<p>Agreed. Maybe my D was just lucky with her roomates choice; but however it worked, it worked out great! I have heard many positive stories from housemates about the good matches made by Smith admissions, so I'm assuming that it works most of the time. There will always be some chemistry mismatches, but I think they are minimal at Smith.<br>
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you don't necessarily <em>know</em> what's most important to you until you've been there, "E.g., I didn't think X would bother me but it does."
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How true! It's amazing that when you apply you go in thinking that "this" or "that" will bother you, and then find out that those don't affect you at all. Sometimes, it's the smallest of things that annoy you; and you couldn't have possibly guessed it until you got there.</p>
<p>I think most Smith women can deal with the "smallest of things" in a roommate situation. It's the big problems that can make forced roommates unbearable.</p>
<p>I do agree, however, that the "big" problems aren't necessarily foreseeable ones. For that reason, I'm glad Smith both enforces the month long (or whatever it is) moratorium on moving and then allows first-years to find another living situation if their assigned one isn't working out. From what I hear, the campus-wide shuffling of first years was quite substantial. I know that my d was part of a domino effect relocation that started when one first year moved out into a vacant spot.</p>
<p>So true about the domino effects. D wound up with a single second semester because two upperclasswomen really really wanted to be roommates. She and her second year roommate roomed by mutual request and it worked very well, compounded by the fact that they got a <em>great</em> room draw, much to the disgust of another pair who had mentally "dibbsed" the space.</p>
<p>BJM, I thought that even many first-years got singles at Smith if they were in the Quad...one of its attractions. <cue ominous="" music="" for="" quad="" vs.="" green="" st.="" elm="" discussion\\\\\="" argument=""></cue></p>
<p>One of the logistical things--thank goodness for e-mail, LJ, and all the rest--that D has to do from abroad is to arrange her proxy for the room draw for next year.</p>
BJM, I thought that even many first-years got singles at Smith if they were in the Quad
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Actually, as the parent of a Quad grad, my impression is that reasons for choosing the quad had little or nothing to do with the chances for single rooms for first years. It generally has more to do with wanting a larger house population/exposure to more housemates/more traditional college housing experience.
However, when D returned from her DIY alternative China experience in January of her junior year, her Quad options were very limited and she ended up in a single that had been a former "maid's room." In that particular Quad house, there was a short corridor with such singles that at one time actually had been designed to house the maids who accompanied some Smith students to school! These rooms were above the kitchen so they also got the kitchen smells.
The room was fine, just small (as in a monk's cell). It worked fine for my D for that one semester as she was able to have a single in a house where she wanted to be, which was worth more to her than a larger room in another area of campus. The only problem was when, as a Gold Key tour guide, she needed to set up her futon to host a prospective student overnight - that left no room to walk!
The next room draw she got good pickings in the same house as a rising senior.
So I imagine any first-year singles in the Quad are these very few less desirable (but still quite fine IMO even by Smith standards) "maids' rooms."
It is possible that because my D had not done a paid/Smith arranged semester abroad but had created her own program, she got lower priority on room choice than those returning mid-year from tuition paid/school sponsored abroad programs.
Small price to pay for her experience (in addition to the $50 continuance fee we paid for that fall semester!) ;)</p>
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Actually, as the parent of a Quad grad, my impression is that reasons for choosing the quad had little or nothing to do with the chances for single rooms for first years. It generally has more to do with wanting a larger house population/exposure to more housemates/more traditional college housing experience.
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For many, including my D, that is right on, Jyber! My D went into it knowing that Smith was smaller than other larger schools she had looked at, and she wanted to make friends and have some fun as well. (cue ominous music). That doesn't mean that other houses not located in the quad don't have fun, just that there are more opportunities for it in the quad, that's all. Strictly numbers, if nothing else. I must say, however, that I find most Smithies decide to stay put where they started. My D and her friends do not desire to move houses, as there is very little drama in this one (to their liking.)</p>