The Dean's Journal

Welcome to "The Dean's Journal," Jane Fried's personal online journal where she'll share her thoughts on the Andover admissions process and give a glimpse into the world of admissions counselors. If you'd like to comment on one of Jane's entries or have a question, feel free to contact her at jane.fried@andover.edu.

Receiving and Sharing Admission News -- March 4, 2010

Applications to Andover have increased 5% over last year’s record-breaking number, and the overall admit rate has fallen to an all-time low of 14%. With less than a week to go before our decision letters go in the mail, we realize that not all of the students who would like to come to Andover—and whom we would like to invite to join us—will receive a letter of admission. With all the time and care we have dedicated to identifying talented young people for the Academy and getting to know them through the selection process, we talk a lot about the effect of our decisions on young people and their parents.

If you are selected for admission to Andover or another school, take a moment to congratulate yourself for a job well done. Do not forget to write thank-you notes to those who have helped you along the way. No one is accepted by his or her effort alone. Every student admitted to Andover has at least one adult who has encouraged and guided him or her. These are important people to thank and hold on to as you continue your life journey. Parents, guardians, teachers, coaches, family members, and neighbors play a role in your success. Take a moment to say thank you.

Sharing the news with friends is a little more challenging. First, your good news may signal leaving your home, friends, and community—perhaps the same people who helped you gain acceptance. Be thoughtful about how, when, and where you share your news. It may be best to wait to be asked. Special care is necessary if other members of your school community have also applied. Jumping for joy and screaming with delight is best done at home. This is one of the reasons that we mail our decisions. We are not keen on students looking up their decision online at school and running through the halls to share their news.

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No Table Big Enough -- 2/26/10

This is Vivien Mallick, associate dean of admission, writing a guest journal entry. Dean Fried is currently surrounded by files on her big blue rug. (That’ll make more sense in a minute.)

Greetings from the beehive! We have spent the last few weeks reading a record-high number of applications. People always ask me how we do it. How do we choose the students for the incoming class? With such a large applicant pool, we have a team of people evaluating files. The admission committee is chaired by Jane Fried, dean of admission, and is comprised of nine admission counselors, 30 members of the teaching faculty who conduct interviews, and 45 members of the teaching faculty who read files. Each folder is read by not one, but four members of the admission committee:

1. a member of the teaching faculty;
2. the interviewer, or—if the student interviewed off campus with one of our alumni—someone in our office designated to read the file as the interviewer;
3. the class officer, who is the admission counselor in charge of the applicant pool to which the student is applying (e.g. I am the class officer for day student applicants); and
4. Jane Fried, the dean of admission.

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The Beehive -- 2/4/10

While candidates and their families often develop a relationship with their interviewer or the admission counselor who visited their local area, there are many other important members of the admission team. As of February 1, the doors to the Shuman Admission Center are closed to visitors, and the building becomes the heart of the selection process.

Similar to the beehive on the Academy’s seal, the office is a center of important work. Faculty readers travel in and out all day between classes as they assess their allotted number of files. Each application is read by at least one faculty reader before being passed along to the interviewer or—if the candidate interviewed off campus with an Alumni Admission Representative—the member of the admission staff designated to read the application as the interviewer. Coaches as well as music, art, and drama teachers also make their way to “Shuman” to weigh in on the talent of individual applicants. The admission staff is very thankful for their expert advice. We could not make decisions in the best interest of the candidates without the support of the faculty.

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Around the World with Andover -- 1/21/10

Sitting in Heathrow airport awaiting my last flight at the conclusion of a 17-day admission trip, the overriding image running through my mind is one of community. Perhaps the shocking news and images in the aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti have made me particularly sensitive to the meaning and value of community. Having spent the last two-plus weeks traveling far away from Andover Hill, there is no doubt in my mind that the Andover community exists wherever there are Andover people, alumni, parents, friends and educators who know and love the Academy. The reach of Andover’s admission effort is broad and the welcome at our ports of call is warm, enthusiastic and inspiring. Andover’s non sibi spirit has never been more important and more evident.

Taking off from Logan Airport in the early hours of January 1, I was full of excitement and much relieved that I dodged the powerful Nor’easter making its way up the coast. I landed in Beijing on the evening of January 2 to meet up with my colleague, Secretary of the Academy Peter Ramsey, who serves as Andover’s head of development. Having never traveled in Asia before, Peter was interested in every aspect of our travel.

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Roles of Parents in Finalizing the Application Process -- 1/11/10

Winter break marks the conclusion of the heavy travel season and the beginning of the transition to the reading process. Other than a few of us who will continue to travel in the new year, most of the Andover admission staff will spend the month of January interviewing on campus, hosting Day at Andover on January 9 and beginning the reading process. I will say more about Andover’s selection process and my upcoming trip to Asia and London in a later entry. For the moment, I would like to share a few thoughts about the transition that applicants and parents are going through at this stage of the admission season.

Similar to the hunkering down of the admission staff, families are sorting through the piles of information from schools, notes taken during (or after) school visits, as well as advice shared by knowledgeable teachers and guidance and secondary school counselors. For most students and families, the month of December is spent refining the application list and completing applications. This is a serious and time intensive process. I remember my own children’s application writing processes as well as the conversations about their final school lists. Although both of my children grew up on the Andover campus, they had very different ideas about appropriate school matches. My son was keen on Andover. My daughter loved the Governor’s Academy. Each made the right decision. My job as a parent was to support their decisions and application processes; not take them over.

Playing the appropriate role as a parent in the secondary school is not always easy. I remember the moments when I said to myself, “It would be so much easier if I did it myself.” But then of course, the application would be mine and I had no interest in reliving my high school years, even at Andover. And so I had to follow all the advice that I had been giving to parents and students throughout the years.

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Need-Blind Admission -- 12/2/09

What is need-blind admission and how does it work?

Andover has always been a leader in financial aid. In fact, the Academy awarded need-based scholarships from its earliest days. The school’s mission to educate youth from every quarter always included talented students whose families could not afford to pay the full tuition.

Perhaps because of its history of dedicating significant resources to financial aid scholarships, Andover has a strong legacy of attracting applicants from across the economic spectrum. Lower-, middle- and upper-middle-class students have long sought entrance and been admitted to the Academy.

The Academy’s 2004 Strategic Plan released additional funds to Andover’s already large financial aid budget, and the percentage of the student body on aid grew from 36.5% in 2003 to 40% in 2005. In 2007, Andover moved from being a need-sensitive school—where financial need was a factor in a relatively small percentage of admission cases—to a “need-blind” admission program, which eliminates financial need as an obstacle to admission. Currently, 44% of the student body receives financial aid scholarships, and the financial aid budget is close to $16 million.

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Critical Life Skills and NOLS -- 11/30/09

Despite the typical challenging weather, I always make Andover’s recruitment trip out west in conjunction with the NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School) annual meeting. While racing a snowstorm south from Bozeman, MT, to Jackson, WY, or driving on a sheet of ice over the Togwotee Pass can provoke me to wonder aloud, “What am I thinking?” I look forward to ending my trip with my NOLS colleagues. My experience as a NOLS Board member since 2006 has been one of the greatest professional development opportunities of my life. I graduated from the NOLS Wilderness Horse Packing Course in 2007 and use the leadership training I learned on that course and from my experience on the board almost daily in my work at Andover. “EB” (expeditionary behavior), tolerance under adversity, and appreciating the contribution of others have helped the Andover admission team meet the inevitable challenges of the unexpected uptick in applications and the economic recession. NOLS teaches its students, who range in age from 14 to senior citizens, that they have the ability to prepare, to make good decisions, and to lead even under the most challenging of circumstances. Although Andover and NOLS are unique institutions , they are similar in their international reputations for excellent programs and faculty as well as service to their students, the country, and the world.

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Teamwork is the Key to Success -- 11/20/09

It is surprising to many people to learn that November is the most challenging month in admissions. The interview and travel schedules hit their peaks in November, as does the momentum of the fall term. Reviewing my schedule for the month, I note Andover’s Campaign kick-off, the Board of Trustees’ fall meeting, speaking engagements with alumni and parents for the financial aid campaign, Day Student Open House, interviews, advisee meetings for winter term course registration and a dinner to celebrate their fall term, the annual Phelps Scholars dinner and, of course, my annual California recruiting trip. All of these events are critical to the success of the admission program and require a balance of on- and off-campus scheduling. Finding that balance is not always easy; it is dependent on the expertise of my assistant, Jo LaBelle, and the senior associate dean, Bill Leahy, as well as the entire admission team. They work tirelessly to meet the demand of daily on-campus interviews and to extend Andover’s reach beyond the local area.

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Hitting the Road: Greenwich, CT & The Campus Visit -- 10/29/09

The week of October 19th took me back on the road to Connecticut and New York City. I made a quick stop at Greenwich Country Day School to talk with parents of eighth graders about the right time to apply to secondary school. Greenwich Country Day is one of a number of independent schools that offers a curriculum through the ninth grade. Given the strength of the school’s program, students really do have the choice of coming to Andover in ninth or tenth grade. There is no “right” answer to this question.

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The Road Less Traveled, Part II -- 10/19/09

Members of the Andover admission office travel great distances to reach out to youth from every quarter. Nowhere in the country do families travel farther to learn about Andover than those who live in the western part of the country. The custom of four- to five-hour drives broadens the audience of my western Evening with Andover receptions, known as EWAs in admission parlance. For example, at my Missoula EWA on October 5, one family drove from as far away as Great Falls. They traveled Route 200, across the Continental Divide, and through Rogers Pass—despite an early snowfall and slippery roads—to learn more about the Academy. How did they learn about Andover and why did they make the trip? In this particular case, a veteran public school guidance counselor took the initiative to share the invitation for the event with the parents of two very bright young ladies whose academic needs and aspirations are not being met in the local, hard-pressed public system. On the advice of an educator who knows both the unmet academic potential of her students and the unique opportunities at Andover, this mother made the long trip to hear about Andover.

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Developing a School List -- 10/15/09

Having gone through secondary school and college admission processes with my own two children, I appreciate the time it takes to research schools. I realize that families’ lives have never been busier and scheduling one more event in an already full calendar is not easy. Still the secondary school search is a moment for students and parents to pause and reflect on not only the family’s values but also the different educational options that exist and the strengths and weaknesses of the candidate. Beginning at home with a realistic assessment of the student’s current profile and future dreams is the best first step in the process (see my video journal on developing a school list here). Once the family has an informed idea about what the student needs in a school, the candidate and his/her parents can move on to exploring different school communities and programs.

While a visit to campus is a great way to learn about a school, it is not always feasible. With limited time and resources, prospective families can take advantage of Web sites, publications, and local presentations by admission staff to help educate themselves about the vast array of schools and narrow their list of schools to consider.

The Road Less Traveled, Part 1 -- 10/9/09

Getting to know the country is one of the best things about working in secondary boarding school admissions. Not only have I visited hundreds of schools across the nation but I also have seen a lot of the country itself. While much of my travel takes me to major metropolitan areas such as New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago, or traditional boarding school locales like New Canaan or Greenwich, CT, I also have the opportunity once or twice a year to reach out to less populated areas where boarding school remains a mystery. Often my responsibility is to “open up” the region. As Dean of Admission, I will make the first trip to identify helpful school and alumni contacts. Other members of the admission office will follow up in subsequent years. This model of balancing the Dean’s efforts among high demand, traditional markets as well as new markets is an effective recruitment strategy.

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Hitting the Road: First Stop, New York City -- 10/1/09

With the new class of students safely tucked into campus, it is time to hit the road to develop the next crop of candidates. While the hustle and bustle of travel has worn thin during my 18 years at Andover, I never tire of the actual work on the road: meeting students and parents as well as teachers and counselors (those dedicated professionals we refer to with admiration as “kid people”). The first trip of the year is generally a visit to New York City schools and talent identification programs. Andover is a founding member of a number of these programs that seek out underrepresented students of color or low-income students. I begin this year’s first trip with a celebratory breakfast in honor of the 25th anniversary of De La Salle Academy, one of my favorite schools on the planet.

When I arrived for my first visit to De La Salle many years ago, I could not find the school. This is a rare occurrence for an experienced admission counselor, for we pride ourselves on being able to locate any school anywhere. I had the address in my hand but it was no match for the name carved into the molding above the front door of the building at the address listed on my itinerary. I walked past the school a few times trying not to look like a lost tourist in the big city. Finally, in frustration, I planted my feet square in front of the steep granite steps leading to the front door with the “wrong” name and stared at the building, which I had discreetly, or so I thought, circumnavigated a few times by now. It was then that I heard a little voice ask, “Lady, are you lost?” “Well I am not sure,” I responded to the petite girl dressed in a neat uniform not unlike one I wore to kindergarten. “I’m looking for a school at this address but not this school,” I said pointing to the name above the door. “Wait up, we have another visitor,” she called to her classmates and teacher who had passed unnoticed behind me as I stood fixed in my trance. She gently took my arm, pointed to the top floor of the building and said, “De La Salle is up there. We go this way.”

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The Joys and Challenges of Opening Day -- 9/21/09

“Go PA, go PA, go PA go!” the Blue Key welcoming committee screams from the corner of Main Street and Chapel Avenue. “Honk if you love Andover!” signals a sign held by one of the spirited leaders who is about take on the responsibility of orienting a group of new students. Family vehicles brimming with duffle bags, backpacks, comforters, and desk lamps file past the crazed upperclassmen and honk with gusto. New students experience the first of many conflicting emotions of the day. Should they duck or wave? While they may feel a twinge of embarrassment by their parents’ enthusiastic toots of the horn, they stare out the windows in awe of their face-painted-tie-dyed-clad big brothers and sisters.

Opening day at school is full of anxiety and expectation. While it is wonderful to see the students we have come to know so well through the admission process, we all recognize the challenges of this particular day. Long drives, heavy lifting, and emotional goodbyes punctuate the schedule. Luckily everyone is so busy setting up their dorm rooms, registering, and attending meetings with administrators, house counselors, and advisors that there is little time to focus on the leave-taking at the end of the day. Still we can read the tense eyes and breathless voices of both students and their parents. This is going to be ok, right?

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All Hands On Deck -- 9/11/2009

“All hands on deck” is the expression we use to signify the first week of the new admission season. Admission counselors and staff know that all vacation needs to be completed by the Monday before Labor Day. We all return to the office ready to recruit the new class to Andover.

Of course, we have spent the previous four months—the time between the April 10 response date for admitted students and August 31, the day we technically begin anew—planning the how, where, when, and why of the upcoming admission season. By the last day of August, our travel schedule is mostly set, the new catalog and application are ready, the Admitted Student Survey results are in, and the numbers have been crunched. We know our direction and our plan.

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