<p>I'm a junior. I just visited Smith this week, and I loved it! </p>
<p>I attend a highly selective private school in California (about 25% of everyone goes to an Ivy or Stanford).</p>
<p>GPA: 3.5/4.0 Unweighted (I had a hard time freshman year. My 1st semester GPA was around 2.9. Last semester, my GPA was 3.9. BIG improvement) Rank: around 40/100 now, could be around 35/100 by Senior year Courses: Only AP this year is APUSH (standard for my school). Next year I'll take AP Calc AB, AP Physics, AP Econ and AP Stat, along with an intense independent study on constitutional law. Eng AP is not offered. Recommendations: 1 Great, 1 Good. Also, my counselor rec will be great.</p>
<p>SAT: 2310 (730CR, 780M, 800W) SAT2: I haven't taken them yet, but I'll take Math 2 and US History. I expect to do well.</p>
<p>Extracurriculars:
- A LOT of community service (about 200 hours this year alone). I really love the projects I do, and can write and talk a lot about them.
- Varsity Field Hockey and Lacrosse (I won't play in college)
- Art - Sclupture and Ceramics
- I'm really interested in legal studies (I want to major in political science), and have taken a lot of extra courses
- This summer, I'll be interning with a congressman in Washington DC</p>
<p>QUESTIONS:
- How much do you interact with the students at the other schools in the area?
- I'd guess dating isn't as easy as it'd be at a coed college, but is it possible? Does a good percentage of the students date?
- How much do people housed in different sections of the school interact?</p>
<p>I think you have an outstanding chance of admission. Continue with the grades up and you have a shot at some merit money...Smith will love the 2310.</p>
<p>Of your Q's, I'll answer only #3: students living in any part of the school interact with everyone else. Not an issue.</p>
<p>Mmm...I'll take a partial shot at #1: Smith is the greatest net importer of the Five Colleges, having more students take classes at Smith than Smith students take elsewhere. The extent that you take classes elsewhere depends upon your interests and motivation. There is certainly a lot of cross-institution socializing, with, again, a lot depending on your motivation.</p>
<p>How much you interact with other schools depends on what you do for extra curics, what you study, and what your motivation is. If you study government at Smith, you probably won't be that motivated to take a class off campus since our department is really good. However, the Gov department here is lackin IMO in the Political Theory department so I took a Political Theory course at Amherst which is much stronger in that particular field. My friend who is on the Debate team is always off at other colleges not just in the Valley, but all over New England, and it's the same with my friend who does fencing. And then I know some girls who just like to get off campus a lot, but it all kind of depends on your personal motivation. </p>
<p>I would say as far as dating goes, many of the straight girls I know came in with boyfriends from high school (in fact many straight Smithies are in long distance relationships). I know some girls who do date guys in the area, but you're right, it's harder to do at a women's college. It's not impossible, but it's definitely harder. </p>
<p>Interaction between different housing areas is not an issue. Most of my close friends live in my house, true, but I hang out with students from everywhere.</p>
<p>Your stats are great, but I wouldn't "admit" not wanting to continue your sports in college. First, if you're a serious athlete, one of the coaches might pull for you. And second, who knows, you may change your mind about playing (gives you an immed community at your school and is an excellent way to meet students at other schools), so why not get that bump in admissions.</p>
<p>If you want to view the stats of some admitted students, check out the thread for admitted RD students. I believe ther is also a thread regarding the merit shcs (STRIDE and Zollman awards).</p>
<p>D who attends boarding sch just a few miles from Smith has many friends at the college and reports no problem socializing among diff houses.</p>
<p>As for the dating, D fits the mold described by S&P - - D applied ED in part b/c BF (former day student at her sch) is now a sophmore at UMass. D's friends confirm that meeting guys is not impossible, but more difficult than at a coed sch.</p>
<p>TD is correct...your stats are great and your chances are wonderful for a chance at STRIDE and/or Zollman! Keep up the good work. My D, who is a first year, has friends from all over campus in many different houses. That is not an issue. Dating is a bit harder in a single sex school, but that has not deterred those who feel the need to find someone. Lots of parties at Amherst, UMass, etc., if you feel inclined.</p>
<p>One more thing about your stats - - Everyone loves a girl who's good at math (DD's strongest subj!); your 780M, two math AP classes (plus physics) and a math SATII will not go unnoticed.</p>