The Admission Office has hosted a total of 2,000 visitors on campus for self-guided tour events since the beginning of the school year, as of Jan. 8. The events, which took place on various weekdays after school and Saturdays throughout the admission season, serve as opportunities for prospective families to experience the school in person.

Head of Admission and Enrollment Aaron Mieszczanski said when planning for the admission season last summer, the Admission Office sought to ensure that incoming applicants were able to connect with the campus while staying safe.

“We knew we couldn’t go another year with the only way for people getting a sense of campus and the school being online,” Mieszczanski said. “We wanted to do something that provided people an opportunity to experience the school in a personal way while still keeping everybody safe.”

After arriving at the Middle School, prospective families received a map of the campus and a sheet of QR codes, which showed them a series of videos featuring students who spoke about each building at the Middle School. The barcodes were also posted on each building, where Student Ambassadors were stationed to answer questions.

Assistant Director of Admission Meagan Salmon said prospective families have enjoyed the self-guided tour experience, even though it is different from traditional one-on-one Student Ambassador tours.

“In my experience, prospective families have been pleasantly surprised by the self-guided tour events,” Salmon said. “I think when some realized it was self-guided, [they] were slightly disappointed about the lack of one-on-one interaction with the students, but so many families have come up to me and my colleagues throughout their time on campus to say how much they enjoyed the self-guided experience.”

Student Ambassador Nathalie Paniagua ’23 volunteered at a self-guided tour event and said she believes the events successfully display the school. 

“I think the self-guided tours were a perfect way to showcase the different aspects of life on the middle school campus while still complying with [COVID-19] regulations,” Paniagua said. “Having student ambassadors stationed at different posts around the school also provided an extra opportunity for parents to inquire more specific questions.”

Mieszczanski said he believes the self-guided tour events will be more heavily utilized.

“I think the new maps and videos created can be enjoyed in other uses for years to come, such as at Homecoming, Grandparent’s Day and alumni gatherings,” Mieszczanski said.