Smith is an all-women’s private liberal arts college in Northampton, Massachusetts. Those who choose to attend Smith will be encouraged to study multiple disciplines, participate in internships, and engage with politics. The acceptance rate hovers around 31%.
Smith has one supplemental question:
Music means so many things to so many people. It can bring us joy, inspire us, validate us or heal us. Please tell us about a song or piece of music that is particularly meaningful to you and why. Please include the name of the song/piece and the artist. (200 Words)
After a spirited internal discussion, we at TKG have decided that Smith should probably ask applicants why they want to go to Smith instead of this question. A short question about music is not uncommon, but rarely do we see a college solely ask about music. The writer of this blog post almost exclusively listens to Drake, and recognizes that listening to “Popstar” on repeat is not a worldly choice. She would not want colleges deciding if she’s a good fit based on her Spotify playlist of choice.
The real issue with this question is that people are tremendously judgmental about personal preferences, whether it is about art, food, clothing, or anything else. That’s the reason why so many aspiring college students will suggest that their favorite movie is Citizen Kane, or a French film that they’ve never seen. This causes high school students to set forth information about themselves that doesn’t speak to who they are, which is problematic because colleges are trying to build out classes full of students who have different interests and passions. It’s undoubtedly true that books, movies, music, and art can add tremendous value to our lives. But it’s also true that questions like this, especially when there are not multiple questions pulling from different sides of a person, can be intimidating and lead to inauthentic responses. With all of that being said, there is a genuine way that you can answer this prompt.
Start by streamlining a list of personality characteristics about yourself. Then, cross off anything that is represented elsewhere in your application. Choose the one that feels most true to you that has not been fleshed out yet. From there, you’ll want to choose a song that represents that trait.
It’s important to keep in mind that you’re writing on the song, not about the song. So, you might tell a story about the time you first heard the song, or tell two mini-stories about the specific times when you put the song on full blast when you want to feel inspired or emboldened. Whatever you choose, make sure that you’re not writing a biography about the songwriter – instead, flesh out the link between the song and your personality trait and explain its significance. One final note: Smith is an all-women’s college. This does not mean that your song has to be sung by a woman, but please don’t google “best feminist anthems.” It will be obvious, overdone, and probably won’t say much about you.
Smith’s sole supplement is your only opportunity to share another side of yourself. Brainstorm until you’ve decided what’s most important, and then start writing.
If you’re feeling stuck, contact us here.