Q. What traits make a candidate
Q. What has changed in admissions since
a successful applicant at W&L?
you first began working in the field?
We place particular value on academic achievement, intellectual curiosity, community engagement, participation in extracurricular activities, and authenticity. We consider the student’s character and interest in Washington and Lee — as revealed through essays, letters of recommendation and our personal interactions, including interviews. Needless to say, our applicant pool is replete with talented individuals who are all successful in their own right. As the current parent of a high school senior, I am keenly aware of how candidates are willing to put themselves out there in their applications — taking risks, revealing vulnerabilities, and expressing their ambitions. We aspire to preserve and honor the trust they place in us.
For starters, my vision has suffered from reading thousands of applications! In the digital age, we’re offering visits and interviews virtually as well as in person, the Common Application is more widely used, and students are applying to many more schools on average. The conversation about access and affordability is also real. Fortunately, what hasn’t changed is that the people working in admissions, college counseling, and financial aid remain creative, generous, and student-centered. In addition to really enjoying working with high school students, my relationships with these colleagues have kept me in the profession for more than 25 years — and I am very grateful to them.
Q. How do you build an entering class?
you anticipate in the coming years?
We carefully assess each applicant while keeping both the university’s mission and our ultimate enrollment goals in mind. There is no formula or equation. It’s more like solving a puzzle, where we keep the larger picture in mind while factoring in each student’s strengths and unique contributions. Each year is different since we start with a new set of applicants and conclude with a class that will have an identity all its own.
Q. How would a need-blind policy impact the admissions efforts?
Need-blind admissions simply means that an applicant’s ability to pay for his or her education will not be a factor in our decision. Being need-blind would allow us to focus exclusively on each student’s academic readiness, love of learning, extracurricular engagement, personal character, and enthusiasm for W&L, not on how much the family can afford to contribute to the cost of attendance.
Q. What are some of the challenges Challenges are disguised opportunities. One of the real silver linings of the last two years was the heightened attention we paid to engaging students with W&L. We couldn’t take their access to campus for granted, so we had to reconstitute the whole notion of a visit. Today, those virtual opportunities remain popular, and we can offer campus visits again. The concern over the cost of higher education will persist, and it is our responsibility to communicate, early and authentically, W&L’s extraordinary value, as well as our generous aid and scholarship resources, to students, families, and counselors. For example, the Johnson Scholarship, W&L’s premiere scholarship for academically talented, integrity-minded student leaders, is awarded to nearly 10% of each entering class. And we meet 100% of the demonstrated financial need of every admitted student. MyinTuition, a quick cost estimator available on our website, enables families to understand their expected financial contribution anytime, anywhere. We also invite
students considering Early Decision to complete their aid applications in advance of the ED deadline so they can receive an expected financial aid award before making that ED commitment.
Q. What has been the impact of the Johnson Program in Leadership and Integrity on W&L?
The Johnson Program’s impact on W&L cannot be overstated. Our ability to award these generous, transformative scholarships to nearly 10% of each class has been invaluable, and we have seen that translate into our application volume from day one of the program’s announcement. Across campus, faculty, staff, and students applaud and appreciate the contributions Johnson Scholars make to our community. Recruiting and enrolling each new student to W&L is a shared campus effort, and that is especially true for our Johnson Scholars during the finalist selection event each March.
Q. What role do the university’s alumni play in the admissions effort these days?
We rely on alumni volunteers to conduct off-campus interviews with candidates, connect with admitted students from their area, and host admitted students’ receptions around the country. Since our alumni have a firsthand knowledge of the caliber of education we offer and of the many opportunities available, they tell the university’s story in very personal ways, and their enthusiasm is compelling. It’s one thing for us to describe the features of a Washington and Lee University education and quite another when prospective students (and their parents) can hear about how those features will impact the students from someone who experienced those benefits. Students report that these conversations have a real impact on their decision to apply— or enroll. n A View From the Hill
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Community
Building a Class