Bates offered the perfect mix, and the people I met there seemed genuine, earnest, and kind. I plan to major in English, which is a very strong program at Bates, and I also intend to maintain my other interests, especially art. At Millbrook, having my own dedicated studio space meant everything to me, and I spent a lot of time there. The structure of this community helped me to get organized and still have time to do things that were fun and rewarding beyond classwork. Besides teachers who fully engage with their subject matter, my advisor, Ms. Whitehouse, truly guided and supported me every step of the way and was a huge part of my success in high school. Personally, I’ll never forget just hanging out in the Abbott common room with teachers and students, just laughing and being together.