Welcome to Admissions Answers, the blog of Thomas DaRin, Vice President of Enrollment Management for Nazareth College. Founded in 1924, Nazareth College is a co-ed college with undergraduate and graduate studies in the liberal arts and sciences, and professional programs in health and human services, education, and management. The College is located near Rochester, New York, and currently enrolls approximately 2,800 students. For more information on the College, visit www.naz.edu.
Recently, there was a little celebration in the DaRin household. I completed my 12th, and final, FAFSA! For those not familiar with applying for financial aid, the FAFSA is short for Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Three college going kids, times four FAFSA's each, equals headache. Mind you, this comes from someone who works with the results of that form. Complicated? Yes. Necessary? I suppose. Glad it over? Oh yeah. When Trevor started college in 2001, 2010 seemed like a long way off. Now that Beth is a rising senior I am feeling a bit melancholy, but nevertheless thrilled that my annual bout with FAFSAitis has finally come to an end. To quote one of my high school teachers, "so what have we learned here?" First, my EFC (better known as Expected Family Contribution) usually fell somewhere between "are you kidding me?" and "when pigs fly". However, I learned to live with the results. Second, I wish I had a dime for every parent who told me "we look good on paper, but...". I have a news flash, some of you look very good on paper. Finally, it was all worth it! I'm incredibly proud of Trevor, Katie, and Beth. They got the most out of their college experiences and have grown into the kind of adults that, well, I wish I was at their age.
Its a common question asked every May at colleges around the country. The evolution of a freshmen class into a graduating class. As I sit on the graduation stage each year (waiting to fulfill the important task of placing a hood over the head of our commencement speaker...yes, I'm joking!), I play a little game to see how much I remember about the students who pass by after receiving their diploma. For some, its easy. They may have worked as a student ambassador in the admissions office, so I've kept close tabs on them. But for many, I see the bookends only - four years earlier the 'soon to be' high school graduate turned college freshmen, and now, the 'soon to be' college graduate heading out into a less sheltered world than the one they currently live in. They enter uncertain, and leave more certain - of their career path, their world, and themselves. They took a stormy graduation Saturday and turned it into a personal celebration. There's a metaphor in there somewhere. So how was this group different from those who preceded it? Will the senior class of 2013 outshine the 2009's? Who's to say. The job of re-engineering the entering class is my job. Every year I have to replace approximately 1/3rd of the student body - never an easy task, but the challenge is "the juice". This class of incoming freshmen will have a special place in my memory - it is the largest class in college history, in a year when that wasn't supposed to happen. It will be the most diverse - testament to our test optional policy, broader geographic reach, and strategic use of merit scholarships. 2009 will be remembered as the class that helped raise the bar just that much further. So 2013, are you game? I'll be watching. Don't let me down!
We have a running joke around the office that people don't read the things we send to them. We work hard on crafting appropriate messages that we know will answer their questions about everything from their admission to the college to how to pay their enrollment deposit. The truth is...they don't sometimes. Hey, I'm as guilty as the next guy. I admit, I don't always read the fine print. So, I'm going to tell you what you need to know as we approach May 1. Ah, May 1 - my birthday, anniversary, Christmas, and the 4th of July all rolled into one. This is the day for admission officers around the country. We'll know then if we've been successful or not. OK, here goes - 1. Visit campus, again or for the first time. If you liked us the first time, come back and see if it still feels as good. If you haven't been here yet, you still have time to fit us in - Experience Naz on Monday April 6, a campus tour (M-F 10, 12, and 2 or Sat. 10 am), interviews, overnights, athletic events, etc. 2. Financial aid - FAFSA done? If so, check your NazNet account to see your aid award. No FAFSA - ok, but let us know you won't be filing or hurry, and get it submitted! We want to work with you on this, but we need your help in completing this key form. Also, we will entertain financial aid appeals. Submit your appeal, in writing, to me at tdarin2@naz.edu. I'll get back to you in 48 hours or less. Preference on appeals goes to those who still show unmet demonstrated need or have unique financial circumstances not reflected in the FAFSA. 3. Meet others who have been accepted by visiting our social networking site, Ning. This is a great way to make new friends and learn more about us from your peers. 4. Enrollment deposit - your enrollment deposit form is located in your acceptance packet and is dated for May 1, 2009. When you submit this with your check or credit card number we will hold a place for you in the incoming class. Further, it will trigger more information to you about things such as housing, registration, and orientation. Alright, now you know. If there is anything else I can help out with call me directly at 585 389-2830 or email tdarin2@naz.edu.
Five days. Five trips. Ten tollbooths. Ten fingers on the steering wheel. EZ Pass. No EZ Pass. Garmin. No Garmin. John, Jane, Jetta - my travel companions. Tully's, Creekside, Cheesecake Factory - my dinner choices. Moravia, Syracuse, Buffalo, Albany, Rochester - my destinations. Prison inmates - my challenge. Prospective students - my livelihood. This was my week on the New York State Thruway. Monday - Cayuga Correctional Facility, Moravia NY. My bi-weekly volunteer experience with inmates at Cayuga is something I take great pride in. Three years and nearly 70 visits "inside" have taught me a lot about their lives, and my own. Working in a college setting has been a perfect fit for me. I'm surrounded by motivated, ambitious, and bright people who have made good choices in their lives. I find my center by also working with those who have not yet experienced that level of success - the men of Cayuga. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday were trips to Syracuse, Buffalo, and Albany respectively as we hosted receptions for accepted students. Personally, I enjoy these events as much as anything I do. Meeting students and parents face to face provides a wealth of information about what we do well, and what we need to do better. It lets me know where Nazareth is in the world of higher ed. I always come back energized. Friday was the return trip to Rochester from Albany with Diva and Robyn from the undergraduate admissions staff. I'm fortunate to have such talent working for me. Their Naz experience as students serves them well now as admissions counselors. They have a true affection for the college and it shows in their work. When asked by outsiders what I do at Naz, I respond by saying "my job is to identify and recruit talent". That holds true for bringing in new students as well as assembling my staff. I'm succeeding on both fronts.
