Everyone Is Anxious: a Narrative for Admissions Professionals, Students, and Parents, on College Admissions and Anxiety Sarah Hecklau University of Vermont
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University of Vermont ScholarWorks @ UVM Graduate College Dissertations and Theses Dissertations and Theses 2017 Everyone is Anxious: A Narrative for Admissions Professionals, Students, and Parents, on College Admissions and Anxiety Sarah Hecklau University of Vermont Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.uvm.edu/graddis Part of the Higher Education Administration Commons, and the Psychiatric and Mental Health Commons Recommended Citation Hecklau, Sarah, "Everyone is Anxious: A Narrative for Admissions Professionals, Students, and Parents, on College Admissions and Anxiety" (2017). Graduate College Dissertations and Theses. 667. https://scholarworks.uvm.edu/graddis/667 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Dissertations and Theses at ScholarWorks @ UVM. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate College Dissertations and Theses by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks @ UVM. For more information, please contact [email protected]. EVERYONE IS ANXIOUS: A NARRATIVE FOR ADMISSIONS PROFESSIONALS, STUDENTS, AND PARENTS, ON COLLEGE ADMISSIONS AND ANXIETY A Thesis Presented by Sarah F. Hecklau to That Faculty of the Graduate College of The University of Vermont In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of Master of Education Specializing in Interdisciplinary Studies January, 2017 Defense Date: November 11, 2016 Thesis Examination Committee: Dr. Robert J. Nash, Ph.D., Advisor Susan A. Comerford, Ph.D., Chairperson Penny A. Bishop, Ed.D. Cynthia C. Reyes, Ph.D. Cynthia J. Forehand, Ph. D., Dean of The Graduate College ABSTRACT Written in the Scholarly Personal Narrative (SPN) style of writing, this thesis explores my personal experience as a college admissions counselor. It offers a reflection of my own college search and application experience, my perspective on the experience of today’s high school students, and my professional experience working within an admissions office. The juxtaposition of these three perspectives alongside scholarly references on higher education, philosophy, and anxiety, provides a full-spectrum view of the college admissions process. The core topic of this reflection is anxiety, and showing how each party experiences anxiety in the college search, application, and selection process. Other topics such as social media use, technological advances, parental involvement, and self-care are explored as factors that can induce, or reduce, anxiety. The intertwining of my own college story with the stories of current students shows how quickly the admissions process can change, but how the feelings experienced remain similar. This SPN writing was an opportunity to reflect on my work as an admissions counselor and provide a view into an often-shrouded industry. My hope is that my experiences, first as a high school student and then as an admissions professional, and the experiences of today’s current students will help to show the commonalities between each party. The understanding of these commonalities, especially shared anxieties, could create the support and understanding that the admissions industry desperately needs. This work provides suggestions and guidance on how to work through anxiety in hopes of lessening the impact that anxiety has on the complicated college admissions process. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS First, I would like to thank my advisor, Robert Nash, for providing support and guidance as I worked through the thesis process. This process began long before writing; it started in Robert’s classrooms, his email conversations, and in our occasional breakfast meetings. Without his encouragement I would never have felt confident in my writing, or capable of completing an SPN thesis. Thank you for seeing the value in my story. I would like to acknowledge, and thank, so many of my classmates in the Interdisciplinary program. Their stories inspired me and their kind words pushed me to share my stories. In particular, I would like to acknowledge the support of Akshar Patel, a friend and colleague, and classmate within the Interdisciplinary program. He helped me in my decision to attend graduate school, and supported me in my professional work and my schoolwork. His tenacious desire to learn, and his sense of humor, constantly push me to be my best self. The writing of this thesis took place during a turbulent time in my professional life and personal life. There were many days where I thought I would not be capable of completing this thesis. My family and friends provided ears that would listen, as well as unwavering support. Thank you for being supportive and positive on the days that I could not be. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Acknowledgments ............................................................................................................... ii CHAPTER 1 - INTRODUCTION & BACKGROUND ..................................................... 1 1.1 Personal Statement - An Introduction ........................................................................... 1 1.2 The Realizations and Self-Reflecting ............................................................................ 4 1.3 Process - Scholarly Personal Narrative ......................................................................... 5 1.4 Methodology ................................................................................................................ 10 CHAPTER 2 - THE COLLEGE ADMISSIONS PROCESS: MY OWN EXPERIENCE ................................................................................................................... 11 2.1 Fall ............................................................................................................................... 11 2.1.1Do I Know My Counselor's Name? ............................................................... 12 2.1.2 Better Question: Do I Know What I Want to Study? ................................... 13 2.1.3 Parent’s Question: Why Won’t You Apply Early Decision? ....................... 14 2.2 Winter .......................................................................................................................... 15 2.2.1 More Visits & More Lists ............................................................................. 15 2.2.2 Applying to Colleges .................................................................................... 16 2.3 Spring .............................................................................................................. 18 2.3.1 Waiting Game ............................................................................................... 18 2.3.2 Comparisons with Others ............................................................................. 19 2.3.3 Acceptance, Denials, and Decisions ............................................................. 21 2.4 Summer ........................................................................................................................ 22 2.4.1 Excitement .................................................................................................... 22 2.4.2 Hesitation and Leaving Home ...................................................................... 23 CHAPTER 3 - THE COLLEGE ADMISSIONS PROCESS: MY PERSPECTIVE ON CURRENT PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS ........................................................................ 25 3.1 Fall ............................................................................................................................... 26 3.1.1 What Has Changed? ..................................................................................... 26 3.1.2 The Role of the Internet ................................................................................ 27 3.1.3 The Campus Visit ......................................................................................... 28 3.1.4 The Role of Parents ...................................................................................... 29 3.2 Winter .......................................................................................................................... 31 3.2.1 Early Decision, Early Action, Fast Applications .......................................... 32 3.2.2 Everything is Electronic ............................................................................... 35 3.2.3 Bribes & Breaking Points ............................................................................. 36 3.3 Spring .......................................................................................................................... 37 3.3.1 Anticipation & Social Media ........................................................................ 38 iii 3.3.2 Competition & Decisions ............................................................................. 39 3.4 Summer ........................................................................................................................ 41 3.4.1 Parents & Paperwork .................................................................................... 42 3.4.2 Students: Excitement & Hesitation .............................................................. 43 CHAPTER 4 - THE COLLEGE ADMISSIONS PROCESS: ADMISSIONS PROFESSIONALS ............................................................................................................ 46 4.1 Fall ............................................................................................................................... 47 4.1.1 Planning & Prep ........................................................................................... 47 4.1.2 Hotel, Motel,