(September 3rd, 2019):
My name is Amanda and I graduated from Girls Prep Lower East Side in 2015. I’ve always been a dedicated student, ever since I started Girls Prep Lower East Side in kindergarten. By the time seventh grade came around, I had been nominated by my teachers to apply for an academic program called Prep 9. Truthfully, this 14-month program asked a lot of me. It was like attending another school. Six weeks of academic rigor during the summer into eighth grade, every Saturday during that school year, and six weeks again the next summer after graduation. Girls Prep Lower East Side Middle School helped me through this stressful time of homework assignments coming from school and the program. Without Girls Prep nominating me for the program, I’m not sure where I’d be today.
After graduating Girls Prep Lower East Side Middle School as valedictorian in 2015, I went to The Hotchkiss School, a co-ed private boarding school in Connecticut. Since I had gone to a single-sex school for my entire life, I was concerned about my adjustment to the new dynamic of the classroom on top of adjusting to living on my own. With the help of new friends and supportive teachers, I began to thrive in my new academic, social, and residential environments.
When it came time to looking at colleges, I felt confident in starting the application process with all the academic experience I’d acquired over the years. I’d known about Smith since my Girls Prep Lower East Side days, and I was very excited about the opportunity to apply. Some of my friends who had never had a single-sex education did not understand why I would want to go to all-women’s college. Since I had already gone to school at Girls Prep Lower East Side, Smith had a comforting, home-coming aspect that I did not expect others to understand. When I was admitted and deciding between schools, I just knew Smith College was the choice for me. Thanks to Girls Prep Lower East Side as my educational foundation, I’ve been proud of my academic success to date and cannot wait for what the future has in store!
Thank you.
