Bill
Hartog
Dean of Admission
Washington & Lee |
Young people today have
big dreams. They dream of making a better life for
themselves than their parents did before them. They dream
of making a name for themselves in the fields of science,
politics, literature, business and law. They dream of a
life filled with opportunities and options. Often, those
dreams start with going to college and earning a degree.
For those ready to take that first step, the timing couldn’t
be better.
While there will always be
a place for the traditional upper middle class student from
suburbia, colleges are also aggressively seeking out
first-generation college students, multicultural students,
low-income students and inner city students to round out
their enrolling classes. The school benefits from a more
enriching college experience for all of its students and
better preparation for those students to become active
participants in a pluralistic society after graduation. The
benefits for the sought-after student include heightened
access to what many previously thought unattainable – a
college degree. Starting with all-expense-paid campus
visits and fee waivers, and following up with generous grant
assistance and scholarships, many colleges and universities
are rolling out the red carpet, hoping to attract these
underrepresented students to their institutions.
My advice to you is to
take advantage. Go on the campus visits; you could find a
school that has everything you want and need in a locale you
could never have visited on your own. Use the fee waivers;
cost should never prevent you from following your dreams.
Apply for the scholarships; there is a lot of money
available to make college affordable for everyone. And take
advantage; college is your entry into a world of
opportunities, but only if you take that first step and
apply.
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