<p>when D was admitted to Smith, a lot of "concerned" adults sidled up and asked, "Aren't there a lot of lesbians there}</p>
<p>Of course we get that question.--LOL. That isnt the question I was referring to, but I believe you knew that :) </p>
<p>This is the silly question weve never been asked is there going to be a role reversal and am I going to be made to feel like a second-class citizen because I'm not gay"</p>
<p>Brian Green had a theory on your issue with reappearing posts.
Read "The Elegant Universe: Superstrings, Hidden Dimensions, and the Quest for the Ultimate Theory"
or
"The Fabric of the Cosmos : Space, Time, and the Texture of Reality"</p>
<p>I don't think people would actually ask that question you're referring to, RLT, but I definitely think that it might be on their minds. People are not used to even the minority of gay students Smith boasts, and when they encounter a vocal group of them, perhaps for the first time in their lives (as is the case with some prospectives), it's natural to feel startled and perhaps even a little afraid that their heterosexuality may be looked down upon. It is certainly not a rational fear, but nobody ever said worry was rational. The prospective in question might even know her fear was groundless, but what I'm saying is the fear would still be there--she just won't ask the question because she knows it's, as you say, RLT, silly. So, again, it's nice for her to hear that the lesbian presence at Smith would not make a straight girl uncomfortable, beyond the initial shock.</p>
<pre><code> And, RLT, a pet peeve of mine--16 and 17-yr-olds often do have the "psychological intuition" to think such things, although they might not have the words to express them to others yet. I know you didn't mean to offend. I just thought I'd say something. :)
</code></pre>
<p>So, RLT: you're from the Northeast, implying that you're not there and in fact there's a "west of the Mississippi}}</p>
<p>Or NC, SC, love Hilton Head. Ever been there? Georgia.
Florida etc., etc. But it really doesnt matter. Traveling is always a possibility so I can be anywhere at any time. I was in Switzerland last month--remember you missed me. :) Almost posted from there but I figured that it wouldnt be polite to speak about how great the skiing was. Besides, I hate the Swiss keyboards. What a pain.</p>
<p>I don't think people would actually ask that question you're referring to, RLT, but I definitely think that it might be on their minds}}}</p>
<p>That may be. Was it on your mind? Just curious. But as you seem to agree, no one actually asks the question.</p>
<p>otoh- they may talk to current Smithies who they feel more comfortable with than an adult or alumna they may feel they could offend with such a question. I might be completely unaware the question was, in fact, asked of a current Smith student.</p>
<p>{{And, RLT, a pet peeve of mine--16 and 17-yr-olds often do have the "psychological intuition" to think such things, although they might not have the words to express them to others yet. }}</p>
<p>Very good point. My own daughter always amazed me with her insights. I should have been more sensitive.
I'm very sorry for the slight.</p>
<p>{{it's natural to feel startled and perhaps even a little afraid that their heterosexuality may be looked down upon. It is certainly not a rational fear, but nobody ever said worry was rational}}</p>
<p>Sure it's rational if you know little or nothing about any of the women's colleges.</p>
<p>{{would not make a straight girl uncomfortable, beyond the initial shock.}}</p>
<p>With everything on TV and in the movies, why would a couple of women holding hands or kissing be a shock?</p>
<br>
<blockquote> <blockquote> <blockquote> <p>Sure it's rational if you know liitle or nothing about any of the women's collleges.</p> </blockquote> </blockquote> </blockquote>
<br>
<p>Which is why it often pops up in one form or another, one expression or another, in the search phase when people <em>don't</em> know a lot about womens colleges. Consider that virtually every Smithie I've ever met eventually says something akin to, "Well, I never <em>meant</em> to attend a womens college." </p>
<p>I've also seen the topic pop up in the Wellesley forum from time to time.</p>
<p>Czech keyboards are also a pain. But post #24 was a magnficent duck.
Apologies for my impertinence.</p>
<p>Which is why it often pops up in one form or another, one expression or another, in the search phase when people <em>don't</em> know a lot about womens colleges. Consider that virtually every Smithie I've ever met eventually says something akin to, "Well, I never <em>meant</em> to attend a womens college." }}</p>
<p>I guess you've never met any of the ED1 ED11 or students who chose Smith as their 1st choice college, including my wife. Oh well, different circles.</p>
<p>Wasn't Smith BJM8's daughter's second choice? I don't remember reading she was never considering a women's college. Could be wrong on that one though</p>
<p>{{But post #24 was a magnficent duck.}}</p>
<p>Thank you. Apology accepted
I was rather proud of that one considering how tired I am. But it wasn't a duck :)</p>
<p>btw-americang is up posting at this time of night and she is in h/s and on eastern time. What? Is it past my bedtime? Hmmm, did you ever think I need to say up to call Europe at a reasonable hour in the morning, their time? Ask my daughter about my English associates/friends
Although, she knows of them but not the business we may have in common. But you get the point :)</p>
<p>RLT, someone can come to apply ED I or ED II after coming to the conclusion that Smith is the place for them. It's fairly rare in my experience to encounter any contemporary young woman--hmm, yeah, your wife doesn't count, signficantly different generation when the Seven Sisters meant much more than they do now--who when first thinking about college said, "I think I want to go to a women's college" or "What are the good womens colleges?"</p>
<p>There's a difference between beginning of the process and end of the process. </p>
<p>Now, Smith was on the list of 71 possibles I assembled based on her criteria when she was in 9th grade. I saw it and thought, "No way." I was amused at how it kept sticking on the list as others were eliminated on one basis or another. It was only when the list dropped under 20 and Wellesley/Barnard/Smith were all survivors that I began to hedge my mental bets. Then the first party for prospective students was a veritable earthquake...and we here in SoCal know a thing or three about earthquakes.</p>
<p>Yes, but students are more flexible sometimes in their schedules than working adults. </p>
<p>The challenges of inferential analysis and forensic posting.</p>
<p>Btw, I'm familiar with, if not Green's book, work akin to it. One of my other avatars is that of a lightly published SF writer and cosmology was bred in my bone. Though I'd give it all up to become chief of staff in the current White House.</p>
<p>[[Smith is funny here on the West Coast. Some folks regard it highly. Probably a majority haven't heard of it. And, put it this way, when D was admitted to Smith, a lot of "concerned" adults sidled up and asked, "Aren't there a lot of lesbians there?" It was bad enough that I considered printing up a small card to hand out that said, "1. Yes. 2. We know. 3. She's not. (sometimes an implicated question) 4. It's not a big deal."]]</p>
<p>----------Quote from TheDad</p>
<p>I get the SAME exact thing! For <em>any</em> all womens' school I applied to. It's even worse when you get questions from your peers, both boys and girls, who immediately tell you - "Oh, you're gonna turn lesbian" "Are you queer?" things like that. It's just so strange why it's such a big deal. If anything, if there were less straight girls, there would be less competition for the boys at the nearby schools (?) That's my rationale at least.</p>
<p>Here's another voice (East Coast). I was actually told by an acquaintance of mine, "I would <em>never</em> let a daughter of mine go there. The girls turn lesbian for convenience." (Her future daughter-in-law went to Bryn Mawr, and apparently told all about women's colleges. :-)</p>
<p>Even my daughter's guidance counselor brought up the issue of lesbianism during our family conference about which colleges d. should apply to. The GC was much more diplomatic and positive, however. She said, "Smith is politically liberal and there is a lot of open homosexuality. If you have a problem with that, then you shouldn't apply." To me, that says it all. If it bothers you, don't go. If it doesn't, why pass up an excellent education?</p>
<p>I've had mixed reactions when I've told people about my d's acceptances into women's colleges. They wonder why she isn't more seriously considering the co-ed colleges she got into. Some have questioned the all-women's college/lesbianism factor while others have been completely impressed, especially by Smith. The kids in my d's school (private) don't question it much except to ask if she has "become a feminist." In her graduating class of about 75 (boys and girls), seven or more are going to all women's colleges. However, one of her friends from her old public school, also Northeast, has been grilled by her classmates for choosing to apply to ONE all-women's school.</p>
<p>Especially with all the recent press about how women must be MORE qualified than men to get into the top US schools and how many brilliant women are still turned away, I see the best women's colleges as hotbeds for our future leaders and thinkers. How could a smart young woman turn away from that?</p>
<p>My mother is afraid I'll stop shaving. :)</p>
<p>Anyways, returning to the original post, there are definitely reasons I chose to apply to Smith and not to Bryn Mawr. Northampton is a big one, but I was also attracted by Smith's history as a feminist hotbed. This is a girl who routinely does research papers on The Feminine Mystique and other women's issues, and I was very pulled to a school where so many of the leaders of the feminist movement went. And I love Sylvia Plath. I also am a New Englander through thick and thin--this area's definitely not for everyone, but it's home for me.</p>
<p>Great post (#31) MWFN. </p>
<p>AG, LOL about the shaving. My D was a lifelong Californian and wanted to experience New England. Or as she put it with a set-piece speech in 9th grade: "I want to go to college in a part of the country with a different history, different traditions. I don't want to live as if I were in Medieval times, when you were born, grew up, got married, had children, and died in the same small village." </p>
<p>I paused at that point to look around Los Angeles County, never having realized before how much we resemble Anatevka.</p>
<p>But my D loves New England, though I think she'll always be a Californian through to her bones. You should hear her wax about the palm trees when she's home for breaks. Also, she says New England is much more "tribal" than SoCal; what your ethnic sub-group is, what town you're from, and the whole "who are your people?" thing that's pretty alien out here.</p>
<p>I was actually told by an acquaintance of mine, "I would <em>never</em> let a daughter of mine go there. The girls turn lesbian for convenience."}}}}</p>
<p>I always get amused when I hear that comment.</p>
<p>My response is, Well, thats certainly a possibly I suppose. I guess its also possible all the young men who join the service turn gay for convenience because of the temporary lack of women.</p>
<p>After attending Open Campus, my daughter fell in love with Smith. We will be sending in our deposit Monday morning.</p>
<p>BTW, President Christ made a comment today very similar to my post above about how talented, intelligent women were denied admission at co-ed colleges this year because of their gender. She said that Smith was all too happy to welcome these future leaders into the Smith community.</p>
<p>Huzzah for your daughter, MWFN!!!</p>
<p>Lapsing into Admissions Office mode, where else had she been considering?</p>
<p>Waiting to hear from BJM8...he had <em>two</em> cars full of family visiting Smith today.</p>
<p>My daughter is Silent Voice, the one who started this thread. :-)</p>
<p>It's funny the way the whole Smith thing evolved. I had to drag her (and her father) to see Smith the first time. After the tour and an interview, she was glowing. Still, Smith wasn't her top choice until the acceptances started coming in. She had thought she wanted to go to Bryn Mawr and/or Haverford until she started looking at the course catalogs.</p>
<p>The thing that took me by surprise was the huge difference between the kinds of women that attend the two colleges. Of course, my assessment is superficial and highly generalized, but Smithies seem quirkier/creative and more down-to-earth than Mawrters, who seem more intellectual and mainstream/upper class. Smithies are unpretentious, and Mawrters are completely put-together. Both sets of women are really, really smart. We had gorgeous days at both colleges. At Smith, the campus was bustling, and the students were sprawled over the lawns. At Bryn Mawr, everything was extremely quiet except when classes changed. Even then, because Smith is twice its size, Bryn Mawr seemed sedate. </p>
<p>I do happen to know that Smith is more selective than Bryn Mawr and Mount Holyoke based on what happened at my daughter's school. Hubby, Daughter, and I all felt that Smith and Bryn Mawr (she discounted Mount Holyoke right away) were stronger schools for her needs than the co-eds that accepted her. </p>
<p>My daughter would have been happy at any of the colleges that accepted her, including Bryn Mawr, but Smith seems like the perfect fit. She loves the open curriculum and is already devouring the course catalog.</p>
<p>Open campus made our D's decision final. She and her dad went and she called me and the first words out of her mouth were "I bought my sweatshirt." She still went to the Williams admitted students event after that but her mind was made up.
Ellen</p>
<p>Course Catalog: there are so many more courses that D can take than she has room for...if she were to attend Smith for <em>eight</em> years.</p>
<p>Student Store: Smith was the only school where she bought a sweatshirt on the junior-year visits. Hmmmmm. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm.</p>
<p>Oh ho, MWFN. Well, congratulations again. I think I agree on your assessment of Smithies being quirky, unpretentious, and not particularly upper class in feel. D didn't apply to BMC because of the size but those comparative factors did signify when contrasted against Wellesley, I think...Smith was just more "comfy." And the performing arts sealed the deal.</p>
<p>I didn't mean to imply, of course, that Smith students are <em>lower</em> class. For all I know, they might be the wealthiest, most sophisticated, most socially polished student body in the country. However, there was definitely a naturalness and a comfort level that said they didn't care what others thought. They are themselves - take it or leave it. I like that. Of course, part of the "upscale" difference in Bryn Mawr has to do with the location.</p>
<p>I talked with several prospective students, and they all appreciated the relaxed atmosphere of Open Campus that allowed them to attend as many classes as they could during the two days. Bryn Mawr's first day was extremely structured, loaded with speeches, and somewhat contrived, although D. said it got better in the evening. Lehigh's accepted student day was in the morning only; it, too, was structured around talks and panels. The students had to come another day if they wanted to attend classes, although Lehigh has the nice tradition of breakfast with the President and a faculty talk/lecture on M/W/F during the entire month of April for admitted students.</p>