<p>It probably sounds strange that I would only apply to one, but I'm in a pretty unique situation. I graduated early, haphazardly jumped into state college, and after a year of that, I withdrew. It became obvious that I was wasting my time - I had no real direction, I slacked off, etc. Following that, I was pretty scared about where I'd be next, whether working, traveling, or whatever. I went on a vision quest, and directly after, a strange sequence of events led me to discover Hampshire College. After a deep-reaching reassessment of my prerogatives and interests, I have come to the understanding that I would thrive in a college environment, and that I'd really like to study agriculture. So I applied there very late, interviewed, did the whole app in only about two weeks - and, naturally, was denied. I then enrolled in community college (where I am now) to heal up my grades and ready my application to Hampshire for the spring. </p>
<p>I'm not interested in any other college. I've visited, talked to students, gathered all information I could, and Hampshire is everything I want in a college that state school was not. If I am denied, I'll reassess and begin considering other options - I have no qualms with doing another semester here at CC. So what I'm really wondering is, should I make a point of telling them that they're the only school I'm interested in attending in my essays? Would this serve me well? Secondly, the common app writing section says that essays should not cater to individual colleges, but that they should be blanket essays addressing you reasons for transferring regardless of the college. Should I forget about this and just write my transfer essay directly to Hampshire, given that I'll settle for no other college presently? </p>
<p>Lastly, I'd be very much interested in taking advice regarding the actual essays themselves. I've just written the second draft for Why Hampshire, and I'd love some feedback. PM me. I also have copies of the essays I submitted on my first application - It's actually been quite challenging deciding what information is worth presenting a second time, what's worth omitting, and how my tone should change.</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>Update: I’ve just written a working copy of the common app “why transferring” essay, if anyone’s interested. Thanks.</p>
<p>It sounds almost like you are… stalking Hampshire. I sort of think there is something wrong with the idea that out of 10,000 colleges in the US, only Hampshire will do (and they have already rejected you once). Really, you need to give this some more consideration… just as it is NEVER advisable for an incoming freshman to apply to only one school (what if they don’t get in?), it really isn’t advisable for you to have all your eggs in this one basket. And you can’t know that more time and a GPA improvement will result in your admission this time.</p>
<p>There are certainly other colleges where you can study agriculture. Likely some that are small, and sort of LAC-ish. Maybe some that have the kind of counter-culture vibe that I think Hampshire has. For example, Evergreen State College in Olympia offers agriculture classes, and they have a 24 acre organic plant and animal farm. Or College of the Atlantic – they have a sustainable food major that looks super interesting. UC-Davis is a little more traditional school, but they have a sustainable ag major as well. Warren Wilson College in Asheville, NC is another sort of alternative flavored school with a sustainable ag major. </p>
<p>Nothing good ever comes out of fixating on one school as the ONLY one that can make you happy. No one school will ever be just perfect, but if you are able to articulate what is most important to you in a college, you should be able to find a few more that fit the bill. I can see why you are a little gun shy after your experience with the state school (what if you make a mistake again?). But I would apply a few more places, then visit if you need to in order to narrow your choices down. Better to have some options than be disappointed by Hampshire and have to start all over again.</p>
<p>I would usually agree with you, but I’ve looked pretty extensively at other options; those that would interest me are either too far away, demand higher grades and “numbers” than I have, or offer only conventional agricultural instruction (where I’m most interested in alternative). Because Hampshire fulfills all those needs rather well, it seems worth it to put the time and effort into giving it another shot - I have nothing to lose; as I said, I have no issue with doing another semester where I am now. I’m already looking at other options elsewhere to apply to if I’m not accepted for the spring. My thought is that another semester of CC would help me a great deal academically (my old grades sucked, where now I’m getting around a 3.9) to show that I’m serious wherever I apply to. </p>
<p>So I’ve got a pretty good grasp on what my aim is here; is this information worth sliding into one of the nine essays on the application?</p>