Notes from the road, week 1

The high school visit is alive and well.  This past week’s seven visits reaffirmed our assumption that providing an opportunity for personal contact at the students’ high school is really important.  I visited high schools all within about an hour’s driving distance of Hope.  Snapshots from the week:

• For the second year in a row I came across wild turkeys on my first day.  Reminded me of the rural community I grew up in!
• I don’t know about my other “road warrior” peers in admissions office across the country, but McDonald’s is my lifeline on the road.  Not because I feel the need to down a Quarter-Pounder every day (although they are delicious), but because the coffee is good and all have wi-fi (some even free).  Between visits, this is my place to hang out.
• We picked up an additional GPS unit for the office this summer, so I have a TomTom ONE 130 in my car at all times.  It’s invaluable for planning my day and keeping track of how long it’s going to take to get from place to place.
• I’m always amazed by how varied reactions to my visits are from guidance/counseling offices and career centers.  We provide a free service to the students of these schools, and yet some counselors seem almost inconvenienced by our being there.  I know schools are cutting back on funding in key areas like guidance, but we’re there to supplement the services they offer.
• This is the fourth fall that I’ve spent on the road, and I finally feel like I’m settling in when it comes to presenting at high schools.  I’ve gotten to the point where I know Hope enough that I can focus on how it related to the students’ lives.  That makes the “sell” so much easier.  Nothing can take the place of a genuine interest in the student’s future, however.  My goal: listen to what each student says and respond.

I continue on in the coming weeks to New York, Traverse City, Petoskey, Cadillac, and other locations.  I’ll be posting updates at the end of each week.  Cheers to all of my colleagues who are currently on the road as well!