<p>I got a really nice letter from a student as well. I'm not seriously considering Wellesley, but it's still friendly and I bet it persuades a lot of people who are genuinely on the fence.</p>
<p>I hesitated to say anything because I like the idea---but my D got a letter that really wasn't terribly encouraging for someone trying to decide between schools who has doubts about the all-female aspect of W. I really can't say too much for fear of insulting the nice young lady who wrote the letter. I suppose it's the thought that counts, yet when I realized my daughter didn't say a word about it after she got it, I read it myself. I'm guessing the school either doesn't give any guidelines or they don't vet the letters that carefully, relying on their students to tell it like it is. My impression was that it reinforced many of the stereotypes that disturb my daughter when she thinks of spending four years at a private all-girls' school. 'Nuff said? Hopefully they'll send her another one with a more worldly viewpoint. It really does not reflect the impression of the students, the intellectual level, or the diversity we felt when visiting or from those W students contributing on this site.</p>
<p>PD, there is some truth to those stereotypes or else they wouldn't exist. However, those stereotypes comprise a very limited portion of the overall picture. Good luck to your D regarding wherever she chooses but the experience offered by Wellesley--or the other top womens' colleges--can be absolutely amazing. </p>
<p>I'm about finished with a survey sent out by COHFE schools, including Smith, to parents. When I look at all I praise, about the the lack of worry I have about a large number of suggested issues, and the development of my D's potential, it's staggering...my biggest gripe has to do with some issues regarding financial aid and even those aren't huge in the overall context, though there are what I perceive to be "fairness" issues involved. </p>
<p>If you don't want to discuss in public, feel free to PM me about your D's concerns and I can address them from a parent's perspective three years in.</p>
<p>PD, I never did the letter program, but my understanding is that students are given ideas about what to write and possibly a sample (who you are, where you live, what you do, what you like about the school). I don't think the admissions office reads the letters, trusting that the students who bother to offer to write ten separate letters are a self selected group that will say nice things. Or at least things that will encourage perspectives to choose the school.<br>
The person I knew who did the letters my first year wrote about how she liked to go tunnelling and break into buildings after hours. The letter I got just talked about the architecture of Stone-D. The openness of the letters (even if you copy the same things ten times) allows them to be authentic at the very least.
The negative impressions that people get of every school they dislike is largely dependant on the type of the students they meet. You may get the weird ones or the snotty ones, and even though the sample is small, that's what your impression of the whole student body is like. I took two official tours of Wellesley: my first tour guide was excellent; my second tourguide was so so (I was already going to Wellesley at that point, but my sister wanted to see the school).
In any event, an all-women's school isn't for everyone, and as cool as TheDad and others want you to know places like that are, the only way anyone's D will want to go is if she chooses it for herself (unless she gets rejected from everywhere else. Yes, I know someone). People tend to get defiant, when even good suggested are brought about in bad ways. Especially me.</p>
<p>Thanks for the thoughts--both of you. We did visit, last fall, and probably will do so again depending on the FA offer. It is truly a beautiful campus and my D loved the new science building, as well as many other aspects of the school. Her lunch-buddy was in a rush, and my D's interview was imminent, so that student contact was a bit of a bust (I had a better lunch at the L-cafe), but our walk around the grounds exploring on our own gave us a great feeling for the school, and we sat in on a class. An overnight is a scary proposition if you get the wrong match, but then so is a room-mate at any school. I trust what W says about offering opportunity for women of all backgrounds in an environment of cooperation instead of competition. My daughter doesn't expect everyone to be like her, she understands that from H-S. Everyone is special in some way and I think W looks like a great place to bring that "special" part out in everyone. But I've been wrong before: We're two out of three for college transfers in our family so far.</p>
<p>I love the letters and I'm writing a return thank you note for the student at least taking the time and effort. But I feel horrible that someone from the college keeps trying to call me and I keep missing the call. Although, east-west coast time zones clash. One of the calls came during my 4th period class and the other was at 6am :(</p>