Flashback to my senior year of high school and the piles (piles!) of mail, brochures, and form letters from colleges across the country. Somehow, out of this heap of marketing materials, Michigan Tech rose to the top of the pile—and my list—as the school I would attend to study business administration in the early 1990s.

Now, as Director of Admissions, I have the privilege of leading an extraordinary team of admissions professionals who are passionate and excited to share stories of current students with those starting their college search.

Fall 2016 is a banner year for Michigan Tech. We enrolled the largest—and smartest—class of students since 1983. They are also the most diverse and the most female in University history. They are smart, hard-working, motivated, and passionate. And they aren’t here just to learn. They want to build, create, lead, and solve problems. Some still want to get as far away from home as possible and still pay in-state tuition.

For the past several years, we have been able to focus on female and diversity recruitment. We collaborate with departments across campus to communicate and create visit events like Women in Computing Day and the Women’s Leadership Institute. Faculty, staff, and administration supports visit days like Open House and Preview Day—Saturdays everyone is out in full force with hearts full of Husky Pride showing visitors it was worth the trip.

We have a team of student ambassadors leading remarkable campus tours, calling prospective students, and sharing stories with admissions staff so we are armed with a toolkit of real experiences to share with families—not just buzzwords like “experiential learning” or “hands-on education.”

The success we’ve seen isn’t about glossy brochures or integrated marketing. It’s about being real. We embrace who we are, where we are, and aren’t afraid to tell students that Tech is hard, but it’s worth it…”just look what you can do!” Most importantly, we talk about the value of a Michigan Tech education—highlighting how the experiences lead to outstanding outcomes.

My decision to attend Michigan Tech didn’t have anything to do with marketing materials, rankings, career placement, or statistics. It was the campus tour. Every conversation we have with prospective students includes an invitation to visit campus because we know it makes a difference. Colleges all look the same online and through the mail. But the feeling a student gets when they realize this is the school for them…that’s real. That’s Michigan Tech.

Do you know a student who should consider Michigan Tech? Sign them up for our mailing list! We’d love to be in touch.

Allison Granik Carter ’95
Director, Admissions