Dear Bullis Families,
Someone (me) made a dodgy weather call on Thursday. It looked like it would be icy but just turned out to be an extremely unpleasant cold rain; could have gone either way (it was 32 degrees) but in the end, I hope the two-hour delay wasn’t too inconvenient and that sleeping in was appreciated by those that were able to do so.
There was a most festive atmosphere around campus this week–the different dress themes, the activities, and the anticipation of the holidays combined to enhance the sense of joy. The Upper and Middle School Festival of Light last Saturday was such an exuberant expression of the arts at Bullis and, indeed, of the holiday season. It really was a stunning evening. The Lower School Festivals of Light on Wednesday morning and evening were adorable, and the inclusion of movement classes was priceless. Many thanks to Kathleen Adams, Kelsey Donegan, Cassie Thompson, Alice Shih-Kahn, Marcia Franklin, Anthony Brooks, Chelsie King, Kashi Barrett, Angel Chinn, Charles Johnson, Stephanie Mayer-Sattin, Michelle Bogart, Lerna May-Frandsen, Harriet Polun, and Cheryl Terwilliger. And thanks and congratulations to the students, too, for their hard work and successful performances.
College Admissions 2023
The sense of joy that we value so much at Bullis is a phenomenon that I discuss with prospective parents when they tour Bullis. I describe how we prioritize academic and intellectual development, but within a culture where students are not crushed; students’ wellness is critically important to us. We believe that we can achieve this and still support our students in achieving extraordinary outcomes. I like metrics, and, of course, our college list is an important metric when it comes to measuring students’ outcomes.
As you may know, there are four major types of applications to colleges–here’s a little cheat sheet:
- Early Decision (ED): A student can only apply ED to one school. If and when admitted, a student must attend and is expected to withdraw their applications from all other schools to which they’ve applied. These applications are typically due on November 1, and students are notified of their decisions in December. Not every college offers ED.
- Early Action (EA): A student can apply EA to multiple schools. If and when admitted, students do not have to accept their offers and may continue to wait to hear decisions from other colleges and universities. These applications are typically due in November, and students are notified of their decisions between December and late January.
- Restrictive Early Action (REA): A student can only apply to one school under a Restrictive or Single Choice Early Action plan. This agreement typically precludes students from applying anywhere under a binding Early Decision plan and/or other private schools’ Early Action plans. These applications are typically due in November, and students are notified of their non-binding decisions in December. There are only a few colleges that offer this plan: Georgetown University, Harvard University, University of Notre Dame, Princeton University, Stanford University, and Yale University.
- Regular Decision (RD): A student can apply RD to multiple schools. If and when admitted, students do not have to accept their offers and may continue to wait to hear other decisions from colleges and universities. These applications are typically due in January, and students are notified of their decisions before April 1.
This year, 69 students in our senior class (129 students) applied Early Decision (binding) or Restrictive Early Action. So far we have received the following results, and the admitted students plan to attend:
- University of Pennsylvania: 4 students admitted
- New York University: 3 students admitted
- Stanford University: 2 students admitted
- Babson College: 2 students admitted
- Colgate University: 2 students admitted
- Tulane University: 2 students admitted
- American University: 1 student admitted
- Barnard College: 1 student admitted
- Boston University: 1 student admitted
- College of Charleston: 1 student admitted
- Cornell University: 1 student admitted
- Duke University: 1 student admitted (updated 1/2/2023)
- Emory University: 1 student admitted
- Grinnell College: 1 student admitted
- Hamilton College: 1 student admitted
- Hobart and William Smith Colleges: 1 student admitted
- MIT: 1 student admitted
- Northeastern University: 1 student admitted
- Pomona College: 1 student admitted
- Princeton University: 1 student admitted
- Saint Joseph’s University: 1 student admitted
- Southern Methodist University: 1 student admitted
- Spelman College: 1 student admitted (updated 1/2/2023)
- Swarthmore College: 1 student admitted
- Syracuse University: 1 student admitted
- University of Miami: 1 student admitted
- Vassar College: 1 student admitted
- Wake Forest University: 1 student admitted
- Washington University in St. Louis: 1 student admitted
There is much more news to come, and I look forward to reporting on that in the spring. In the meantime, I want to congratulate these students, their families, and their teachers on the terrific colleges they will attend. I do believe that even this preliminary list is solid evidence of terrific outcomes.
Re-enrollment 2023 - 2024
The time when re-enrollment contracts for current eligible students are sent and enrollment decisions for new students are made is just around the corner. At the very beginning of January, Pat Caulfield (Chair of the Board of Trustees) and I will write to you with news of tuition for the next school year (2023-24). On January 13, we will send re-enrollment contracts. If you would like your child(ren) enrolled next year, it is essential that these contracts are fully executed by the deadline of February 10. Students whose contracts are not returned by the February 10 deadline will lose their guarantee of a space and may be placed on a waitlist for next year. We have received a record-breaking number of applications for the third consecutive year and 58% more applications than in 2019. We will be sending out offers to this year’s applicants shortly after February 10.
I do hesitate to write perhaps a little stridently about this, but every grade will be fully enrolled next year, and we must be fair to everyone, including prospective families. If you have any questions about re-enrollment, please reach out to your division director, Dr. Trammell in the Admissions Office, or me.
The end of 2022 is nigh! It has been settling to return to something like normal after the trauma suffered since March 2020, and I sense that our students really are on track to move beyond the pandemic and its effects. As I reflect on this first half of the school year, I am continually grateful for the hard work of our incredibly dedicated faculty, the support of our wonderful parents, and, of course, the enthusiasm and perseverance of our students.
I extend my sincerest wishes for a very merry Christmas, happy Hannukah, and happy Kwanzaa to those who celebrate. And to everyone, I hope your family has a safe and joyful holiday season and a prosperous new year.
See you in January!
Warmly,
Christian G. Sullivan
Head of School