I am currently enrolled at Stanford University in California. During the recruiting period I was honored to meet several great swim coaches from around the country. However, after weighing all of the factors, Stanford was my choice. There were several reasons that I chose Stanford. My first reason for choosing Stanford was the uplifting team culture. The Stanford Women’s Swimming and Diving Team is amazing. When I visited, they were not only friendly and welcoming but very cohesive. I watched them push each other in practice and offer words of encouragement when they saw one of their peers struggling, and I knew I wanted to be a part of a team like that. The women on the team all seemed to know who they were and who they wanted to become. Another reason I chose Stanford was the academics. Stanford is one of the premier institutions of higher education in the World and I wanted to be challenged. I also chose Stanford because of the swimming and swim coaches. I felt that Greg and Tracy were the type of people and coaches who could help me grow and develop as both a swimmer and a person. In addition, Stanford has a long history of great swimmers and great swim teams. I wanted to be part of that long-standing tradition of excellence. Lastly, I chose Stanford because of the campus. Without a doubt, Stanford is one of the most beautiful campuses in the nation and the weather is almost always fair. In addition, I relished a situation where my swim practices would be held outside in a beautiful, state-of-the-art pool.

 

I don’t have a single regret about my decision to attend Stanford. It is even better than I dreamed it would be. My fellow swim team members and the students I have met (both women and men) are just who I thought they would be. They know who they are and who they want to be. They are ambitious, bright, together, focused, down to earth, and unbelievably interesting. It seems everyone at Stanford has a compelling personal story and everyone is exceptional at something. In addition, the women’s swim team is very close knit and everyone tries to support and help everyone else. The team leaders are exceptional, and every woman is an important part of the team and contributes. I am also very comfortable with my coaches. They are interested in my personal growth development. I feel I am more than just a swimmer to them. With regard to school, I feel challenged. I went to one of the best public high schools in the nation and yet Stanford always pushes me and furthers my learning. Lastly, I love the campus. When I am not in class, I spend most of my time outdoors. Every day, I am thrilled to wake up and be a Tree.