EA Open Houses

Hi Everyone,

Welcome back from winter break for those of you in high school, for the Stonehill students out there have fun during Spring Break!

The past three Fridays we hosted our Early Action Open Houses for accepted students who applied to Stonehill early action. The programs were a great success, bringing over 1500 people and 600 students to campus across the three dates. Sessions were held for all aspects of student life here at Stonehill including Rec Sports, Liberal Arts Panel, Financial Aid, Campus Ministry and Study Abroad.

We were even able to use our new Shields Science Center for the opening and closing receptions. The first Early Action Open House was the first time the Atrium had been set up for maximum capacity so everyone was holding their breath and hoping that all of our visitors would fit in the room. Everything went according to plan and all of the Admissions folks were relieved that the space worked out perfectly.

Sheilds Science Center Atrium

We were excited to see so many of you at the Open Houses, if you saw us you may have realized something was different. A certain something had returned to make another glorious appearance. This something is Bow Tie Friday.

Katie Stango tying Sr. Admission Counselor Andrew Leahy's Bow Tie

All of the male members of the Admissions and Marketing teams wore Stonehill colored bow ties for the open houses (except the first one) the female team members wore Stonehill colored scarves.

Admissions Staff with bow ties and scarves

Everyone on campus put in a lot of work to make sure these events ran smoothly so a big THANK YOU to everyone. If you are an accepted student that did not attend these Early Action Open Houses feel free to join us on one of the other Open House days, you can register online or by calling the main admissions line at 508-565-1373. I hope to see you soon!

Follow Us

Class of 2014

HEY JUNIORS- we haven't forgotten about you!

What a hectic time of year in the world of Admissions! In addition to reading Regular Decision applications and planning open houses for accepted Early Action/Early Decision students we're also recruiting for the class of 2015! While it's easy to get wrapped up with the seniors, we have to devote a good amount of our time to shaping the class for the following admissions cycle. Case in point: two trips in the last few weeks to meet with high school juniors in two very different settings.

A few weeks ago I traveled to scenic Salisbury, CT to sit on a panel at the Salisbury School with other admissions reps from UMass Amherst, Hobart and William Smith Colleges and Trinity College. We fielded questions from their college counseling staff and then finished with Q&A from parents and students. I was also in Pittsburgh, PA two weekends ago for the Pittsburgh National College fair which is attended by thousands of students. A lot of the discussion at both events was centered around topics that juniors should start to be thinking about at this time of year. Below are 4 quick steps for those juniors that are just starting the college search process.

1. Where do I start?

This is a tough time for a lot of students and families that are trying to start the college process. My advice is to take it one step at a time so you don't get overwhelmed. You can't start worrying about your essay, recommendations and college list until you know what type of school is right for you! First step- prioritize. Make a list of the type of qualities you're looking for in a school. Start with the basics- size, location and majors offered. From there start to research schools that meet some of these criteria. You can request print materials by calling the Admissions Office or fill out a form online. A college's website may have an online viewbook as well if you would prefer to go green.

2. What's next?

Visit! While you may think you know exactly what you want, you'll never know until you visit! An admissions brochure or college website cannot take the place of an official visit to campus. This will enable you to see the surrounding area, talk with current students and learn some information that you may not have come across in your research. This spring is a great time to start visiting colleges since the students are on campus. While it's sometimes more convenient to visit during the summer, you will really miss out seeing the majority of the students. Many schools have extra group information sessions and tours during your school vacation week so make sure to check out their website or call to make an appointment.


3. Course Selection

This is very important. The courses you take in your senior year can really make the difference between and accept, waitlist or denial letter. I am always impressed with students that are taking all academic subjects in their senior year and challenging themselves with honors and AP courses. Yes, it's easy to float by on electives and "fluff" courses, but the work you do as a senior is the best prediction we have of your success in college. Start thinking about your senior schedule now and how you can challenge yourself and impress colleges with your drive and motivation.

4. RELAX!

You still have plenty of time! Take this spring to visit campuses and really enjoy the college search process. I always tell families that this doesn't have to be stressful- you can look at is as an adventure. My Mom and I were quite the college search nerds back in the day and we used your various roadtrips as good mother-daughter bonding time. At this point visit schools, start thinking of potentially teachers to ask a recommendation from and brainstorm a few topics that may work for your essay....and of course continue to do well in school!

Looking to connect with Stonehill this spring? Check out our visit calendar to see what we offer on campus or look for us "on the road" as we travel to various high schools and college fairs all over the nation.

New Englander Heads to Mid-Atlantic: Snow Follows

Figures. I leave Boston for a recruiting trip to Pittsburgh in the midst of their largest snow storm since 1992! Luckily I had already planned to spend the weekend in Harrisburg visiting my friend Lisa so I didn't have to worry about my flight being cancelled....wish I could say the same for some of my colleagues. Some of them were stranded all weekend!

As mentioned in my previous post, I was in town for the Pittsburgh National College Fair at the Lawrence Convention Center. Here's a lovely photo montage of my time in 'Steel City."

Admissions isn't all fun and games....but sometimes it is. Playing at the Cracker Barrel with colleagues.

My table at the college fair. Go Hill!

Instead of filling out an inquiry card, a student can have an ID number scanned and we're emailed their information in a spreadsheet. It's pretty amazing!

Lisa and I trekking out into the snow!

Yep- that's my rental car.

Overwhelmed.

Come Visit Campus....Again!

If you're looking to come visit campus again (or for the first time) and would like a different experience, I have a tip for you. Schedule your next visit around a Skyhawks game.

The games are really a great opportunity to see a part of student life that you don't really get a chance to see during a tour, plus it's EXCITING! Just last week I was able to go to a Stonehill basketball game vs. AIC that came down to a last second shot. Which also happened to be a dunk that won the game for the home Skyhawks. It reminded me of myself way back in my playing days, except I missed most of the shots I took. This statement is still true to this day as anyone shooting around in the SpoCo can attest to.

Both Men's and Women's Basketball have home games just about weekly right here on campus at the Merkert Gymnasium. You can check out their schedule here. Right now the Men's team is 16-4 and the Women's team is 17-5 so both teams have been successful so far in their push to make it back to the NCAA National Tournament.

As a prospective student you can really get a feel for how involved our students are here at Stonehill. If you're not a basketball person, during the winter season you can also catch an Ice Hockey game or an Indoor Track & Field meet. I just happen to be more of a basketball guy. Here's another idea (I'm filled with them today): Check team schedules for any date you will be coming for an Open House, maybe your favorite sport is playing. And if you're really lucky, maybe Ace will be there too. FREE T-SHIRTS! (In the interest of being fully transparent I have no idea whether there will be free t-shirts or not. Only one way to find out. GO)

Our Mascot, Ace

In other campus news: our brand new residence hall is looking good! Things are really moving quickly with the construction. Last week we got a feel for what the furniture in the new building might look like. The building is going to be suite style housing and when it goes online it will certainly be one of the top living choices for students on campus. Did you know over 90% of our students live on campus? BAM! I just hit you with some knowledge and you didn't even know it was coming. I lulled you back then the sneak attack started.

New Residence Hall

This I DO know for a fact: first one to tweet a link to this article with the hashtag #whystonehill gets a real free t-shirt.

Twitter

Facebook 2014

The Students Are Back!

Hi Everyone,

After a long winter break, Stonehill students have made their way back to campus to start the spring semester. Classes started on Tuesday after the college observed Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Although it was a Tuesday, it was a "Stonehill Monday". This happens every now and then after a long weekend, even though it is Tuesday classes operate under a Monday schedule. It's a little confusing at first but once you go through a couple you get the hang of it.

In other exciting news: The January 15th Regular Decisions Deadline has been extended to February 15th! Please inform your friends of this new date, we want to give as many students as possible the opportunity to apply.

You may be asking yourself "What happens at Stonehill when the students are gone?" It's definitely not as busy around campus, but one of the main things we do in the admissions office is READ APPLICATIONS. We have gone through many great applications and the rest of the Early Action notification letters are in the process of being sent out. The office has just started reading Regular Decision applications that were submitted before the original January 15th deadline.

And now to the main subject of the blog post: Dean of Admissions Brian Murphy.

Brian in 1968

Brian has been working at Stonehill for 41 years, he has signed 18,000 of our alumni's acceptance letters, and he is retiring from Stonehill College. While it may seem like a sad time, saying goodbye to a friend, we have been celebrating all the great things he has done for Stonehill through the years. Stonehill has grown tremendously in the time Brian has been Dean, both in the size of the college and in the quality of the students matriculating.

Last week we gathered to celebrate his career at Stonehill. The "Brian Murphy Roast" was a great success. Longtime friends and colleagues of Brian offered up some hilarious stories that really made the night fun. Brian, being a great sport, had a smile on the whole time.

Current and Former Admissions Staff Members

So cheers to Brian for a great career at Stonehill! He has been a great mentor for so many people through the years, both his staff and students here. Even though he is technically "retired" I still see him walking the halls of Donahue, keeping busy, just as often as before. Congratulations!

Deadline extended!

Hey everyone- just a quick note!

The deadline for regular decision applicants has been extended to February 15th! Applicants who apply by February 15th, will be notified of an admissions decision by March 15th.

Questions? Email admissions@stonehill.edu

Long Overdue Post

The holidays are over and we're back! The college closes for a few days around the holidays and the staff takes a bit of vacation so it's always an adjustment getting back to the office after the New Year. I went home to my parent's for an entire week to relax and spend some much needed quality time with my family. My sister's studying abroad in Brussels, Belgium this semester so it was good to spend some time with her before she left. Below are some quick holiday snapshots from my vacation.

Central Mass winter wonderland

Cafe Stango- very excited by my Christmas presents

I take Christmas cookies very seriously

Yankee Swap madness with the extended family

And the best for last- my cousin Mike's gift in the Yankee Swap

Ok, back to business! We're coming towards the end of Early Action- notification date is January 15th. If you haven't heard from us yet, you will very shortly! We've also started reviewing the Regular Decision applications that are complete. Haven't applied? You still have time- deadline is January 15th so get on it!

We're also working hard to plan the Open Houses for accepted student that will be starting soon. Information for accepted Early Action and Early Decision students will be send via snail mail so get excited! Attending an Open House is a great way to familiarize yourself with Stonehill in a different way than a tour or group information session. We'll talk more about Open Houses as the winter progresses, but just something to think about as your plan your late winter/early spring.