Holy Cross Admissions officers blog about search and application process

The Holy Cross Admissions office prides itself on a highly personalized application process. The goal is to treat each student with careful attention in each encounter they’ve had on campus or with a Holy Cross representative, says Ann B. McDermott ’79, director of Admissions.

The biggest feature of the thorough admissions process at Holy Cross is the one-on-one interview with an officer. “We provide students with the opportunity to speak with us about their past accomplishments and future goals in a way that it becomes part of their application here. We’re interested in getting to know our applicants beyond simply numbers — and that’s completely in line with the highly personalized intellectual exploration Holy Cross students have here on campus,” McDermott says.

In addition to personal contact, the Admissions office in recent years has introduced Web site features to show prospective students the rich experience available at Holy Cross. Among them: virtual tours, message boards, online chats, and the ability to “Meet Some Students” online.

With an applicant pool that has grown more than 45 percent over the past two years, the Admissions office is taking another step to help students learn more about Holy Cross.  During the 2007-08 academic year, admissions officers will maintain a blog chronicling the selection process that will shape the Class of 2012.

“Some of the biggest issues we hear about from students revolve around the high level of stress and anxiety involved in the college application process,” says McDermott. “Through this blog we hope to show students what things are important to us and give them some tips on where to focus their energy.”

Admissions officers will be posting entries from around the world — the Holy Cross campus in Worcester, a high school stop in California, an Internet café in another country. They’ll write about a wide variety of topics, addressing frequently asked questions, and describing what makes the living-learning environment on the Hill so exceptional.

Related Information:

• Admissions • Holy Cross Blogs