An Expert Perspective

For many Upper School students—as well as many Upper School parents—the task of choosing a college can be quite daunting. I know this firsthand, having gone through the selection process with my children. Although an exciting time for families, the process can often be stressful and time-consuming.

USM is dedicated to providing students and parents with the best resources and assistance when it comes to choosing a college or university. Last week, the Upper School College Guidance department presented its “Evening with the Experts” event. Held annually, this important evening provides parents and students in grades 9-12 with an opportunity to gain valuable perspective on the changing college admissions landscape and ask questions of a panel of experienced leaders in the profession.

This year, USM welcomed three college admissions professionals to the event: Adele Brumfield, Director of Undergraduate Admissions and Recruitment at UW-Madison; Mary Lou Bates, Dean of Admission and Financial Aid at Skidmore College; and Danielle Anderson ’06, Assistant Director of Admission at Washington University in St. Louis.

As I spent some time with our guests during the school day, they were highly complimentary of our four-year College Guidance Program. They were quite impressed by our low student-to-counselor ratio of 43:1, compared to a ratio sometimes as high as 800:1 at schools across the country.

At the event, each admission professional spent a bit of time describing the school she was representing. I was pleased that our large audience was able to hear representatives from three very different schools describe the distinctive student experiences that each offers. They also provided a few insiders’ tips that should prove useful to our students preparing to apply to college. I have briefly summarized those below:

• Pursue your passion: Admissions officers notice students who care deeply about something, whether it’s a particular cause or activity. 
• Do things well: Students who focus their efforts and work to their highest ability are thought of more highly than those who are involved in everything at a mediocre level 
• Be an open book: When reviewing college applications, admissions officers want to be able to get to know students and understand what is important to them.

I would like to acknowledge Susan Zarwell and Robin Miller, Directors of College Guidance, and Linda Dulmes, College Guidance Associate, our “in house” experts, for holding such an informative event. It is crucial that our Upper School families begin to think about college selection early on, and this event gives even our youngest Upper School students a unique perspective on college admissions.

A New Way to Reconnect

Welcome back! As winter weather stubbornly maintains its grasp on Wisconsin (in spite of what the calendar tells us), I hope that everyone in the USM community enjoyed a safe, fun, and refreshing break.

As you know, I take great pride in the strong sense of community that we foster at USM and all the academic and athletic opportunities we offer our students. The lessons of teamwork, leadership, and hard work learned by our student athletes last long beyond their time at USM, as will the relationships they build here. Often the bonds of friendship remain strong but, sometimes in our busy world, team members lose touch – both with each other and the School. Therefore, I am delighted to tell you about our newly formed Varsity Club as a way for our former athletes to reconnect.

The Varsity Club is successfully bringing together MCD, MDS, MUS, and USM varsity letter winners from all sports. From merger-school alumni to our most recent graduating classes, I am pleased to note that, just a month into the program, more than 30 alumni have become members.

Free admission to cheer on the Wildcats at all regularly scheduled USM athletic events and a subscription to the Varsity Club newsletter are just a few of the perks that members enjoy!   

Whether through athletics or by participation in any of the opportunities we offer here, we all benefit when we forge these ties. Our entire community is strengthened by inviting these former School athletes to reconnect.

Everyone interested in learning more is encouraged to visit www.usmk12.org/varsityclub.