Serendipity

So much of the college decision process comes down to the intangible.  In my work, this stage in the admissions cycle is called "yield" - we've already admitted our future class of 2015, and now they need to choose us.  It's a game of "I like you.  Do you like me?  Circle Yes or No."

It's a month or longer of great heartbreak for us in some cases; we've met multiple times, emailed constantly, called, etc. with a wonderful student who truly is a great academic and cultural fit for the school but he or she ultimately chooses to go somewhere else. 

But, even better, it's a month of great joy - almost 600 students will choose us back.  They circle Yes!

In this yield stage, many of the students have already answered their basic questions about the college: location, curriculum, social life, over-arching culture, money, etc.  So at this point, much comes down to atmosphere and whether they get "the feeling" here or somewhere else.  What "feels" right?

My own college search started very organized, though despite my best intentions it ended very chaotic.  When I encountered the college that is now my alma mater - in APRIL of my senior year (too late by most colleges' standards) - the fact that they chose me (late! late!) and I got "the feeling" there felt like a fortunate stroke of serendipity after a too-stressful college search and a negative outlook.  That feeling of fate ultimately led me to choose that school, and I still know in my heart that it was the best choice I could have made for the "me" I was then.

Today, I was reminded of the power of faith and serendipity in this whole college match thing.  In the fall, I visited a high school in my territory that no one from our college had ever visited before; it's one of the most highly-ranked high schools in the country and I wanted to establish a connection.  I didn't have high hopes, though - that area has traditionally not been fruitful for us.

My visit was a college fair, at 6:00 p.m. in inner-city.  It was late October so it was already dark and I was late because of traffic.  A sweet girl who was assisting the guidance office showed me to my table and we chatted about my College while we walked.  She hadn't heard of it before - she was just randomly  matched with me as my escort.

She came back to my table with her mom and little sister after the fair was winding down; she wanted to learn more.  She did not fill out an inquiry card, so I didn't even know her last name.

Though I didn't have a way to track it then, this student went home and requested more information from us online.  Because that college fair was really strong for us in that area, I pushed my office to let me make the 6-hour drive again a month later and arranged a separate one-on-one visit to the high school.  I sent invitations to everyone on our list from that high school.

She was there, and she brought a friend.  I connected her info to her name and her face, and told her about our fly-in program for accepted students in April, that we'd reimburse some or most of her cost and pick her up if she flew-in by herself.  A month later, I sent her a personal holiday card in the mail encouraging her to apply.  She applied to the school.  She was accepted.  She even got a scholarship.  And this weekend, she came to visit.

She gave me a hug when she got off the shuttle from the airport.  She was still apprehensive at this point; she'd recently had a bad visit at another school that she thought she would love.  I ran into her today on her way out; she was glowing.  She was pleasantly surprised by just how much she loved it, and she has made up her mind that she is coming here next year.

If I hadn't been late... if she hadn't been helping her guidance office... if I hadn't visited again...

I can't help but have faith that there is more here than meets the eye.