<p>I got the Admissions Packet in the mail today, and they're giving me $41,000 so thats a full ride. In addition I was invited to attend the Discovery Weekend (or osemthing, i dont have it with me, so i'm just going from the top of my head) and they're paying for my plane ticket to attend! wow...</p>
<p>and i can't believe the dean of admissions wrote a note on the side of my admissions letter...it said "You have a real passion for writing and social awareness!" in cursive. </p>
<p>Smith was not one of my top choices, but it's beginning to look very good. I'm very happy about the personal attention I get. I was just wondering, did anyone get handwritten notes from the dean, and lots of money, and invitations to all these things? I wasnt sure if this is to all applicants or something...just wanted to know...</p>
<p>Enjoy Discovery Weekend! In the past several years (I haven't looked at the scheduling this year), Smith has deliberately placed Discovery Weekend on the same days as the presentation of senior research. It is the ONLY school that I know of that has made such a strong statement that it views its future minority students as scholars first, and make it a big point in exposing them specifically to the academic possibilities the college has to offer. </p>
<p>Go. Take it all in. And then make a good decision. You're already a winner!</p>
<p>got the Admissions Packet in the mail today, and they're giving me $41,000 so thats a full ride}}</p>
<p>Fantastic and congratulations. :) You should be very proud of everything you have accomplished.</p>
<p>Please, go to Discovery Weekend. Youll love Smith and learn the special attention youve received so far will continue for your 4 years at Smith and beyond.</p>
<p>haha i just read the thing. not that it makes a difference, but they're actually giving me $46,463. Doesnt tuitition and room/board cost way less, what will i do with the extra 5K?</p>
<p>Congratulations, micheeatsfish and dinosaurrawr!</p>
<p>Your packages and handwritten notes were NOT usual. You've been singled out by Smith as exceptional additions to the freshman class.</p>
<p>Not that reputation is everything, but . . . As I tell people where my daughter has been accepted, their eyes light up when I hit Smith. They say, "Oh, my gosh? Smith? That's fantastic!" Only the Ivies seem to carry more prestige.</p>
<p>If my daughter had received all expenses paid to Smith, there would be no contest. She'd be packing her bags already.</p>
<p>Amen. You guys are getting the red carpet treatment. Smith really wants you.</p>
<p>MWFN, have your D pack her bags for Smith anyway. We were lucky...Smith upped her FinAid to just barely beat the next best offer but D would have gone there anyway.</p>
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but they're actually giving me $46,463. Doesnt tuitition and room/board cost way less, what will i do with the extra 5K?
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<p>Way less...NO! But...WOW!!! That's great for both of you! Tuition next year is $43,438. When you add up extras, books, etc. sounds to me like you're covered. Makes attending Smith a no brainer, heh??</p>
<p>We'll see! She is leaning toward Smith, but she still has to hear from four schools. All of us would just like the whole process to be decided, so we can move on with our lives. :-)</p>
<p>Smith upped her FinAid to just barely beat the next best offer but D would have gone there anyway.}}</p>
<p>Same. My daughter turned down a full tuition scholarship over having to pay full ride at Smith. Shes getting an outside merit scholarship but it would have been good anywhere and it isn't near what college B offered.
Full tuition + the merit would have given me enough left over to buy a second home at Bar Harbor or Watch Hill-lol</p>
<p>Oh well, Smith is worth every extra dollar we have to pay in more ways than anyone here wants me to list.</p>
<p>We weren't in the same situation with our D, yet she was offered a STRIDE. The fact the she was offered this when she applied EDII speaks volumes about this great college. They literally had her anyway, and did not have to offer us anything. Fortunately, they saw the value in having her as a student and offered that. We are proud of her, and unbelievably happy that she will be attending Smith in the fall. </p>
<p>If there are any parents reading these posts who are still on the fence; jump off that fence quickly.</p>
<p>{{Doesnt tuitition and room/board cost way less, what will i do with the extra 5K?}}</p>
<p>Micheeatsfish, it just dawned on me; Smith requires international students to have health insurance. You cant decline the colleges insurance if you already have health insurance, as an American student can. Smith has been generous enough to cover that expense also. :)</p>
<p>I seem to be in the same situation. The offer's good, but because the vast majority of it is contingent on me becoming an engineer, im not sure we could afford it if I switched. How did the "upping" work?</p>
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Smith requires international students to have health insurance. You cant decline the colleges insurance if you already have health insurance, as an American student can.
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<p>I think you've mistaken. I'm American, not an international student. The person that posted after me was an international student.</p>
<p>RSquared, you need to ask the FinAid folks how they would recalculate your aid if you weren't in engineering. Smith is recruiting heavily in Engineering but they won't pay you as much if you switch to Italian, Art History, Government, or even Math. </p>
<p>I forwarded Smith a copy of Wellesley's FinAid offer and we had a pleasant chat and a few days later we got a revised FinAid offer. I did make it very clear that Smith was my D's first choice and that if the aid worked out, she'd come.</p>
<p>I am an international student and I got a 26.000$ grant, free health insurance, student work, and they pay me 1000$ towards my travel costs.....thats so great...I am really relieved, cause now I really have a chance to attend Smith!</p>
<p>I was accepted to smith with a stride scholarship and like 26,500 in fin. aid. So its no full ride, but it makes it really reasonable- anyway, it wasn't my top choice (Northwestern...unfortunately found out yesterday i'm rejected) but i would just like to know if anyone else got into Smith and waitlisted at wellesley?</p>