Alanna Waldman ’10 officially became a college applicant when she submitted her early application to Stanford University. Waldman has not yet decided on any safety school and is currently focusing on getting into Stanford. “I don’t even have a distinct list. I’m just trying to focus on the big Stanford for a while, and then after that letter comes in December, we’ll see what happens from there,” she said. Waldman visited over ten private colleges including Georgetown University, George Washington University, Stanford University, Boston College, Yale University, Amherst College, Harvard University, Dartmouth College and Brown University. Waldman enjoyed the interviews at the various colleges. “[They] went really smoothly. I only embarrassed myself five times,” she said. Waldman said that being able to actually get on campuses and go on tours really showed her what she was looking for in a school. She added that she felt like she got to know the schools very well solely through the visits. After visiting campuses on the east and west coasts, Waldman narrowed her list of colleges down, choosing Stanford University in Paulo Alto, California, as her first choice. Although Stanford was one of her first college visits, Waldman said she knew it was the place for her the second she walked onto the campus. “The weather and the palm trees were great and I figured I could keep my tan all year round,” Waldman said. She said she was also impressed with the campus environment, and felt that “everyone was smiling,” and that “the people seemed genuinely happy.” Waldman was very interested in Stanford’s exceptional marine biology program as well, a subject she hopes to pursue in college. She is also planning on taking Spanish courses in college and hopes to further improve her speaking after spending time this past summer in Spain. Waldman said that she felt that the people she knew whowent to Stanford “seem[ed] very liberal, open and ready to have a good time.” Waldman said that she saw these qualities in herself. Stanford’s Single Choice Early Action applications were due November 1st, but she submitted her application two weeks early. She said she was relaxed about the whole process and felt as prepared as she could be. “Like everyone else I’m nervous but whatever happens, happens,” she said. Waldman said that she found the college process much less stressful then she had imagined it would be. She said that applying early alleviated the amount of pressure on her because she only focused on one application. Waldman feared that it will be more stressful if she does not get in to Stanford and has to apply regular decision to many other colleges. She added that “Everyone is so different, each individual applicant, [so] it’s just about what Stanford needs, or what they are looking for,” she said. Waldman said, “If they want someone like me, great. But if they want someone from Texas who plays the trombone, well that’s not me, and I’m okay with that too.” Waldman said she will anxiously await the news to come within the next couple of months.
