Benzoic acid +ethanol at pH=3

Why does EtOH add to the COOH end of benzoic acid to make an ester (COEtOH) and not the benzene ring (at the "meta" position since COOH is electron withdrawing)? Thanks a LOT!! I havent been able to figure this out the whole day

EtOH isn't an electrophile. Those rules only apply to electrophiles like Cl2 or NO2+.

Also, the ester is PhCOOEt, not PhCOEtOH.

it is ESTERFICATION reaction.is one of the method that is used to prepare esters (RCOOR').
RCOOH+R'COH----------->RCOOR' + H2O
CARBOXYLIC ACID +ALCOHOL------->ESTER+WATER.
BENZOIC ACID +ETHYL ALCOHOL-------->ETHAYLBEZOATE +H2O
here the reaction site is the carboxylate not the benzene ring coz the benzene ring is very stable and resists reaction coz of resonance effect.