Pelican-shaped confetti rains down the screens of prospective Loomis Chaffee students on Loomis’ decision day, which takes place annually on March 10th. For these students, this is the exact moment when anxious anticipation turns into the rush of joy—when months of dedication and effort become worthwhile.
Behind these well-crafted acceptance letters is a group of hardworking people: the Loomis Chaffee Admissions team, who work above-and-beyond to listen to the stories of students from all across the globe. From there, they select a class of deserving students who will shape the future of Loomis Chaffee.
“When looking at applicants, one thing we always look for is authenticity,” said Associate Director of Admissions and Head Coach of Girls Varsity Golf, Ms. Maggie Kennedy. “I think the most common mistake is that sometimes students tell us what they think we want to hear, versus what they really care about.”
Ms. Kennedy added, “We [also] look for someone who can be successful here, both in the community and in the classroom.”
She dutifully noted that their decisions are made not based solely on one singular part of an application.
“Their capabilities for success can be represented in several different ways throughout the admissions process,” Ms. Kennedy said. “We take a holistic approach to the application so all the information that a student provides is important. Each part of it is just a piece of the puzzle that allows us to get the most complete picture of the student. We really look at everything equally.”
Recounting the typical process of admissions, Ms. Kennedy shared her perspective as an admissions officer.
“Working in admissions, you get to [collaborate] with and meet really awesome people,” she said. “Getting to hear stories and experiences that each student has is fascinating, and the people in our office are wonderful.”
She commented that the annual minigolf outing is her most treasured memory while working in the office. Her own background as a Loomis alumna of the Class of 2005 deepens her connection with the prospective students as she steps back onto the same campus.
“It’s great being an alum working in admissions. I absolutely loved my experience as a student at Loomis, so to be able to share that is pretty special,” she said.
Despite the amazing chemistry amongst the team, challenges are still faced, especially with more than 2,400 applications pouring in each year. All held within the hands of the 24 admissions officers, the pace of work is intense, to say the least.
“With travel, interviewing, reading, handling the day-to-day stuff, it’s a lot to handle in a limited period of time.” Ms. Kennedy admitted. “It’s a lot of volume, but luckily, we have a great team and great leadership that allows it to run smoothly.”
The Loomis Chaffee Admissions team never stops its dedication to strengthening the initiative of discovering wonderful students. As prospective students step foot on the Island during Pelican Preview Days, the admissions officers lead current Pelicans in sincerely welcoming them with open arms.
