Hey @hop - visit to Bennington was really great. I wrote it up in more detail here:
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/discussion/comment/21679671/#Comment_21679671
D20 liked it a lot, and it seems to be on the “definitely maybe apply” list. (As opposed to the “definitely apply” list (Bryn Mawr, Mount Holyoke, Barnard) and the “maybe apply” list (Macalester)).
Mount Holyoke was fabulous, great visit, super tour guide and particularly impressive student who spoke at the info session. The half day there was a detailed, compelling, friendly, and encouraging advertisement for what seems like a wonderful community.
Spent the afternoon of the same visit at Smith which was sadly really disappointing. Maybe my expectations were too high for Smith and so weren’t met, while my expectations for MHC were lower and therefore fairly easy to exceed. D20 took Smith off the list before the visit was over.
Thanks for all the input above, everyone. We have a little more clarity on our list and will be doing the next round of visits in March – probably a big loop through NY/NE to see Sarah Lawrence, Wesleyan, Brown, Wellesley, Bates, Middlebury, Skidmore, Bard, Vassar. Might ask D20 to cut 2-3 off that list so we can squeeze the trip into 6-7 days vs. 8-9.
Also scheduled to see Penn and Haverford this fall (we’re local) and D20 would also like to visit NYU just to confirm whether the hyper-urban large university is for her.