For the next few days, almost every college-bound high school senior will be going through the same routine. Wake up, decide on ‘College A,” scroll TikTok for a sign of affirmation. Change their mind about ‘College A,” go to school. Realize that every other senior is doing the same thing. On Saturday, all the overthinking, all the confusion, and all of the mystery will come to an end.
Make no mistake, we’re not making light of how immense the decision is to choose a college — especially this year. This class has been met with unique challenges, and your students have displayed both incredible tact and tenacity in navigating their college search. They’ve earned every second they get to make their final decision. In fact, we’d like to offer something that your students may not hear enough from other colleges. Go with “College A,” even if it’s not Denison.
If there is a place that sticks out, a place that they wake up thinking about. A place where they can picture themselves being happy; go there. The reality of this entire process is that there are significantly more places where they’ll find wonderful community than not — all with worthwhile academic and co-curricular experiences, unique personalities, and tremendous people ready to welcome them. Of course, we know that Denison will be that place for several students, but if not, things will still be awesome.
Congratulations to the Class of 2021, and welcome to the Class of 2025!