Everyone at Furman University knows exactly what Nadia Savova got on her midterms. They know all about how she spent last week at the ice skating rink. And they’ve seen the inside of her bedroom.
“I like the attention,” Savova said, “the fact that people actually enjoy what I do, that it helps prospective students and parents see what Furman is truly like.”
Savova, a 19-year-old from Bulgaria, is one of six Furman students who are documenting their freshman year at the South Carolina school. The program, First Year Journals, is an initiative intended to give prospies an inside look at college that goes beyond average SAT scores. On the Furman admissions Web site, engagefurman.com, the freshmen describe their college experiences in generally peppy tones, celebrating successes in schoolwork, camping trips and at parties.
Administrators picked the six finalists from an initial applicant pool of more than 40 eager students. The Web site has enjoyed a steadily growing following, both on campus and from prospies. So far the program, in its second year of existence, has been productive, said Joe Biedlingmaier, a Furman admissions counselor.
“The Web page has definitely been a success,” he said. “It gets three to four times as many hits as any of our other pages.”
The idea of showcasing students’ lives online to entice prospective applicants is not unique to Furman. Alfred University in Alfred, N.Y., devoted a similar section of its admissions Web page to online journals this year. As at Furman, Alfred’s “Real Life” diaries feature six freshmen — three men and three women — chosen to tell the stories of their undergraduate trials and tribulations.
But Rebecca Dixon, Northwestern’s associate provost for university enrollment, said online journals are not a priority among the numerous and diverse methods the university has to reach out to potential students.
“There is no end of ideas about how to communicate with prospective students, but there are many more available than would be useful for NU to invest its time in,” Dixon said.
Although NU has had little trouble recruiting applicants — early decision applications have increased in each of the last three years — it does have its own Web site for prospies. On that page, www.northwestern.edu/prospective, prospies can see scenic pictures of the Evanston Campus and learn about the extra-curricular activities offered.
Still, hearing about college firsthand gives prospies a look at campus parties and social life in addition to academics and school-sponsored activities. For many students, college is more than just economics and history.
“I’d need to know about education and social life in equal amounts,” said Sarah Burghart, a Communication freshman. “It’s all about balance.”
That balancing act is apparent in Savova’s freshman experiences, which range from attending a 1970s-themed party one weekend to burning calories at the gym — and, of course, writing in her journal.
Besides the fun of serving as guides to student life at Furman, Savova and the other students keeping journals have received tangible benefits for their efforts. If a new entry with pictures comes out each week for the entire year, Furman pays for the students’ books and lets them keep school-issued digital cameras.
Even without the perks, Savova said allowing people a glimpse at her life makes her smile.
“I love what I am doing,” she said. “The entries give me the opportunity to assess every moment spent at Furman, to estimate its importance and beauty.”
