I loved applying to college. I was obsessed with it. During those pre-internet days, I would send away for college viewbooks--glossy color magazines of well-scrubbed multiethnic undergrads standing next to an autumn tree. And now, with my little bro, I get to go through it again.
Okay, here I turn into an asshole: I was a top-notch student. Good grades, strong extra-curriculars, and a heartwrenching college essay that just might have gotten me into a real Ivy League school, had I wanted to go. Though my SATs were average for Smith, the rest of my student profile, including my interview, was awesome. Scripps and Mills had a bidding war over me, but I went to Smith, turning down decent scholarships at the other two schools.
This may seem weird, but yes, I did apply to five women's colleges and two state schools as safeties. There was an article in Sassy that appeared, I guess 1992 or 93, entitled, "Do YOU belong at a women's college?" and I guess from reading that I decided I did.
Now that little bro is approaching college age, I am loathe to admit, the kid is a-v-e-r-a-g-e. He gets decent enough grades, but doesn't apply himself. Though it was a struggle to get him to join activities, he's turning into a theater geek and he likes photography. He takes the SATs this fall. So, I'm trying to find the right school for him.
My current list:
The Evergreen State College
Lewis & Clark*
Humboldt State**
UC Santa Cruz**
one of the Claremonts? Pitzer maybe
Hampshire
Rice
Kalamazoo College
UVM
Wesleyan
Vassar (ooh...he'd love Vassar. He belongs at a women's college!)
Sarah Lawrence
Art school, maybe?
Anyway, I am really looking forward to taking Sam east to look at schools. Yay!
*I would LOVE it if he went to Reed, but I don't think he'd like the academics. Socially, he'd be in heaven.
**My two state-school backups. A very nice English professor from Humboldt called me and tried to convince me to join his department, but I had New England in my eyes. No dice, buddy.
UPDATE: I did not get rejected from the thing I thought was going to be my third rejection. I was accepted. Yay acceptance!
I got rejected from Vassar--accepted to four other Seven Sisters--didn't apply to Wellesley, or "Radcliffe," for that matter. It sticks in my craw to this day. Ew. Craw.
Posted by: Karen at February 6, 2007 09:27 PMI'm glad we both turned down Mount Holyoke. That place gave me the creeps.
Posted by: Mo at February 6, 2007 11:45 PMI didn't apply to that many schools, didn't really try that hard at it. I got accepted everywhere I applied, though. After getting my B.S. and applying for a job at MIT, they were impressed by my degree, so I figure I did well.
Posted by: Dave at February 7, 2007 05:33 PMI went to Pitzer, and yes, if you're average, not a math nerd, Repug, or girl, and going to one of the Claremont schools, it's definitely the one for you. I really liked it. Drop me an email if you want more info.
Posted by: Amy at February 9, 2007 12:21 AMPitzer's a good idea, especially if he's artistically-inclined. He can get in, and take classes at any of the other Claremonts. How about UW? Seattle! btw, from what I read, Wesleyan's getting tougher to get into, so if he's not dialling toll-free on the SATs, and his grades are average, I dunno.
Posted by: swilkes at February 11, 2007 09:26 PM