<p>Once more with the Fulbrights, as it says in the popular Smith song, "Smith women always land on top!" ;) With 19 acceptances out of 40 Fulbright applications, Smith nearly hit 50% acceptance rate in the LAC category. Congratulations!</p>
<p>The focus on students researching with professors at an early stage makes Smith quite unique, especially among LAC’s. I see a lot of support to inspire students to apply and hopefully become Fulbright scholars, with the benefits going to not only the students but also Smith’s reputation as well. </p>
<p>With this latest “score”, I can only imagine the resources will increase.</p>
<p>Congrats to all who worked so hard to “make the grade”.</p>
<p>You know, Brie99, that would be an interesting statistic: the number of Smithies who actually conducted earlier research of some kind who are later accepted as Fulbright applicants. I’m sure that stat exists somewhere in some data base! CrewDad or Mini, got stats? :)</p>
<p>This list always puts a smile on my face. It reminds me of “College Jeopardy” where the finalists’ sweatshirts boast of diverse alma maters, not just the usual-suspect schools. </p>
<p>Here, too, we see a range of public and private institutions represented.</p>
<p>An acknowledgement: I was in Jeopardy mode in my earlier posts, but yes, Sally, it truly is wonderful that students from all over the college/university spectrum dream of doing the extraordinary and work hard to achieve it.</p>
<p>It’s about as many as Williams, Amherst, and Swarthmore combined. And if you look at how many are research Fulbrights, you find out that it is many more.</p>
<p>Since it happens consistently, and flies in the face of acceptance rates and average SAT scores, I chalk it up to the superior quality of education offered.</p>
<p>also Donald Andrew is an incredible resource :)</p>
<p>It should be said that having one less than Harvard is a blow.</p>
<p>Mini, you’re so bad! 
How do you find out how many are for research?</p>
<p>You actually have to go to each college’s website, and count.</p>
<p>(Harvard had more than five times as many Fulbright rejects as Smith, which is something to think about, given that they reject applicants for admission at about 10 times the rate.)</p>
<p>crazy. I love that Smith has a much higher acceptance rate than most of the other elites (and also lower median SATs), but is able to produce at such a phenomenal level. It really speaks of not just the advantage of small liberal arts schools, but women’s colleges in particular</p>
<p>What would be very interesting would be to see how many Fulbrights at each top school are women</p>
<p>By my best guess (some names are ambiguous like Sam) here are the number of WOMEN Fulbright scholars
LACs
Pitzer: 12
Smith: 19
Pomona: 13
Research Unis
Northwestern: 15
Stanford: 17
U Chicago 15
Georgetown: 15</p>
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<p>You rang?</p>
<p>About 4-5 STRIDEs are also Fulbrights.</p>
<p>The STRIDE is an award based to a great deal on gpa and SAT/ACT scores. While STRIDE recipients are top achievers academically, that attribute doesn’t necessarily correlate to having the personality type to be what amounts to a scholar ambassador of the U.S.</p>
<p>An interesting question is: Does the STRIDE help students win Fulbrights, or are STRIDE recipients the types of students who will excel and be competitive for a Fulbright even if the STRIDE didn’t exist? I’d argue both with (much?) more emphasis on the latter.</p>
<p>Additionally, if a student is interested in applying for a Fulbright, I don’t believe doing research the start of the first year, as opposed to obtaining a research opportunity spring semester/summer of the first year or beginning of sophomore year, has enough of an effect to be of concern to those who are not STRIDEs or STRIDEs who change their course of study or academic interest after the first year.
And all Fulbright applicants have very good if not a stellar gpa and terrific recommendations. A major distinguishing factor of those who are invited for an interview is the personal statement.</p>
<p>Donald Andrew has posted a great deal of information on his Smith webpage.</p>
<p>Speaking of Don, I don’t think it’s an overstatement to say that without his guidance and expertise, Fulbright awards could easily be half of what they are currently. When Don started at Smith in 2001, five students were awarded a Fulbright. Eight won 2003. Seventeen students were award a Fulbright by 2006 and now nineteen. </p>
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<p>[Smith</a> College: Fulbright](<a href=“http://www.smith.edu/fulbright/intro.php]Smith”>http://www.smith.edu/fulbright/intro.php)</p>
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<p>Rocket, you have to factor for the fact Pomona and Pitzer have ~430 ± fewer women per class.</p>
<p>Thanks, CrewDad. I can always count on you to have pertinent information. I knew Donald Andrew was instrumental to Smith’s success with Fulbrights but I didn’t have any specifics. He single-handedly has put Smith on the map! ;)</p>
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<p>It does indeed fly in the face of acceptance rates and average SAT scores at Wiliams, Amherst, and Swarthmore. But the last year statistics do tell a different story when looking at Pomona, and increasingly Pitzer and Scripps. </p>
<p>The successes in landing Fulbright grants reflect some elements consistently, and those elements are none else than the full commitment and dedication of a college to support, prepare, and groom their students. Colleges that seek to increase their quotas of Fulbrights by increasing the resources necessary do to well do … succeed. Others that let the students fight it on their own, do not that well. This is an area where being smaller yields good result. Smaller schools or smaller departments.</p>