Regional Recruiting

Awaiting Spring

05 March 2008

As you can tell from the title, this winter has been very long, and it is time for the snow to melt and the sun to start shining. Since the beginning of December, the ground has been covered with snow, and very rarely has the temperature broken the freezing mark. While, technically, there are still a few weeks until spring, I am ready for more sunshine and glimpses that spring will soon be here.

Seniors, if you have not done your FAFSA yet, what are you waiting on? The monies are quickly drying up, and without finishing your application and submitting your FAFSA, you are far behind the power curve. Once you’ve been accepted and receive your financial aid award letter, sit down with your parents and discuss your options. Going to a school shouldn’t be based solely on the financial aid award. You need to find a school that helps you pay for college, but more importantly is the right fit for you. Hopefully, Norwich is that school; giving you a financial aid award that can help you afford higher education, and providing a place where you want to further your education and get a jump start in the real world after graduation.

Juniors, this is prime time to start searching for colleges. Along with looking through college-search books and using online resources, if you are thinking about applying for an ROTC scholarship, now is the time. All of the ROTC scholarships are available online, and I recommend applying for more than just one. Also, if you have a chance, start visiting colleges that you’re interested in. Many will host a “junior open house” and it is a great chance to meet faculty, staff and students.

In other news, there are less than four weeks until George Strait’s new album is released, and I know that I am not the only one excited about this. Unfortunately, I will be traveling in North Carolina and Texas at this time, but I will be sure to find the local Wal-Mart to pick up my copy.

Looking forward to spring,

Until then, I remain.

Tim

Knee Deep in Snow

19 February 2008

Alright, alright. I know it has been a long time since I last wrote a blog entry, and I do apologize. Between, shoveling and vacationing, I have been far too remiss in my duties to keep up with the blog. Now, however, is a February resolution that I will try to do a better job at composing weekly messages.

Since my last post, I have gone out west and seen the Pacific Ocean. Not before my senior year of college had I done much traveling, but since February 2007, I have been able to see more of the country than I had in the twenty-two years before. The last week of January 2008, I headed out west to meet up with a college friend who is stationed in San Diego on the USS Antietam. We had a great time, and it was just long enough for me to visit the USS Midway and San Diego Zoo. Unfortunately, the weather wasn’t as good as I had hoped, but any sixty-degree day is better than fifteen and snowy!

Following a brief stay in San Diego, I departed for a one hour flight to Las Vegas. Since my last trip to Vegas, much had changed, and there was always something to do or something new to see. One of my favorite parts of Vegas is simply to walk around and see the free shows. Of course, the best part was seeing George Strait, and hearing his new single off of his upcoming album, which will be released 01 April.

Enough about me, what about the wonderful world of college admissions? Well, for many of you, you’ve already applied to colleges and are simply waiting to hear back from them. Now, it is time to do the dreaded FAFSA form. This is the form that will allow colleges and universities to assess your “need” in affording higher education. Even if you think you don’t qualify, you NEED to fill it out. Every college and university handles their financial aid slightly differently, and while an older sibling may have not received much aid to go to his or her college, you may be eligible at your college of choice.

Also, colleges and universities will soon be holding open houses and orientations for their accepted students, so make sure you’ve signed up and are attending. These are the last minute views of the school basically before you make your decision to attend. Last minute questions, concerns and fears can be answered and alleviated should you attend and are well informed.

Getting excited for August!

Until then, I remain.

Tim

Happy New Year!

07 January 2007

Yes, you’re right! It has been quite a while since my last post, and I do apologize. Between the holidays and the snowfall, it’s been very busy up here in the frozen Vermont tundra.

Over the past few weeks, many students have ended, or will be ending, their first semester. That means that it is time to send along those first semester grades. Now we can begin reviewing your file and let you know about coming to Norwich next fall. So, if you haven’t done so already, please head down to your Guidance Office and have those reports sent or faxed to us.

The next item of interest is our “Regional Recruiters’ Weekend”. On February 7^th-9^th and February 28^th – March 1^st, Janna and I will be holding a special weekend for students from our recruiting region: Florida, North and South Carolina and Texas. If you haven’t visited our campus, join us for a special weekend where we show you the campus; set up appointments with faculty and staff members; and let you interact with students, just like yourselves. Please call us and we will fill you in on any additional details.

And lastly, just a few short weeks until I head out west to see the King of Country Music, George Strait. On February 2, I will again see the King live at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. And let me say, I am counting the days.

Well, enough from me. Looking forward to seeing you at one of our weekends!

Until then, I remain.

Tim

It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Winter

04 December 2007

Well we all knew it would come eventually. It comes just once a year, and we all eagerly anticipate its arrival. The winter that is. While technically winter isn’t here quite yet, it has arrived with almost a foot of fluffy snow. In typical New England fashion, the weatherman scared the masses into the grocery stores and Wal-Mart to purchase break, milk and snow shovels. Personally, I don’t think the snow was overbearing, or anything that we haven’t experienced before. It was a nice winter storm, and hopefully is a sign of more snow to come.

In terms of the wonderful world of college admissions, there really is nothing new to report. I haven’t been traveling to warm places, haven’t had any truly absurd phone calls in a while, and am settled in for my long winter’s worth of file review and other admissions counselor activities (not sure what those exactly are, but time will certainly tell).

Until next time, I remain.

Tim

‘Twas a Month Before Winter Break

27 November 2007

Having not returned to my home in just about five months, it was nice to go back to Massachusetts and catch up with family and friends for the Thanksgiving holiday. Not quite the region I’ve been traveling to over the past few months, but it was a welcomed trip back to the town that I call “home”- Norwell.

However, now, back in the office and with a little less than a month until we part ways from the office again and head home for the winter break, there is plenty to do to keep busy and entertained. Whether it is singing holiday songs, or making phone calls to prospective students, there is always something to keep me going.

So, as we head towards the New Year, have you applied to the colleges that you were looking at? Have you spoken to your counselor to determine the status of your application? Thought about visiting? What a wonderful present to ask for this holiday season- a trip to the schools that you’ve applied to and are looking to hopefully attend next fall.

Also, the New Year marks another important step in the application process, especially here at Norwich: financial planning. On 02 January, you can submit your FAFSA form for review, and an assessment of how much financial aid can be awarded based on your family’s need. So, as we head into the colder months, snuggle up next to the computer and start filling out your FAFSA form online. You can base this off of last year’s tax returns and then update it when this year’s returns are compiled and submitted. If you think of financial aid moneys as a cookie jar, those people who have done all their part to do the FAFSA are standing in line on 02 January waiting to take as many cookies as they need. If you wait until March or April, there are fewer “cookies” left. So, the long and short of it is really to hunker down and do the FAFSA as soon as possible.

Enjoy the next few weeks as the semester come to a close, and make sure you’re staying on top of your college admissions process.

Until then, I remain.

Tim

Week 8, From the Confines of the Office

15 November 2007

Alright. So yes, I have been remiss in my duties to compose my weekly blog in a timely fashion. However, over the past few weeks, I have been keeping busy with travel, visitations and catching up on work.

The last week of October, my associate and I spent time in Houston recruiting students from the Gulf Coast of Texas. It was one of the best weeks in terms of both our time in the schools talking and working with prospective students, as well as one of the nicest weather patterns that we have been in during our time away from Vermont. Now, as I write this, it is raining in Vermont and tonight, the rain will switch over to snow and we will receive our first snowfall of the season, something that is long overdue!

Last Saturday, over the holiday weekend, we hosted our annual Veteran’s Day Open House, which was a wonderful demonstration of the Corps of Cadets and Norwich University as a whole. Prospective students who arrived early enough were able to hear the drum beat of the Regimental Band and the cannons of the Independent Battery as the Corps marched in honor of our Veterans. Overall, I think that all students who came for the event learned more about Norwich and the college search process as a whole. Hopefully, they will choose Norwich as their alma mater, but if not, hopefully they learned more about what they’re searching for in an institution of higher education and they find the right fit, wherever it may be.

So as this week comes to a close, it’s time to head home for Thanksgiving Break. I have not been home to Massachusetts since the beginning of July, so I am ready to hit the road and head south for a week or so. It will be a well-needed change of pace and change of scenery to see old friends and family for the holiday. Then when I return, it’s just a short jaunt to the next vacation.

And, as we head towards Thanksgiving, make sure you don’t eat too much turkey; as you are what you eat!

Happy Thanksgiving.

Until then, I remain.

Tim

Good Morning! I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself as a member of the Regional Recruiting Team. My name is Janna Schmid, and I am originally from Pennsylvania.  I came aboard the Norwich Admissions team this summer and have been traveling across the country this fall recruiting and meeting with students interested in Norwich. Specifically, this fall, I have been out on the “road” for four weeks.  Like clock-work, every week I would drive to Burlington Airport and depart for a week of visitations.  My first two trips were to Florida and the third was to San Antonio, Texas. 

During these trips I spent my days visiting high schools and my nights attending college fairs. Overall I had the pleasure of meeting many students, faculty, and staff.  Therefore, I want to thank all of the Guidance Counselors that welcomed me into their schools to meet with their students.  As well as the students who took time out of their very hectic senior year to discuss Norwich University.  Also, to the underclassmen who were looking to their future, I commend you. 

After all, deciding on the right college can be one of the easiest or often one of the most difficult decisions that you will make in your young adult life.  One tip of advice is that you are not alone, there are many students going through this process. And believe it or not I understand exactly what you are going through so if you have any questions about Norwich University, the college admissions process, or what to expect when entering college please do not hesitate to ask. 

But I must go for now because I have to finish up in the office and then pack for my last trip of the season to Houston, Texas.  So, if you are in the Houston area, try to stop by one of the college fairs that Tim and I are attending, Houston College Fairs.  I hope I get the opportunity to meet you in Texas.

Sincerely,

Janna

Week 5, From the Cubicle

24 October 2007

So, for the first time in quite a while now, I have been in the office for more than a week straight. While I am not off traveling the country, seeing new places and meeting new people, it is a welcomed relief to be able to catch up on work and have had a weekend not spent rushing around packing for my next adventure.

I will say, however, it has been odd around the middle of Vermont for the time that I’ve been back in state, though. Having been here for four years now, the first snowfall has typically been on or about the twentieth of October. We usually don’t get a ton of snow, but just a dusting. Last year I remember celebrating Trustees’ Weekend and then having a snow flurry- right on time. The year before, it had poured for weeks and then all of a sudden, we got a coating of the heavy snow, which broke tree branches and turned the Upper Parade Ground into a semi-disaster zone. However, this past weekend, it was unseasonably warm and could have passed as a weekend in early September, not mid to late October.

Speaking of mid to late October, it seems as though the year is flying by. Summer seemed like it was just yesterday; the leaves on the trees were bright green and the smell of fresh cut grass permeated the air. Now, however, the yellow and orange leaves scatter the ground and the roadway, making way for the snow to fall. While some may complain about the imminent snowfall (someday), I look forward to it. New England is a wonderful place to live, simply because we are fortunate enough to experience all of the types of weather; from ninety and sunny in the summer to negative-thirty and three-feet of snow.

Looking forward to this weekend, it’ll be time to hit the road again. Back to Texas for another week of recruiting at high schools and college fairs in and around the Houston area. It won’t be quite the same without the sound of the San Antonio country-radio station blaring the melodious tunes of George Strait over the airwaves at least once an hour. This weekend, however, the concert tickets will be on sale for his stop at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, and I will anxiously waiting in “line” to purchase my own. And in just 20 days, the new album, containing twenty-two hits, will go on sale and I’ll be there waiting in line for that as well.

Until then, I remain.

Tim

San Antonio, The Aftermath

14 October 2007

After a week of travel to Texas and Florida, I am ready to return to the office for a two week period. It will be nice to catch up on work, phone calls and to settle down before rushing off again.

My week in San Antonio was wonderful. The weather was great, the kids that I met with were interested in Norwich University and pursuing their dreams through higher education and all of the college fairs were a wonderful way to display the Norwich name to a greater audience. One of the most striking questions that was asked again and again was “how much does tuition cost?” I think this is a topic for further commentary.

At a college fair or a high school visit, when the consistent cost question would arise, I am always one to tell the truth, but once I say the words “thirty-thousand dollars”, I believe that people stop listening. I truly feel that asking someone how much their university costs is similar to asking a woman how old she is or how much she weighs; you just don’t do it. College costs a lot of money; anyone who tries to deny it is lying to you. However, we cannot assess your financial aid opportunities if you do not apply. Regardless of how much college costs, if you are genuinely interested in going to that institution, apply. After you’ve applied, and done the financial aid paperwork, you can then understand how much an institution can give you. If you do not apply though, you may never know. Colleges and universities hand out millions of dollars every year, so just because the college costs more than a new car does not mean you will not receive a fair package from that institution.

So enough of the serious college talk, I think that the best part of the San Antonio trip was listening to KJ97, San Antonio’s country radio station. Every hour, they would play a George Strait song and you would have the chance to win $97 and a chance to tour with George and the Ace in the Hole Band for the first two concerts of the 2008 tour. And little did I know, in just over four weeks, the new album will be released with more hits from the King of Country Music.

Well, back to the office to see what adventures await.

Until then, I remain.

Tim

Week Three, In Review and Anticipation...

05 October 2007

As I finish up in the office this week, pack my bags and get ready to hit the road, I am excited to be returning to Texas. Yes, I am sure this sounds rather awkward coming from the mouth of a northern-boy; but it is the truth.

A few months ago, my associate and I traveled out to Texas for a freshmen send-off, and I was amazed at the beauty of the Austin and San Antonio areas. From the magnificent views of the state capital, to the historical remains of the Alamo, while the state may be younger than some of its northern counterparts, it is still just as rich with history and magnificence.

Following the send-off, my associate and I went to downtown San Antonio where we toured the Alamo, walked the River Walk and then looked at Coyote Ugly. All were a site to see (not so sure about the historical significance of the latter, but my associate appreciated it nonetheless). The day before, we had toured the state capital, where the monuments and buildings were just as grand. Missed the governor’s mansion, but that will have to be on this trip’s itinerary.

Last trip where my goal was to meet Mickey Mouse, I think this trip’s goal will be to meet George Strait. Not quite as easy, as there is no George Strait-World, where he performs for the fans every hour, but still it’s a goal. With his just released tour dates, I can only wait to go see him perform again. I don’t think I will be successful in my hunt for George, but one never knows.

With that, I think I’m out. Off to Austin and San Antonio.

And as George Strait sings:

“I’ll be somewhere down in Texas if you’re looking for me”,

Tim