Page 5 - Menlo School – KNIGHTtime News

KNIGHTtime News
GUIDING YOUR COLLEGE PROCESS
NETWORKING, RELATIONSHIP BUILDING, AND UNDERSTANDING THE COUNSELOR FLY-IN PROGRAM
By Lisa Giarratano
In the world of college admissions counseling, relationship building is critical. Both students and parents
around the world, sometimes more if the colleges band together (for example, the Peak to Peak Fly In
to get a rst-hand glimpse of their experience. The evening winds down with a dinner somewhere in
rely on our knowledge and integrity when shepherding each class to their next big adventure. While our relationships here
“ONE OF THE BEST WAYS FOR COLLEGE COUNSELORS TO MAINTAIN THESE RELATIONSHIPS IS OUR PARTICIPATION IN PROGRAMS CALLED COUNSELOR FLY-INS.“
the nearby town hosted by the Dean of Admission where we can connect and ask some of those tougher questions. This part is key, because we use this time
are important, they also reach far beyond the boundaries of Menlo School. In fact, the relationship we get asked about often is the one between ourselves and admissions o cers, or as some people call
it, the “relationship between colleges and Menlo.” Just like in the relationships with our students and families, we invest
much of our time and
energy into maintaining partnerships with what is
known colloquially in our
industry as our “friends on
the other side of the desk.”
showcases Colorado College, CU Boulder, and University of Denver, and the admissions sta at all three institutions hosts the four-day event). A sample itinerary might include breakfast in the dining hall hosted by the Dean of Student
Life, a dorm tour, a tour of di erent colleges/majors (at a Villanova
to discern who they view as a perfect t for their school, quirks with their application/admissions process,
and any institutional priorities
worth noting. Caitlin Latta, who has worked in admissions at Villanova and is currently Associate Director of Admission at Denison University says: “[Fly-in programs] can create
One of the best ways for
college counselors to
maintain these relationships is our participation in programs called Counselor Fly-Ins. Fly-In programs are invitation only and consist of approximately 30 counselors from
y-in, we toured the College of Engineering and the College of Nursing). Usually then, we will get lunch with Menlo alumni currently attending the colleges we are visiting
strong relationships between both institutions and individuals. Because relationships are everything in this eld, any chance to get to know people on a deeper level is super helpful. The visits create goodwill
towards the college.”
As important as these y-in programs are for college counselors, they are equally as important to college admissions professionals. David
“...CAN CREATE STRONG RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN BOTH INSTITUTIONS AND INDIVIDUALS. BECAUSE RELATIONSHIPS ARE EVERYTHING IN THIS FIELD, ANY CHANCE TO GET TO KNOW PEOPLE ON A DEEPER LEVEL IS SUPER HELPFUL. THE VISITS CREATE GOODWILL TOWARDS THE COLLEGE.”“
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