlighted in the application, and often students can give us a more complete sense of what's important to them. This helps us imagine how they might fit into the Colby community, and how we can help them indulge in or expand upon their interests.

Some interviews are better than others, of course. Sometimes it's a matter of chemistry between the student and the interviewer, but often it has to do with the preparation that a student has done – or not, as the case may be. Students are “trying on” Colby when they come for a visit, and we don't expect them to be experts on the college by any means. But knowing a little background is important, in that it shows us that the student has a real interest in Colby, rather than visiting just because someone else (counselor, consultant, grandma) thinks it's a good idea. Don't ask the interviewer how many students attend the college, or whether we have a football team – figure out that basic stuff in advance. On the other hand, you may want to know more about our Jan Plan or where students are likely to study abroad or how the advising system works. I talked with a student this week who has a food allergy; naturally she wanted to know how that might affect her (answer: Dining Services is very accommodating of this concern and works with students to make sure they have choices that will work for them). It's not unusual for a student to come to the appointment with a little list of questions, which keeps them on track in case they get nervous.

As for nerves, it's important to remember that admissions people actually like high school students, and we know that conversing with an unknown adult for half an hour may seem a bit daunting. Remember that we are not going to ask you to elaborate on the causes of the War of 1812 or recite a Shakespeare sonnet. We're going to ask you about your academic interests and your activities outside of the classroom; we might want to find out where you see yourself heading in the future – in college and beyond. We could ask you about your tastes in books, and sometimes in music or films or travel if these topics arise in the course of the conversation. How have you spent your summers? What do you like to do for fun? Your answers to any of these questions help us to get a sense of who you are.

Except in the very rarest of cases, nobody “fails” an interview. If you've having an off day, or you suddenly forget what classes you took last year, it's not going to keep you out of Colby. In other words, an interview usually helps your case no matter what. That's why we recommend them.

For many students, though, it's just not possible to arrange an interview. Usually this has to do with distance, but it may also have to do with a busy schedule, family circumstances or any number of other things. We are able to offer off-campus options: I notify students on our mailing list via e-mail when I will be traveling in their area, and we also have alumni volunteers all over the U.S. and abroad who are happy to interview nearby students. You can contact our office to learn more about this. Generally if you live within a reasonable distance of Colby, we encourage you to visit the campus and have an interview at that time. But if this isn't feasible for some reason even though you live nearby, we don't hold it against you.

I can't wrap this up without talking about a New York Times article that made the rounds in Lunder House recently with a universal reaction of guffaws and perhaps an occasional gagging noise. It was about a fashion show put on by an educational consultant to enlighten her clients about what to wear to the interview. The clothes were absolutely outrageous! I would summarize her advice along these lines: popped collar Nantucket Red meets madras miniskirt ruffled plunge. My last word of interview advice: we don't pay much attention to what students wear. Neat and clean is sufficient.

See you soon – and don't forget the umbrella.