James Madison University sits in the peaceful and bucolic Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. While UVA, William & Mary, and Virginia Tech are favored by the top Virginia students, JMU provides an excellent education and boasts 139 bachelors, masters, and doctorate degree programs. JMU is particularly known for its undergraduate business program. It’s a safe environment for its 19,000 students. After winning a DI-AA football championship, JMU now competes in the Division I ECAC and Sunbelt Conference. Behind me is the 24,000 seat Bridgeforth Stadium.
In my next life, I’m going to study hard and try to get into Wake Forest. Last spring, I had the pleasure of visiting UVA, Duke, UNC Chapel Hill, and NC State. But Wake is the most beautiful campus I’ve ever seen. Originally located just north of Raleigh in the town of Wake Forest, the college moved west to Winston-Salem in order to accept a gift of land from the Reynolds tobacco family. I’m pictured here in front of the historic Wait Chapel, named for the college’s first president. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke at Wait Chapel on October 11, 1962. On March 17, 1978, President Jimmy Carter made a major speech on national security in the chapel. In 1988, it hosted a presidential debate between George H. W. Bush and Michael Dukakis and, in 2000, between George W. Bush and Al Gore. A private memorial ceremony for Dr. Maya Angelou was held in Wait Chapel on June 7, 2014. Attendees included First Lady Michelle Obama, President Bill Clinton, and Oprah Winfrey. Famous alumni include golfer Arnold Palmer; basketball stars Tim Duncan, Muggsy Bogues, and Chris Paul; football player Brian Puccolo; actor Carroll O’Connor; and television producer David Chase. I was disappointed not to see students sitting outside the bookstore under the lilac trees. But (Myrtle) Beach Weekend was getting underway.
The massive expanse of Dartmouth’s Dartmouth Hall dwarfs me. The year it was built, 1784, appears at the top. It burned in 1904 and was rebuilt by 1906. It currently houses various language departments and the humanities department. Framed by Dartmouth Hall to the east, Baker Library to the north, and the Hanover Inn to the south, Dartmouth’s quad is bustling and beautiful. Walking around the quad, I ran into a member of the media obtaining b-roll footage of Baker Library. He was covering the forums that Dartmouth has been holding regarding Muslims and Jews and how they could co-exist on campus. Dartmouth has been able prevent violence on campus by being proactive and encouraging civil dialogue. There’s been no violence on campus, unlike Columbia.
Notes from Summer Adventures Visiting Colleges & Universities, Part I
Imagine living in a brownstone apartment around the corner from Fenway Park. That would be Boston University. Did you know that its first campus was in Newbury, Vermont? Or that Martin Luther King, Jr. earned his doctorate from BU? The plaque I’m standing next to...
What Makes Private College Admissions Counselors Different
Much is written about the burdens of high school counselors and the advantages private counselors have. School counselors have large caseloads. And they deal with social and emotional issues as well as scheduling tasks. Although some schools have counselors dedicated...
Starting a 501(c)(3) Non-Profit to Look Good for College
What is a 501 (c)(3) Non-Profit? Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code allows for the tax deductibility of donations to registered organizations. These organizations themselves do not pay income tax, and some states exempt them from sales and property taxes....
Application Avoidance
Application avoidance is something I run into constantly. Don't get me wrong. I have some students who are proactive about working with me. When I was a teacher, we called them students who advocate for themselves. They request video conference meetings. They write...
The Lure of Merit Aid
Note: It's the busy season at Curtis Hier & Associates, as it is at every college consultant agency. It's college application season! So blog posts will be sparse for a few months. Our followers can stay connected with us on social media. Education author Jeff...
Common App Advice for Seniors
Well, the Common App dropped on August 1. A million students and some 900 colleges will be using it again this year. Every August 1 it becomes available. Colleges are welcome to change their requirements. For instance, they may alter their supplemental essay prompts....
Stop the Essay Insanity!
I’ve been busy during these past few months helping my students draw up college lists. One of the most important considerations on my part is what a particular school’s supplemental essay requirements are. Our college admissions system is broken. The Common...
The Story Behind Middlebury’s Famous Cane
What makes for a great college fit? There are many intangibles. One such intangible is tradition. I love tradition. And Middlebury College is steeped in tradition. One such tradition has only been observed since it was re-established in 1995, but it commemorates the...
Your Plan B, C, and D for College Admissions
You’re about to get your admission decisions. You should have had a Plan B going into the application season. But you might need a Plan C or even a Plan D. Maybe you’ve been waitlisted or flat rejected at your reach and target schools. Maybe you didn’t even get into...
Seven Things You Can Be Doing While Waiting for a Decision
Finally, you’ve gotten your college application into all the schools you want to. Congratulations! That was no small feat. So, now what? Here are some suggestions for passing the time until you receive your responses. 1. Thank your recommenders. An email is better...
Recent Comments