A note to rising seniors as we return to the classroom from our director of undergraduate admission, Liz Kinsley

One of the most overused yet indisputably sound pieces of advice surrounding the college process is that you, the student, need to be in the driver’s seat. Steer toward what you find most important, own your choices, and seek support and input from others without turning over the wheel.

At the risk of extending a trite metaphor, let’s stay in the vehicle but shift the tenor. (Google “metaphor, vehicle, and tenor” for a literary lesson and the key to that pun.) Steering will only get you so far on the road, and honestly, it’s the easy part. The more complex calculus of good driving is the ability to simultaneously look ahead, account for what’s behind you, keep yourself moving—and intuitively respond to the constantly shifting relationship between the three. This is the college process, only you are dealing with your intellectual identity and sense of self, not a car. There’s no AP curriculum to teach you this calculus, and it’s tough to navigate in any year.

Understanding the Challenges You’ve Faced

But this year is especially tough: what’s behind you is a high school experience rocked by a global pandemic, and what lies ahead in the wake of COVID-19 is uncertain. For many of us caught in this state of things, it can sometimes feel hard to keep moving. First and foremost, I want to make clear that our Admissions team understands this context and will read your applications with a sensitivity to all the challenges that have shaped your academic and extracurricular pursuits these past 18 months, even as things progress toward a tenuous new normal.

Foregrounding Optimism in the College Process

I also want to emphasize, as I have in previous posts, that along with this synthesis of past/ present/future, the college process fundamentally demands a sense of optimism for all you can learn about yourself and the world in the years ahead. Don’t lose sight of this optimism as senior year starts and the homework and college applications kick into high gear—instead, let the optimism fuel you.

Earlier this summer, I wrote the following in a letter to counselors and want to share it here with you, too:

Your students have lost so much, but I offer this thought about an unprecedented strength they wield in applying to college: The application process is as much if not more so about conveying what kind of college student you might be as it is about demonstrating a successful high school record. It’s an imaginative process, and the most compelling applications draw admission readers into that forward-looking perspective. Of course, this demands considerable self-reflection for students as they ask: How will I bring my talents, ideas, questions, curiosity, and compassion to bear in a new setting? Today’s students had a head start in confronting these big questions, as the pandemic entirely reshaped their high school experiences. In other words, your students had a test run navigating transition that we arguably haven’t seen the likes of in our applicant pool before—and though we didn’t always have all the usual metrics by which to assess their readiness to thrive on our campus, we had new and enormously insightful information to draw on. We will harness the same insights going forward.

How to Learn More about Northwestern Digitally and Safely In-Person

As you reflect on these questions, we’re here to help you envision what that new setting may look and feel like if it turns out to be Northwestern. We’ll continue with a range of digital opportunities to explore and connect, and we are slowly resuming our on-campus programming, with self-guided and student-led tours available. Please be patient with these in-person options as we determine space and scheduling in response to evolving safety precautions—at the moment, we expect to post times for fall tours sometime next week. We are also planning to travel some this fall, although that is subject to change, too, as we learn more about the Delta variant. If we are not physically in your area, we hope to connect in the digital space through one of our regularly scheduled virtual programs or an online regional session. As you learn more, you are always welcome to email us with questions: write ug-admission@northwestern.edu to ask current students about the undergraduate experience, sign up for a Purple Preview Conversation to chat via video or phone with a Northwestern undergrad, or contact your regional admission director if your question pertains to the application process. Our social media and YouTube channels will also give you an authentic sense of our community.

Finally, our Common Application and Coalition Application are both live. If you are applying through QuestBridge, the National College Match application is also now available. We will continue with our test-optional policy for this admission cycle; my June 2020 blog and our FAQs can advise you on that front.

Buckle up, Class of 2026—we can’t wait to meet you.

Warmly,

Liz Kinsley, PhD

Associate Dean & Director of Undergraduate Admission