I DRINK in the tour guide's every word as he shows my group around Middlebury College's campus. He tells us about the school's new science building and gives us the scoop on nearby ski mountains. Dreamily, I imagine my future self: a year older, strolling to class past this very same scene. I'm about to ask about science research opportunities when he points to a nearby field and mentions the sport students play there: a flightless version of J. K. Rowling's Quidditch game -- broomsticks and all.
Back when I was a junior, before I'd printed off an application or visited a campus, I had high expectations for the college application process. I'd soak up detailed descriptions of academic opportunity and campus life -- and by the end of it, I'd know which college was right for me. Back then, I knew only of these institutions and their intimidating reputations, not what set each one apart from the rest. And I couldn't wait to find out.
So I was surprised when many top colleges delivered the same pitch. It turns out, they're all a little bit like Hogwarts -- the school for witches and wizards in the "Harry Potter" books and movies. Or at least, that's what the tour guides kept telling me.
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