Welcome New College Rep, ColbyAdmissions

Colleges and Universities A-Z Colby College
41

<p>For "waleedk87":</p>

<p>Each year we receive Early Decision applications from international students--Colby has two separate ED "rounds", with deadlines of November 15 and January 1, respectively--and in the past we have accepted a few of those applicants. However, the numbers aren't usually large--this past year, for example, saw about five dozen international applicants apply ED (combined), and a handful were accepted; all but two applicants, and all of those we accepted, applied for financial aid as well. Keep in mind, however, that in any given year, total international applications number roughly 1,000, and 90% of those also apply for financial aid; we will enroll this year about 30 international students, and this group is far and away the most competitive applicant group of all.</p>

<p>Regarding your other question, my understanding is that only a few students at Colby do the Dual-Degree Engineering program with Dartmouth, as "a limited number of students are accepted into the program." (this is a direct quote from the related web page on Colby's site: <a href="http://www.colby.edu/physics/engine.html)%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.colby.edu/physics/engine.html)&lt;/a>. For more specific info re: the dual-degree option, I suggest you contact Murray Campbell, as he is listed as the contact person for that program. </p>

<p>Also from Colby's website (<a href="https://www.colby.edu/admissions_cs/apply_to_colby/admission-info.cfm)%5B/url%5D"&gt;https://www.colby.edu/admissions_cs/apply_to_colby/admission-info.cfm)&lt;/a>, I see that students who receive an A or B (superior level) on A-levels may be eligible for credit and advanced placement. For more info & statistics regarding international students I suggest you contact Steve Thomas, our Director of Admissions. He travels frequently to other countries on behalf of Colby, he will read all international applications, and he will be a good resource for you as you investigate Colby further.</p>

<p>Thank you for your interest in Colby!</p>

42

<p>Hi colby admissions, i have a question: Do you guys offer financial aid for transfer students? is it limited? will you guys offer financial aid if a transfer applicant decides to apply for the spring? do you guys really meet 100% of the need for transfers like you do for freshmen? also, i live in california...will travel expenses be included? thanks!</p>

43

<p>Hello Colby Rep -</p>

<p>I must say I am impressed that a rep has joined in the forum discussions and, although I did not have any interest before, the fact that you are here has driven me to look into Colby. I think it is excellent that Colby has made an admissions rep so accessable. </p>

<p>I do have one question. I am a student at a Texas community college and have maintained a 4.0 with honors courses, having also done quite well in other areas but I don't want to go into all that as I don't want this to be a "chances" question. However, I was looking at College Board.com's stats for Colby and noticed that 19 of 106 applicants were accepted last year. The numbers aren't so daunting to keep me from applying, but I have this question - not only for Colby but for reputable schools in general. When you see a community college applicant for transfer, is it generally harder for him/her to be accepted? I ask because I have heard in other threads that colleges are sometimes concerned that CC students would not graduate on time b/c many of their courses wouldn't transfer. I have also heard that b/c it has been earned at a CC, my GPA will not be viewed as a 4.0 when compared with other applicants from four year universities. Yet I would still like to show my academic strength. What else would you recommend that I do to show that I am prepared for the academics at Colby College?</p>

<p>Thanks in advance.</p>

44

<p>For "mojojojo69":</p>

<p>Colby does have a very limited amount of financial aid available for transfer students, who apply for the spring and/or fall semesters; typically, only a handful of students each year are accepted who require financial aid. Colby provides 100% of an applicant's demonstrated need (I prefer the term "eligibility for aid", as "need" might be defined differently, if from the perspective of a student/family, or college, and based on which forms are completed). We base the financial aid awards of all applicants on the cost of education at Colby, which takes into account the comprehensive fee (tuition, room/board, and associated fees), personal expenses (eg. books) and travel expenses. Again, however, our resources are very limited, and the transfer admission process in general is extremely competitive at Colby--regardless of f.aid concerns.</p>

45

<p>For "brand_182":</p>

<p>Thanks for the compliment; I'll try to keep it up both for you and other viewers/posters (even though I know I'm a bit wordy with my responses, apologies to all for my lack of pithy commentary)...</p>

<p>We see students & transfer applications from all kinds of higher educational institutions--large southern research universities, northeast small colleges, international "flagship" institutions, and community/junior colleges. I don't know as it's any "easier" for an applicant from one school more than another, as we have accepted students from universities like Harvard, Duke, George Washington and NYU in recent years, as well as colleges like Bates, Earlham, St. Olaf and Westminster Choir College in NJ. In that mix as well, in recent years, are Georgia Perimeter College (the largest 2-year college in GA), Santa Barbara City College (CA), and Isothermal CC in western N.Carolina--at her Colby graduation, the student from ICC was recognized by our Phi Beta Kappa chapter, the nation's oldest and largest academic honor society. It really depends on context: how is an applicant doing in his/her environment, and how might that student perform in ours? (I make a similar point when asked about secondary schools--private/parochial/public, etc.) </p>

<p>I think that most of us also recognize how popular the CC system is to many students, representing many backgrounds, and how the idea of working towards an A.A. degree (or taking classes part-time) might save money if one can then transfer to a four-year institution. I can't say that Colby actively recruits transfer applicants from any institution(s), but I can say that we pay close attention to all applicants, no matter their academic pedigree.</p>

<p>The issue of credits, and of graduation date, is somewhat irrelevant when I evaluate an application; the registrar will decide which, and how many, credits would transfer to Colby. I pay attention to the rigor of courses selected, and grades achieved, but I don't extrapolate or speculate as to when that student might graduate from Colby. In an acceptance letter a student learns the number of credits transferring to Colby, and subsequent communications with the registrar will determine class standing, major, etc. </p>

<p>It might be helpful to me, and to my peers, to know more about your particular CC, so we might understand the environment in which you're working & studying--when you send in your application, perhaps including a bit of information about the school, and the classes you've taken. I'm also curious as to the reasons a student has enrolled at that particular institution--why are you where you are? (one part of an essay on our transfer application asks this, and what you're looking for in your next school). In your essays, and perhaps in other areas of your application, you'll find opportunities to tell us about yourself, show us who you are, and prepare a solid candidacy.</p>

<p>You refer to statistics from the College Board that are a bit out of date; for this most recent transfer admissions cycle (students enrolling Fall '06), we received almost 140 applications, and accepted about a dozen of those students. This is a bit more competitive than "normal" for us, and even less encouraging than in recent years (including the one to which you refer)--hopefully you remain equally undaunted and will continue to investigate your own transfer application this coming year. Thanks for your interest in Colby.</p>

46

<p>Lol that is a bit more daunting I guess. Thanks for the response...I would feel more confident applying to your college and knowing that I can explain my circumstances.</p>

47

<p>I think it's reaaaally great that you're here to answer questions, by the way. It helps us get straight information that we can share without, say, bombarding the admissions office with questions (not that I've never done that.).</p>

<p>So I was wondering a little more about international admissions. When you say that you get 1000 applications and you enroll 35-50, is that the number that you accept or the number that matriculate at Colby?
If that's different than the actual acceptance rate for internationals, around what percent do you accept? Are the average SAT scores the same as the citizen/permanent resident applicant pool or higher? </p>

<p>Thanks so much for any information you have.</p>

48

<p>For "Meesh":</p>

<p>"Enrolling" means matriculating, and like all colleges/universities we'll accept many more to get to that number. For the last several years we've accepted just about 20% of the international applicants to Colby--considerably lower than other sub-groups. As with the accepted domestic students, many of these international students are extraordinarily qualified, and they also apply to (and also are accepted at) the best colleges and universities in the world--we know we won't get 'em all to come to Colby. I don't know if we keep statistics re: how international students compare to their domestic counterparts on the SAT-1/ACT; I admit that I rarely read international files, as Steve Thomas (Dir. of Admission) is the "guru" in our office of all things international. </p>

<p>For clarification, students on F-1 visas, dual citizens, and resident aliens could all be considered as "international" in our admissions statistics; I should also note that almost all of those accepted students were entering freshman--those who applied Early or Regular Decision. It's extremely rare for us to accept international transfer students, at most I've known us to accept two or three in a given year and even that is not common. I don't mean to put a damper on your (or others') interest in Colby, but you should know what's ahead of you. For more information regarding international student info, you could contact Mr. Thomas, his email is <a href="mailto:tsthomas@colby.edu">tsthomas@colby.edu</a>.</p>

49

<p>As I suspect this might be of interest to others in the CC universe....Below is a question I received from a student, regarding extra-curricular and work issues; what follows is the original post (snipped to shield identity/highlight relevant info), and my response:</p>

<hr>

<hr>

<p>Here's my situation:
i'm a first generation student. my gpa is 4.29W and 3.65UW. taking honors and AP classes. SAT: shooting for 2300+..
the only problem is that i have weak ECs - only 1 club junior year. the reason is because i work a lot to support my family. i started working at the end of 8th grade. (9-12: about 30 hours a week; summers,8-12(?): somewhere around 42 hours a week.)
my question is: do you adcoms look at applications like mine and just reject me because i have weak ecs? do you prefer students who have lots of ecs than me?
there are a lot of things that i always wanted to do - debate, clubs, volunteer, etc. i just never had the chance to do any of them....</p>

<hr>

<p>For "____": </p>

<p>Because I think your question is important, and I bet that other students might be in a similar situation (with similar concerns), I hope you'll allow me to copy my response to the general thread, omitting specifics but (hopefully) keeping the gist of your query. </p>

<p>I also worked at least part-time during my high school years, along with several peers, and my parents worked in nearby public schools, too--there were times when some of us had no choice but to forego "traditional" activities related to school or community, in order to hold down a paying job. I suppose the key word here is "constructive": we want to see that students are <em>constructively</em> engaged outside of their studies--often this means clubs, or sports, or performances, student government, volunteerism, etc., but sometimes it means taking care of aged relatives (or younger siblings), or working to help pay family bills. I hope that all incoming students will be engaged members of our community, as there will be plenty of opportunities to pursue interests and hobbies outside of one's studies at Colby (in addition to some employment, as many students do work a bit during the school year); just because someone hasn't pursued these opportunities before now, however, doesn't mean that he/she had a choice--or that he/she won't step up to the challenge here.</p>

<p>Perhaps a note or a short essay/statement that accompanies your application, which draws attention to your situation, would be appropriate--you could express the conflict you imply, so that admissions folk may know that it's not due to lack of interest, rather lack of time (or competing priorities) that you're prevented from being more involved outside school, home and your job. Take it upon yourself to make sure that admissions folk don't misinterpret your commitments, overlooking the realities you detailed to me. Most admissions folk will try to assess the whole student, and the whole person, with as much relevant info and context as possible.</p>

<hr>

<hr>

<p>Being involved, then, and engaged with a constructive activity outside of your studies are what we look for--that you spend your "free" time wisely, and how you convey such to us, is important... not only to an admissions committee (note: "hanging out with friends" and "Halo2" would not qualify--and I've seen both listed as extra-curricular activities on applications), but for all the other "right reasons" as well. I hope the above is helpful to those who are interested; keep the posts coming!</p>

50

<p>ColbyAdmissions-
Thank you so much for answering everyone's questions in such a thoughtful and thorough manner. I know you said that transferring is always an "uphill battle", but I'm wondering if you could offer any tips regarding what Colby really looks for in a transfer student, and how one can make him/herself stand out in a sea of incredibly qualified applicants. Also, does the weight of certain factors change with applications for transfer to Colbey versus regular applicants (e.g is there more weight on the essay than there normally would be, is the SAT less/more important, etc.)
Thank you!</p>

51

<p>For "hshtein":</p>

<p>It is incredibly difficult to "stand out" in what you (very accurately) call "a sea of incredibly qualified applicants"--a great phrase, by the way, I've used it on occasion, too. Often, needs or concerns of the college will come into play, just as much as candidates' qualifications. I would suggest a few things that, in addition to preparing a strong candidacy, are good practices for every applicant anyway:</p>

<ul>
<li><p>PRESENTATION
You'd be surprised how messy some applications are, of all kinds.... it takes some effort, but not a lot, really, to make sure that a handwritten application is neatly done, or that an essay has been both spell-checked and proofed (spell-check on MSWord doesn't catch everything, especially homophones and contractions). Show us that you're invested enough in your college search, and Colby, to care enough to send a neat, composed and thorough application.</p></li>
<li><p>HONESTY & FORTHRIGHTNESS
The required essays are your chance to tell us who you are, what you're thinking, where you've been, how you're doing, and why you're looking to transfer; answer these questions fully and honestly. I'm sure there's a little "soul-bearing" here, and it's not the easiest thing to do, but we want to know how an applicant ends up in our universe, and all relevant info so we might decide how that applicant might fare on our campus. If you chose College X becasue of a reason that's just not relevant to you anymore (sport, academic interest, even a significant other), or you just didn't do the college process the "right way" the first time around, you might step up and come clean. If financial circumstances forced you to University Y, preventing you from investigating colleges that were better matches for your abilities, tell us so. And if there are explainable and understandable blips on your transcript, explain them so we may understand. As I've stated in other posts, I believe it's best to be up-front about everything, and these essays allow you to do this.</p></li>
<li><p>COMMUNICATE WITH US
As you're doing now informally, I might suggest contacting our office directly, and let us know we're on your radar. If you get the opportunity to visit campus, you should take it (in addition to going to a class, eating a meal, etc.--really feeling the place out); if you can interview with someone--on- or off-campus--you should consider the opportunity. At least communicate your interest in Colby to us-- although it's not necessarily <em>the</em> deciding factor, a student's effort and interest in the college is one of the little things that we notice.</p></li>
</ul>

<p>I also believe that the further one advances beyond anything in high school (grades, SAT scores, etc), the less we'll focus on that information; we will be just as or more interested in how a student is performing in his/her post-secondary environment, both in class and with other activities. As with regular applicants, we pay the most attention to a candidate's academic background, and extra-curricular involvement, but we will take note of standardized testing. </p>

<p>Hopefully something in the above is helpful to you; the transfer process is very statistical (yet somewhat vague), and, I've noted, sometimes a very emotional ride for all involved. I don't envy you in this process, but if your current school just isn't right for you, and you've given it a fair chance but really have yourself set on Colby.... thankfully, the deadline for transferring to the Spring 2007 semester isn't until December 1, so we have plenty of time to worry about this. Thanks for your post!</p>

52

<p>Thanks for all the good information you have been giving us!</p>

<p>I'm a parent, and I wanted to ask a question about the importance of the rigor of a student's high school curriculum. Admissions officers often tell students that the rigor of their high school curriculum is one of the most important factors, if not the single most important factor, in admissions decisions. But I'm wondering whether students need to place rigor above all other considerations. I keep seeing threads on CC where students talk about making painful or perhaps even unwise choices in the name of academic rigor. Two examples:</p>

<p>Case 1: On one thread, students were telling each other that it would be wise to discontinue studying foreign language as early as possible because continued foreign language study would decrease the rigor of the student's curriculum. The rationale here was that if you have finished French 2 by the end of 10th grade and you drop French at that point, you have the opportunity to substitute two AP courses in other subjects for the non-AP French 3 and French 4 courses that you would have taken. Adding the two AP courses thus increases the rigor of the overall curriculum, but at the expense of taking away the opportunity to learn to speak and read French at a really useful level.</p>

<p>Case 2: Another thread involved a student (an advanced-level musician who was not planning to major in music) who was debating dropping orchestra from his school schedule in order to increase the rigor of his curriculum by taking an extra AP science course. But the price he would have to pay here would be ineligibility for regional musical opportunities and all-state orchestra, for which enrollment in the high school orchestra course is required.</p>

<p>What do you think about situations like this? Must students really feel obligated to make choices such as these just to increase the number of AP courses in their schedules (and therefore the rigor of their curriculum)?</p>

53

<p>For "Marian":</p>

<p>You bring up excellent points and concerns, which we (and others) echo. One of my first worries is that the focus of those posts appears to be on positioning oneself to get into college, rather on finding the best class schedule for that individual student; honestly, I can think of few situations where one class (or lack thereof) has demoted a student's candidacy in our eyes. We do encourage students to reach for stronger and more difficult course selections, but doing so <em>appropriately</em> is just as important (eg. taking an extra AP/IB course but grades suffer as a result--this is, perhaps, unwise, for some students). </p>

<p>The first example to which you refer illustrates my point about "positioning"--an initial reaction I have after reading that post is that this student is perhaps playing "academic chess": trying to read several moves ahead, to line up courses for the end result of "looking good" to colleges. Usually I can't (won't) decry a student's course selection, as I have to assume that such schedules are created and altered with much forethought, and discussion with family/counselor/teachers.... but you make an excellent point about the sacrifice that a student might make in the given scenario. It might not be in a student's "best interest"--a phrase that, honestly, I may not be qualified to use responsibly in these contexts--to forego a year or two of foreign language, in order to take certain AP levels of other disciplines. Again, I don't see one or two courses making or breaking a student's candidacy (assuming grades are OK), so that scenario seems a bit more convoluted than it needs to be. And again, I leave it up to the student/family/counselors/teachers to determine which courses are appropriate and which schedule changes are necessary.</p>

<p>The second post is similarly sticky, as there are clear benefits to continuing with either course (orchestra or AP science). That the student apparently would pick up a <em>second</em> science, implying there is already one on his schedule, is something I would note. Particularly if he enjoys the pursuit of music, and even if he doesn't plan on continuing as a music major in college, he might very well want to continue playing at some level and the experience of class + regional/all-state festivals might be very beneficial. Again, I have to believe this student will make a choice that will be right for him, considering all things and with input from trusted and appropriate sources.</p>

<p>What I have encouraged some students to do is mention their schedule switch in a quick note, perhaps in the part of the Common Application that offers the chance to share "Extra Information": knowing that the student made a tough choice in curriculum, and why, is sometimes very helpful to know when reading the file. It's the <em>appropriate</em> rigor, then, coupled with strong classroom performance and teacher recommendations, that combine to form a student's academic profile, and that combination is what I consider.</p>

54

<p>Thank you for the very thoughtful answer.</p>

55

<p>thanks very much for your response, ColbyAdmissions, it's definitely helpful to get thoughtful and honest feedback. I just have a question in response to what you said about contacting the admissions office: I've run into problems in the past with knowing how to show my interest to the admissions officers without being annoying or sounding contrived/cliche (as in, 'I'm writing you a letter to reiterate all the wonderful things I read in your brochure because I am just THAT enthusiastic'). What's the best way to get admissions to put me on their radar, and grab their attention, without being overbearing?</p>

56

<p>For "hshtein":</p>

<p>A good question.... One way to let us know of your interest is to schedule an on-campus interview. Other than the more obvious purpose of getting to take control of the process (what <em>you</em> want us to see/hear, rather than what we'll later read), you can use that opportunity to tell one of our staff of your positive experiences and exposure to Colby--in addition to the benefits of spending some time on campus in person. If you've already had an on-campus interview, a thank-you note to that interviewer is an appropriate medium to convey your enthusiasm, too. On our supplement to the Common App, there's a section where we ask why you're investigating Colby--this is another place you can let us know of (and to what degree is) your Colby interest.</p>

<p>I suppose that, if there's a specific academic department in which you're particularly interested or by which you're impressed, you could communicate with a professor to find out more and make a contact there--the same goes for a varsity athletic team, or the performing arts (music/theater/dance). I'd have to say that, beyond the above efforts, you might only be reiterating interest of which we'd already be aware. </p>

<p>I recommend against some of the more "gimmicky" ideas, that might catch our attention but often don't advance a student's candidacy. Items we've received in recent years include paper mach</p>

57

<p>thank you again, it's good to know that I don't have to do something absolutely crazy to stand out. I recently read "The Gatekeepers" which profiles the admissions process at Wesleyan; a boy who got waitlisted sent a postcard to the admissions office every day and later got accepted...it's so hard to say whether that kind of effort will capture hearts or just irritate people. Thanks very much for the advice, I really appreciate it!</p>

58

<p>I'd like to ask you a question relating to hshtein's previous question: How can international students (I mean that students who are currently studying outside the U.S.) show their interests in Colby because most of them cannot organize a tour to Colby for several reasons?</p>

59

<p>For "loser":</p>

<p>There's a good chance that someone from our office will be visiting near you this fall--both our Dean and Director of Admission travel extensively throughout Europe and Asia. If you have the chance, you could set up an interview with one of them--the benefits of the interview I've mentioned in previous posts. You might email Steve Thomas (<a href="mailto:tsthomas@colby.edu">tsthomas@colby.edu</a>) to see if your area is on one of their itineraries; since he is responsible for all international applicants anyway, he is a good contact to have (and, perhaps, he might be able to answer your question more specificially). </p>

<p>Similarly, getting in touch with faculty, coaches, or directors of programs you're interested in pursuing in college might be a good idea, too--almost all will have access to email and use it frequently. In addition to finding out more about Colby, you could express your interest in the school while possibly gaining an "advocate" in the process.</p>

<p>Again, beware of becoming too "gimmicky", or expressing <em>too</em> frequently (and loudly) your interest in Colby--too much urging and effort may very well backfire. It's difficult to say where the tipping point would be for each applicant--"how much is too much?" is a tough one to answer--but I'd advise to be clear, concise, and not too dramatic ("I don't know what I'll do if I don't get in" or multiple phone calls to confirm one's desire to attend, are each a little over-the-top).</p>

60

<p>Thank you for your very detailed answer, ColbyAdmssion~</p>