Golden Leaves and the American College Dream: A Love Letter to Fall

Vol. 1, No. 16

Welcome to The Thirsty Scholar newsletter — if you’re an international high school student aspiring to study at a top college in the US, UK, and beyond, this is exactly where you need to be!

IN THIS ISSUE

Golden Leaves and the American College Dream: A Love Letter to Fall

Dear Thirsty Scholars:

As Thanksgiving ushers in and the golden days of fall fade into the brisk embrace of winter, we pause to say goodbye to the most magical season – The Fall. For those who have experienced it, you will know that fall isn't just a season, it's a spectacle. And nowhere is this more enchanting than on college campuses in the US, where centuries-old trees set the stage for nature’s grand finale, blanketing quads and pathways in colours of crimson, gold, and amber. 

For prospective students—it’s a glimpse of the life you might soon call your own – a world where nature and scholarship intertwine as beautifully as anywhere I’ve ever seen.

It’s a season that invites reflection and spurs dreams, wrapping every campus in a rustic, scholarly beauty that feels almost sacred. It’s a season of warm coffee cups in libraries, cider-filled dorm conversations, and the satisfying crunch of leaves underfoot. Picture football games under glowing autumn skies and dorm windows adorned with pumpkins. Imagine students wrapped in scarves, darting through tree-lined paths that look like they’ve leaped from a postcard.

This edition of The Thirsty Scholar is an ode to this magical season that we are leaving behind - a celebration of what makes fall so enchanting on America’s college campuses. I’ve handpicked these stunning images of some of the most iconic campuses across the land - from New England’s golden maples to the gentle hues of the Midwest, these images capture the essence of fall’s wonder.

So as you plow through the Common App and essays and as you dream of college life in the US, let these images transport you to a world of golden pathways, sun-dappled quads, and cosy campus vibes. Let this be your invitation to imagine this place and this season of your future.

With warm wishes and a Happy Thanksgiving!

Ranjit 

The Season of Dreams: Fall on American College Campuses

Yale

Vassar

Swarthmore

Princeton

Duke

UPenn

MIT

Cornell

Amherst

Kenyon

Georgetown

Bowdoin

Williams

Wellesley

Boston College

Notre Dame

Vanderbilt

Mount Holyoke

Bates

Haverford

Dartmouth

Harvard

Colgate

Oberlin

Whitman

Wesleyan

Brown

Macalester

Washington & Lee (W&L)

Bennington

Franklin & Marshall

Emory

University of Chicago

UNC-Chapel Hill

Johns Hopkins

University of Virginia (UVA)

Middlebury

Davidson

Smith

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Photo Credits: Unfortunately, none of these images are my own. They have been sourced from college websites, college calendars, alumni magazines, Creative Commons, Unsplash, etc. While I made every effort, the identity of the individual photographer could not be established. If you recognize your or anyone’s work and would like to be credited, please let me know, and I’ll be happy to update the attributions accordingly.

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That’s it for now. Catch you later!

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