<p>D just received a job offer for a job starting upon graduation, a researcher assistant position with a top NGO in a policy area that she virtually lunged for. Smith is not the only school she could have gone to but several Smith-specific pieces of her experience helped a lot. It's extremely unlikely that she would have been able to land this offer had she gone to say, UCLA. Checking on-line bios, some of the other younger staff come from schools like Yale & Swarthmore. </p>
<p>It's a great job given her interests and I am <em>so</em> happy for her. She'll be in D.C., where she wanted to be, doing what she wants to be doing. As a parent it's hard to ask for anything more. And at least it's a place easy to visit.</p>
<p>I confess, the waiting for this has been on the scale of college applications in the first place, possibly worse. They flew her down to D.C. three weeks ago, put her up in a hotel, and had interview with six people the following day. Additional references and writing samples provided and then hurry up and wait.</p>
<p>Whew. Now I can go back to fretting about my own business as top priority for worry.</p>
<p>Smithiegr, yes, the more she thought about it, she wanted to work a couple of gap years and in her field(s) of interest, she got a number of strong suggestions to do so. Of course, I think she'll be squeezing 2-3 classes in on the side over the next couple of years due to the fact that the area she wants a Masters in is not one of her undergrad majors.</p>
<p>Congratulations to your daughter! That is wonderful.
I agree that the waiting for grad school/law school/job is more stressful that the college app dance we did 4 years ago. One grad program my daughter applied to takes only 15 new students a year! Fortunately she has been accepted to her number 2 choice program so she knows she will be going somewhere next year. :)</p>
<p>Oh I don't konw what you're talking about in terms of "waiting" for grad/law/business school applications... I'm just so tired of this process (which has been my life for like 2 years) that I'm perfectly content to let time go by while I recover from this little burn out! Of course the problem is I can't make ANY summer plans unless I hear! :)</p>
<p>I realized as it sank in that this is must be what it would have been like to have had her admitted to college Early Action...so much stress just rolled away. I heard her tell a friend today that her best Christmas present was the job...can't say I disagree with her.</p>
<p>Yes, I think Smith offers a lot of different paths to success. I hope all the students find them. I know some of D's classmates are still trying to figure out <em>what</em> they want to do. But whatever direction they choose, most will be very well equipped. I was just telling someone how impressed I've been with the Smithies I've met over the years.</p>