Greetings from Guatemala!  It is hard to believe that I am in the final three days of my three week journey throughout Latin America.  Our group started in Sao Paolo, Brazil, working our way up to our final destination of San Salvador.  Along the way, I have had the opportunity to meet over 1,000 students, maybe even more, whose interest in attending college in the United States is high.

It is amazing to me how well prepared the students I have met on this trip have been.  Not just academically, although obviously I enjoy seeing that!  But, the students I met in Brazil, Lima, Quito, Panama City, Costa Rica and Tegucigalpa have arrived at each fair ready to ask questions.  Why is Babson known for global entrepreneurship?   What does it mean to have a 14:1 faculty/student ratio?  How is your soccer team?  What is your favorite thing about Boston?

I love the college fairs, and the hustle and bustle they entail.  The excitement of the students is contagious and never fails to enthrall me.  However, my favorite part of this trip has been leading workshops on college admissions for students at the high schools we visit.  Yesterday, my colleague  from another American institution and I led one on "How to Select a College".  We had a fantastic group of seniors from the American School in Tegucigalpa. We discussed location, size, climate and so much more, but we all had a candid discussion about academic profile.  I was thrilled to see students see the big picture of matching their academic strengths to their college choice.

On Friday, I will fly back to the United States.  The past three weeks have enriched me personally and professionally.  Though I am saddened to see it end, I look forward to seeing my family, my fiancé, and my colleagues in the Babson Undergraduate Admission Office again.  And, I look forward to meeting many more of you when I visit Florida in October.  (For those of who who cannot make it to campus, be sure to check out our list of receptions that we will be hosting in your area- I will be hosting one at the Palmer Trinity School on October 17.)