#why smith

A bit of a reflection on why I chose Smith out of all the other schools I was accepted to!

Size: Smith is only a little larger than my high school, which is a comfortable size for me in a college, though it was a bit overwhelming in a high school. However, it translates to smaller class sizes, which to my mind increases the quality of classroom discussions and student-professor relationships.

STEM and environmental science: STEM courses with predominantly women are much different than typical STEM classes, in my experience and in the experiences of Smith students that I’ve talked to. It’s also important to me that Smith is trying to be a greener school and go carbon neutral by 2030 (I believe)- and I get to help the school get there!

Campus vibes: the Smith campus is straight-up inspiring to be on. Everyone seems very driven, and it’s an extremely energetic (not to mention beautiful) place. It’s important to remember that not only are you going to school on a campus, you’re also living there, so it’s important to like the place itself.

Location: By April of my senior year, I was choosing between Smith and Hampshire College. A big deciding factor then became my mental health and how I cope with my anxiety and stress - at home, I live near an area full of coffee shops, bakeries and local businesses, and a really important thing for me is to be able to walk around and walk off the stress (plus I also really love studying in coffee shops). Hampshire is very isolated compared to Smith, where downtown Noho is a short walk away and is very much like the area I grew up in, and the vibrancy and convenience of Northampton was a huge deciding factor. 

Open curriculum: I love the freedom that the open curriculum provides for students to explore whatever they want. I entered the application process with very little idea of what I wanted to study, and I wanted to be able to explore enough that I felt confident in my choice when it came time to pick a major. However, the presence of an open curriculum also speaks to me of a school that trusts its students enough to give them the steering wheel on their own education, and I really, really like that.

As prospective students with your ~big college decision~ approaching, you’re probably asking why Smith? What makes Smith special? Here are my top three reasons for choosing Smith: 

1. STEM &&&& Liberal Arts - My main reason for choosing Smith is Smith’s academics. We’re the only women’s college with an engineering program. I’ve known for a while that Engineering is a field of study that I want to pursue, so this was a must for me. Also, It is extremely rare to find a school with such a comprehensive mix of STEM and liberal arts education. Being an engineering and physics double major, at other institutions I would most likely not be able to take such as wide breadth of classes - such as women and gender studies, art classes, language classes, literature, and so much more. While my required classes for engineering and physics definitely take up most of my schedule, I am so thankful to be able to take classes in other disciplines too. Plus - being a STEM major in a traditionally women’s college is an incredibly valuable and empowering experience.

2. Vibe (student body, housing system, etc) - Smith honestly has a really unique vibe. It’s so much more community oriented than many other schools. The student body is generally very involved and passionate and it shows in every aspect of life here - both in an out of the classroom. Smith’s unique housing system and small dining halls largely contribute to the close knit feeling of going here. I love living in a house instead of a traditional dorm. The atmosphere here is really indescribable - there is so much power, passion, and support in the student body and professors and it is really just a remarkable place to grow and learn. 

  To be quite honest, this semester has been so hectic, that it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. My classes are challenging, my time with the track team has pushed me physically, and singing with the Smithereens is a true commitment. A lot of the time my friends joke and ask me how I ever go to sleep.

right in time for decisions to be released (yay!!!!), here’s why i chose smith!

academics → when deciding between schools, i looked at the course catalog for smith to get an idea of the classes i could take if i attended. i was immediately drawn to the range of courses, and i loved smith’s open curriculum -- basically, smithies are only obligated to take a writing intensive class their first year & are encouraged to engage with different areas of study, but have no distribution requirements outside of their major! though some students attempt latin honors, where they take courses in seven different disciplines, the school provides a space for us to construct our own schedules and focus on the academic areas we want (not have) to explore. this was my biggest factor for attending...i’m also glad smith lived up to its reputation for having rigorous and rewarding classes & wonderful faculty and staff!

housing → smith’s unique housing system means we live in houses, not dorms! each have their own internally-elected governing bodies of students called house councils, and the architectural style varies between areas of campus and individual houses. i love living with students from all four years, and we even have weekly house teas and events every semester! it’s comforting to return home after a long day and hang out in cozy rooms or communal spaces (each house even has a piano!) with my housemates. i was particularly drawn to this concept of community as a prospective student, and i feel lucky to have found such incredible friends through my house in only two years here.

That’s a great question! I decided to go to a D3 school because they’re still competitive, but I didn’t want to be dependent on a sports scholarship if I somehow managed to get one. I wasn’t seeking that out, but financial aid can vary and you never know what you’ll get until you’re accepted. I wanted to build up my skills in track and volleyball without having to pick one over the other. The most important factor for me was that my D3 schools had what I wanted in student life and academics, and my D1 schools all lacked one thing or another academically that I didn’t want to compromise (and I knew I would only have tthe time and skill set to play intramural instead of varsity sports).

This is my favorite question! I picked Smith because I wanted the opportunity to develop a better understanding of feminism and to think critically about what gender equality looks like but I also didn’t want to have to commit to majoring in the Study of Women and Gender to learn more. At Smith, learning about gender equality and feminism is inherent in everything we do. At Smith, female representation is everywhere and it helps condition Smithies to expect female power to be the majority rather than the minority.

My sophomore year I was in a government class where a student emailed the entire class to pass along a website that she found to be useful as she was working on a class paper. I think there is a misconception that going to a women’s college means that it’s an extremely competitive environment. If anything, I would say that Smith students are more interested in making sure that we all succeed rather than letting academics become a competition. My friends from home are blown away by how supportive and considerate my Smith friends are. It’s all about building each other up :)

Also, quickly wanted to say that while Smith was created as a space for women we do have students who don’t identify as women. This was a positive step the college took to ensure that the current policy regarding gender identity and admission reflect the college’s commitment to representing the diversity of women’s lived experiences, and the college’s role in the advancement of women internationally. 

(before you begin reading, I want to apologize about how long this is! I just wanted to document my entire experience!!)

When I was thinking of what colleges to apply to, I found it really helpful when current college students told me their stories of how they picked their schools! Their advice was a huge part of me applying to Smith (without even visiting!) and eventually falling in love with everything about the college. I wanted to be able to tell my story of how I chose Smith and hopefully help whoever is thinking about applying! Here’s my story:

MY HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCE

In freshman and sophomore year of high school, I wasn’t that adamant about going to an all-women’s college, in fact, I never even thought about them! I wanted a small, private, liberal arts co-ed college either in Oregon, or Washington state. I looked at the prestigious universities that were very near to me like Stanford, UC Davis, and UC Berkeley, and I was turned off by the size of the class and the location. I never really saw me staying in California for college. I wanted a small school where I could enrich myself in academics and develop relationships with my professors. 

I felt lost in my huge public high school like I didn’t belong there. I never found a community where I felt comfortable to be myself, and that’s what ultimately made me long for a smaller and more inclusive academic environment. At the end of sophomore year, I was fortunate to find out about a program called Middle College that gives high school juniors and seniors the opportunity to pursue their education on campus at a local community college. Students take two high school courses, and then round out the rest of their schedule with a variety of college courses. I immediately applied to go there and spent the next two years of high school taking college classes! 

What really changed my perspective about the colleges I would apply to were the people that surrounded me at Middle College. These students all had similar ambitions and goals as I did, and their compassion and excitement about learning really made me come out of my shell! I finally felt comfortable in my school community! Woo! 

One girl at Middle College was very into women’s colleges, and was going to visit some in the spring of my junior year. Since she spoke so highly of the schools, I asked her to bring back a couple of pamphlets from Sarah Lawrence, Simmons, Mount Holyoke, and of course Smith. When she returned from her trip, she couldn’t stop talking about how great the schools were and how they all felt like second homes. I became more and more interested in applying to a women’s college after talking with her. 

EARLY DECISION

After doing lots of research and talking with alumnae from different colleges, I decided that a women’s college would be my first choice-- but it wasn’t Smith! I actually chose to apply to Wellesley College for Early Decision. I was confident that even though I hadn’t visited, I would fit right in. Here’s the thing: I thought I would be very happy at Wellesley, but there was always something in my head that was still unsure about applying Early Decision. I think the main reason I applied ED was because I liked the idea of getting all my applications out of the way and not feeling the anxiety of applying to other colleges. I just wanted to get into Wellesley and be done. But trust me, that is NOT the reason why you should apply to a school, especially when you could potentially be locked into going there! 

I had mixed feelings the day I checked if I had gotten into Wellesley. I wanted everything to be over, but at the same time I was worried if I really wasn’t a good fit for Wellesley. That admission decision was truly a defining moment in my life. I was sad that I was denied, but at the same time I was really looking forward to applying to Smith and Mount Holyoke in the next month or so! I knew that I was meant to go to a different school. Wellesley turned out to be not for me, but that doesn’t mean that it’s not the best fit for anyone else! 

WHY SMITH?

So, that’s the path that led me to Smith College! I actually got into both Smith and Mount Holyoke in the end, but here are the main reasons I chose to be a Smithie after staying at both campuses in the spring:

The Town: I never realized how great of a town Northampton was until I actually got to visit for Open Campus! I love the cute and quirky shops, restaurants, and cafes, the nice people, and the extremely close proximity to campus! It made me feel really comfortable how all these new, exciting experiences were just a short walk/bike ride away.

The Open Curriculum: Smith’s curriculum is so unique that outside of your major there are no required courses! Only one writing intensive class needs to be taken during your first year. Everything else is entirely up to you! I really like the idea of not being tied down to taking courses I’m not too interested in anyways. Smith’s open curriculum will really help me save more time in my education and lead me to focus on developing my major and possible future career!

The Great Traditions: I love how Smith has so many great traditions during the school year! I could tell when I visited how much these events strengthen the college community... that was something that I never felt at any college I had toured before! If you’re interested in learning more about these traditions like, for example, Mountain Day, Ivy Day, Otelia Cromwell Day, and Rally Day, check out this link!

The Five-College Consortium: Smith is not the only place where I can take classes! Four other colleges: Hampshire, Mount Holyoke, U Mass, and Amherst are all a short bus drive away from Smith. All students are welcome and encouraged to try new things and take classes at any of these colleges! If there is a subject I’m interested in but cannot find at Smith, it’s more than likely offered at another college! I also heard that if there is a book you can’t find at your college library, it can be quickly delivered to you from another school in the consortium! 

The Campus: I love being surrounded by nature. It helps me think clearly, balances my stress level, and brightens my mood. Seeing how Smith’s campus is basically a huge botanic garden made me extremely happy! The idea of being able to look out your window and see such a beautiful place is so great! Fun fact: The actual campus landscape design was created by Frederick Law Olmsted, who is best remembered for designing Central Park in New York City!

The Atmosphere: This was probably the main reason I chose to attend Smith! Right when I stepped onto campus, everything went into perspective. I was greeted by smiling students and extremely welcoming faculty. I can’t explain how nice it was to feel like I was immediately part of an empowering community of strong women! At Smith, the people around you want you to succeed. Students there have countless opportunities to take extra classes, work closely with faculty, and find their passions in life! It was just really great to see people who were proud of their work, their school, and their community. 

Hi! Finding colleges at first can be really random. My dad is a French teacher and he was looking for job openings on Smith's website. When I told him I was still open to a women's college and that I liked Bryn Mawr (he did campus security there when I was a wee one) he said to check out Smith! It was a lot of independent research from there.

I actually mention why I chose Smith more in depth on my blog, but visiting and meeting people on campus after researching really helped me understand what makes Smith unique! I don't think I would have had the same opinion otherwise. Best of luck!

-Iris ‘20