<p>the STRIDE thing is a really nice perk, especially now that they raised the stipend for it. back in my day (i feel SO OLD) it was only $2500/yr. But the chance to work with a prof in a really meaningful way was amazing–and there are even funds to go to conferences with your professor. i went to New York, which was fun. Other STRIDE people I know got to go to New Orleans and Belize! </p>
<p>I agree with what the others have said about the Zollman. It’s nice, but no one is a ‘sure thing’ to get one. They give fewer than 10 each year (and my understanding is that if someone turns it down–and a lot of people do–it doesn’t get awarded to someone else). I got one, and I hesitate to put my numbers down since they’re so out-of-date at this point. But I had good grades at a good public school, spent a year as an exchange student, edited my school newspaper, did a fair amount of community service, and had a part-time job. I also had a real love for Smith and spent a lot of time learning about it. But what Mini says is true–i think the reason i got it was because they were afraid i was going to get in to a higher-ranked school and go there if it wasn’t for the money.</p>
<p>as it turned out, i got into some schools and was rejected from others. even without the Zollman, smith would have been an amazing place for me. But with the scholarship (and the alumnae-funded scholarships for smithies heading to grad school–not necessarily a way of choosing which college to attend, because who knows going in if you’ll win one, or even if you’ll want to go to grad school–but i cannot stress enough what a bonus this little-publicized program was for me) it was a great bargain as well.</p>