This time of year admissions are at the forefront of many students’ minds. However many think this only applies to the seniors, but it does not. The incoming freshman class, pulling from about 50 different schools, has finished up their applications and are having their interviews.

This has been a part of this admissions process for Cathedral for a long time. Assistant Director for Enrollment Management, Mrs Beth Wissler said, “My inauguration to get this role was in 2006 and we were interviewing then and I know, when I interview young men and women who have graduated from here, they were interviewed. So, it has been around Cathedral for a long, long time. And I think it’s one of the things that makes our admissions process incredibly unique.”

This interview process can be a lengthy and deliberate process. “So in the admissions, I read every single application. When we ask fellow staff members to do interviews, they read the application and then they get to take those words, on just paper and match it with a face and a voice and have a real conversation with these students. So how a student looks on paper and how the student is face to face can be very different and can be very significantly positive on that student. I also think it’s very important to have more than one person, myself and somebody else, look at these students’ applications. We also involve counseling to look at some students’ applications. We also involved our Learning Resource Center administrators as well,” said Wissler. 

 For these students it can be very nerve racking and for some of them this is the first time they will experience something of this nature. Despite the nerves, the class of 2028 has set a record number of interviews. Wissler said, “…over a five day period of time, we had over 330 interviews, I think 332 to be exact.” 

A lot goes into this process with prep and the interviews themselves. Educator and interviewer, Mr. Matthew Cannaday, said, “The interview process is an essential aspect of determining which applicants would give life to the Cathedral community and in turn receive life from the Cathedral community.”

The Cathedral family is very happy to welcome new students to the Hill while making sure to hold these kids to the standards that have been set. Educator and Interviewer, Mr. Nick Jamell said, “Interviews help us to get a sense for who the student is beyond just what they write or what an application would say. You can get a sense for their manners and you can also get a sense for maybe certain experiences or things they do that don’t always come out they can highlight what they do and what’s great about them”

These interviews hold the kids to higher standards because interviews are not a super common thing when getting into high school, however it is an integral part of growing up. Wissler said, “I think I’m always pleasantly surprised by how wonderfully candid these 13 and 14 year olds are. As a parent, I love watching the parents’ reactions to the students. And I think the parents are always shocked and awed by how fabulously their kids do and how mature they are and when they come to the table, how just engaged they are,”

Although this process is incredibly important to students it helps the teachers as well. Educator and Interviewer Mr Cole Hepp said, “The eight grade interviews are important for the eighth graders to learn more about Cathedral and then also for us, Cathedral educators to learn more about them and who the incoming class is going to be.”

Getting to know the future of Cathedral is very important when continuing to grow the Irish family and to make sure everyone has a place they belong. Wissler said, “these applications help us make the choice to have the best and the brightest students that are really gonna make the world a better place,”