New London, CT: One doesn’t need to look farther than Connecticut College’s admissions booklet and web page to realize that this school offers an incredible undergraduate academic environment. After spending a night in a residential hall, meeting interesting people at the snack shop and watching a girls’ lacrosse game, it is clear Connecticut College has the feel I am looking for. An idyllic campus with a strong program in my academic field and a wide variety of extracurricular activities, it seems perfect for me.

Academically, the college’s small size and undergraduate focus allows for hands-on research and strong student/faculty relationships. This is great, since I work best in small discussion-based classes. The Goodwin Niering Center for Conservation Biology and Environmental Studies emphasizes areas I am most interested in since chemistry and environmental policy are my passions. Conn’s strong interdisciplinary program combines the science and policy aspects of environmental issues. The faculty includes some of the leading professors in wetland ecology and water quality, which is another match with my interests: I have spent several summers studying the water quality in my town’s harbor and have studied rainforest ecology in Belize. Conn’s location on Long Island Sound and the Thames River helps maintain a strong environmental focus.

Connecticut College has a competitive Division III program which gives me an opportunity to play one or more of my three sports: basketball, lacrosse and field hockey. Plus, Conn has a new turf field for lacrosse.

I am intrigued by the impressive fact that the American Council on Education calls Connecticut one of the most “internationalized” colleges in the country. The college’s Study Away/Teach Away Program particularly interests me. Another affiliated program that appeals to me is the Hebrew University Program in Israel. When I visited Israel last summer I didn’t want to leave and decided that I would return to study there. I have grown up traveling the world and believe travel is a major component of one’s education.

Connecticut College offers the combination of what I want for my college experience. Based on what I have heard, read, experienced and decided, this is the school where I want to spend the next four years. Learn more at conncoll.edu.