Illustrating the way the Dickinson College Department of Admissions “exceeds expectations” in creating such a specialized visit experience, Assistant Director of Admissions Tara Fischer ’02 explains that “relationship building and the knowledge that we are all absolutely together on this” are unique characteristics of this area of Dickinson life. Fischer provided the eyes through which the student body could get a feel of how Admissions works. She also discussed how close connections with the faculty from her days at Dickinson helps secure visits to different classes and meetings with professors in a variety of departments.
The day I spent with Admissions enabled me to experience not only the different types of prospective students coming in and out of the office, but also the preparation for the Decision Dickinson programs that take place this time of year to welcome newly admitted Dickinsonians to the school.
According to Fischer, the current pool of students in Admissions’ range includes people just starting to look at the college, as well as students being simultaneously recruited from the Classes of 2018 and 2019, and the newly enrolled Class of 2017.
According to Fischer, Dickinson’s online sign-up system for visiting “very much sets Dickinson apart” as an “experience” in which everything from the time of day – morning, afternoon, or full day – to their interests, with regard to desire for attending an information session or a specific class, are completely customized. Fischer, who worked closely with this huge Admissions project, said, “A lot of people have online scheduling, but it’s a lot more basic than ours.” With our Admissions Department, a potential Dickinsonian can visit at the most convenient time, experience almost any class or department desired, and observe requested areas or buildings on campus with specialized tours, most often conducted through Discover Dickinson programs.
I met up with Fischer on Tuesday, April 2. She explained to me that she was in the midst of “getting folks checked in, transitioning into prep for the program tomorrow and unpacking from the program yesterday,” as she began to elaborate on the “made to order” Decision Dickinson program, which also explains the countless tours circling campus this past week. The program itself is a mix of welcoming the attendees, with speeches from figures like Vice President for Enrollment, Marketing and Communications and Dean of Admissions Stephanie Balmer, and allowing the greatest possible freedom for each prospective student to explore his or her greatest interests or departments on campus. Splitting off after several opening speeches from administration and from student panels, the prospective students head to their pre-chosen destinations, be it meeting with a professor, sitting in on a class or attending a Student Session. Meanwhile, their parents talk with Phil Jones of the Career Department, discussing what their children will get out of Dickinson, and are later taken on special tours that showcase requested departments or buildings on campus such as the Kegg Archaeology Lab.
Spending a day with Fischer as she took care of different visiting families also enabled me to get a feel for the variety of prospective students and an idea of the diversity of interests those who seek out Dickinson exemplify. A junior in high school from Palo Alto, California spoke of a desire to pursue journalism and play baseball in college, while another waiting student from Pennsylvania mentioned a desire to continue fencing at whatever institution she found herself.
As Fischer dealt with different cases and small problems that arose with the visitors, her joke of “rolling with the punches” became the theme of the day. “You never know what a day’s going to bring,” said Fischer. “You may think you know, but a class could be cancelled, the student may not show up… anything. I embrace the challenge.”