Lucas’ reading day
Around this time of year, this space often features staff (and staff-adjacent dog) reports from application reading days. While we all read here and there as we can, most of us try to carve out a day each week to focus solely on reading applications from home. This year it’s Lucas’ turn. Lucas has been reading applications for a few years now, but this year he’s entered the rotation of all-day reading binges:
We’re a couple weeks removed from our January 10 deadline, and I can report that the Admissions staff is indeed waist-deep in applications as we work through our review process. Well, maybe “waist-deep” doesn’t literally capture what this process looks like thanks to our electronic application review system, but figuratively at least, we are sifting through the hundreds and hundreds of submitted applications and carefully reading your thoughtful essays and impressive accomplishments. You might imagine this is no easy feat, and indeed, we do our best to split it among our mighty Admissions Committee. A typical week between January and late-March typically has each admissions staff member taking at least one day per week to read applications from home before the file moves along the next reader on the Admissions Committee. And let me tell you – there’s nothing better than reading applications at home when the weather is as cold and wintry as it’s been of late here in Boston. Each of us in admissions has our own process for spending the day at home. Last year Jessica offered a useful framing for how these days are organized – around fluffy dogs or warm drinks. I don’t have a fluffy companion back at my apartment, so you could say I’m squarely on Team Tea/Coffee, which is true, but I’d also add that no reading day is complete without some salt or crunch. Here’s my reading set up: blue tortilla chips, and an appropriately snarky novelty mug of coffee to power through the day.
As you can see, Lucas has internalized the best practice of organizing his reading strategy around snack availability, which also has trickle-down benefits for those of you who are current applicants. An application reader with a full stomach is a happy reader!