Abra Cadabra and Admission

Clearly my vacation to Orlando and Harry Potter World more specifically is on my mind…in fact, it’s the only thing on my mind.  So the question is, how to connect The Wizarding World of Harry Potter to my work in the Office of Undergraduate Admission.  And then it hit me, there are two connections that can be made.  1) The Hogwarts community is in many ways similar to a college or university community and 2) to quote my colleague, “you either have the magic within you or you don’t”.

So for point one, Hogwarts is divided into four houses that represent different types of student personalities each of which is necessary to make up the greater community.  The Slytherins are edgy, ambitious, and powerful.  They’re the campus leaders who lead for leadership’s sake.  They are ambitious for titles and power.  The Gryffindors are popular, brave leaders.  They are the elected peers who are known throughout campus.  The Ravenclaws are clever and intelligent.  They are the campus intellectuals who make the comments in class that make everyone else stop and think.  Hufflepuffs are the hard-workers.  They fly under the radar as quiet leaders but are “worthy of admission” nonetheless.  Together, these personalities make up houses that make up a school community.  Similarly, as we read applications and select a class we have to bear in mind that there is space in the W&M community for all types of personalities, talents, and intellects.  Without one house, Hogwarts would not be the same and without these personalities, W&M would not be the dynamic community it is.

So for point two, when I was discussing the topic for this blog with my colleagues, one of them thought that admission to Hogwarts and admission to W&M were totally dissimilar because, as he put it, “you either have the magic or you don’t”.  My colleague and I pointed out to him that rather than being an argument against similarity, it was an argument for it.  Oftentimes, admits have something magical about them.  Whether it’s a special talent in the arts or athletics, an incredibly well-written essay, a unique upbringing, a diverse background, a moving story, or an uber intellect, there’s usually that je ne sais quoi about those whom we admit.  They put together an application that has a magical quality that elevates their status and compels us as readers to advocate for them.

So, as I sample the butterbeer and chocolate-covered frogs and fly through Hogwarts and past Buckbeak, I will know that analogies can be drawn between admission and almost anything, even a fictional castle full of wizards.

– Wendy Livingston