With Choate returning to a more normal year, the Admission Office has adopted a hybrid model that integrates in-person events with last year’s virtual formats to create a more inclusive and flexible process for prospective students and families.
Similar to the previous year, the Admission Office is offering virtual events with teachers and current students as panelists. These events give families a chance to learn more about the Choate experience from different members of the community without needing to travel to campus. Assistant Director of Admission Ms. Courtney Given enjoyed researching ways to reach families through the Gold Key program and virtual events. “This year, we’re still able to use a lot of those ideas moving forward, even though families are back on campus,” she said.
The Admission Office will only offer interviews on Zoom for this admission cycle due to its success in the previous year. “Last year on Zoom, kids were in the comfort of their own home,” said Chief Enrollment Manager Mr. Jeffrey Beaton. He noted that students “were less nervous and more comfortable, which made for better conversations.” Interviews can also now be scheduled to suit different time zones seven days a week. After their interviews, students are paired with a Gold Key ambassador to answer any other questions they may have about Choate.
The Admission Office is also holding fully-masked on-campus tours led by the Gold Key ambassadors again. Only six families are scheduled for each tour block, as opposed to the regular eight to ten, to ensure that the waiting rooms are not too crowded. Touring families must also have proof of vaccination or a negative PCR test upon their arrival on campus. In-person tours end with a question and answer session with one of the admissions staff. “It’s really a chance to ask any additional questions they may have, as well as questions in particular about the admission process,” said Ms. Given.
Although on-campus tours have started for prospective families, over three-quarters of the Gold Key ambassadors have never given an in-person tour due to last year’s modified virtual tours. “As one of the few Gold Key leaders and ambassadors who has toured in the past, I feel really honored to be able to pretty much teach the whole Gold Key group how to tour,” said Priam Alataris ’22. “If anything feels the same, it has to be the funny ‘Happy Birthdays’ I get when on the path.”
As a new tour guide this year, Ava McClatchie ’24 enjoyed her first tour, but she wished that there was more time to tell the prospective family the things she wanted to share. “We essentially just had great conversation for an hour,” she said. “I’m excited to keep meeting new families and sharing about Choate!”
Ms. Given is also excited to resume in-person tours. “I love seeing the hustle and bustle of our tour guides coming in for their tours,” she said. “You get that energy and excitement about welcoming families to campus.”
Not only is the Admission team greeting prospective families on campus, but they have begun travelling around the country given eased travel restrictions. “I think it’s exciting that we’re able to not only have families here at Choate, but … also meet families on the road and see them in their hometowns,” said Ms. Given.
Although the Admission team is connecting with more families in-person, quarantine protocols and concerns about health and safety have restricted international travel. “We’re seeing a lot of our international families not being able to come to campus, or us not being able to go see them in their home countries,” said Mr. Beaton. “I really do miss that.”
Anticipating a continued increase in applicants this year, the Admission Office continues to adapt to the unprecedented changes imposed by the pandemic. “We get to be creative, we get to meet with awesome kids, and that’s what we’re so excited for the year,” said Mr. Beaton.
