Hi guys, I'm sending this out in a little bit so any last minute feedback would be greatly appreciated! The prompt is simply, "Why Swarthmore?"
When I picture myself at Swarthmore, I see discovery, inspiration, laughing, a lot of snow (the girl from Hawaii is optimistic...), and finding my niche. The community is supportive and encouraging to students, and I value that acknowledgement. Swarthmore celebrates knowledge (my desire for world class academics would definitely be satisfied here), sparks a burning for learning, provides flexibility with structure, and attracts some seriously cool people from around the world. I want to see for myself the open spaces, particularly Crum Henge, Parrish Beach and the Amphitheater. In the school itself, I love how the dorms are structured, and the RA program looks like a blast. (Think Hawaii-style: slippers, surfboards, and board shorts would make a memorable theme!) Not only did the website (and the powers of Youtube and Cappex) show me how it would be to live in a dorm or study in a library, it also proved, once again, how much I want to be around the people at Swarthmore. After countless visits and virtual tours of campuses across the nation, I am buoyed by how friendly and open-minded students at Swarthmore appear; the Swarthmore Unscripted clips gave me an honest feel for the genuine happiness and passion that seems to imbue life there.
Intellectual vibes pulse from Swarthmore. In fact, my eyebrows were raised when I checked out the Science Center (via the virtual tour) and saw the sheer number of biology courses and lectures offered. (Neurobiology! Genetics! Plant Biology! Oh My!) The Tri-College Consortium arrangement offered at Swarthmore piqued my interest, too; I like the idea of cross registering at Haverford or Bryn Mawr for an even broader variety of classes and the chance to meet new people. A solid grounding in the liberal arts (with the flexibility of an interdisciplinary approach) sets a foundation for any of my preferred fields of study (Biology? International Politics? Espanol?). The future is wide open. Swarthmore is...my portal.
When I picture myself at Swarthmore, I see discovery, inspiration, laughing, a lot of snow (the girl from Hawaii is optimistic...), and finding my niche. The community is supportive and encouraging to students, and I value that acknowledgement. Swarthmore celebrates knowledge (my desire for world class academics would definitely be satisfied here), sparks a burning for learning, provides flexibility with structure, and attracts some seriously cool people from around the world. I want to see for myself the open spaces, particularly Crum Henge, Parrish Beach and the Amphitheater. In the school itself, I love how the dorms are structured, and the RA program looks like a blast. (Think Hawaii-style: slippers, surfboards, and board shorts would make a memorable theme!) Not only did the website (and the powers of Youtube and Cappex) show me how it would be to live in a dorm or study in a library, it also proved, once again, how much I want to be around the people at Swarthmore. After countless visits and virtual tours of campuses across the nation, I am buoyed by how friendly and open-minded students at Swarthmore appear; the Swarthmore Unscripted clips gave me an honest feel for the genuine happiness and passion that seems to imbue life there.
Intellectual vibes pulse from Swarthmore. In fact, my eyebrows were raised when I checked out the Science Center (via the virtual tour) and saw the sheer number of biology courses and lectures offered. (Neurobiology! Genetics! Plant Biology! Oh My!) The Tri-College Consortium arrangement offered at Swarthmore piqued my interest, too; I like the idea of cross registering at Haverford or Bryn Mawr for an even broader variety of classes and the chance to meet new people. A solid grounding in the liberal arts (with the flexibility of an interdisciplinary approach) sets a foundation for any of my preferred fields of study (Biology? International Politics? Espanol?). The future is wide open. Swarthmore is...my portal.