Bright and early on the morning of May 22, the entire junior class gathered in the New Dining Hall for the University Counseling Office (UCO)’s College Bootcamp, a compulsory two-day event that jumpstarts the juniors’ college application process. Created to provide rising seniors with a clear and complete vision of what to expect in their senior year, it seeks to alleviate the stress and anxiety that inevitably accompanies the college application process.

According to Dean of University Counseling Reida Baghdadi, the bootcamp, which presents rising seniors with a wealth of necessary information and skills, is crucial to the UCO’s ability to serve students. Baghdadi pointed out that the sessions give the UCO an opportunity to get to know next year’s class better, and that those relationships are what enable the counselors to guide and support each student. “It is great to begin to get to know the kids as they learn from us and from each other.”

The UCO team was joined by Luke Britt from the Office of Undergraduate Admissions at George Washington University, who discussed the way a college admissions office evaluates applicants and their various credentials. By characterizing each application as a “source of evidence that predicts that a prospective student will thrive in our university,” he stressed that the admissions committees consider a range evidence – not merely grades, but also the rigor of the applicant’s academic program, the essay, an interview, the students character as evidenced by leadership positions and community service, the evidence of sustained growth over their careers, and their demonstrated degree of interest in the university.

Throughout the two days, the UCO engaged the students with highly interactive workshops; their active participation kept them focused and enthusiastic and enhanced their learning. Students were assigned to teams that collaborated in responding to “quiz” questions and discussions. Moreover, students were able to ask questions and voice concerns throughout each session.

The varied workshops included: researching universities and putting together your list that takes into account all that is important to you; crafting a comprehensive resumé that gives universities insight into all that you have accomplished; how to put together a useful personal application timeline; the different credentials and forms required by colleges and universities in different countries; how to plan, structure and compose compelling application essays; and how to explore different financial aid procedures and find available scholarships.

Student reactions to the bootcamp were very positive. “I learned a lot about what colleges look for and how they spend so much time with each application,” Joud Labadi ’25 said. “I was able to put myself in their place and see how I can best capture their attention.”