In Conversation With
States, it would be a different five. themselves and it will affect their self-esteem. I’m
I worry about this idea of choosing either the best teem, I’m in education to help build it. So, we want
not involved in education to ruin a child’s self-es-
school or the one that suits them the best because kids who are ready to do the work and ready to be in
both of those things are limiting and they can an academic setting that’s taught in both Chinese
end up leading to disappointment. I would much and English. Kids who want to be asked what they
rather approach things in a way that helps kids to think and who are open to learning in new ways.
understand that there are hundreds of extraordi-
nary educational experiences out there. The world Everyone that we’ve taken on at Keystone has
is theirs to experience and many colleges could experienced success in their previous school. But
help them become their best self. I want them some of those environments are very different
to expose themselves to a group of schools, all of from Keystone. Kids who were really successful
which satisfy their interests instead of a mindset before know all the rules for being successful, but
that focuses on just one. Kids get themselves tied often when they get to Keystone they discover the
up in knots about the college process. If they visit rules are different. For some students, this is really
20 schools and then say, “this is the one,” what disorienting. Those who don’t want new rules or
happens if that one doesn’t accept them? Is it the are rigid in their thinking end up very unhappy and
end of the universe for them? Of course not! want to go back to what they know. The ones who
If they go into the college process thinking, “I here. They know that they’re good students, they
want a school where I can pursue my passions, know that they are capable, and they just work
persevere are the ones who ultimately find success
where I can grow and develop, where the students until they figure out how to show who they are in
are people I want to get to know,” then there are this new context. They work their way through
hundreds of options out there that will suit.
the challenges and over time, they become better
at the skills they need to be successful in this new
As the Dean of Admission at Keystone Academy, what
environment. This requires a kind of openness, a
qualities do you look for in potential students and their willingness to be flexible, a readiness to listen and
families? How does this come into play when preparing understand. So we go right back to Cronon’s values
students for the world beyond Keystone as they continue of a liberal education. All of the skills that will allow
kids to be successful in a liberal environment like
their educational journeys?
Keystone or Amherst are also ones that will help
What Keystone is looking for in potential students
them to be in their own lives.
is actually not that different from what a lot of
competitive academic environments are looking for. Keystone continues to accept students well into
First and foremost, we want kids that are going to their secondary years. Some of these kids are
be able to do the work. I have no interest in setting a young--only 11. They’re not perfectly formed, but
student up to fail. I worry sometimes about families they will have eight years in our school before they
who are trying to shape their child into a picture go to college. We have time to help them develop in
of what they think Keystone is looking for. I’m the ways that will help get them ready.
not interested in a pretty picture. I’m interested
in a kid who is ready to take on the challenges of I’m not looking for applicants to be perfect. I’m
the school. If you mask things that may indicate just looking for them to be ready to take on the
they are not ready, then they’re going to come to many different kinds of challenges that we are
Keystone unprepared. They won’t feel good about going to put in front of them.
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