Featured College Visits

You can read about some of my campus visits by scrolling down or using the following links:

Barnard College
California Institute of Technology
Clemson University
Connecticut College
Davidson College
Drew University
Elon University
Fordham University (Rose Hill)
Guilford College
High Point University
Hunter College (CUNY)
Loyola Marymount University
Macaulay Honors College (CUNY)
Marist College
Marymount Manhattan College
The New School
NYU (Gallatin School)
NYU
Occidental College
Pace University
Pepperdine University
Purchase College
Princeton University
Queens University of Charlotte
Rutgers University – New Brunswick
Sarah Lawrence College
Stevens Institute of Technology
University of California San Diego
University of Pennsylvania
University of Southern California
Vassar College
Wake Forest University
Wofford College
Yale University

Clemson University

I recently visited Clemson University in Clemson, South Carolina, where I toured campus and spoke with the admissions office about the latest trends in admissions. Here are some takeaways from my visit:

· Clemson is a public university of nearly 23,000 undergraduates located in its small namesake town. Originally founded as an agricultural college, Clemson remains a powerhouse in agricultural studies and is best-known for its strengths in STEM, especially engineering. Business is also very popular. Both engineering and business students start in a general engineering or business curriculum before specializing in their chosen major.

· Pre-vet students will benefit from the new veterinary college, as well as the abundant supply of large animals in the area.

· Other programs of note include the architecture major, which does not require a portfolio for admission, and the new BS degree in automotive engineering, the first in the nation. Automative engineers will spend their first two years at Clemson’s main campus, then finish their studies at Clemson’s International Center for Automotive Research (ICAR) in Greenville, near companies like BMW, Bosch and Michelin.

· All Clemson students are eligible to participate in co-ops where they work full-time in their field for credit one semester, and the career center consistently rates as one of the top in the nation. Clemson has partnerships with GE in Greenville and multiple corporations across the US.

· The average class size is 27, and only 5% of courses have more than 100 students.

· While the campus is large, all classroom buildings are located within a seven-minute walk of each other. Housing is guaranteed for freshmen, after which point most students move into off-campus housing nearby.

· Campus is directly adjacent to the scenic Lake Hartwell, and the Blue Ridge Mountains are only 30 minutes away. School spirit is robust and football games are huge events. Greek life is non-residential and less pronounced than at some other Southern state schools.

· Similar to some other Southern schools, application deadlines run a little earlier than typical: the Early Action deadline has historically been October 15. Around half of students come from out-of-state.

Wofford College

I recently visited Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina, where I toured campus and spoke with the admissions office about the latest trends in admissions. Here are some takeaways from my visit:

· Wofford is a private liberal arts college of around 1,800 students located in the small city of Spartanburg. Well-known as a premed destination, Wofford offers 100+ hours shadowing a different medical specialty each week at Spartanburg Regional Hospital, as well as robust premed advising and visits to campus by three South Carolina medical schools each year. 

· Students in all majors benefit from small class sizes of around 20 students, close faculty-student relationships, and a tight-knit community. All freshmen receive a a faculty advisor, staff advisor, peer advisor and personal librarian, and all freshmen are required to take a course from career services. 

· Greek life is popular, with 50% of students participating. Greek organizations, which are non-residential and non-exclusive, host campus parties in the Greek Village, supervised by campus security. Outside of Greek life, students participate in a range of on-campus events, from ice cream socials to concerts, DI football and basketball games and church services. 90% of students live on campus all four years. 

· Wofford is Methodist-affiliated, but students from all religious backgrounds are welcome. Most students are actively Christian. Politically, the student body leans conservative. 

· Wofford follows a 4-1-4 academic calendar: students are required to complete a one-month “interim” semester in January where they can take classes on campus or partake in travel courses, internships or research. BMW is located nearby and a popular for internships. 

Davidson College

I recently visited Davidson College in Davidson, North Carolina, where I toured campus and spoke with the admissions office about the latest trends in admissions. Here are some takeaways from my visit:

· The South’s premier liberal arts college, Davidson is a highly selective institution just thirty minutes outside of Charlotte. The campus community is tight-knit, supportive and highly collaborative. Small class sizes and engaged faculty ensure that students received extensive individualized attention.

· All students sign Davidson’s honor code, which helps create a climate of trust among students and faculty. As a result, students report feeling comfortable leaving laptops unattended for hours in the library and know that if they lose their wallet on campus, someone is likely to return it to them.

· Davidson prizes interdisciplinary learning, and completing interdisciplinary projects in courses – like designing a musical instrument in a physics class – is encouraged. Students can also design their own major through the Center for Interdisciplinary Studies (CIS). Other unique programming includes a public health major and the Hurt Hub for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, which provides students from any major with a mentor and grant to develop a business idea. The Davidson in Washington program offers a guest-speaker-driven summer course in DC, led by a Davidson professor, alongside an internship.

· Greek life is relatively popular, as well as non-exclusive. There are no sororities, but 70-75% of women join “eating houses” similar to Princeton’s eating clubs: non-residential dining communities that foster community and host social events. 30-40% of men join fraternities, which tend to also have their own chef and are non-residential. Campus police supervise fraternity parties to ensure safety. There is also robust social life outside the Greek system: students spend weekends participating in fun events at the student union, attending student performances, going to concerts, partying in the dorms and exploring Charlotte.

· Davidson owns a 110 acre waterfront property under 10 minutes from campus – “Lake Campus” – that provides students with various recreational activities and includes a beach, volleyball courts, picnic areas, a boat ramp, swimming access and green space.

· Despite being a small liberal arts college, Davidson fields 21 DI athletic teams, and around a quarter of enrolled students are athletes.

· The college is located alongside downtown Davidson’s tiny Main Street in a layout that feels reminiscent of Princeton. Town residents welcome freshmen each year by baking them cakes for the Cake Race, and it’s not uncommon for residents to invite students over to dinner.

· Like Dartmouth, Davidson requires applicants to submit a peer letter of recommendation.

Queens University of Charlotte

I recently visited Queens University of Charlotte in Charlotte, North Carolina, where I toured campus and spoke with the admissions office about the latest trends in admissions. Here are some takeaways from my visit:

· Once the all-women’s sister college to Davidson, Queens is now a co-ed, undergraduate-focused university of 1,317 undergraduates and growing. Queens has the feel of liberal arts college, with small, discussion-based classes, highly supportive faculty, and students living on campus for four years in a very tight-knit community. Unlike many liberal arts colleges, however, it offers the benefits of being located in one of the nation’s largest and fastest-growing cities, and the university supports students in taking advantage of Charlotte’s extensive professional opportunities.

· While a traditional liberal arts institution, Queens integrates career preparation into its curriculum. Students are required to complete one-to-two internships for credit, as well as a course in career preparation, taught by local HR and early talent recruiting professionals from local companies like Bank of America, that helps students find the best internship opportunities and hit the ground running when on the job. Global opportunities are also woven into the curriculum.

· Charlotte is the second-largest banking city in the US, and the business school (where many faculty also work in industry) has close connections with local companies like Bank of America, Wells Fargo, PwC and Deloitte. There are also extensive clinical opportunities for nursing and premed students in Charlotte. The city is also rich in cultural institutions, including over 17 live music venues and at least 29 museums.

· Although there are sororities, there are no fraternities at Queens and Greek life is not a big feature on campus. The university fields only club teams, but they compete with other colleges’ DI varsity teams. There is no football on campus, although there is rugby and sports are popular overall (50% of students are athletes).

· Service is very popular among students, and the university’s official motto is “not to be served, but to serve.”

· Despite being located in a large city, Queens has its own enclosed campus, located in the beautiful and affluent Myers Park neighborhood of Charlotte around a ten-minute drive from downtown. Queens students are racially, culturally and economically diverse. 10% are international and 13% come from the Northeast, with the majority of remaining students coming from the South.

· Distinctive majors include music therapy, health communication, data analytics, conservation biology, gallery and museum practices, interior architecture and design and exercise and sport science. There is no computer science major.

High Point University

I recently visited High Point University in High Point, North Carolina, where I toured campus and spoke with the admissions office about the latest trends in admissions. Here are some takeaways from my visit:

· Unique among colleges, High Point, a private, mid-sized university in North Carolina’s Piedmont Triad, emphasizes helping students develop life skills that will benefit them throughout their professional and personal lives. These include effective communication, coachability, a growth mindset, emotional intelligence, motivation, gratitude, collaboration, adaptability, appreciation of differences and relationship building. All students are introduced to these skills through a required first-year course with the university president, and they are embedded into the curriculum throughout all four years.

· Located in the small city of High Point, the university’s gated campus is a 20-minute drive from Greensboro and a 30-minute drive from Winston-Salem. The campus has undergone continual expansion in recent years, and facilities and residence halls are more lavish than one would typically find at a college. Students can dine at one of three fine-dining establishments on campus, where trained staff coach students on proper mannerisms to help prepare them for the business world.

· A signature “In Residence” program invites high-profile figures from a range of industries to campus to teach and support students. Current innovators include Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak and Netflix co-founder Marc Randolph.

· Classes average 20-25 students, and there are no large lectures. Experiential learning is woven into the curriculum and makes up 25% of every major. Students receive academic and career support at regular intervals.

· 99% of students reside on campus all four years. Over a third participate in Greek life, which includes co-ed professional and service organizations. The university completes in DI athletics and there is ample school spirit. On campus, students can enjoy a giant campus arcade, movie theater and range of student-led activities. 75% of students come from out of state.

· High Point is Methodist-affiliated, but there are no religious requirements. Most students are Christian, although there is a new Hillel House with a kosher kitchen and a growing population of Jewish students, as well as a religious space on campus for Muslim students. On average, students can be described as fiscally conservative and socially libertarian.

· The university features a range of programs and majors, including cybersecurity, nursing, engineering, communications and business. A 4+1 combined undergrad-masters program is available for many majors, with free tuition for the master’s degree.