Muhlenberg Bound

The college search was quite a road. In a normal year, it is a struggle to make such a major decision. On the one hand, if you chose wrong it is not prison, you can choose again, start again a few months or a year later. On the other hand, you forfeit your scholarships and risk not receiving the same kind of aid. Ashley is a very smart student, and received generous merit-based scholarships.

After a three-state search, Ashley decided on Muhlenberg College in Allentown, PA. 

The decision became harder than most years because we did not have an opportunity to tour the school, the place she plans to spend the next four years. We were fortunate that one night after play rehearsal we drove 90 minutes to see "A Raisin in the Sun" and eat a hurried dinner in the dining hall. We had many email conversations with people at the school -- an alumna who is the friend of a daughter, the head of the theater department, head of financial aid, a couple of more professors, but we did not get the official tour. 

I knew Ashley needed something to push her into a decision. She also had acceptances from Rider University (across the street from my office) and Montclair State University -- two places she toured a couple of times. We decided to take a road trip to walk on campus.

We researched bathrooms along our route, and discovered the Allentown rest stop on the Pennsylvania Turnpike was still open. We planned our travels around that -- the other option for getting to Allentown is through New Jersey, which may or may not have had an open rest stop. Yes, a sign of the times that we planned our route around an open bathroom.

Though it was rainy, the campus was still stunning. The trees were in bloom. We only saw one other person, the security guard, and that was at a safe 100 foot distance.

Campus pictures. The only time we'll be able to take pictures without anyone else in them.

The drive, combined with a number of online information sessions, propelled Ashley to make a decision, and commit to being a Muhlenberg Mule for the next four years. The next decision will be to start in September, or wait the pandemic out. May we never live through times like this again.