Today I want to remark that I have a bias towards Liberal Arts education.

First, I feel that a broad sampling of disciplines helps young minds develop plasticity and the ability to synthesize new information quickly. While there are certainly many careers that are perennial in nature and slow to change, I feel that the bulk of careers in the future will require that we workers be able to learn new things on a daily basis.  

Second, a liberal arts program tends to provide more encounters that get one to think about the meaning behind things. This is a quality of life issue that I worry most institutes ignore. What good is a degree and strong skill set if cannot explain why anything is important?

Also it is my experience that students from a liberal arts background tend to be more successful in post-graduate settings. I wish I had another source to site on this.

Now not all liberal arts schools are created equal. Some schools lack a definitive vision of what their liberal arts program is meant to accomplish. It is not a bad idea to ask about what the school’s philosophy is and what they truly mean when they say that they are liberal arts. Also, I have found that you tend to get more intriguing responses from current students and faculty than are provided by admissions professionals and school websites.

I try to be very open with people about my bias for liberal arts programs AND I do understand that it is not everyone’s cup of tea. Parents, don’t worry. I am not going to force your child to apply to a school that is not a good fit for their mentality or yours. Again, I am only stating my bias for liberal arts programs. Maybe next time I will blog about why I feel all students should be involved in the Fine Arts at some level. 

Nearly every student will ask for a letter of recommendation before they finish applying for college. At Paul VI, we do ask students to use a letter of recommendation request form. While the form has instructions on it, I would like to use this post to address a few additional points about asking for a letter of recommendation:

1)      Always be sure to ask your teacher in person. It is too easy to lose a scrap of paper, an email, or a voicemail these days. But if you are able to make eye contact with someone and make your request personal, you are far more likely to receive what you are looking for. There is no need to be shy about asking for a recommendation.

2)      If you have a school that requires teacher evaluations on a specific form please bring that form with you when you make the request. If the school only accepts online recommendations, bring the instructions for the teacher with you. Do not just say that it’s on the school’s website.

3)      Be prepared to remind the teacher of some of the good things you did in their class. Talking with a teacher about what you hope they will highlight is often helpful.

4)      Please say thank you. Being polite and showing good manners is never a bad idea when you are asking for a recommendation. You might even want to write a thank you note to your teacher.

Anyway, stealth is NOT cool when it comes to being a college applicant. It does not mean that you sneak your way into a college admissions office with your ninja skills and adjust a school’s decision in your favor under cover of darkness. No, stealth is not a good thing.

Consider this: The last time my wife and I went to a bed & breakfast was right before our daughter was born. It was a pleasant surprise that the B&B keepers were also expecting their first child. So we got to chatting and I was shocked to find that the couple had already been visiting and applying to pre-schools for their unborn child. “Well the right pre-school can make all the difference” the father-to-be said. Craziness! I’ve also come across educational consultants who specialize in advising families about pre-school placement. (NO I WILL NOT REFER ANYONE TO ONE OF THESE ‘SPECIALISTS’). One can make the argument that college admission has become a long protracted process of over twelve years, and I’ve seen this argument in print. But let’s exhibit at least a smidgen of common sense and let kids grow up and develop some coping skills before we hammer them with adult concerns.

Last of the College Rep. Visits

Historically October is the busiest month for rep. visits. And this year was no different. What I did notice as different, was it seemed to me that more of our juniors were taking advantage of these rep. visits. And not just for the most popular schools. Juniors were coming to hear from schools that were somewhat off the ‘beaten-path’.

Don’t worry about filling two pages on a resume. Don’t worry about what might look better to an admissions counselor. Don’t think of ECs as part of college admissions. Think of your ECs as your opportunity to do something you enjoy.

• Just do something you enjoy
• Don’t let your studies slip