Prospective students embark on their Spring Visit days accompanied by current Choate student guides.
Prospective students and families flooded onto Choate’s campus on Tuesday, March 27, marking the first of three Spring Visit days. Despite the cold, rainy weather, the Choate Admissions Office and community gave the newly admitted individuals a warm welcome to campus. Mr. Amin Gonzalez, the new Director of Admissions, said, “People were really positive about the welcome they received, not only from the admission office, but also from students and faculty.” Approximately 85 students visited campus on Tuesday; 100 on Monday, April 3; and 75 on Thursday, April 6.
Spring Visits, which began with a presentation in the PMAC and an address by Mr. Gonzalez, have proven to be extremely influential in the decision making process of newly admitted students. “When students first visited campus, they were prospects exploring Choate, its programs, and other opportunities. Now, as admitted students, they are engaging with the community more deliberately and looking to connect with potential classmates that will matriculate with them. The questions they are asking now and issues they are thinking about are more targeted, because they are more relevant to them at this point.” Mr. Gonzalez explained.
Visiting students then met with their hosts and attended classes. However, this year’s Spring Visits have been altered slightly from past years to give visiting families a better perspective on the entirety of the Choate community. “We have made some adjustments to the schedule and the way that we approach the day. Rather than encourage parent visits to classes, we directed them to two panels that elaborated on important aspects of Choate’s strategic plan: Teaching and Learning, and Culture and Cohesion. Those parents that had interest in visiting classes could still do so if they wanted to,” said Mr. Gonzalez.
The admissions team decided against major changes to the event mostly because of the change of leadership in the Admissions Office. “It was important for me to experience the existing model before proposing changes. Next year, with St. John Hall online and a new academic calendar, we will make some changes,” explained Mr. Gonzalez. “There will be more opportunities to innovate, and we will certainly seek feedback from our guests.”
The Admission Office’s role on revisit days spans across the entire campus; the same applies to Mr. Gonzalez. “Along with Dr. Curtis and student body president, Mpilo Norris, I was responsible for delivering a welcome to families, and setting the tone for the rest of the day. I also provided closing remarks that hopefully brought it all together. I was making the case not just for a Choate education, but for an awesome experience. Along with my admission colleagues, I spent a lot of time walking around campus engaging families being a visible presence and support,” he said.
Spring Visits are known to hold much significance for newly accepted students, often determining their school of choice.“The importance of spring visits is that it is our job to convince these students to say yes and choose Choate,” Mr. Gonzalez noted.
“I thought that Spring Visits were really fun. The only thing I would change is when students are dropped off at the chapel, there is a huge mass of people, which can be overwhelming for new students,” commented Spring Visit host Lily Ding ’20.
After the Spring Visit cycle ends and newly admitted students make decisions, preparations and reflections will be made for the next year to improve the Spring Visit experience for prospective students. “When we are done with all three days, we will sit down as a group to process what went particularly well and what needs improvement,” added Mr. Gonzalez. The Admissions Office is looking to utilize the newly constructed St. John Hall and to reorganize revisits to showcase the new academic schedule for next year.
Mr. Gonzalez concluded, “Spring Visits are meant to be a community-wide commitment to put our best foot forward and show Choate in its best possible light. Everyone in the admissions office has a formal role, places to be, and responsibilities to connect with our guests throughout the day.” He continued, “It is a great demonstration of community pride and exciting to see the next batch of Choaties that will bring their talents and experiences to campus.”
