Planning in a Pandemic: Admission

Due to the global health pandemic, the Admission Office has had to rethink their approach to showcase all George School has to offer digitally to prospective students and families around the world. We spoke to Co-Director of Admission, Rohan Arjun ’05, to learn more about what has changed and what’s available now for prospective families. 

Q: How has your role as Co-Director of Admission changed since the pandemic started? 

A: My role has changed significantly since the start of the pandemic. The fall is travel season, but this year I am traveling via Zoom. The Admission team had to re-think our entire strategy and move to virtual recruitment. We re-envisioned everything from interviews and tours to Open House and Celebration for Accepted Students.

Q: What’s the biggest challenge you’ve had to overcome due to COVID-19? 

A: For the Admission Office, it is coping with the fact that we cannot welcome our prospective families to campus. We love having families on campus, so we can share with them firsthand all the things that makes George School a special community. We’ll be using our Admission Ambassadors to help spread this message via social media though, so stay tuned! And families can always follow #SayYesToGS on social media for a peak at what it’s like to be a George School student.

Q: What tools are available now for students to tour and learn more about George School? 

A: We have a new tour video, where four of our Student Ambassadors walk you around campus sharing not only our facilities, but also their experiences and how they are involved in the George School community.

We also know how important it is for prospective students and families to connect with current students, so we have created an interview format that starts with Ambassador Chats, which serves as an informal question and answer session through the lens of the student experience. All prospective students are meeting with a current Student Ambassador before their Admission interview and it’s been a really nice experience for both the prospective student as well as our Ambassadors.

Q: If I want to apply to George School for the 2021-2022 school year, what should be my first step?

A: The first step would be to complete an inquiry form on our website. Once that is completed, prospects will begin to receive communications from the Admission team including invites to special events, application deadline reminders, and other important information. Make sure to follow us on social media too, because that is a great way to get a feel for what it is like to be a George School student!

Q: Is there anything specific you’d like parents and families of prospective students to know? 

A: The Admission Office has put forth a lot of effort to provide opportunities to bring the George School experience to life for families despite not being able to tour. Our Virtual Visit Center is a hub where families can explore George School by going on a tour, getting interview tips from current students, schedule an interview, register for a monthly info session, reserve a spot to connect with current parents for a Coffee Chat, meet our Tour Guides, and so much more! We know it is not the same as being able to visit campus, but we hope it feels like a close second! We are still very much here for you and excited to welcome you to George School!