Ok, my prospective daughter is hitting the college decision stress button here. Going to be bold and lay it on the line!
Background: My daughter is a fiddler, contra dancer, hiker/skier, from Northwest. Academically heading down the science (likely bio, or enviro science) path, with an interest on biostats/data analysis. Been in a pretty intense IB environment (finished her IB degree as a junior because on accelerated track), has had a good intern experience at a federal marine science lab. We are down to Smith and Oberlin. Oberline offered a whopping $30K science scholarship but miraculously Smith Presidential Scholarship (10K) and grant make the net price of the two schools almost identical.
We visited Smith last week and she had a very good experience. Was able to get her out of Northampton to see what the New England country side has to offer. We played a contra dance up in Greenfield and she now knows the owner of a music store in town and some contra dance and music community folks but most of them are my generation or older.
We are looking at going to Oberlin this weekend and their Dandelion Stomp (big contra dance event with lots of BOYS) is going to be happening while we are there - I am afraid it will be the sort of thing that could sway her even though it only happens once a year! And who can blame her, the event sounds really fun.
Anyone here know what the student contra scene is like in Northhampton/Amherst??? Is there potential for a 5 college contra scene if someone organized it???
Anyone have daughter’s like mine (music, contra dancing, science, stats) and had these two schools on their list and if so why did you decide Smith ?
Thanks ahead of time for any input!