The college process has a lot of fairy tale-like aspects. Like Cinderella, I’ve had to research, visit, and perform all sorts of tedious tasks before being able to show up at the ball, or the Common App. My fairy godmother came in the form of my high school counselor who tirelessly read all my essays and suggested other schools at which I should look. While there is no perfect analogy to the waiting period, I now take on the role of Prince Charming as decisions are announced. The clock has chimed midnight and the university of my dreams has slipped by leaving only a glass slipper. Just as Prince Charming went around trying out all the maidens’ feet to find the girl of his dreams, I have been making pro/con charts, visiting campuses again, and most importantly, imagining myself at each school.

My choices came down to a prestigious public school twenty minutes from my house and a very small women’s school in Massachusetts, all the way across the country. I decided to make all sorts of charts and diagrams to analyze which school would be a better fit for me. When I visited the school in Massachusetts, I fell in love almost instantly. Not only was the location beautiful, everyone was so welcoming and it was an amazing feeling to be around so many intelligent, caring, nice, genuine girls who were interested in the same things that I was interested.

Both schools were fantastic options, but I decided to choose the small school because I wanted a more personalized education. Classes are smaller and there is no problem with impacted classes or classes filling up too quickly. There are awesome study abroad programs and research opportunities. People have tea every Friday with their professors and the resident housing system gives students the opportunity to interact and get to know other students of all different backgrounds and grades. There is such a strong sense of community and pride in the education and culture. This school seemed like the perfect place for me to grow and become a global leader for a brighter future.

Just as Prince Charming found Cinderella, I too found the school that really fits with my personality and educational needs. I can’t say that I want to repeat the college process again. It’s almost surreal that the process is over. It’s important to remember that there is no wrong choice when choosing a college. Listen to that gut feeling and go where your heart tells to.

By Lizzie Bennett