Two weeks ago, a friend told me about one of the hardest questions she’s faced as a Tour Guide. She was showing a prospective student and her parents around campus when the student’s mother asked, “What makes the Conn experience worth $60,000?” The story was told over dinner amidst light conversation, but after leaving J.A. the question stayed with me, gnawing at the back of my mind. The question, or rather my lack of an answer, shook me. I was disconcerted that after four years I couldn’t clearly articulate a response, even to myself.
But the next day the answer came to me. I was in Castle Court as the sun set, watching Mayra Valle’s senior thesis dance piece, and I thought to myself that this day was the perfect example of the Conn experience, and what it is truly worth. It had been a quintessential spring afternoon but students had flocked inside, eschewing the radiant sunshine to fill Evans Hall. For the better part of the day, I sat alongside my peers listening to inspiring and thought provoking TED talks, dashing out to attend a friend’s senior voice recital, finally ending up at the Dance Department Concert.
It was a predominantly sedentary day, but one that highlighted the incredible abundance of talent and dedication amongst my fellow Camels. Standing there in the twilight, letting the circulation come back to my feet, I realized that, for me, Connecticut College is defined by the incredible students and the opportunities the school provides them to pursue and showcase their passions. But the question still rankled me. Conn may cost $58,780 a year, but does that really indicate its worth?
Reflecting on my four years at Conn, it is difficult to quantify the value of my experience. You can break down the cost of room, board and tuition, but it’s much harder to account for friendships, bonds and shared experiences. To answer the question of what makes the Connecticut College experience worth $60,000 a year implies that I agree that the Conn experience is indeed worth $60,000. This is hard to say. Can I really put price on the relationships I have made and opportunities I have been afforded as a result of being a Camel?
Conn is an expensive school. It makes sense for prospective students and their parents to think critically about the cost of attendance. But to equate Conn’s worth with its price tag seems to me to undermine its true value. Important to consider are the unquantifiable aspects of the Conn experience. The inspiring friends and peers I’ve had since my first day at Conn, and will continue to treasure after graduation, the professors who will continue to serve as mentors long after I leave the classroom, the moments that have long since passed but will remain forever in nostalgic reminiscencel; these elements of Conn transcend the cost of attendance. •
