<p>I don’t know about Discovery Days, but I did bring my daughter to the Open Campus for admitted prospective students in the spring of 2009. As I recall, the weekend was largely structured around different activities for prospies and parents. We arrived, got registered in the indoor track and tennis building, and soon after that my daughter went off with her student hosts to spend the night in their house. We parents were treated to a get-to-know-each-other wine and cheese reception, where we met some faculty and administration people, then went out to dinner at one of the many nice restaurants in Northampton.</p>
<p>My daughter was a STRIDE scholarship recipient, so in the morning I came back to campus very early to attend a breakfast presentation by STRIDE scholars and the professors they are working with. My daughter didn’t get up early enough for that. She and I were on different tracks that day but crossed paths several times. She went to a class or two, I think, and to some other presentations about life at Smith. I went to presentations for prospective parents about things like “why a women’s college?”, financial aid, student life at Smith, resources students have, “letting go” as a parent, stuff like that. Except for the “why a women’s college?” stuff, it was very much like what we heard our son went to his prospie weekend at Hobart & William Smith.</p>
<p>We were together for meals, a student activities fair, a Q & A session with Carol Christ, and a presentation on religious life on campus.</p>
<p>Then she to her house for the night, I to my Econolodge, and in the morning we had a final breakfast together and then headed home.</p>
<p>I think the weekend was instrumental in helping my daughter choose Smith over Wellesley, and I think it was the other students she met that most influenced her to choose Smith. I met some of them and they were a lively, cheery, enthusiastic crew of young ladies who welcomed my daughter with open arms.</p>
<p>Hello all, I’m sorry I haven’t kept up with this I’ve been very busy with school and AP test prep. I’m now going to be going to discovery weekend solo, since it would be too expensive for my brother join me. Also I received some disappointing news from Whitman. Since I sent some financial info late, they put me on the financial aid waiting list. This is quite disheartening as there would be no way for me to attend unless without significant aid. Is there anything I can do to increase my chances? Does Smith practice something similar? I’d love to attend one of these fine institutions but without funds it’s just not possible. :(</p>
<p>Whitman is a fine, fine school, and it is in my general neighborhood. (only 5 hours a way, but Whitman is five hours a way for everyone! LOL!) But it’s not Smith. It’s a fine liberal arts college, not very diverse (not just racially/ethnically, but in terms of economics), with lots of distributional requirements, in a very rural area. (the only thing other thing in the neighborhood, other than wineries, is the state pen.) I know many lawyers in the Seattle area who did their undergrad at Whitman.</p>
<p>But it just isn’t nearly as intellectually exciting as Smith. Folks forgot that Smith is not liberal arts college that happens to be all women; it is a women’s college that happens to teach the liberal arts. BIG difference. </p>
<p>For Discovery Weekend, make sure to attend several of the student research presentations - and then imagine yourself making one four years from now.</p>
<p>As far as I know, Smith doesn’t have a financial aid waiting list. If you send in forms late it can delay you finding out what your award is, but I don’t think it affects how much you receive. Shouldn’t you know what your financial aid is from Smith at this point though?</p>
<p>Mini, the Whitman culture is economically diverse. Until this year they were a need blind institution. This is not a campus that has a wealthy student vibe by any stretch. I like the Washington Monthly college rankings because they are all numbers based, and they rank the colleges on issues such as how many students receive Pell Grants, how many students participate in community service or go into the Peace Corps, how much of the college money is spent on research, etc. Anyway, both Whitman and Smith received the same overall score. [Liberal</a> Arts College Rankings 2010 | Washington Monthly](<a href=“http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/college_guide/rankings_2010/liberal_arts_rank.php]Liberal”>http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/college_guide/rankings_2010/liberal_arts_rank.php)</p>
<p>Sorry, but Whitman has only about half the percentage of students on Pell Grants than Smith does, and, given the size of the student body, in numbers it is even much smaller. In all respects it is far, far less diverse - economically, racially, in numbers of international students, in numbers of older students (at Smith is is around 10% of the student body.)</p>
<p>It’s a great school, but diversity, of any kind, just isn’t its strong suit (and they know it, too, but it’s just hard to do much about when in Walla Walla.)</p>
<p>Collegefreedom, you were going to visit Smith and Whitman. Have you done that and what school have you decided to attend? We’d love to know how it’s turned out for you.</p>
<p>Well, I am happy to say that I am officially a Smithie! Thank you all for your help and genuine caring nature. I’ll try to frequent this board whenever possible. :)</p>
<p>Congratulations! Thanks so much for coming back and letting us know. You really worked hard to pull this off, I admire your tenacity. Have a terrific 4 years.</p>
<p>Collegefreedom, congratulations! It was such a struggle and you were so determined to make it happen. I’m so happy for you! Thank you for sharing the good news with us and we’ll be delighted to hear from you whenever you can nod in. Enjoy your college career.</p>