Trip #3 Complete

Minnesota could not have been more beautiful this year. The weather was gorgeous, the leaves had just started to change color, and while I didn't see all 10,000 lakes the state claims on its license plate, there are certainly plenty of small bodies of water in the Twin Cities. This pretty little lake was just across the street from Eden Prairie High School, so I spent a few minutes drinking my vanilla latte and enjoying the morning sunshine before starting my school visit.

What impresses me about Minnesota every year is the graciousness of the school counselors. The week I visit is pure zaniness -- due to the National College Fair and the MISP (independent schools) fair, there are hundreds of college reps in the region at the same time, who all want to visit the same high schools in the same time slots. And the counselors and career center coordinators couldn't be nicer about accommodating visits and making sure each admission representative feels welcome.

And there's one more thing I really like about Minnesota . . . a Starbucks in the lobby of my hotel. Could my happiness be increased? I think not.


Here I am with the Claremont contingent at the MISP fair. From left, Laura Stratton (Scripps), me, Danny Irving (Pitzer), and Iris Gardner (Pomona). CMC wasn't in attendance, but the rest of us got a chance to catch up over Dove Bars and Chex Mix during the break.

I didn't remember to get a photo of Mudd's table at the NACAC fair, but two fantastic alumni, Kim (Chem '87) and Hal (Engineering '90) came to help out for the evening session. Good thing, too, because we were astoundingly busy. Colleges with nine majors and 770 students located 2,000 miles away don't often have a long line at the college fairs, but the crowd around our table was three deep for most of the evening. Unexpected but delightful.

Here's a quick recap of the Minnesota adventure:

Miles driven: 182
Schools visited: 8
Students met at school visits: 12
Students interviewed: 11
Students met at college fairs: umm . . . a lot. A couple hundred, maybe?
Caffeinated beverages: 10 (pretty restrained, I think, given the proximity of the Starbucks)
# of times lost: 3

I got home just before midnight last night, in time to catch a few hours' sleep before today's Discovery Day program. Back to work!