Like many other current students across the Elizabethtown College campus, accepted high school seniors from surrounding states will be stepping foot on that same red brick this coming Saturday, Feb. 21 for an accepted students day at the College. As the student response deadline of May 1 approaches, the Office of Admissions is hard at work in preparation for the prospective students who will be in attendance.
The accepted students will have a busy day ahead of them, starting at 9 a.m. with breakfast and musical performances in Leffler Chapel and Performance Center. Welcoming remarks from President Carl Strikwerda and other members of the faculty and staff will lead to the academic fair in Thompson Gymnasium. This part of the event is where students will get the chance to speak with members from various departments around campus as well as giving their families the opportunity to see the range of Etown’s academic offerings. The importance of the academic fair is to share information with the students about a major or minor they are considering.
Accompanying this academic fair are 45-minute presentations from each department to present students with a more in-depth look into each major. This event also offers a financial aid session and a student panel session. During the student panel, current students from different academic, athletic and extracurricular areas are represented to answer questions about college life, the community, what it is like to be a student at Etown and what it means to be a Blue Jay. Throughout the day, prospective students have the opportunity meet faculty members and staff members in the athletics department. Families are encouraged to take a tour of the campus and have lunch in the Marketplace.
Similar to most other college application processes, Etown accepts applications in the fall with a deadline of March 1 and in the spring with a deadline of Dec. 1. Beginning in mid-September, the College reviews applications in what they call a “rolling process.” This type of procedure allows potential students to take control of when they receive their admissions decision, which could be approximately a week after their application is completed, but still provides them time between then and May 1 to make a final decision. To support this process, Etown also takes a holistic approach to review its applicants, which involves focusing on the whole person rather than just the numbers. “In addition to a strong academic profile, we want to admit students who will make our community more interesting and engaging, so considering academic, social and co-curricular fit is the best way to do this,” Director of Admissions Debra Murray said.
The Office of Admissions also offers many events throughout the year for prospective students who have not yet been accepted. The open house event to be held on April 11 is one such event; high school juniors and rising seniors beginning their college search will attend this event to determine whether or not they will apply to Etown. Interviews, overnight visits, open house programs, personal tours and Jay for a Day events are just some of the options that the College administers for potential students to have the opportunity to see what Etown is all about. “I think that open house events for prospective students before they apply allow them to get the most information about the College,” Murray said, “which will hopefully encourage them to move forward with the application process.” Murray also said that she believed that the Jay for the Day and overnight visits were likely to help prospective students because they are able to visualize themselves as part of the Etown campus.
As part of the planning process, the Admissions Office is always ready to receive feedback from students and their families through surveys to ensure that future programs are more refined. The constant reviewing of admissions events contributes to the manner in which they adjust and improve the visit experience. The emphasis on what services they would like to see and accommodation of their requests are highly requested and duly noted. “Our focus is on presenting the most accurate impression of the Elizabethtown experience for the prospective students and their families.” Murray said. “We try to make the visit as personal as possible. I think this approach sets us apart from many other schools.”
