By the start of school in August, I will have archived four years’ worth of these letters, and I frequently chide myself for not having started this practice four years earlier when I first arrived in Coconut Grove. They are priceless treasures. Each is different, and each has its own merit. Not one is better than any other.

 

This particular letter arrived last Friday, the same day that the Ivy League colleges released their regular decision notifications. It was not a particularly easy day for many of our seniors and other high-achieving, highly qualified students around the nation. I had been thinking about what I might say about the college admission process in this column, and this letter helped crystalize my thoughts.

 

We have heard and read plenty in the media about the turmoil in the college admission process, and I wager that you may not want to read more here. For those who may not have a child in the process or one close to entering, here is a quick run through: fraudulent applications revealed in the Operation Varsity Blues scandal; the coronavirus pandemic that paved the way for optional standardized testing and threw enrollment numbers out of whack as students deferred matriculation rather than withstand remote instruction; the sincere intent to inject more equity in the system; and the staggering numbers of applicants applying to the most selective colleges and universities for the first time has, in the opinion of many, significantly changed the process. 

 

Thought-leaders in the admissions space churn out articles with titles like this one: The College-Admission Process is Completely Broken. Note the frequency in Jeff Selingo’s article of words like stress, pressure, angst, unnecessary and anxiety. Acceptance rates are Darwinian, registering at less than five percent at the most elite institutions. Those numbers are increasingly hard to come by, as more colleges are not releasing those percentages in an effort to downplay selectivity.

 

In spite of the above, our seniors have been admitted to an impressive array of outstanding colleges and universities, including Ivy League schools, MIT and Stanford, and they all have a home for the fall. A lot of seniors still have a handful of great options, including merit scholarships, to consider before the May 1 deposit deadline. The process is not what it used to be, but it is not irretrievably broken. For some, it is actually better. The world has changed, and college admission with it. Our students, however, have proven, as they always have, that they are selectivity-worthy. Selectivity doesn’t just mean an acceptance from an Ivy league school.

 

Back to the letter from the new student.

 

Parents enroll their children at Ransom Everglades for the rigor of the academics and the quality of the student-teacher relationship. Small class size, faculty members who are trained and passionate academics who find gratification working with this age group, enviable facilities, top-flight athletic and extracurricular programs, and the school’s history of excellence are all factors in the selection of our school. College admission may be on parents’ minds, and I am sure our matriculation list on the website receives its share of clicks, but I do not believe it is the number one factor in making a selection.

High school is about so much more than where you go to college. Exclusive focus on college matriculation is a fixed mindset; we talk all the time about a growth mindset. High school is a time for exploration, for discovering passions and talents, for building skills and for making friends that will last a lifetime. I once heard someone say that your hometown is where you went to high school. There is something very powerful in that statement.

Now more than ever, we must work to focus our students on learning about the world and its activities, preparing our students to take part in democracy in a global society. Critical thinking, coherent and persuasive writing, and the ability to listen to the opinions of others are essential. The diversity of our community strengthens everything. That is what I would want to read about a school if I were an admission officer.

Then there is the whole Miami thing. What does it mean to be a “true Florida girl (or guy)” and how does that inform how we present ourselves not just to colleges but to the world? Our enviable location and exceptional resources provide a multitude of venues for our students to engage with real-life issues and challenges. Our city is on the move, and we are moving with it. Outward Bound in the precious Everglades; volunteering with Breakthrough Miami; processing water samples from the Bay with Miami Waterkeeper; achieving proficiency in Spanish and other languages; helping to activate the amazing Constance & Miguel Fernandez Stem Center; learning from distinguished Holzman Center of Applied Ethics speakers; applying for a Bowden Fellowship in the Humanities; designing apps that improve our community; competing to build the best bridge (there’s a good metaphor there for engagement with the greater community) are but a few examples of what our kids do. Let’s not forget practicing, competing, performing, creating and just being kids.  

Our sixth-grade author ended her letter with: As I begin this next adventure in my education, I am excited and eager to grow academically, socially and athletically. I've read Mr. Ransom's letter, and this is my "answering letter," in which I commit to being the type of person and student Mr. Ransom envisioned. No mention of college matriculation.

 

Grades and transcripts will always matter, just as meaningful extracurricular pursuits and “who I am” matter. The college process will sort itself out, and my rather obvious guess is that it will take time. What we must do is encourage our students, with the help of their parents, not to home in exclusively on the traditional elite institutions – don’t misunderstand, they are great schools – and understand there are many other top-flight schools where they can be successful and continue to grow as learners, citizens, and empathetic individuals. Don’t hold us accountable for matriculation at traditionally elite institutions; hold us accountable for, in the words of our soon-to-be sixth grader, the academic and social growth of our students. Hold us accountable for the rest, too: Arts, athletics, physical activity and a social conscience. We cannot lose sight of what matters because of college admissions. When our students leave Ransom Everglades, they should be happy, proud of their accomplishments, and ready to take on the world. That is what matters.

 
Penny Townsend
Head of School
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