WEB EXCLUSIVE As the senior class begins to receive acceptance letters and deciding which college is right for them, some eighth grade students have been visiting campus one more time before making their decision of which high school to commit to.

“I think when students get accepted, they’re looking at things through a different lens,” admissions director Allyson Maebert said. “They realize ‘I’ve been accepted to a school and I have to really envision where I see myself for the next four years.’”

Deciding which high school fits students best is a difficult task, but by shadowing once again, it allows students to pay more attention to details they may have missed on their first visit, according to Maebert.

“Coming back a second time gives shadows the opportunity to look at the nitty-gritty of things and pay attention to those details that encompass what they see in their future,” Maebert said. “It’s a big decision that they have to make.”

Many students opt to shadow at schools to gain a better understanding of the school from an inside perspective, according to Maebert.

“With our shadow hosts, there’s this excitement to share how special this place is and what makes our school so unique and why students should be excited to be here the next 4 years,” Maebert said. “There’s pride and happiness to share that with students that are coming back to check us out.”

The way a shadow host treats visiting students is very important to the overall experience of being in the high school environment and how the shadow will remember the school, according to freshman Tabitha Parent.

“I wanted a community that I could be welcomed into,” Parent said. “I remember both of my shadow hosts as being really nice to me when I visited, even though I already knew one of them beforehand.”

When hosting a shadow, it’s important to cater to their interests by taking into account classes they are interested in, according to Parent.

“When I shadowed Convent, I went to a biology class where I was allowed to participate in a lab,” sophomore Sofia Telfer said. “It was a great learning experience and fun to feel fully immersed in the community.”

A good shadow host is one that leaves the shadow with the feeling of being welcomed into the community, according to Telfer.

“I love meeting new people so being a shadow host is just another opportunity to be welcoming and show off our wonderful community to others,” Telfer said.