Today, we continue to explore what going to college is like at a prestigious, “Little Ivy” liberal arts college in the second part of our in-depth interview with a recent graduate.
Sam recently earned his Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Swarthmore College, a school that U.S. News & World Report has consistently ranked as one of the top liberal arts colleges in the country. Today, Sam will discuss his social support, Freshman year fears, overall college experience, and job hunt, along with valuable advice for high school students planning on going to college.
Sam, thank you again for your participation. Your responses will help many students who are thinking of going to college. Let’s tackle a few more questions.
I’m wondering—what did your family and friends think of you going to college at such an exclusive school? Were they supportive?
My parents were thrilled. Unfortunately my grandmother, who attended Swarthmore way back when, had just died a few months before I heard, but my whole family was very proud. I’m the oldest in my generation of the family so I was the first to go off to college. Most of my friends had actually never heard of the school. They thought it was Skidmore. I was the first kid from my high school to ever go to Swarthmore (white bread Massachusetts Catholic high school vs. tiny Pennsylvania liberal arts school, you do the math) so it wasn’t on a lot of people’s radar.
So, what was your biggest fear in going to college?
That I wouldn’t be the smartest guy in the room anymore and that everyone there would be better than me at something. Surprise, it came true, and it wasn’t the end of the world. I think a lot of high school kids get “big fish, small pond” syndrome and going to a tough school is a good way to get that slapped out of you. I was probably pretty insufferable when I was 17-18.
If you had to pick one word to describe the experience of going to college, what would it be?
Argh, job interview question. I’d go with “tempering” because I think that the most important thing college does is to turn kids into adults. It’s an ongoing process, but at least for me, I think that more important than any of the classes were the times when I had to just grow up and do stuff for myself, including think for myself. College made me a lot more mature and thoughtful.
Now, our website recently ran an article on the career-related advantages of going to college at an Ivy League school. Do you feel attending a “Little Ivy” college like Swarthmore has particularly aided your career?
Ask me again when I get a job. I have a lot of friends who actually are working right now, some at very prestigious jobs. I think I kind of missed the boat on taking advantage of the career services office, but I saw many people go right from Swarthmore into high-paying and exclusive careers, so the advantages are definitely there. I’m still job hunting, though.
What advice would you offer to someone who is interested in going to college in general?
Everything in moderation. I have had friends who washed out of college within weeks because they were more interested in partying and friends who graduated with stellar grades but little life experience. College is kind of like the real world, only smaller and simpler, so it’s a good place to learn to live like an adult. At the same time, you can’t neglect classes because you only get one chance at them. Once you’ve graduated, that’s it, and there will inevitably be things you couldn’t do, but learning how to deal with that is part of life as well.
What advice would you offer to someone who is interested in going to college at a competitive institution like Swarthmore College?
Find what sets you apart and really play it up. Don’t be a smart kid who plays the tuba; be a tuba player who’s also smart. Top colleges could fill their entire graduating class with valedictorians with perfect SATs if they wanted to. Clearly, they don’t. Take a risk. The worst that can happen is that you don’t get in, which is hardly the worst thing in the world. And apply to plenty of schools. I applied to 9, got into half, and I am really happy where I ended up.
Do you have any other thoughts to share about the college admissions process or the experience of going to college?
It’s a bit of a crapshoot at the highest level, so if you don’t get in don’t take it personally. I was rejected from Amherst and Yale but got into Swarthmore, but if a butterfly had flapped its wings in China I might have gotten into Yale but not into Swarthmore. At the end of the day you’ll end up where you belong. College was the best time of my life so far. It’s scary because you’re not sure if you’re ready for it, but remember that everyone else is scared too, and so were generations of students going back hundreds of years. They all turned out ok. You will too.
Sam, we really appreciate your candid responses. Thank you again for your time.
Students, if you are thinking of going to college, especially at a prestigious school like Swarthmore, be sure to check out the first half our interview with Sam. In the first part of the interview, he covers his motivations for going to college at Swarthmore and the very unusual way he found out he had been admitted to the college, plus his SAT scores, high school GPA, and college admission essay topics.
We hope you have found this two-part interview with Sam informative and encouraging. Sometimes, it may feel like going to college at a prestigious school is out of reach for “regular people,” but we at College Admission Secrets Exposed believe every student has the potential to succeed at the school of their choice.
