Goucher College Admissions

Each fall, our admissions counselors hit the road.  Their goal? To meet with students, families, counselors, teachers, and organizations interested in learning more about Goucher.  True, there’s nothing that replaces the campus visit, but this is a great way for us to see those who can’t make the trip, or who’ve already visited and just want to reconnect with us.  Here’s just a short sample of life on the road from one of our counselors, Jaime Anthony:

Thursday 9-24
My fall travel started a few weeks ago with the  Colleges that Change Lives tour, but I’ve been back in town for a few days visiting high schools in Montgomery County and DC.   Today’s the first day of the annual national conference for NACAC, and this year it’s in Baltimore!  NACAC is a great time to see friends and colleagues (and of course to attend sessions for professional development), but I’m glad it’s in Baltimore this year, so I can sleep in my own bed instead of a hotel room. It’s also nice to show off our campus and our city, two huge pluses for the Goucher education.

Monday 9-28
Today I’m in the office, answering emails and taking care of odds and ends, including getting driving directions for my next few days.  Call me old-fashioned but I don’t trust my GPS!  It’s my only day in the office for a few weeks and I have a lot to get done before I leave.  Early tomorrow I fly to Nashville for some high school visits, a college fair, a reception with other CTCL schools, and some interviews with high school seniors.  Talk about a jam-packed 48 hours…

Friday 10-2
I checked the weather report before I left, but I didn’t realize I’d want gloves and a hat. It was only 27 degrees when I woke up in Denver this morning! Today I’m visiting four high schools, and then I fly back to Baltimore.  One of the things I love about going to high schools is seeing our prospective students in their home environment. It helps remind me that the applications we read aren’t just a methodical compilation of grades and scores and activities… It’s also a good test of my mental fortitude and flexibility, as my maps and GPS often don’t realize when there are driving detours! That’s one reason I like visiting high schools in NYC - I can walk or take the subway just about everywhere and don’t have to deal with driving a strange rental car. Homeward bound tonight.

Sunday 10-4
I’m flying down to Tampa today for the Bay Area Independent Schools fair.  Afterward I’ll be doing interviews, and tomorrow I’m visiting high schools before flying back up to BWI. I’m in a choir in Baltimore, and I can’t miss another rehearsal before our concert! It’s hard to find a balance between work and regular life during these crazy months, but somehow we make it happen. Bring on the sunshine and palm trees in Florida! After the Denver chill I definitely could use some warmth.

Monday 10-5
My visits in Tampa and St. Pete were great, and now I’m on the plane back to Baltimore. Early tomorrow I’ll fly out to Houston, then on to Dallas. The rest of my travel will be in DC, NYC, or Long Island - bring on the trains! It’s been a really productive travel season so far. I’ve been so impressed with how confident and focused our prospective students are this year. They seem to know a lot about Goucher, and have really good questions. It’s also been nice to see colleagues “on the other side of the desk,” who have been equally enthusiastic about Goucher and our programs.

Thursday 10-8
I have met with some dynamite students in Texas!  I’ve been visiting a big mix of public and private schools, and have had some outstanding interviews, too.  The college fair at Strake Jesuit was really busy, but it was great to meet some new students and to see some who have already visited campus.  One of the things that I love about the Goucher student body (as well as our faculty and staff) is that they come from all over, from our backyard of Towson, MD all the way to Texas, out to California, and then of course from locales around the world.  While the long hours on the road might be a little tiring, it’s so great to finish out the night with an incredible interview or a buzzing college fair.  Next on the docket: Explore Goucher Day on Monday!