For Three Quick Questions, I send the same three questions to admission representatives at colleges all over the country, and then I hope to hear back from them. The three questions are meant to probe some of the things that make a school unique but that aren’t easily captured as a stat to go in a book or web search.

Today’s response is from Chad Koontz, Admissions Counselor at McDaniel College in Westminster, Maryland.

What is a course, tradition, program or event that is unique to McDaniel College?

McDaniel has many campus traditions that have evolved over the institution’s over 155 years. One of the most meaningful is the ringing of the Old Main bell. The Old Main bell plays an important role in every McDaniel College student's experience. Each first-year student "rings-in" to be welcomed into the McDaniel community and, on graduation day, graduating seniors "ring-out" to complete their McDaniel experience. The Student Alumni Council also honors this tradition by ringing Old Main Bell as they read the names of alumni who have passed to show respect for their alumni experience. View more McDaniel traditions at this link.

Naturally every college wants to recruit the perfect student--high grades, high test scores, involved in their community, leadership...everything. But what kinds of imperfect students tend to flourish at McDaniel?

What we look for at McDaniel is a student with an open mind, who enjoys being involved in their community and has a passion for learning new things in a unique learning environment.

When people come to visit Westminster, what's a place off campus that you recommend they check out while they're there?

The JeannieBird Baking Company started as a farmers' market stall in the summer of 2008 and is now a physical location that has become a landmark on Main Street in Westminster, within walking distance to McDaniel’s campus. It is a great place for students to study, indulge in fresh brewed coffee and baked goods, or hang with friends.

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this post, here are three easy things you can do:

1. Share it on your social media feeds so your friends and colleagues can see it too.

2. See which other colleges and universities answered the questions.

3. Is there a school you’d like to hear from? Let me know, and I’ll make sure they get the questions.

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Photo by Angela Elisabeth. [The banner photo is not of McDaniel. I use the same photo for all Meet the Class posts so you can spot them easily.]

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