<p>simply lily, what do you mean you were no longer in high school? did you take a year off or does Isreal have a different school system?</p>
<p>I actually did not indicate a strong interest in Vassar. I never visited, and didn’t even know what school Vassar was in the beginning of the application process. But I was still accepted and am glad I was, since it’s a great school and I’m happy to be going there!</p>
<p>I agree with kayrlis, I had a 4.67 GPA, was editor-in-chief of the newspaper, 900+ hours of community service, many AP classes, etc. I think the YourSpace part of the application had a lot to do with it because I submitted a lot of the oil paintings I did, which probably indicated to the admissions office that I wanted to be there.</p>
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<p>Well, right after high school in Israel, girls are required to either join the military for two years or do at least one year of national service to the community. I didn’t think I was really suited for the army so I chose the national service thing. And then, once that was done, the whole application to college takes a year as well - essays and translating documents and then the endless waiting. So yeah, I’ll be coming to freshman year when I’ll be 20 years old - and that’s pretty young in Israel. Most people finishe the two-three years in the army (3 for guys), take a trip, study for the Israeli SATs, maybe work to save some money, and enter University at the age of 22-23…</p>
<p>whoa thats uber fascinating! 
lol, i definitely could not imagine joining the military for 2 years, but the service thing sounds interesting. I think you just made me more excited to go to Vassar, lol, i cant wait to meet more interesting people. :D</p>
<p>Lol, I feel the same way about studying in the US! I can’t wait to meet new people and find out how life is really like out there, regardless to the contradicting images I get from TV and movies… I want to know practically everything!</p>
<p>Though it does makes me laugh and amazes me time and time again that something so banal for us would be fascinating to other people. I mean, out here the military is a prominent part of life, with jokes and slang and experiences that every one has during their time in the military. National service is a bit more rare, though.</p>
<p>I got into Hamilton and Vassar. They are both GREAT schools and my choice ultimately came down to Hamilton, Vassar, Bowdoin, and Wesleyan. I LOVED Hamilton and my only issue with it was that it was rather unknown… then again, so is Bowdoin. Vassar on the other hand had a really depressing atmosphere. Poughkeepsie honestly gave me the creeps and I come from a city. I’m sure you’ll do great at Hamilton. Good luck!</p>
<p>Lol, i think that happens whenever someone experiences a new country. There might be something here where youll be all “whoa really!” and we’d think it was normal. thats cool though, its part of what makes it fun.</p>
<p>I can’t wait to find out! Though I hope Vassar really is as friendly as it seems - I do worry sometimes. I mean, I’ll be all alone there…</p>
<p>Dont worry you definitely wont be alone. I was kinda the same way(nervous/worried) and then i went to this Focus Weekend overnight thingy for 3 days and it was absolutely amazing! Honestly i cannot stress how nice people were – i think thats what i liked the most about it; everyone was willing to help you find buildings, answer questions, or just chat. I felt so relieved and excited 
As for alone, international student orientation is a day or two before the regular one so youll get to meet at the ppl in the same situation. Since everyone is new its easier to make lots of friends.
Goodness, im getting excited just talking about it! lol</p>
<p>BowdoinGirl - You applied to all the same schools I did. Funny how that works.</p>
<p>I chose Hamilton over Bowdoin for exactly the same reasons you chose Bowdoin. I’m an athlete. I’m not going to set any state records, but an athlete all the same. Bowdoin’s campus doesn’t revolve around the gym. The field house is actually about a 1/2 mile from the main campus. I was there when they were building the new rink. The gym that is on campus was kind of gross. The gym at Hamilton, with the big glass windows and the climbing wall and the wide open floor plan was the nicest facility I toured.</p>
<p>Also, the Bowdoin students were more outdoorsy than I am. I may be an athlete, but I’m also a girly-girl and I don’t like camping. Sorry.</p>
<p>Finally, the Bowdoin students, while nice enough when you engaged them, struck me as a bit more competitive, academically, than I wanted. I’m not looking for cut-throat competition. I mean, they were pretty laid back as a group, but you could tell that there was an underlying intellectual competition there. I’m not adverse to academic competition, but I want it to be friendly competition. This struck me as a bit more hard-edged than I was looking for. </p>
<p>When I visited Hamilton, everyone was nice. I mean, really nice. I didn’t have to engage them. If I looked lost, they asked me where I was headed, and then walked with me to make sure I got there. Once, when someone gave me bad directions, one of the students overheard it and corrected it for me so I wouldn’t get lost. It was a more pro-active friendliness that I found really endearing. And I think that, more than anything else, made up my mind for me.</p>
<p>I didn’t get into Wesleyan, but I think that was because the admissions folks recognized I didn’t fit the hippie-activist mold of the typical Wes student. It was for the best.</p>
<p>The moral of the story - you have to visit the school to get a good handle on what you like and what you don’t. All of the elite LACs look pretty similar on paper, but every one has its own personality. I’m a great fit for Hamilton. You’re a great fit for Bowdoin, I’m sure. Lily’s a great fit for Vassar. I find it amazing how often the admissions processes gets it right and puts us where we were meant to be.</p>