609: Admission Nutrients (Part 3 of 6: Leadership): Important Ingredients for a Well-Balanced College Admission Process—And Life

In Episode 3 of our series on Admission Nutrients, Ethan is joined by Deanna Dixon, the Dean of Admission at Smith College, to dive into leadership and initiative. In their conversation, they get into:

• What are a few of the qualities Smith College looks for?
• How does their supplemental essay point to their institutional priorities and what they’re looking for in an applicant?
• Why are leadership and initiative important from Smith’s perspective?
• What does she think about ChatGPT?
• When it comes to equity and leveling the playing field, how does she believe the profession is doing?
• Advice for students and families going through this process
• And more!

Deanna Dixon has worked in college admission since 2006 and currently serves as Dean of Admission at Smith College. As a graduate of a women’s college, she has maintained a deep commitment to women's education and college attainment for marginalized students in general. A parent of a college senior, Deanna appreciates the dedication of college counselors and the shared partnership of matching students to the best school for them. Deanna has a bachelor’s degree from Smith College and a master’s degree in business administration from The Olin School of Business at Washington University in St. Louis.

We hope you enjoy our conversation.

Play-by-Play:

• 2:09 – Welcome and introductions
• 2:37 – What are some roles that Deanna plays as Dean of Admission at Smith?
• 4:59 – What does life look like behind the scenes at Smith?
• 8:10 – What is yield and why is it important to colleges?
• 10:01 – What are some of the “positive character attributes” that Smith is looking for?
• 14:05 – Where do these attributes show up in an application?
• 17:07 – How does Smith’s supplemental essay point to their institutional priorities?
• 22:54 – Why are leadership and initiative important from Smith’s perspective?
• 24:30 – What are some interesting or unconventional examples of students taking initiative or leadership at the high school level?
• 27:46 – Where does leadership show up on campus at Smith?
• 31:06 – How have personal statement topics shifted over the years?
• 36:39 – What’s one of Deanna’s favorite essays she has read?
• 38:50 – What does Deanna think about ChatGPT?
• 44:13 – When it comes to equity and leveling the playing field, how does Deanna believe the profession is doing?
• 49:09 – Advice for students and families going through this process
• 51:45 – Closing thoughts

Resources:

• Tony Jack’s Class Dismissed
• 3 Step Guide to Choosing a College That's Right for You
• College Essay Guy’s Personal Statement Resources
• College Essay Guy’s College Application Hub