Decision Szn // Why I Chose Mudd

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The time is here when admissions decisions are being released, admitted students programs are being put together, and eventually, it will be decision day for students. Ahh, the sweet time when seniors in high school commit to a college that they will spend the next four years of their lives at. Dun, dun, dun….

Scene from Finding Nemo where they surround a tank volcano and do a scary ritual.

Source: https://gph.is/1D0vMUo

B.D. (Before Decisions)

I vividly remember the second semester of my senior year when I was waiting to hear back from the seven schools I applied to. I only applied regular decision, so I would be waiting the standard (approximate) four months to hear back.

From January first onward, time could not have seemed to move slower. I remember feeling agonized that I couldn’t do anything but sit back and wait. I’ve never felt more impatient.

I knew I was going to be okay no matter what the outcome was and that I should remain present and make the most of my senior year, but that didn’t make it easy for 18 year old me to not obsess over what was to come.

When I was in high school, all of the preceding steps seemed to lead to one another smoothly and sensibly: from attending the local public elementary school to the local public middle school a few blocks over, and then onto the local public high school a few more blocks over. Each of these stepping stones seemed to blend together relative to the transition to college.

A graphic art of three tiny stair steps labeled elementary, middle, and high. One large step after the three small ones with multiple question marks labeled college.

A visual of what my life felt like when I was a senior in high school.

At the time, I wouldn’t have considered myself afraid of change, but I had never been through change that was this dramatic. Maybe I was, after all, terrified of change.

Marlin, the clown fish dad in Finding Nemo, looking scared.

Source: https://gph.is/18ShAgB

If I could tell my senior year self anything, I would give myself a message of, ironically enough, acceptance. I was so stressed because there were so many unknowns at play, but I just needed to relax and ride the waves.

I know it’s one thing to hear these things and another to learn them through experience, but if you’re currently waiting to hear back from schools, I’m going to tell you anyway: relax.

Scene from Finding Nemo where Dory is telling Marlin, who lost his son, to "Relax."

Source: https://gph.is/XIPTk3

Hearing Back From Mudd

It was my spring break and I was staying with friends at a beach house. I actually deleted the email app from my phone, because I had been compulsively refreshing for a few weeks at this point. The idea was to avoid receiving any news, just in case it was bad.

Of course, that wasn’t going to actually stop me. I was checking my email on a browser- ridiculous, I know. I had received an email from HMC’s Office of Admissions and at this point, there was no way I was not going to open it. I swore to myself I wouldn’t say anything to my friends if it were bad news…

Low and behold, it was great news. In fact, the best.

Starfish from Finding Nemo happily singing.

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A.D. (After Decisions)

Scene from Finding Nemo where there are multiple fish in bags in the ocean with the caption "Now what?".

Source: http://gph.is/XGEjWJ

After hearing back from all of the schools, it was time to make a decision. Although the fact that you’re reading this from HMC’s website is the biggest spoiler alert ever, let me tell you why I chose Mudd.

Why Mudd?*

  • Location was an important factor when I was deciding where I wanted to attend school. I always gravitated toward the west coast and was excited when the prospect of moving here became realistic. The weather, the concerts, the beaches, the art, and the diversity are all reasons why I love the living near Los Angeles. And honestly, it doesn’t hurt to live a little outside of the craziness (35 miles to be exact), but a visit to the heart of DTLA is accessible whenever craved.
  • Rumor had it, Mudd would be challenging. It’s true. The reputation of rigor didn’t deter me, though. It may have even attracted me because I knew what my goals were coming in. I chose Mudd because I wanted to be challenged to become the best student, worker, and leader that I can be at the end of the 4 years that I’ll spend here. It’s important to me that I gain the most from my undergraduate experience, just in case it is my last time in formal education.
  • Three letters: R O I. When describing why I chose Mudd, I wanted to steer clear of referring to statistics. But in the effort of maintaining transparency, I’m obliged to bring this one up. The return of investment for a Harvey Mudd education is ranked one of the best in the nation. It goes back to my previous point, I want to get the most out of my experience, in all ways possible.
  • I came from a school with a graduating class only a couple of hundred students less than Mudd’s entire student body. Attending a school with a smaller student body wasn’t my priority, but I knew that the size of Mudd allows for intimate classroom settings that are not that different from what I had in high school, but very different from universities across the nation. The Consortium makes it even better, because although there are only 886 students at Mudd, there are about 6,000 undergraduates across the broader campus, a size comparable to many universities I was considering. It’s the best of both worlds.
  • The people. The people. The people. It was a mantra I heard across campus that still echoes in my conversations today. During the two times I visited Mudd, I was consistently impressed by the level of engagement and ingenuity of whoever I interacted with. Compared to the other schools I was considering, Mudd seemed to have the most people that I shared values with. I chose Mudd because of the people.
  • Sometimes, it’s the ambiance. I admired the creativity that saturated the campus. I appreciated that Mudd didn’t feel cut-throat. I liked the quality and the look of the classrooms, labs, and clinic work spaces and I could picture myself working there one day. The spaces that I spent time in felt comfortable. All of these seemingly little things can make a big difference. My time spent visiting Mudd made the world of a difference.

I chose Mudd and I’m glad that I did. My experience has been everything I thought it would be and more. Two years ago, I made the right decision for me and if you’re in the midst of choosing a school, I hope that you make the right decision for you, too.

A photo of me wearing a Harvey Mudd Shirt in front of a graffiti decorated wall.

My favorite Harvey Mudd t-shirt that reads: “The most Amazing College you’ve never ever* heard of”.

*In no particular order.