“This is not working out.” My high school girlfriend and I were working on math homework at her house. We were trying to solve equations I hadn’t seen before (I’m sure most of you reading this would scoff at their simplicity, but it was difficult at the time). I said, “I know. But we will […]
The “D” Word
I don’t swear a lot. Occasionally, but not that often. Partly that’s because I’m not apt to losing my temper, and I also remember being told that cursing lacks creativity. That always stuck with me, and I think it’s had a lasting impact. THE ‘S’ WORD Recently, my seven year old son came home extremely upset because a neighbor kid had used […]
Four Key Lessons of a Lifetime
Even though he was several decades older than me, Jerry Hitt was my friend. Over the years, we developed a special bond. Jerry started working in undergraduate admission at Georgia Tech in the 1960s and continued to work full-time at the Institute until the 1990s. When I met him, he was still reading applications seasonally […]
A Family Affair, Part Deux (For Parents)
Let’s go for a ride together. Not a driverless car or a Bactrian camel. Let’s go out on the sea for a bit. Winds, squalls… rudders… you know, sailing. When you first have kids, you are undeniably the captain of the boat. At the helm you grip white knuckled even when the skies are clear and the seas […]
A Family Affair, Part 1
It’s taken me over fifteen years working in college admission to realize a basic human truth: People love their kids. Profound, right? But it’s an extremely important lesson and a statement I continue to tell myself and our staff each year. People love their kids. That’s why a mother might call pretending to be her […]