Wendy Livingston's Blog

Recently named the best public university in the nation for study abroad, I can personally attest to W&M's commitment to broadening its students' horizons.

For most of my colleagues across campus, William & Mary is in their back yard or pretty darn close. The same cannot be said for me.

This past weekend, we hosted the first annual Homecoming Interviewer Reunion. From catching up with old friends to impromptu dance parties, our session room was the place to be.

Admittedly when this song was the playoff song on American Idol I got sick of it all too quickly but the first line of the chorus is all too apt for Homecoming Weekend here at W&M.

A university with seventeenth-century roots practices twenty-first century admissions.

When admission representatives visit your high school it's a wonderful opportunity for you to get your questions answered. But there are no answers if no questions are asked.

As I hit the road again this fall I know that many of the out-of-state locations I visit have concerns about the distance between their home and William & Mary. I had the same fears as an entering student but surprisingly found them to be completely unfounded.

Most people think admission deans are surly old white men who have no social life and little collegiality. Well the W&M admission staff proves that for every rule there's an exception.

Another borrowed title from Broadway. However, this blog does not attempt to mimic the song from which the title is borrowed by instead hopes to mimic the enthusiasm and reverence for tradition expressed therein.

How you transition to college matters but rarely do prospective students and families consider a school's orientation program during the college search process.

How do you measure, measure a decade?

I never had particular affinity or aptitude for business as an academic subject but W&M's new Miller Hall could make a business lover out of just about anyone.

Hey...even the undefeated Patriots lost in the Super Bowl.

The Great Kickball Challenge...the 2009 edition

A few words of wisdom from a current senior and a Senior Assistant Dean.

Put the word "House" from the title of this blog in italics to give the title an entirely new and intriguing meaning.

We take the legend of the Crim Dell Bridge seriously

W&M is always newsworthy but when one of the most famous news anchors in history addressed the 2009 graduates, W&M was the news.

Part 2 of the Comparing American Idol to College Admission Blog Series.

The two are not as dissimilar as one might think. This will be a two-part blog because AI is also similar to the college search process.

Recently, someone said building a campus is like building an ecosystem...

No, it's not a typo. W&M is an enthralling place to be because of a thrilling weekend activity.

W&M is the antithesis of hierarchy. Tonight, I was reminded why.

The conclusion to my earlier mail call blog. The cycle completes itself.

It's amazing how one statement can make things so clear.

In building a class, the Admission Office is the servant of 3 separate masters.

The good news is, William & Mary practices selective admission. The bad news is, William & Mary practices selective admission.

The amazing things William & Mary students do never fail to astound me.

The College had educated many noble graduates, several of whom were founding fathers. But the alma mater of a nation also graduated another founding father of sorts...Mike Tomlin

The other night I was reminded in a delightfully surprising way of the camaraderie between students and staff that exists here at the College.

William & Mary made the national morning news for the second time in 3 months. Not a bad habit to form.

As Williamsburg braced for Winter Storm '09 I am reminded that I am not in Kansas (well actually Iowa) anymore

This blog title is not a mistake. The incorrect spelling is intentional. Would you want to read an application essay riddled with similar errors?

Think it's easy to compile over 10,000 applications? The Admission Office is mail central. Want proof?

It's crunch time and often the last task before you click submit is to finish your essay; no scratch that, your personal statement. Helpful hints follow.