Admissions Q&A: Colorado College

Monica Jones, Assistant Director of Admission for Colorado College, talks about “Living, Loving, & Experiencing"

Q. Do you remember writing your college essay and if so, what did you write about?

A. Strangely enough, I remember my main college essay very well. I was talking about being African-American. One of the things about being African-American is an environment of being the only one, kind of a sense of isolationism. There are a bunch of feelings that come with it and there was a moment when I realized you can still connect to people even if you look differently from them. I came to this realization after participating in a choir festival at the age of twelve. We would go into the audience and sing to a person. I remember I sang to the director of this really big choir from Russia. I held her hand and I sang and for this one moment we had this connection and she was happy and we were crying and she kissed me on the cheek... At that moment I realized you can connect with people through your art.

Q. What did you think about when writing your essay?

A. I think when you’re writing the essay you really need to be honest with yourself and reflect back on your life. Really think about your story and just take a moment when you can relate to it. Capture that moment!

Q. Reflecting back on your senior year in high school, what advice would you give to seniors who are going through the same process?

A. I think you should research each school that you’re interested in. Before you apply to the school, make sure you know the school you’re applying to; learn as much about that school as you can. Information sessions, campus tours, etc… are always very helpful as well.

Q. What do you think would surprise students in how you evaluate an essay?

A. No surprise, however, grammar does count! Those type of mistakes take us (the admissions team) away from the story, getting us very distracted. I look for a “clean essay”, with no grammar errors, so the reader can fully understand the story.

Q. I know CC runs off a Block Schedule and this is when you take one class for 3 1/2 weeks, right? Why does CC chose to teach their students this way?

A. Exactly! We started to do it (the block schedule) in 1970, actually... professors saw that students weren’t able to devote their time fully to one particular subject, so that’s where it kind of came about. Students only take one class and it means you have this really intense, highly focused, very specific learning experience, so you’re able to really dig into a subject for three and a half weeks… there are no other classes.

Q. If you live in Colorado, you must have a little interest in adventure! What's the most adventurous thing you've ever done?

A. I’m from Colorado and grew up there, so my sense of adventure came from going elsewhere to live, I think; I went to graduate school in Australia and I lived in Korea for four years. I think going to another country and not just visiting it, but actually making it my home, is where my sense of Colorado adventure comes from.

Condensed and Edited by: Maybry Baehr