<p>Just got off the phone with D. who flew in for admitted students day at Colby and was completely turned off by students on campus and perspective admitted students. Cold ,arrogant, distant, lack of enthusium about the upcoming college experience " I really not that excited I go to a private school , it's a lot like college." was one response. The campus seems so empty due to it small student body and the campus size , she said. I did remined her that half the class of 2013 were ED students and they wanted to go no where else! She left here yesterday planning on attending Colby , now it is up in the air with just a few days to go. Can anyone offer her a few words of encouragement. Thanks</p>
<p>Its nearing the end of the year and students may be feeling lethargic with the workload. I have visited many times and have never met the same response. I would recommend she talk with her college guidance officer.</p>
<p>Matter of fact I was there today. Noticed that Colby has what I would call the most loosely organized admitted students day. Plenty of programs, long list of classes…but nobody to really take charge and lead a prospective student around, if that’s what they need. And if your daughter was there alone, I would say most definitely, she would’ve been light years ahead if somebody led her around. </p>
<p>Please assure her that the admitted student I was with was just as spooked by the whole thing, and wasn’t inclined to talk to anybody either! So here we have a group of 18 year old quasi-adults who are afraid to talk to each other, afraid to take a chance.</p>
<p>Ahh, to be young again.</p>
<p>Now, the impression from the young adult I was with was that the attending students she observed are MUCH friendlier to each other at Colby than at other schools she’s been accepted at (not that she felt comfortable talking to much of anyone) but it was something that she zeroed in on. She’s got more attractive $$ deals elsewhere – actually at higher ranked schools – but the camaraderie among the Colby students was enough to make her buy the sweatshirt.</p>
<p>I can see, of course, how your daughter could wind up with a bad taste in her mouth after today, if she was there by herself without someone to help and/or filter things out. Did she linger into the afternoon? If so, she would’ve seen a vibrant campus, lots of kids out on the big lawn in front of that central building. Nice vibe in the dining hall I was in. Ross maybe? don’t remember the name.</p>
<p>Long day. We live 9 hrs away.</p>
<p>My dear friend’s son is a frosh at Colby and having the most fantastic college experience imaginable. Really, everyone’s kid should have such a good experience.</p>
<p>He has made an amazing group of friends and achieved real success in his chosen field already.</p>
<p>I can’t promise that your D will love being at Colby, but there is every chance that she will.</p>
<p>Even visits can be misleading. A few years ago when S had been accepted we visited Colby (not on admitted students day). The coach of a team he would be on met with him and also grabbed a few kids to meet with him–they were studying for finals but did it. S felt really unsure at the end of that day. He wasn’t comfortable with the coach and wasn’t sure he liked the team members. He was thinking if he went there the team would be a negative. But in the end he chose Colby and when he got there the team was a huge part of his life the first year. He became very close to those same guys he hadn’t related to on that visit. He hadn’t understood their sense of humor or something. He’s never found Colby kids to be unfriendly or unenthusiastic and is very glad he chose Colby over the other school he was considering at the time, but nothing was clear to him on that visit.</p>
<p>My S is a frosh and is loving every minute of it. I just got off the phone with him (on his way to Foss dining hall) and he mentioned this is such a busy time for the kids, what with finals coming in a couple of weeks.</p>
<p>When we went to the accepted students’ day last year, S made a comment, “The kids here are really friendly.” And his assessment has been 100% accurate so far. He has made incredible friends from frosh to seniors - and is actually contemplating on attending graduation to see his senior friends off.</p>
<p>And I can’t even begin to tell you how supportive the professors have been to S. Just an amazing community.</p>
<p>Maybe you could email or call Dory Streett? She has an admissions blog on Colby’s website.</p>
<p>We went to the earlier admitted students day and had a very different experience–TOTALLY positive, everything very well organized, kids all over campus, everyone extremely outgoing and friendly–a professor even helped D find her way across campus to an event–walked her the whole way and talked to her all about Colby! Everyone we spoke with was very enthusiastic, both about Colby and about each other. It was a huge contrast to the school she had earlier thought she would attend. So, just like Sunnydownsnuff, it was enough to buy the sweatshirt at Colby!And, I should also say, we had a similar experience on a much shorter visit (just a very short afternoon) last fall, so it seemed to be the rule rather than an exception.</p>
<p>I was there on Monday with my daughter and we were totally turned off by the the lack of effort put into the day’s program. We have been to other “accepted students” days at other LACs and found this one to be so lightweight that we left early. I understand that April 27th is very late in the month to hold this event, and we were glad to have two choices of dates. I’m sure the earlier event was better attended. They basically gave us a map and list of classes and a meal ticket, or you could sit through two lame panels where every student was an econ and/or math major. Needless to say Colby is off her list.</p>
<p>I actually think that the day was pretty well organized for what it was. I don’t think that it was supposed to be a “check-in in the morning and follow a program” type of thing. Short of shepherding students around, I don’t feel that there was much more that Colby could do. You could attend what seemed to be at least one hundred different types of classes, there were a few panels, there was a student (from Colby) and prospective student Q & A that was really informative, tours (for a refresher), and all of these things happened all day, thus adding flexibility. All of this information was online previous to the event and given to you when you checked in (which didn’t even require an RSVP) I don’t know what more anyone could want.</p>
<p>Was there a “lack of effort”? I guess there was if Colby’s goal was to hand the prospective students a visit day on a silver platter, but I don’t think that that was the point. College is about freedom and exploration. Life isn’t handed to you on a silver platter. Colby’s visit day kind of epitomizes that.</p>
<p>We’ve attended similar accepted student days at Colgate and Mt. Holyoke, and both schools rolled out the red carpet, trying to make a good impression. I happen to think Colby is as good as either of these schools, and I am surprised they exerted little effort. Maybe with their small size, and large # of students accepted ED, they feel like they will fill the freshman class w/o much effort.</p>
<p>We attended both Colgate and Colby Accepted Students days earlier in April. Colgate was certainly an intense day of frenetic activity, although several current students conveyed their distaste that the day didn’t really represent real life on campus. Colby’s open house felt like a very classy opportunity to sample classes and meet professors in their daily routines. Colby won the day in our case, but clearly different styles for different students. They are both excellent choices.</p>
<p>DadJRS - With our S, he really liked the more laid back Open House than the intense version of other LACs. In the end, what made Colby right for him was the friendly atmosphere. He’ll be finishing frosh year soon, and still feels the same way.</p>
<p>And that’s why attending the Open House is so important because all kids are different, looking for different aspects of a college that matter uniquely to them.</p>
<p>Colby CC members…Thank you for your valuable insight. Our D has been “in-spired”. The sweatshirt has been purchased!!</p>
<p>Yay! I already feel loyal to Colby–I think all of our kids are making a good decision, and that they’ll really be happy there!</p>
<p>We were in Colby last night for an event - our S is really in a very caring and supportive environment. It was an amazing sight to behold. </p>
<p>newport - Congratulations to your D!</p>