Today was our second of three Admission Revisit Days. We share our campus, facilities, programs, and, most importantly, our students with prospective families. It is our students who define our school culture, are the face of Proctor, and ultimately it is the relationships families make with our students that most heavily influence their decision to attend Proctor.

Watching today’s student panel reinforced the notion our students are powerful ambassadors for the school. Their unfiltered, candid responses to parent questions provided an invaluable window into what makes Proctor special. As each student shared his or her unique experiences, the common thread that clearly unites every Proctor story is that of potential being unlocked along the way.

When alpine program director Dave Salathe meets with prospective families during the Admission process, he often uses the analogy of Proctor being a reverse funnel. He explains how many schools take students from diverse backgrounds, plug them into their programs, and graduate alumni with specific skill sets. For many schools, this model works, but we think differently about how we want to educate our students.

Proctor operates on the Reverse Funnel Theory. We believe as students enter Proctor, they are embarking on a journey that opens doors of opportunity they never knew existed. Instead of being funneled into a system that will lead to a specific outcome, our students define their own outcomes.

Talk to any student on campus and you will understand the Reverse Funnel Theory. You will hear stories of students initially being attracted to Proctor by a specific program or offering, but realizing that program does not define who they are as an individual. You will hear students talk about transformative moments on an off-campus program, a Project Period, in a specific class, or in a conversation with a dorm parent. You will hear about multiple pivots within each student’s journey. You will hear self-aware students talk with perspective about their ownership of their Proctor experience.

Having a school culture, an academic architecture, and supportive relationships that encourage students to take risks, try new things, and redefine themselves, Proctor's students are truly able to choose their own path. Which path will you choose?