Applying to Sewanee

Every wine.

Welcome to the Swanee sessions.

Alright man, check the chat, make sure I'm not missing anything.

Welcome you to the domain virtually.

Ice on highway.

So I know a couple of you well more than a couple have tuned into previous Taggart Ypsilanti sessions. So, welcome back to a lot of you if you're just joining for this session in particular welcome. So these are Swanee Sessions. They have been follow-up webinars. This sort of series that we've done over the summer or related to our Tiger tips. So those are a series of 10 tips that we send out over the summer, particular two rising seniors of how you can make the most of your summer, and hopefully as I sound.

Couple tips um to really make you feel more confident and comfortable in the college search process. An application process. So a lot of them up into this point has been they've had a Swanee focus and repaired swanee knowledge, but it's really been too kind of equip you in the broad the broader sense of your search. So today kind of is a fun marker where at 8 out of 10 Tiger tips that you were really going to drill down and say, OK, you're still allowing this ride. You have made the most of your summer.

You were almost to August.

What does applying to Swanee actually look like? A man. What can you gear up for the next couple of weeks as we approach it? I said that August 1. If you have done your homework and you've been in the common app, you know August 1 is the date at the common application cycle resets. So if you've been in there filling out information saving schools that will all roll over, so don't fret, but this is this means it's set for your application cycle, so all of you who are going into senior year you're applying to college this year, it's going to be applicable and ready for.

You to hit submit not immediately, but when you're ready, I should say so. We'll talk about deadlines, but it will kind of open for you in the next couple weeks, so we'll have Tiger tip #9 next Thursday and that following week is the first week of August, so it's kind of wild to think about that. We've made it if we made it this far.

I'm Taylor Baird. I work here in the office of admission, probably an old old voice in an old face to you. If you tuned in for eight sessions in a row, so thanks for sticking around.

And I'm going to guide you through again what it looks like applying to Swanee. Um, an help you answer questions along the way so if you do have some specific questions that come up throughout the presentation, if it, if it works that I can see it and address it in that in the context of that side, I will gladly do that, but know that I do have the moderated chat feature set up, so if you send in a question in the chat box that you introduce yourself in, I don't see it right away. Don't don't panic.

It's probably just pending, so we have a queue of questions and I will prove that and send it over for everyone to see and address it as soon as I can.

All right, so we're ready. You're comfortable in your couch outside where we might be running to take notes and think about applying this morning.

And so I know I. I brought my field right, this is probably a booklet, you guys. It's kind of thick field guide. Hopefully a lot of you have gotten this in the Mail. Uhm, we sent out of a junior guide. You have already worked away through that. This is really specific too soon to have engaged with us that we're going into senior year to kind of give you way. We try to be pretty green, but that is kind of 1 hallmark print piece to give you something to look through and really Orient yourself. And if you feel that specific fit.

Just wanted to help you discern that, so I think that's a great resource. I wanted to plug to plug that since I have it sitting here on my desk, um, but use that as a resource. Some of that will be on the screen, but I think when we frame gearing up to apply will go through the logistics, but the discernment phase of applying, I think that resource and obviously connecting with us in office of admission will help you get to that point of sitting down at hitting submit, sort of in that in that human sense.

And by that time boy, and if you've been reading through the field guide, I know that you've heard the term the domain. So the domain, the mountain. Maybe you've heard about the Cumberland Plateau, which is that's our mountain. We're atop the Cumberland Plateau up here with 13,000 acres, so I would show you outside. I'm at my desk, but it's raining here in Swanee or just finished raining, so it might not be the best view for you. But when you're thinking of yourself at Swanee and some of you have done a ****** session before, so this.

Some of these sides will be similar to maybe if you've done an online session or a virtual session or been here at a sophomore junior and info session so some of the content you might have seen before, but a lot of those numbers and how we're. We've shaped the class has had shifted, so I think a good reminder that college campuses and each class is dynamic, and so you might feel like, oh, I've seen that side. I've seen those numbers, but these are actually just are updated numbers just in the past week or so of the including the class that we're bringing in.

This fall, so those are that's going to give you a better representation of your classmates. Maybe an how sort of our application pool may have shifted from the last time that you engage with some of that information, but I also will talk about things at a little more robust are in sort of a different way that we might address in an information session where you been sitting in our conference room.

Alright, so Speaking of those updated numbers.

Missy little growth there, so I'll point you to that 533 statistic first, so that's our first year freshman class, so when you think of the students who are coming in this fall again, things are still unfolding here at Swanee. So we are planning to open for students in the fall that will clearly look different and students. Do you have the option to opt into remote learning so know that that the fall here for our current students and for what it might look like as a visitor. Yes, it will look different, so we definitely want to acknowledge that and.

And hopefully provide some comfort that you know everyone is going through that. So I know we've talked about this in previous sessions at probably not the ambiguity or uncertainty that you were hoping for in your own college search process. And kind of mutual feeling on college campuses that we're still figuring out how best to serve you and figure that all out. So all That being said, when you're looking at these numbers in your thinking, the student body at Swanee, it's all true. These are all students who have opted into Swanee and are learning.

At Swanee in one way or another. So ideally, you're here physically on campus learning for four years, engaging that overrides environment. Our faculty and staff are working really hard to provide that for students.

You know, in a virtual world or with remote learning or a hybrid version of that. So these 533 students. Ideally they'll be sophomores. When you guys are coming to Swanee. Uhm, so I definitely want to point out those numbers and say, you know, those could be your mentor. Isn't mentors and friends and teammates when you. I think when you look at these statistics.

It's easy, just kind of Glaze over them. But think of those as that's who you're sharing. Spawning with those are similar students and maybe really different students, but you've all chosen to come here, so I won't read all those statistics. You verb 8:00 AM, and then for any of you haven't seen.

The graphic home Tennessee or you haven't able to physically travel and kind of grass you know between were really situated in between Nashville and Chattanooga that graphical kind of show you where we are oriented where we sit in Tennessee and take my beautiful fall day back when things were quote Unquote normal.

So again, if you have questions as we go along, please chop those in. But I think this is helpful if you're thinking of applying right think of other things to think about.

The applicant pool. Similar students who are opting in what students aren't there or aren't represented, and so I think again in your discernment process of submitting the application and applying can be helpful, but for us is that constant conversation of you know the students that were serving and who is coming to Swanee and how can we connect with you. So I think that's just kind of behind the scenes kind of helpful to know that we are you've ever heard like a.

In and around the college round the termite gatekeepers, I think wanted to sort of like dispel that that you know the office of admission where obvious up admission right? We would much we would really prefer to admit students and have you come and share this experience than deny students. So that's sort of the business that were in there. But we hope to do in to guide you through that process.

Statistic, greed, Anan the reality is like not every student is, but that's the work that we like to do is to to guide you through this process in an make. Applying to Swanee and enjoyable and empowering experience. So I hope that you can keep that in mind as we go through the process.

Alright, so again whether it's field guide website, previous engagement with us or it might be your first time ever seen service listed academic programs.

My my voice instead of just marinate on all of that and really corny joke which I said my pulling my first couple of weeks of work. It's funny and everyone sort of giggled at me was look at this as a menu of everything you get to sample sort of in the context of liberal arts before you're ordering or you're declaring your major.

So that's really the crux of the liberal arts experience, so revisit that in a minute. But I do want to think specifically in the frame of this session applying to Swanee. How do you look at academic programs in your application process?

I'm so not just rehashing again what you might have heard before, or like going through each program. So one thing that I wanted to know is, you know, we do not add Mitt specifically to majors.

So you may come in knowing sort of the the Lane or the Department or realm that you feel passionate out, or you feel drawn to right now, but know that you will have the flexibility to explore that. Maybe change it. How does it more if you are not applying directly to a particular major or to a particular preprofessional program. So I think pretty good professional tracks. That is a conversation you are starting sooner rather than later, and you can definitely start that conversation even in the application process and remitted students.

As you guide through some of those, but when you're coming to Swanee, you're coming this morning for that holistic experience, and you are going to have that lateral education not coming in just with the subjugated view, right? That you understand how things are interrelated. You are, in some sense, really. You're learning to learn. And how does that interconnect before you make that transition? And you're becoming an expert in your field are in your Department.

It's really important you are applying to Swanee. You're applying to be a Swanee student. Your academic pathway. Whether that's you know, you're really just focusing on that four year degree or you already have that aspiration to go onto a Masters or PhD program. I think we can. We are happy to facilitate that discussion. An connect you with advisors in academic guide who will further that and can really be the experts in that. But I know that you are just discerning and figuring out.

Swanee where I want to call home and his money where I want to learn.

Then the components of what you're learning will be kind of TBD as you, as you chart your path here, so I hope that's kind of a different lens. And looking at this slide or thinking about academic programs here at Swanee in this kind of speaking in the general sense of Tiger tips, this would differ from schools where you may be direct directly applying to a particular program or even a senior college at a University, so you may be applied to X University.

Specifically to the engineering school at that University.

And maybe even to a particular track, so maybe specifically to electrical engineering so and so. So I hope that makes that makes sense. That would be the contrast of Swanee, or particularly smaller large schools. So if you just pay attention at especially with some of those pre professional programs, it is engineering nursing business. You know any sort of Allied Health Pre Med program they it might be a sort of fast track or direct admit program.

It just depends on what you're looking for, but I would say if you're looking at Swanee and you're feeling very connected to the essence of liberal arts, then more more often than not you're going to be applying to. That's cool. I mean, figuring out your academic pathway.

Obviously, with a lot of guidance.

All right, and again in applying to Swanee, you're thinking you're thinking of the classroom. You're thinking of your academic fit and a little bit later I'll kind of parse outfit versus match. But I think this side kind of comes into play with that as well, so.

When you think of match, you are are sort of. I think, I think of that in the way of.

Sort of like raw data or numbers. You know your GPA is a match for your test. Scores are a match, or you know this particular athletic opportunity is anach or yes, they have this club organization or program that is a match for my interest.

Beyond matches that actual mutual fit, what you hear often times.

That we we talk about here at swimming and again smaller schools will really be intentional. When we're crafting a community, right? So again, not gatekeeping, but we're helping crap that community and really bolster that in students that mutual fit is important because we want to know that you're bringing your whole self to to our campus in our community, in a broader sense, but also really that we can grow and serve you as a student. So I don't mean that in sort of a cliche way. I really mean it's it's important to us to know that.

That it's a a true fit for a student so that we can help get you to the next step or really serve you in the classroom and what you want to pursue. So I think that's helpful in a lot of ways. You can help figure out match by some of these opportunities.

And fit.

Um and I always say These are terms that probably won't shock you that you're seeing them on the screen. It might surprise you that I'm saying that, but I would encourage you for you know if these opportunities are exciting to you and these terms or hallmarks of an educational experience or what you're looking for. You should be looking for these terms, opportunities and asking questions to all the schools on your list. So particularly, you know I want to go abroad, then I say we offer study abroad, might not.

Shockey or surprise you, you might be like great, that's one of the reasons I'm looking at 20 or I expect that. Uhm, so for us, you know we'll call it study away because some of our opportunities are away from Swanee, but they might not be abroad. They might be an opportunity to domestic US.

Hum and it could be a two week program. Could be the summer or it could be a full semester anyway. Aspect few of students might go for a full year, so when you're thinking of that.

So what when you see study abroad or internships or research? Again, what? Is that true fit in? How is that aligning with the experience that you imagine yourself in college? I've said that before on one of our Tiger tips sessions, but.

I really steer away from really putting the pressure on students and I would encourage you not to get to yourself like exactly what you want to major in. I think having some direction and passion is awesome, but really get to ask. Instead, what do you want to experience in the classroom? What do you want to experience out of the classroom? How is that impacting the schools on your list?

Other schools that have all of that. Some that have, you know, 75% of your ideal experience and that is.

Yes, we're going to get to the logistics, but I think that is such an intentional part on the forefront of the application process that you have intentionality. Before you go through all the work of clicking and submitting an waiting through that process.

Can internships. I'll talk a little bit more in the next side, but that's going to be critical to your experience here at Swanee. A lot of our internships are in this summer based on our academic course load. Sort of that intellectual component here. That academic rigor, an our geographic location so you know, we, it's an intentional community. You're not isolated in Swanee, we still want you engage with the greater world and said that global perspective. But you were here and your present on campus, in your engaged in a classroom. So a lot of our students will in turn in this summer is when they are.

No away or out of out of school that could be here on our campus or anywhere in the Usana broad for you to engage in that critical experiences set you up for success outside of Swanee after you leave this place.

Again, when you're thinking of Swanee an applying, not only are you you are applying for admission, you are applying to be a student. We are also applying innocence to be a community member. You are upset this a couple of times. Opting into this place.

You are going to be a resident of Swanee not only as soon as student.

I think that's really important to sort of think about and Digest. It's to me so exciting to see students come into that process into that role, and that will look different for each of you. That's not a one size fits all way to engage in our community, but I think the passion and wherewithal or excitement to do that is the common thread of Aswani student or aswani applicant. If that kind of gets your gears gears going.

And again a reminder that we are in undergraduate institution. So we do have our school theology now, so the school of letters. But when you were thinking of applying or applying to the College of Arts and Sciences so that four year focus, most of our traditional students are most versions are traditional students where they're going to kind of fall into that 17 to 2223 year old range.

You know whether you've come in as a first year student or maybe as a transfer student, but that would sort of be who you're sharing that academic experience in social experience with.

Alright, so I see some questions coming. I'm going to pause it in for just a few minutes, but I'll tackle those before we get into submitting the application.

So again, I know the majority of you guys are all rising seniors and so you have likely received emails if not physical print Mail about the Swanee pledge. That's really important to thinking of your student experience. And it does come into the application process in our view because it's thinking in the long term.

It's thinking of your full experience. It's thinking of your full investment in being a Swanee student in the Swanee education.

So there are three prongs and three promises, so we pledge promise right to provide funding for at least one summer, opportunity or season, a summer internship or research opportunity. So what that means is when we talked about the importance of internships, we have a great Career Center here to help you through that process.

But if you find an internship that is, uhm, the perfect fit and they say yes, we'd love to have you work at this company or at this nonprofit, but we can't pay you, but you really know that that's a great fit, and you want that experience. It's going to really help you figure out is if the right path the Mega turn you want to go through that.

Can provide that for one experience, whether that's research or an internship during your Swanee tenure during your time, here is a student, so that's really important to know that a lot of them will be funded. But if you find one that's not, then that you can apply for that funding and have support from the University to pursue it.

We also pledged to provide access to a semester long study abroad program and no additional tuition costs. So again, thinking in the lens out, why does this matter? What I'm thinking of applying to Swanee? Well, if you have that kind of spark or desire to go abroad, this does give you some certainty that this could really be part of your educational experience that that financial barrier shouldn't exist. So the big takeaway here is, at any age you received, so we've talked a lot about financial aid. We offer merit scholarships.

That would be portable, meaning you could that could go towards a program and not semester long time frame.

Treated two to go abroad. Whether that's fall or spring, so that's helpful. Also pledge it. You graduate with at least one major and four consecutive years that you had the support that you need access into classes that you need to take in that you are here and you were having that experience in receiving education that you saw it out, but you're also unable to go on and make that next step in the appropriate time frame.

All right?

And it might seem kind of maybe even just in a general information session I saw. I've said that you might have seen similar sides previously. People engage with us, seen some of these, but again, this is updated data and I think it's it might feel a little far off. But to think of the outcome or the destination at the end of this process or end of this journey, right? So you're thinking like Taylor, I just want to apply to Swanee. I'm not thinking about applying for my first internship or my first job.

But I think choosing a school and thinking about that mobility and how you're set up for success in the future. It does come into that process, so not in a way to put undue stress weight, but in a way of. Is this going to welcome me into an alumni body that is going to be supportive or can help me through some of these processes on the other end? Or I have certainty that my time in the classroom and my internship or my time away gave me clarity in in what I want to do in my first destination?

Write your first job out of college or even starting that true career path.

So I do. I think it is still so important to plant that seed when you're thinking of submitting your application.

So this will give you just some numbers for the class of 2019.

Where were they in January 2026 months out of graduation postgrad? Where were they so you can see on the left side who went straight into continuing their education, particularly what route and then careers bisector for that particular class.

And it gives you again. I think it speaks to all kinds of students are attracted to Swanee are applying this one in pursuing different pathways here? You know there isn't. If you're thinking of Education, you're thinking of Finance. You're thinking of engineering, and you think how does that fit into a small liberal arts school? It does it fit for 126 students in that particular career sector? Who are gainfully employed in that in that career sector? Six months out of graduation?

And then on the right side you'll see top career fields for all of our alums, so all of our graduates 2019 on one side an our whole along my body on the other.

All right now, but you can marinate on the Wise Swanee page. Here I've given you hopefully a couple of questions to think about in a tackle a few questions, and then we'll dive right into the nitty gritty of the application process.

So Rachel ask, what is the school letter? So I mentioned framing giving why Swanee right part of our community is this quote letter. So that is a Masters program really geared towards professionals who are continuing education.

For, Uh, a massive Fine Arts. So it. If you're thinking of I'm applying to Swanee you it wouldn't be a program that would you would be eligible to apply.

Directly into or or to really pursue until you have that Bachelors degree. So again, College of Arts and Sciences is when you think up of Swanee students. You know 1700, right? That kind of that figure for a student body or all in the College of Arts and Sciences. We have our school of letters and that really happens over this summer. So the neat part about that. I said working professionals is they are able to come for consecutive summers and earn that degree into a non traditional calendar. So it's a really neat.

Program and community that we have within in Ispahani sphere. So school letters and in the school of theology. So again we are. We have deep connections with the Episcopal Church. So again thinking of tradition and community, so I thought some of these questions were applicable.

Score theology is indivisible seminary essentially, so we have families come and push you that path on campus as well. So again, when I say this wanting community, you're thinking of folks I live here year-round. You're thinking faculty, staff, you're thinking yes, those who are coming in the summer and join the community for the school letters. Maybe you're up here for the summer in summer school, or you're interning here. Then you have that interaction.

Til that cross section of communities you also.

My my work study without Swaney Elementary and that doesn't just serve the campus community. That's the whole community and so that was part of my Sony experience and by community here.

So I hope that gives you just a little context of this. Full bladder is full theology versus College of Arts and Sciences.

Then there's also a question of do you have to be at a certain denomination to attend? Swanee? Absolutely not. So again, I think.

To the Wise, Morningside, I think that is something I would articulate as when you're thinking of a healthy community.

You know, yes, our tradition is rooted in the Episcopal Church, but that is not something that's really.

Built into your Swanee experience in less you want it to be so that resources here that community is here. If that's something that's new to you or is not something you want to engage in that is not going to be built into like a one size fits all sweaty experience.

So yes, we have all seen's Chapel that is a big fixture on our campus and for a lot of students is an integral part of their experience to where you would sign the honor code.

No.

God would be part of your graduation experience, but again, if you are as far as applying to Swanee students were looking for, are we looking exclusively for students who identifies Episcopalian? Know? Is that a population are campus absolutely, and part of our tradition? We are owned and governed by 28 Diocese of the Episcopal Church, so that is part of who we are. But is it again? One size fits all, no? I think we would pride ourselves on building that healthy community.

Through diversity in a broad sense of that word, and part of that is having a really healthy dialogue in our interfaith community and kind of communities across the board.

All right?

So Riley says, which money being so secluded? How did the civic engagements work allowed to bring a car? So I see you sneaking in some questions that are not about the application, but that's Fair. Uhm, when you're thinking, I think it is definitely important to think of our location.

Because I don't want to shy away from that, yes, we are going to be a more rural campus. And like I've said multiple Times Now you're opting into that, so we would.

You know very. I would say directly, say and candidly say, that is something to think about an application process and the fit process. Again, that's where matches different than fit. So again, do you map to aswani on paper? Maybe so, but you've got to think about that community fit. Do you want to be on a campus that is all in and in a fulfilling way? So when I talk about Swanee for my onix?

Xperience

you know I would say, is it a real campus? Yes, did I feel disconnected? No, and I think we push against that grain of you have to be a global citizen, right? You have to engage with students of all different backgrounds. You're here to learn and to do that intentionally. Again, going abroad, interning, Swanee is your hub, but you are not here in a bubble, right? To be isolated. So when we think about civic engagement, there are opportunities right here on the Cumberland Plateau and in surrounding counties in community that are really important.

Partnership sports morning students in for Swanee as an institution and again partnerships not. You know how can we come in and sort of steamroll. It's how do we build lasting partnerships an effective engagement, so I would say our students are. That is a huge part of our community in domain in tradition, so I don't think that you will be lacking. For upper Tunisia, Riley in there you know you can always broaden your reach into Chattanooga and Nashville if you like, and we have through our office accepting engagement.

They'll help match you there and give you some guidance, and we also do have some abroad outreach trips as well so that that broader scope and in partnership.

All right?

Hermit as he two more questions at our timeline related, so let's get into the application process. You know I love that word and then I will answer. I think it's Rose and Wade. You guys have two questions that I can see.

Alright, what it takes to get in, um, if you've seen this side before, again some updated data.

But I would encourage you to pause. I think your eyes probably go straight to that blue font. You're scribbling down those those data points, which is fair. That is when we say school profile match. What is the kind of threshold that is important information to know when to digest at Swanee and other schools on your list? Again, do you align with.

The academic programs do align with the academic rigour. What does that? What does that look like in the process? So that is important, I will say.

When you see 3.78.

Average high school GPA. Think of all the different cities and states that you guys listed in the chat box and even within the same city. How many different high schools are types of schools might exist there?

So something that is super important, it's not written directly here that you have to parse out is the context, the type of school, just like you're doing this. This money. We're doing that with all of your high schools of what's offered. What was your experience? You know what clubs and organizations were even available for you to engage in?

Why is there an AP or IB curriculum where their honors courses? If so, how many? That's not. Again, it's not the same across the board for every student, so that's our job as counselors to establish that report with schools. Also, the understanding and for schools that were not familiar with, educate ourselves and find that context as we look at your application.

I mean, that's where we're not. You know, we can't compare student side by side in some ways because you have very different experiences and backgrounds and that is sort of the beauty of the holistic admission experience is we are able to do that to dig in and say, Alright, this school profile in this transcript? Not just the GPA, but this transcript tells me a bigger story. I love to tell students that it made a huge difference for me to say.

My transcript is grades and numbers and curriculum, but it still tells a lot about me.

And it can. It can tell a winding story. It could tell one of success. It could tell one of struggle. And again, there's context behind that for students, and you might have transferred high schools is that? Are we looking at 234 different transcripts?

Depending on if you moved or if you're a military family, what does that look like? So I want to say yes, these are important details, right? We wouldn't share them if they weren't, but there is context behind them.

The same way the test scores, so you will see what we call them in the middle 50% or the middle 50 range.

What that means is it that middle 50% of students who applied and we're entering into Swanee, so they were admitted and they were enrolling.

That's going to be where they, if they submitted scores, which I'll talk about where they were following. Actually, all of our students excuse me who did enter into that class.

So that gives you again a very kind of specific range to think about, match academically, two caveats. One is. That means 25% of the class might fall below that range and 25% falling above.

So again, don't these for Swanee are not hard set minimums or maximums. You could potentially see that at a school, so I know we talked about, I can't remember which Tiger type number at this point, but in types of applications and types of schools in building your list, especially within the common app to think about what are those emission requirements so they may have a threshold that says this GPA in this score is our baseline. Anything at or above that is?

Um, admissible, so that is the case for some schools. But to reiterate, for Swanee, this is going to be arraigned. It's not a hard set, minimum or maximum, so if you're sitting in a 2627, that's not cause for panic into Crossbone off of your list. There are other components that are coming into play.

The second component that I wanted to mention or caveat as I as I said would be we are a test optional school.

And we've been test optional for years, so that is a growing conversation. I think in our eyes, that's a great conversation that it's growing because there there is more to success an.

Looking in assessing what that might be like for a student on our campus, past and beyond test scores.

So there is. I will say this hopefully very clearly. If there is some no negative connotation or negative impact for students who do not submit test scores.

On the flip side, if you are commenting your scores and those scores are supportive and align with your GPA.

You might want to go ahead and submit those, um, so it is a personal choice. This will give you some guidance. We can talk to you as well. The way that I really want to kind of hammer that home would be think of a balance beam scale.

Think of your GPA in your scores because it is challenging to give you a hard yes or no answer. It is a choice that you have to think about and essentially make on your own because.

In our role we can give you his number 50%. We can give you a frame but I don't feel like it's my place to to look at you and say that's a bad score or that's a good score because relative to your experience.

You know what you've been exposed to, your test taking ability, all of that you know what happened when you woke up and went to take the essay tea that morning. It might have been a bad morning, so there are so many factors that play then I know that's not really on me to say that's bad. You should go test optional, right? So there are ways that we can help talk about it, but the most effective way would be the balancing like imagine. So if your GPA and test scores feel pretty balance in your confident in that it's a kind of equal representation of the time you put in in the classroom.

Then submitting both could be advantageous and helpful for you to send both of those into your application. If there is a disparity or something, so you're very uncomfortable about that, then test optional could be a great route.

If you apply without test scores, we do not look for additional materials and you are still competitive for merit scholarships. So two very important points.

And I see Brock asking a relevant question. We do super score both both tests, so the AC T or that's 80. So your highest composite or your highest total score from whichever test dates.

So that's a great question in a question to you to ask where to find on the website of other schools on your list.

So again, I'll just reiterate for super scoring. That means if you take, let's say you take the essay T on three different dates and you on one day you have a higher score in in math and the other going to hire in your.

Reading and writing.

We could combine those ten banks or that pseudo highest score.

So what we will pull that for students on AC, T or F80?

Alright, so I know like I said, I bet your eyes went right to that blue font. Maybe you were attracted to the Orange one, I don't know, but I wanted to address yes that is important and can give you some framework, but hopefully that gives you more context. SUV.

Fit applying and how we are going to receive and assess your application right? You probably have some curiosity of that.

So again, I'm going to go back up to the top. Have a hot, strong high school GPA again, A-frame of reference but strong is again going to be relative to to where you go to high school. The challenge that you have sort of place on yourself in the classroom. Do you have a challenging curriculum? Did you do well at? You know? I think there is. That's a hard balance. But yes, we are looking for rigor, but we're also looking for the appropriate level of rigor that you did. Kind of hit your stride, whether that was.

You know, rocky or sort of a path for you, but you found the appropriate level of rigor and to connect to that curriculum and do well in the classroom.

We do look at the weighted GPA, so if that question is on anyone's mind that's important. We also do not. This is some would say a big question, maybe in some some states more than others, because maybe your State University system like does have a very particular recalculation, right? So when I talk to students in Atlanta, they're very driven questions about like number of a peas or.

Do you recalculate GPA? So there's sort of that frame, right? That's built around it, but I do want to say at Swanee we don't recalculate your GPA. So again, awareness over the summer that we've talked about it like getting in there and seeing what your transcript Ng MGA looks like if you've been hiding from it is very important because what you see face value on your transcript again in the context of your school or schools.

Is what we are going to be pulling, so we're going to look at your grading scale. We're going to look on how you evaluate if your school that is assigned grades were going to figure that out. That's all part of the application review. And if we have questions, we will always reach out to you as a student to gain insight or your school or your school counselor.

Then submit your scores or don't. Again not required. That is a decision that you will make on the common app. You do have to check a box that says yes. I plan to submit scores or no, I don't. That is very important. You need to think about this decision before you hit submit so you don't have to decide right now. and I think again, there's lots of ambiguity that is unfortunately out of your control about testing sites and access to SATACT in the midst of code in 19 so.

No, again that we're all had same boat. We are going to have to be understanding of that. Based on you know what? What is available to you. But again, some consolation. Perhaps that we are test optional. Have been test optional and understand what that process looks like. If you are not able to test or decide to submit test without test scores.

Um?

And #3 apply early if you want, so will work. Will go through your deadlines and then I'll tackle these couple of questions. I will say as we kind of near the end I'll parse through this and happy to field questions as we rap.

Alright, deadlines again, perhaps aside you have seen before. This is successful on our website and also as you go through the comment. If you list Lonnie on your common application, when you when you go to him that you will have to indicate which of these deadlines. So lots of ways to access this information and reminders of this information and we will for sure be reminding you this as we move through the next couple of months. 'cause if you been hanging out with us for 8 Tiger tips.

We hope that you have a sincere interest in Swanee. A man can help you do that application process.

OK, I'll start with this might be overwhelming, right? Look at all these fonts. There's so much going on here. Um, early decision One.

And then you'll see down here early decision two. Both say binding in parentheses.

So I definitely want to spend a moment talking about the, UM, your understanding and kind of what that route looks like to apply to a school, or to spawning specifically early decision. So the way I talk about it is.

If you're thinking early decision you are, you are sold. You know you want to cost money home. You're near Swanee. Sweatshirt your pump to sit in the classroom. You feel that connection.

Again from prior sessions, we do meet full demented need, so again, your expected family contribution. What your family could contribute to your college education. You know if there is a gap between tuition and fees to that contribution. Swanning meats that demonstrated need for need based applicants. So when you're thinking of early decision, there is the financial component that comes into play. So I think that can give you some certainty or guidance in the financial conversation related to early decision.

That comes into play because again, it's earlier in the process and sent its binding. It means you are saying, I know this is where I want to go to school. If I'm admitted, I plan to enroll. Do you plan to come and intend and you would withdraw the applications that you have out at other schools and institutions? So it's kind of at all in. This is where I want to be.

Again, that it is earlier in the process November early decision. Two very similar parameters or exact same parameters. It's just later in the process. Later in the cycle.

In January, so either those you're saying I'm all in a man. That is where the the. It's yes, some consolation, right? Or understanding that yes, we are awarding merit scholarships. And yes we do meet full demonstrated need. Hopefully for students who, maybe if that wasn't the right fit, UM financially, before gives you some certainty of this is where I want to go.

Early action is non binding so that is early action is where we see the bulk of our applications. So the most students apply to that deadline.

Because it is not binding, so it still give you that full typical cycle, right? So May 1 this year with coronavirus in Copa 19, wish for law school shifted to flexible or June 1 July 1 by in a typical cycle. Again we will navigate this one as it comes and communicate that with you, but really imagine so if you're applying early action it gives you that flexibility to to have till may want to explore.

You know visiting the spring way financial aid packages, if that's what you like to do, you make that final cause decision by May 1 and you still might know it. I think you could discern that early, um.

You might get your decision an you know in March. You know March 15th. You want to come to smile. You can absolutely go ahead and tell us that, but it early action as well as regulation gives you some flexibility of winning. Make that final choice.

So I see a question of if you choose a binding decision so early decision one early decision two, and I would say if you're thinking of applying, especially if you're on this call in July in your thinking of early decision, I would definitely importantly decision one.

Does that increase your likeliness to get accepted?

So this will be a hope, a direction of answer to your question. The way that I think our whole office and I'd like to talk about it is.

Is it easier?

No. Is it friendly? Or perhaps but I hope that again, might sound sort of vague, but.

I think of innocence of those are the very first students and applications that we're reviewing. Does it a very first seats in our class? We also reading that with the understanding that you want to be here 100%, so I hope that's where the friendly component makes sense. If we are setting you up to not be academically successful, or we're getting that sense of this isn't the right fit again, right? Not just match it, or there are other components that doesn't seem like you might be a student.

That it is going to be admissible? Um, just because you're applying early decision, doesn't doesn't guarantee admission.

But I I hope that us up into the question that yes, I mean, I think that again, if you are expressing that interest and those are the first applications were reading and filling then.

It can, it can have some some advantage.

Again, I would like to say that between all four of these deadlines, the way that we are crafting again a crafting our community and.

Holding you guys accountable to your academics and engagement that we would want to see and support you in here at Swanee is going to remain the same.

So the types of students were looking for academically, socially, that's a common thread between all four of these.

But I think it is we want to be candid about that, uh, if you're expressing early interest, whether that's early decision, early action, that's exciting to us. But we say, wow, this is been on your list, and you took that initiative to apply early. And that's intentional.

Can be helpful.

I'll talk about my own experience. I found Swanee later in my process. I was, you know, my. I didn't trust my college counselor didn't take their advice, didn't look at Swanee sort of went through this whole process. An really probably November timeframe. Took swanning seriously of my senior year, and so I actually applied to spawning regular decision. And so again, it's not. That is a. None of these are bad rounds or decision deadlines. Everyone is going to have their own unique path like you might have a classmate who doesn't know about Swanee right now.

You're in conversation with them, and they said, wow, that sounds like a place that I'm interested in that may happen later in their process. So again, it is really going to be tailored to the right fit for for each of you on this on this call, or were you watching it later of how you are assessing that in making that decision personally?

So obviously I I just tell since November to February file that in your brain.

Of when you would want to have that application wrapped up on the common app and submitted.

If you are applying for need based aid, you probably heard these terms if, especially if you've been tuning in your FAFSA and CSS S profile or do with your com application of whichever these deadlines you choose.

So you're applying early action. We would need those two documents by hopefully to be submitted on or before December 1.

Again, October 1, 2020 is when those are going to open up.

And Europe, your parents can use the prior prior year tax information.

So we have recording sessions on that and we're happy to help answer questions as you apply, but know that if you're applying for need based aid that we do ask that you have those in per your deadline so that we can.

We're sending out admission decisions. We can also follow up in there in a time frame with financially.

So a question that's been waiting here is Swanee need blind UM in the admission process, particularly for international student, but I would like to talk about this in a general term as well so.

For those of you who have heard need line versus need aware, right? So that is, you might not have heard that, so I won't. That could probably be a toll own conversation, uhm, but when? When we are reviewing applications?

Perfectly say like we all. If you're looking at who is my counselor, we have our territory. You have particular counselor who works with your area or state or high school. So when we were sitting down to read your application, we are reading it to see who Lisa student right that is first and foremost. So we are not at that stage looking at.

That the need of your family. So we are looking for the best fit students and we want to provide that that community and access right at certain points.

People will see that information right as you move through the process. As you move through financial aid, but that is not a key factor on the forefront of assessing. Are you a person and a student who would contribute to this community?

All right, and when you get accepted into Swanee, when is the deadline to commit? So wait, hopefully I ate touched on that a little bit.

You began process just for a second.

So again, if you're applying early action, excuse me early decision, then you're really making that call up front. You know you're saying, I know if I'm admitted I'm going to attend so it's sort of as soon as you get that decision, you can get the ball rolling up. I would definitely mention that whether you're applying early decision to Swanee or two another institution, it is one school right? That's the best practice because you're committing to that school.

An part of that conversation is early decision is not the right fit for every student, so you might think about that and say I am really excited about 20, but I think early actions to better fit. That's completely fair, so know that it's not the best for every student in family, but we do hope that through conversation and again meaningful need that.

We are able to give you some some more confidence in that process, but if you are applying early action regular decision again, if you know you can let us know that you want to come, you can pay your enrollment deposit. You can put that you're funny hat on and tell if your friends are coming to Swanee. Uhm, but really that the traditional college decision deadline would be May 1st.

Alright, I'm going to transition here. I take a few more questions. You see some coming in.

All right?

OK, so this is a great question and one that will differ per school right with the AC TS 80 not currently accessible, what're admission counselors looking for in merit scholarship recipients? Does a rigorous transcript add to scholarship competitiveness?

I'm going to keep this on on my screen for a second before I I sent to chat so I can remember all the components.

For Swanee, again, we've been.

Test optional for years? Uhm, so our our merit scholarship works for students and their merit process works for students who are not applying with with scores. So there's no disadvantage in the admission cycle or in the merit scholarship. In that case we are looking at the transcripts and GPA, so I think that leads into the second part of your question. Does a rigorous transcript and the GPA help? Yes, in that sense.

Again, an rigorous in the context of what your school offers. If your school offers 24 AP Zran, you only taken 2, then that will. That will still look different from a student who school only took six or excuse me there, school only offered 6, but maybe they took four of those six, so again, relative to what your school offers. That's how we are assessing rigor. But if you've been in the full IB diploma program and that shows in your weighted GPA, yes, that will.

That will come across and be part of the The Scholarship in process.

So a question of what's your advice for student who wants to apply early decision one, but it might not be able to end up affording tuition based on aid scholarships. So two components there and one was mentioned last week in the Swanee session. If you are thinking about early decision one and you're a need based applicant, uhm, I think the FAFSA forecaster is a really helpful tool. So on the fossil website that will help families, plugins and information some variables.

To get a Fuller picture or an estimate of what what you might be looking at in need based aid, we also have our net tuition Calculator to help give you some resources to understand it up front and again, some of this would be in conversation, perhaps with the counselor or financial aid in helping you make that decision of what's the right deadline or I'm not right, but maybe a best of appropriate for you.

Uhm, but I I will will see that that's This is the tricky part like this is the essence of discerning early decision is the right deadline. If you really feel like you are going to want to weigh the financial aid packages of schools or you need to wait to have a Fuller picture later in the fall. Spring, you know whether that's family, you can always update your financial information right with any financial changes or impacts, but that is really where. Maybe early action can be.

A good fit where you're still expressing your interest early. You're still raising your hand to say I'm serious about Swanee, but it is not putting you in that binding agreement of enrolling that you might have to potentially break.

Ask them and James I have to admit I do. I'm going to have my head right now. I don't have the exact percentages for you from this task class, but going back to deadline so he asked the percentage of students who apply early decision versus early action versus regular. So like like actual hard numbers and percentages. I'm sorry to say that I can't provide that on the spot.

I want to be honest about that. Um, I will kind of reiterate that our largest applicant pool will come from early action.

Um, usually about 1/4 of the class will apply Ed between early decision one, an early decision two. So that's an important statistic because it means we're not filling the majority of our class or even half of our class the early decision.

Right?

That may be part of the the background or essence of your question of some schools will fill up to 4060% of their incoming class. You can early decision deadline or deadlines so Swanee that's not really our approach. So around 1/4 of the class and that 2025% will come from both Ed 182 combined and then early action will be a bigger one in regular decision is typically our smallest pool.

Again, not a hard person. Injury cap of of the incoming class. So the class of 2024, but hopefully that gives you some context.

Alright, well I know this isn't visit, but thank you for coming to. Yes this visit this session up again. I think if you've if you've seen these sides or a variables of these before, I hope this was sort of a different lens in different perspective. If you have questions about applying, please reach out to us. I think we can't stress that enough of keep tuning into these. Engage with us. I know it's it's a different time. If it's a different application cycle we are.

We would love to be meeting you off-campus or hosting you here, but I think one big component that will be helpful for you guys as rising seniors is we're going to continue these virtual options and we're going to be doing virtual counselor appointments, so it will be through, you know, Google hang out. Or we can call you on the phone or can be through zoom. Sort of a virtual. I know like we've talked but we don't have the evaluative interview, but that specific conversation of what questions do you have on that more tailored level than asking through a given a chat?

So I would like to plug that those are on our website again, virtual visits. We are so close to visitors but offering self guided tours. So if you just physically want to be in Swanee and walk around campus, that is an option. We do have a mask directive so are we would ask you come with yourself or with gas that you do wear mask while you're here but again it is a different time. We want to help support you in this same traditional way that we would do this application cycle an application process.

So I hope that we're about to convey that sense just threw these sessions.

But know that you're not going to be going through this alone just because it's it's virtual. Uhm, so again, work on that common app. Work on, you know, getting things in order.

Reach out with questions and then next week will talk a little bit more about what campus community, the domain, what is encompassed here. So again as you move closer to that and then mark on your calendar, it's not right around the corner, but close. August 1 is when you can come in. The common app will reset. You'll get in there in your actual application cycle, so some excitement. Things to look forward to. Again. Taylor bear it if you have any questions, please reach out to me or to our office.

And I will see you next week.