What they say about themselves, says a lot about all of us…
"Dear College" is an exploration in audio of the hopes, dreams, and experiences of high school seniors as they seek to ascend to higher learning. Ultimately, by hearing the struggles and aspirations of these students, the rest of us learn about ourselves, our culture and possibly, the future of our civilization.
The podcast features high school seniors reading and discussing their college admission and scholarship essays. As told through their writings, we attain a better understanding of the youth of America; many of whom will take on the daunting social challenges of our time. For context, faculty, counselors and higher education stakeholders provide their own perspective.
Each fall, about 3.5 million American high school seniors gaze toward the uncertainties of adulthood. Their college admission and scholarship essays reveal a window into their hearts and minds. Seniors reflect upon experiences in the smaller and larger worlds they inhabit, and strive to understand who they are and what they can contribute.
This project began in 2018, before the global pandemic. In the post-Covid world, "Dear College" shows us how young adults encounter and process the new realities.
"Dear College" is the first podcast affiliated with the Center for Independent Documentary.
