Among the many adjustments we have had to make this year in light of COVID-19, one of the most challenging has been the way in which we have needed to adapt our admission season to the new reality. Usually, our process includes prospective students visiting campus for a full day and shadowing a current student. Many school days in the fall typically feature several visitors coming to classes and getting an authentic view of what life in the Upper School is like. That visit traditionally forms the basis of a student’s lasting impressions of the school and our beautiful campus. We often receive praise on things like our campus, our lunch, our engaging classes, and our overall friendliness.

 

Without those in-person, unique touch points, the Admission staff has worked hard to develop other strategies to reach out to students and families. They have put in a lot of time and energy into curating fresh material for the website. (Check out this vibrant theater page for instance: https://www.coloradoacademy.org/arts/arts-at-ca/upper-school-arts.)

They have created virtual experiences that are the next best thing to being there. With the help of the Upper School Admission Committee, they have also been conducting interviews over Zoom. Even in the midst of a pandemic, interest in CA is up, and applications are expected to exceed even last year’s numbers.

 

Recently, through the wonders of Zoom, we have held two “Ask an Alum” panels for prospective students. These panels, featuring more than a dozen recent graduates of CA, have been enormously successful, and I am so pleased that so many young alums would be ready, willing, and enthusiastic about sharing their views on what makes CA a special place. They represent a wide range of interests and talents and have all moved on to a wide range of college options since they graduated. In addition to sharing their highlights from their time at CA, they answered questions from the students in the audience. Those students participated verbally and in the “Chat” feature of Zoom.

 

It’s also been really great to catch up with these recent students and hear what they have been doing in the last few months. Some have been able to start college on campus, others have been learning remotely, and a few others have deferred their enrollment until the pandemic eases. No matter what, they have all been active in their post-graduation lives and staying involved in activities that matter to them. Even if we can shift into a more traditional admission season this spring and next year, I do hope this aspect of the “new” admission process will remain in place in the future.

 

So, as with all aspects of school life, we have pivoted and adjusted and made the best out of an extraordinary set of circumstances. We can’t wait to get visitors back to campus; until then, we look forward to more virtual events.