Blog posts on college admissions by Arjun Seth
Siddharth Sastri's (Brown University, RI) response to survey questions on right-fit
I looked at rankings as a benchmark when I was applying. I didn't go exactly by them but it was useful to know the relative comparisons between multiple colleges. I feel that whether a college is good for you is a very personal fact, but in the absence of close contact rankings are a good benchmark to have.
Sejal Pachisia's (Princeton University, NJ) response to my survey questions on right-fit
I think that top ranked schools are the top ranked schools for very good reasons, and so I think they are a very important factor to consider. I have never believed they should be the only consideration when choosing schools, but they are important because they do take into account small class sizes, the strength of the previous graduating classes and their success, job opportunities that the university's students get and the facilities and the professors at the college, which I think cover almost all of the important things about a college. Rankings don't cover a college's "personality" but that's something you can only truly know when you get there.
2. Did the geographic location (NE, Mid West, West , South) and setting (urban, rural, suburban, college town) of your college impact your overall assessment of your college experience? Did you think about this when applying? How did your perception change with time?
Yes geographic location was certainly considered. It wasn't a huge factor when choosing between schools next to two major cities, but it was when I was considering a school in the middle of nowhere (I decided to rule it out for that reason precisely). If you visit the colleges this factor becomes more important as you get a feel for the location. I thought about this while applying but in retrospect almost feel like I should have thought about it more! Because now being in New Jersey, I'm only an hour and a half away from NYC and I'm so glad that I am - but I didn't realise how important this was before!
3. Did you consider size (student population) as an important criteria while choosing schools? What do you think is a size that is ideal for you? Why?
I did consider college size - I think everyone "considers" it, the extent to which they do varies. I definitely didn't want a huge public school with over 10,000 kids in undergrad because I knew I'd feel very lost and didn't want my teachers to not know my name. I feel most comfortable in a very small school, like liberal arts size with 400 people per year, but I ended up getting into a good school about three times that size (1200 people per year) but I felt it wasn't too big and was worth the fact that it was slightly larger. I also wanted a change - I didn't want college to feel just like high school but in a new location. It's nice when every single person doesn't know about what's happening in your life, which tends to happen in liberal arts colleges.
4. What was the average class size of your intro classes? Were you satisfied with this? In what way did this change your perception of your academic experience? What would you do differently?
Intro classes really vary - princeton is extremely good with class sizes overall, so my math and physics intro classes were split up into smaller sections most of the time, and only once a week for physics I would have to sit in a hall with 100 other kids. Otherwise I still receive personal attention in smaller "precepts" - which most big schools try and do for personal attention. It really depends on which subject you take - philosophy was a very big intro class (but also had precepts, just not with the professor but a grad student). On the other hand if you opt for "freshman seminars" it's only 12-15 students with the professor at all times. I was satisfied most of the time, but in colleges generally I would like more class time with the professor and less time to just try and figure out the work outside of the classroom.
5. What is your current major interest? Did this change over time? Explain if it did? Do you think that the courses you took to fulfil general education requirements were good? What would you change about the choices you made?
I have never been sure about my major - I am thinking of doing mechanical engineering but might switch into psychology. In my first year I decided to fulfill all the engineering requirements to keep my options open.
5b) I really think your question about general education requirements is separate from my major so I'm splitting the response up. General education requirements are designed in such a way that to fulfill a requirement you can choose between at least ten classes all of which satisfy that requirement, so I mean as long as you choose wisely the requirements are alright - I've loved all the classes I took so far, though I am yet to complete my historical analysis requirement and I'm really dreading that one. I wouldn't change any of the classes I've taken so far.
6. Was the ratio of international students/total population an important criteria in your selection of schools? Did you feel trapped in any sort of bubble or clique? Did your perceptions about diversity change while you were in college?
I think that every single american school I was considering focused on diversity and an international population so much (they keep mentioning it on all their websites) that I knew I didn't need to factor it in. I think every school is getting a diverse population, so I knew I would have that pretty much wherever I went, it's not really something anyone needs to be overly concerned about. I never felt trapped in a clique - if you make friends based on who you get along with rather than who is of the same ethnic background as you, and everyone around you does the same then there never is a problem. Sure I have indian friends because sometimes it's nice to be able to talk about the latest bollywood movie and it might be comforting to be around people from the same place as me, but they're not the only people I hang out with - it's just about getting a balance. In college I met people from all over the world with different cultures and ways of thinking and that's what diversity is so it didn't really change my view, just exposed me to more.
7. Can you comment an the overall personality of the student body? What aspects of this did you like/dislike?
I dislike how intense people in Princeton are - they're almost too focused and slightly workaholicish, but again that's a generalisation so if you try hard enough you can always find people who aren't like that at all. I liked how intelligent, funny and engaging they all are, and the number of interesting conversations and debates I got to have.
8. What were the two or three things that you discovered about your school that really worked for you (after you joined)?
I got a lot of personal attention from some absolutely fabulous teachers which was great.
- The social life doesn't revolve around getting drunk but at the same time there's a lot of dancing which also really suited me
- The performing arts on campus are mind blowing - I went for some of the best plays and dance shows I've ever seen and some of them were life changing.
Aanya Chugh graduated from Barnard College in 2009. Find out what worked for her there.
Since there is a lot of cross registration between Barnard and Columbia, the lectures vary in size, and tend to range from 40 students to 200 students. The smaller classes that I took were usually at Barnard, while the larger lectures were at Columbia. However there were also larger lectures at Barnard, which made the whole academic experience pretty diverse. I was definitely satisfied and enjoyed the freedom to take a variety of large and small classes, some small and intense, other larger and often less intense. The freedom to choose was key.
1.How important do you consider rankings and Ivy League status while evaluating schools? How have your perceptions changed about this now?
When considering colleges for my undergrad in high school, I was never concerned about an Ivy League status. In fact, I intentionally didn’t apply to any. Having grown up partially in the US and partially in India, I felt that the league’s associated prestige was often thrust upon kids by their parents and was therefore somewhat misguiding. And since I had a lot of friends in the US who went to smaller colleges, I knew that my Indian peers were somewhat unaware in their assumptions that Ivy League status and rankings were the most important criteria to consider when choosing a university. I have always felt that smaller colleges are in a league of their own, with their own associated prestige, particularly in how they prioritize individual growth. My experience at Barnard only confirmed that, especially since it is a part of the seven sisters.
In my college search, rankings were used as a very general guideline, more as a means of narrowing down my list. I don’t think they matter after a certain point. For instance, it doesn’t matter if a school is number 10 or number 11, but it might matter if it is number 10 or 100. My perception of rankings today is that one should never look at a school’s rankings for any indication of its academic strengths, as a ranking largely comprises of non-academic criteria, like endowment and campus quality, that do not really matter. After working in the Barnard admissions office, I can attest to that. The office was very aware of how the school’s ranking was misguiding, and felt that it was an inaccurate way of judging the school. Barnard’s endowment is weak and its campus lacks the facilities that a better-ranked school would have. Those factors probably affected the school’s ranking, as the more money a school has, the better chance of it having better facilities and therefore achieving a better ranking. Things like size, program, and location were far more important for me. In my search, the strength of the major was one of the most important factors.
2. Did the geographic location (NE, Mid West, West, South) and setting (urban, rural, suburban, college town) of your college impact your overall assessment of your college experience? Did you think about this when applying? How did your perception change with time?
I certainly did consider these factors when applying. In terms of the setting, I knew that I could not live in a suburb and wanted an urban experience. The geography was somewhat of an intuitive decision; I knew that I didn’t want to be in the mid west or the south, and since I had already lived on the west coast, the east seemed to be the right decision. It was a huge unknown for me, and I felt like it would be a good way to get to know a vibrant city like New York.
3. Did you consider size (student population) as important criteria while choosing schools? What do you think is a size that is ideal for you? Why?
Size was one of the most important criteria to me when considering schools. Far beyond the school’s perceived prestige. Having moved through multiple educational systems and a variety of schools my whole life, I knew from experience that I thrived in a smaller and more intimate academic environment. I went to a high school that had very small class sizes, and felt that I did very well academically in such an environment. I therefore felt that my success in college was highly based on how comfortable I felt in the classroom. Barnard was the ideal size for me because it had a small undergraduate student body but with the option of larger classes through Columbia. That flexibility was very integral and enjoyable part of my experience.
4. What was the average class size of your intro classes? Were you satisfied with this? In what way did this change your perception of your academic experience? What would you do differently?
Barnard’s curriculum focuses on giving the first year two kinds of classroom experiences: a seminar experience and an intro class experience. The seminars include an English class (from a choice of three) and a seminar, of the student’s choice. Both classes are limited to 16 first years, seated around a conference table. These classes strongly prioritize discussion, and you cannot come to them without having done the previous night’s reading! These two classes are very intense, but are fortunately balanced with the other more general intro classes that are available. The sizes of these depend on the professor, the kind of class, and its associated demand. Since there is a lot of cross registration between Barnard and Columbia, the lectures vary in size, and tend to range from 40 students to 200 students. The smaller classes that I took were usually at Barnard, while the larger lectures were at Columbia. However there were also larger lectures at Barnard, which made the whole academic experience pretty diverse. I was definitely satisfied and enjoyed the freedom to take a variety of large and small classes, some small and intense, other larger and often less intense. The freedom to choose was key.
In the sophomore year students choose their major, and make their class choices based on it. On the whole, most majors have small class sizes, as the classes are more specific, no longer introductory. They are often limited to that particular major, making the student body a more expert group of individuals on the subject. The size of these classes range from about 30 to a seminar of 3, depending on the size of the program. Since I was an architecture major, a major perceived to be one of the most intense, my whole program consisted of about 60 students with very small class sizes. The major is currently shared by Barnard and Columbia, but is housed at Barnard. This results in an even mix of Columbia and Barnard students.
If I were to do anything different, it would be taking a few popular lecture courses in other areas. The university offers so many interesting options with some really amazing professors, and there just isn’t enough time to take them all! It isn’t hard to take a few every semester, if you plan it well.
5. What is your current major interest? Did this change over time? Explain if it did? Do you think that the courses you took to fulfill general education requirements were good? What would you change about the choices you made?
I majored in architecture, and initially applied to Barnard with this in mind. I had researched a variety of 5-year architecture schools, but found their admissions criteria to be too much for me, especially considering how I didn’t have a substantial portfolio of design work. And since I had a lot of other interests, I decided to choose a program that would let me try other things while also letting me major in architecture. This was a great experience. The courses that I took to fulfill general education requirements were great because they served as a balance to my somewhat intensive major requirements. They also let me explore the multitude of courses that many schools at Columbia offered. As an undergrad at Barnard, you are allowed to cross register at a lot of departments and schools outside of Columbia College. This includes courses at the business school, the architecture school (amazing to take classes with famed architects!) and their school of international affairs. If I could, I would have taken more courses outside my major, especially during my senior year. Since I was working part time, this was really difficult to do.
6. Was the ratio of international students/total population an important criterion in your selection of schools? Did you feel trapped in any sort of bubble or clique? Did your perceptions about diversity change while you were in college?
The ratio of international students to the total population was not an important criterion in my selection of schools, as I am an American. Diversity, however, was a very important factor in my decision. I chose an urban campus that prioritized diversity as one of its commitments and made sure to compare its diversity rates to other schools. I was very satisfied with Barnard’s diversity. As a first year student who did not grow up entirely in the US, I did find it difficult in the beginning to find a group of friends with a similar background. On one hand I was American, and therefore not an international student, but on the other hand, I didn’t share the same hometown or high school experiences that the other kids did. Even the Indian kids from the US were foreign to me.
It’s true that a lot of first years tended to stick to others who came from similar geographical backgrounds, as they felt the most comfortable that way. In the beginning I found myself vacillating between all kinds of groups, trying to fit in. This including Indians from India, Indians from the US, and non-Indians. I don’t think I found a sense of comfort too easily. Luckily, I was a part of a very diverse community. And since I was in New York City, I realized the benefits of not participating in just one insular social scene. Eventually, most of my friends became people from student groups and my people from my major.
7. Can you comment on the overall personality of the student body? What aspects of this did you like/dislike?
The overall student body is extremely ambitious and driven. Being in New York City, there is a constant pressure to get a coveted internship or job in the city. Most students by the end of their sophomore year have had some kind of work experience, even if it’s just research for a professor. I think that this pressure was a good thing, despite me often feeling like I couldn’t just relax and enjoy any time off. Compared to a lot of my friends who went to other schools, I have a lot more professional experience. The other characteristic of the student body is that they have a certain urban edge; students at Barnard come to the school expecting to immerse themselves in New York City. They are very involved off campus. They don’t choose the school based on its campus life, and if you do, you might be a little disappointed. But these same students who have vital lives in the city are also exceptionally studious. People study a lot. Although there isn’t too much partying, people manage to have their fun. In the little free time they have, Barnard students tend to prefer off campus bars and other urban attractions to Columbia parties. They’re sophisticated like that! Luckily this suited me as I found myself, along with a lot of other like-minded people, choosing to explore the city’s many attractions over spending my weekends on campus.
8. What were the two or three things that you discovered about your school that really worked for you?
The first thing that really worked for me was the like-minded nature of other students when it came to finding the balance between work and play. I work hard, but also like to have a little fun every now and then. Barnard/Columbia was a great environment for that since most students want to excel. But being in New York City, people cannot ignore the excitement around them, and make sure to take advantage of that. Another thing that really worked for me, as I’m sure you already know by now, was the school’s cross-registration freedom, as that allowed me to take a really diverse and interesting mixture of classes, of varying sizes and perceived rigor. And finally, the third thing that really worked for me was the school’s Architecture program. The program’s structure lets students cross register with the Graduate School of Preservation and Planning at Columbia, home to many famous architects and historians. It was amazing to take graduate level classes with really accomplished architects. Since my program was housed at Barnard, its classes were pretty small and the relationship between students and faculty was extremely intimate. It was through my advisors and professors that I got to know the architecture scene in New York, as they all held interesting practices in the city. My first architectural internship and my first job were both somewhat facilitated by a professor of mine. Although people say connections shouldn’t matter, in this kind of economy, they do. That’s not to say that I didn’t work hard! I did, but was fortunate to have the guidance of experts in the field. The kind of relationships that I fostered with my professors applies to the experience of most students. It’s inevitable that you will get to know your professors and advisors well, and that they will get to know you too. These connections, combined with the school’s amazing career development resources make it very difficult for one to not find an interesting internship or job.
Teevrat Garg graduated from Lafayette College, PA and is now headed to Cornell for his PhD in Economics & Management. Find out what worked for him.
1. Rankings: Often students focus heavily on rankings. This tendency is even more prevalent amongst international students who often don't have access to college visits or meeting with alumni. However, I would actively discourage students from using the rankings as the only indicator. Sure, there is going to be difference between the #10 and the #100 university on the list, but rankings can hardly be considered accurate in differentiating between a #10 and #12 ranked place. The important question is NOT how good a university/college is. Rather the far more important question goes further and asks "How good is the college/university FOR ME?". Simply put, Harvard isn't for everyone.
2a.Geographic Location: Mattered very little to me. It was either a 16 hour flight or a 17 hour flight from home and I don't have relatives in the US.
2b. Setting: Did not influence my decision. However I know a lot of people for whom this matters. One Indian girl decided to transfer because she liked big cities and Lafayette wasn't "happening" enough for her. Its important to note however that colleges and universities in the US spend a lot of time, effort and money in student life. They organize concerts, comedians and a host of other events. There are also several clubs and organizations that my college funded through the student government. In general, most campuses that aren't in the middle of a bustling metropolis do a lot to keep students busy and interested. If you want to find something to do, you usually can. I often say this about Lafayette College: "If you're bored, you simply haven't tried enough."
3. Student Size: Did not consider it at the time, but in retrospect a small-medium size is ideal for me. My college had a total of about 2400 students. I think the size is ideal because it lets you develop a strong individual identity and enough latitude to seize opportunities. For instance at Lafayette, I got the chance to do research with Professors and get published - something that is very hard to do at a much larger university where the primary focus is often on graduate students. Similarly, it means smaller classes (see next point). The flip side is a smaller alumni network and not being able to take graduate level courses.
4. Class Size: The average class size in intro level courses (100 level) was about 20-40, but I was in the busiest departments in the college. Economics comprises of 15% of each graduating class and Mathematics services a lot of other departments. But once I got to intermediate (200 level), the class sizes rarely exceeded 20. Once I hit advanced classes (300 level), the class size rarely went above 15 and I had several classes with just 5-6 students. Those classes were the most fun because we got a chance to develop a very strong relationship with the professor. The mood was casual and we went indepth into the material. One such class was Advanced Monetary Policy which prepared us for the college fed challenge, a competition organized by the Federal Reserve Bank of the US (similar to India's RBI), where students present their recommendation for monetary policy and then defend it in front of a panel of Fed economists. The small size of the class made the preparation of each of the 6 students so strong that Lafayette proceeded to win the national title defeating Harvard and Northwestern and Rutgers in the final round. (picture attached)
5. Majors/Interests: I applied to college as an undecided engineering major, but by the time I got to Lafayette I had decided that I wanted to do Math and Economics. I stuck with those interests though I took a number of classes outside my major including classes in Government and Law, Music, Art, Physics, Theatre, English etc. I found that these classes complemented my understanding of my majors and provided a more holistic education. If I could do college all over again, I would take more classes in philosophy and anthropology. The general education requirements seem annoying at first but they are very thoughtfully designed to give students a broad based education. You may ask, "If I am an engineer, what good is a history class? Or philosophy?" And the answer is that taking a history class increases your depth of knowledge and makes you a well rounded person. You learn a different skill set - analyzing historical events or learning the art of reason and logic in philosophy. Similarly, an English major is required to take lab sciences to get a taste of the scientific process. College is not about a degree, its about learning.
6. International Student Ratio: The ratio at Lafayette was about 5%. It wasn't much of a criterion for me and I tried very hard to not get trapped in the International Student bubble. Its easy. These are students very far from home, and they are also aliens to the culture, lingo, food and general behavior. Like yourself, these students don't have family visit on every college parent/family event. But realize that there is a college beyond that 5% and its full of wonderful, very friendly people. My closest friends at college were American and they were very helpful. Their families would invite me home for breaks and were always happy to help me. As a freshman, everyone looks for comfort zones. Try to expand yours and meet people. You'll be surprised at how many people would be happy to talk to you. And make friends across classes. Its not like school, where you only talk to people in your class. Make friends with seniors, juniors and sophomores.
College campuses in general strive for diversity and market their diversity initiatives. Being different isn't bad. It can often make you stand out and give you a chance to shine! Professors are usually very understanding of the circumstances of international students. My Piano professor invited all international students staying on campus over winter to their house for dinner one cold evening. And several professors agreed to conduct my exams early so that I could spend more time at home. American colleges WANT international students.
7. College campuses are very diverse in student interests and personalities. More often than not, your friends will be people whom you spend time with in extracurricular activities (sports, clubs, organizations) than people in your major (though, homework groups tend to make strong friends as well). Don't stereotype people and don't try to have a checklist of qualities for a person. You'll find that each person is unique and the college's environment allows them to express this uniqueness. You'll find interests you never knew you had and you'll make friends with whom you'd never thought you would. Enjoy the experience.
Spirit of Community Awards - application questions
Karan Nagpal's speech during the dismissal service at St. Stephen's College
Damini Marwaha (CMC '14) shares her CommonApp activity short answer
"When my parents enrolled me in the program in school I had no idea what gymnastics meant. Little did I know that balancing on beams, doing cartwheels and handstands that other kids struggled with, came to me with effortless ease and became the sport that I enjoyed the most. My love for the sport grew even more...
"When my parents enrolled me in the program in school I had no idea what gymnastics meant. Little did I know that balancing on beams, doing cartwheels and handstands that other kids struggled with, came to me with effortless ease and became the sport that I enjoyed the most. My love for the sport grew even more after I saw the Olympics on TV and saw people doing things that I thought were impossible. Gymnastics instilled in me discipline, determination and rigor and gave me the ability to concentrate and focus at will. I still enjoy all my routines and love being asked to judge competitions in school. Pushing the limits of my own body and seeing it gain in strength and flexibility has been exhilarating, very little seems impossible after this."
Ashima Jain UIUC '11 shares her experience of life at UIUC
I consider rankings important in choosing my college. More important than the overall ranking, I would look at the ranking of the schools in the area I want to pursue. The higher the ranking, the better the program is.
2. Did the geographic location (NE, Mid West, West , South) and setting (urban, rural, suburban, college town) of your college impact your overall assessment of your college experience? Did you think about this when applying? How did your perception change with time?
My college, the U of I, is in itself a small town village, we like to call Cham-bana - Champaign plus Urbana. It is a sweet little city in itself. I do feel left out of city life at times. But, at the same time, I feel very safe on my campus. Even the shopping malls are populated mostly by the students of our campus. I had thought a lot about this kind of life and the pros and cons before applying here. I guess I have to live with it till the time I graduate. Next time, I definitely want to experience a city campus, may be in Boston or New York.
3. Did you consider size (student population) as an important criteria while choosing schools? What do you think is a size that is ideal for you? Why?
I don't think the size of the population matters. If you are a good student, you compete with the best students around you. If the size is small, you still get to compete with the best students of the small population. Sometimes, the entire population is full of smart students. But, the deal is the same. What takes to compete with one smart student is the same as what takes to compete with 10 such students.
4 What is your current major interest? Did this change over time? Explain if it did? Do you think that the courses you took to fulfil general education requirements were good? What would you change about the choices you made?
My current interest is business. It was information technology before as I was confused about whether I want to pursue business or technology, so I chose a mix. Now, I feel sure to pursue the business route. The gen ed courses I took were awesome. I learnt so much about biology, practical physics, programming languages, asian landscapes and what not. And of course, I made the right choices.
Karina Sengupta UPenn '13 writes explaining why she chose Penn
1. How important do you consider rankings while evaluating schools? How have your perceptions changed about this now?
Rankings are important to know how a school is perceived but it isn't the end all of everything. It's more important to see the overall location of a college. Ultimately, you're going to live in a place for 4 years, so its much more important to consider pure academics.
2. Did the geographic location (NE, Mid West, West , South) and setting (urban, rural, suburban, college town) of your college impact your overall assessment of your college experience? Did you think about this when applying? How did your perception change with time?
Although I was inclined towards a rural-surburban setting because I wanted to get away from the city (I lived in Bombay all my life), but it was a minor factor when I applied. I'm so glad im going to a city college. The great thing about Penn is that it has a great campus where you can sit and read on these green fields, surrounded by old buildings, and then 10 minutes down the road, you've got nightclubs, restaurants, shops, you name it! I think location is incredibly important. The city ensures you're connected to anyone or anything, and when you're down and out and want to get away, or simply want to have a good time, the city can serve your needs. Midwest is more American (true "all American experience"), East coast is fantastic because of the transport system- Boston, NY, Philly D.C. have tons of buses traveling to and fro.
3. Did you consider size (student population) as an important criteria while choosing schools? What do you think is a size that is ideal for you? Why?
I was inclined towards a lib arts school for individual attention. At Penn, its 2500 kids, and I'm so glad I opted for that versus 300 kids a class. I've really met a wide variety of people that only a mid sized school can get me.
4. What was the average class size of your intro classes? Were you satisfied with this? In what way did this change your perception of your academic experience? What would you do differently?
In mid sized schools, the intro classes will all be 100 peeps +. The smaller classes will be 20-50 people, so the stuff about lack of individual attention in mid sized schools isn't true. I personally prefer classes without exams and with essays/projects as the final assessment. I've found that in most of my classes in Penn, and am happy with that. If you want to go the extra yard (ie, take a class, love it, and intend on pursuing research in that area) professors are more than happy to fix you up with a mentor in their department)
5. What is your current major interest? Did this change over time? Explain if it did? Do you think that the courses you took to fulfil general education requirements were good? What would you change about the choices you made?
I came in knowing I was majoring in Econ. Added a Math minor since its convenient and I love math. May pursue Psychology and Political science as minors as well. There are a wide variety of classes one can take to fulfill general requirements, and the ones I took were fantastic. Wouldn't change anything.
6. Was the ratio of international students/total population an important criteria in your selection of schools? Did you feel trapped in any sort of bubble or clique? Did your perceptions about diversity change while you were in college?
Not a lot. I did want diversity, and did not want an all white school. Very luckily, I dont feel I'm trapped in any clique. you should have the courage to break out of the indian bubble and make new friends. Dont abandon the Indians or avoid Indians..but do make an effort to meet people from other backgrounds. You'll be surprized how much you may have in common with people who seem quite different. Join a sorority, frat, or try something completely different. These are the only years you can experiment with no pressure. You'll be surprised to discover people and aspects of yourself, you never knew existed.
7. Can you comment an the overall personality of the student body? What aspects of this did you like/dislike?
Penn specifically? Generally, as a city school, people are generally open. With lots of Indians and Chinese. Very friendly, very social. not a very liberal arty place, very pre professional, business minded thanks to the presence of Wharton. I like the pragmatic, hands on nature of UPenn, and the absence of ultra theoretical models. I tend to dislike the superior position of Wharton on campus, but it's very easy to avoid that.
Amar Sarkar (Grinnell College '12) writes explaining right-fit
It's important to remember that there aren't any great distinguishing features between colleges. People look at rankings most often on USnews.com, but there's something they don't look at: Next to the rank there's a number called the "Tier". All colleges belonging to the same tier are very similar to one another. I recommend choosing by tier rather than rank. Though I go to Grinnell, my experience is so different from a student going to, say, Carleton or Bates.
2. Did the geographic location (NE, Mid West, West , South) and setting (urban, rural, suburban, college town) of your college impact your overall assessment of your college experience? Did you think about this when applying? How did your perception change with time?
Location did not play any role at all in my college selections, but that is because I'm indifferent to location. If you are someone who feels he needs a larger city or a smaller one, consider location carefully. If you don't particularly care about your environment, then don't give location too much weight. Remember, your ability to make friends won't change depending on the location, and it's the friends you make rather than the location that will make the biggest difference in your college experience.
3. Did you consider size (student population) as an important criteria while choosing schools? What do you think is a size that is ideal for you? Why?
Rather than looking at the size of the student body as a whole, you should look at student to faculty ratio. At Grinnell, it is 7:1, which is quite impressive. For undergraduate education, aim for a smaller class size so that you can learn the skills (note, I'm saying skills, not content) to the best of your ability.
4. What was the average class size of your intro classes? Were you satisfied with this? In what way did this change your perception of your academic experience? What would you do differently?
The average class size for an introductory class was about 25 students. I was happy with this and wouldn't do anything differently.
5. What is your current major interest? Did this change over time? Explain if it did? Do you think that the courses you took to fulfil general education requirements were good? What would you change about the choices you made?
I am currently a Mathematics major, though I began as a Psychology and Economics double major. These interests change with time and that's no surprise. One of the main advantages of the liberal arts system is the ability to choose your major field and change your choice while you're there. As far a general education is concerned, a variety of courses in different disciplines helps cultivate the skills (critical reading and thinking, analytical skills, research skills and most importantly, writing skills) that the college is trying to teach you.
6. Was the ratio of international students/total population an important criteria in your selection of schools? Did you feel trapped in any sort of bubble or clique? Did your perceptions about diversity change while you were in college?
Grinnell seems to have about the 8% International student population. I have never felt isolated or estranged on campus. In fact, all my friends are American.
7. Can you comment an the overall personality of the student body? What aspects of this did you like/dislike?
Grinnell is known for being a firebrand school. One of the defining features of the student population is the tradition of community service. The student body also makes a very big deal of being politcally correct. This sometimes leads to the generation of an artificially accepting environment.