Smith = ???

Colleges and Universities A-Z Smith College
21

<p>Judging from your past posts, it sounds like to me that you might be a first- generation or at least coming from a family where college isn’t talked much about, is that right? If so, be sure to mention it somewhere on your application. You might get a little boost.</p>

<p>You cannot possibly have ALL of your questions answered. It’s the fun about going off to college- going to the unknown, unexpected. Every incoming freshman has notions in his or her head of what college will be like based on what they saw in the media and campus visits and read on the websites. But once you hit the campus with your stuff, the reality is going to hit you. You will feel as if you actually know nothing and it’s perfectly normal. You’ll learn A LOT in your first days, weeks, semester, and then in your year… and the education continues to grow.</p>

<p>You will also discover things about yourself that you never knew as you grow and learn about your environment.</p>

<p>Work-study is only granted if you have financial need so if you don’t have it in your financial award letter, you will have to wait until all work-study students claim their jobs. So don’t count on it. I believe that you can earn a maximum of $3,000 a year with $1,500 per semester. It’s hard to reach that much unless you’re working a lot of hours.</p>

<p>Academic advisors only know what’s going on when it comes to academics. Career services do the rest of the work. It’s up to you to put their suggestions together to create a more complete picture of where you need to go. Also, career services would most likely just hook you up with an alumna who’s involved in a magazine for career advice and POSSIBLE internship opportunities.</p>

<p>I do suggest just taking one step at a time unless you’re gunning to be a med student. Focus on figuring out your passion (theater) and getting in. Then just focus on your college experience in your first year and creating a four year plan (which will change a LOT… guaranteed!!!), and then by your junior or senior year, you can worry about what to do afterwards!</p>

22

<p>I’d like to echo some of the other posts: choosing an education is different from choosing a career. Liberal arts colleges (and most colleges in general) do not prepare you for specific jobs, especially not ones as highly defined as what you’ve posted. Instead, they prepare you in excel on the job. </p>

<p>For example, let’s say that you have the same career goals your senior year as you do right now. Instead of instructing you in layout, sales, production, etc., a Smith education might help you with your visual composition skills through art classes, written expression through English or even history courses, your logic skills through philosophy, etc. All courses will hone your critical thinking skills. Through campus extracurriculars, you can learn financial management (Women in Finance), get your hands on computer layout (campus publications), and be a leader. Your Smith connections might help you get an internship in publishing. </p>

<p>Few Smithies are there to learn a career, although they all expect to get jobs.</p>