What We Look for in Our Applicants
Like every selective college, we admit students who are going to have a positive impact in our classrooms because they are intelligent, intellectually curious and well-prepared, who will contribute to our rich co-curriculum with musical, athletic, artistic and leadership talent, and who will leave our campus and accomplish great things in their professional, personal and civic lives. But what does that mean for you?
Above all, it means that we will focus a great deal of attention on your academic record. We expect that you will have selected some of the most advanced courses available to you in high school and that your transcript will reflect a desire to challenge yourself academically (not just complete the minimum graduation requirements). An entering freshman should have a minimum of four years each of English and college-preparatory mathematics and three years each of history/social studies, foreign language and science. Art, music and theatre classes are also desirable. Transfer students who have been enrolled full-time should present a full schedule of transferable courses for each term that is consistent with transfer to a selective four-year college. It is not necessary to have achieved perfection, but our faculty have high expectations, so a consistently strong showing in your core courses will be important. If there are variations in your academic performance, it will be important that the trend has been an upward one.
Your counselor/teacher recommendations don’t need to be lengthy, but they should be written by someone who can do more than just restate your co-curricular resume or your transcript. Again, the recommendation should reinforce above all else that you are a student who is ready for a rigorous and engaging academic experience.
We also want to see that you have made contributions to your school and community that go beyond the academic. This doesn’t mean that your chance for admission is shot if you’re not the starting soccer goalie. It does mean that hours and hours of time spent in front of the television is probably not going to impress the admission committee. Because ours is a residential campus, we rely on the talents, enthusiasms and participation of our students to keep the college community vibrant and interesting, and we look for evidence that you have developed a habit of participation that will enhance our campus life.
