Smith College Top Questions

The only students who would feel out of place at Smith are those who are just academic robots with no outside interests. The typical Smithie takes a large variety of classes, is involved in all sorts of sports, student orgs, or musical groups, and also finds time for socializing. There is a little bit of everything at Smith, so it really just depends on who you hang out with whether you get the jocks, the super-activist hippies, the music-fanatic hipsters, the studious intellectuals, or any number of combinations of theses and others. People are pretty accepting of each other, though there can be some unintentional grouping of students in social groups by race and/or socioeconomic class.

Smith is a very open and accepting environment. That being said, I think that people with very conservative views who aren't open to change and understanding others would have a really hard time fitting in. Most students are fairly liberal and well informed.

Ugh, everyone assumes you are a lesbian because most people are and it gets annoying.

This school is ridiculously diverse--except for men. Smithies span from caucasian to african (literally from africa) slovakian to chinese, jewish to hindu. As a result of it being really diverse everyone seems to be pretty open about things.

The only sort of tension I could see developing between students might be in matters of politics--many people here are very politically active, and though I can't speak from experience, I know this is a predominantly liberal campus. Those with views farther right might find that a bit oppressive, I imagine. Other than that, there's such a wide range of racial, sexual, gender, socio-economic, and religious diversity, that I haven't seen problems arise.

Smithies tend to keep to themselves and are often friendly when you talk to them, but most often, we keep to ourselves when we are busy. House community, I realize, diminishes as time progresses.

It is so diverse here in terms of the types of people you meet and the friends you make. I honestly feel that the common denominator of almost every student is willpower and friendliness. I can't imagine anyone feeling out of place unless they want a typical college experience but anyone that opens their mind will find support and friends.

What are your experiences with racial, religious, LGBT, socio economic, and or other groups on campus? There is a sizeable LGBT population on campus who are very well supported by our student population. Our campus is extremely diverse when it comes to socio-economic status. Our religious and racial groups on campus in general segregate themselves from the rest of campus – but this is by self choice, and defiantly not due to campus climate or any other factors. This isn’t also to say that many individuals who are racially or religiously diverse don’t interact with the rest of campus, just groups that exist based on these two factors of commonality choose to segregate themselves. What kind of students would feel out of place at Smith? Students who are extremely conservative, religious, and judgmental and not open to other forms of life styles, diversities, and just other forms of existence feel out of place at Smith. If you are judgmental of other people in some way or form, and want everyone to be homogeneous towards your way of conforming – Smith is not right for you. Also – students who aren’t willing to interact with others who are different than them due to some factor, and really just want to be surrounded by others just like them, don’t do well at Smith. What do most students wear to class? Students are pretty casual. Clothes range from smart casual (jeans) to sweats and pjs. Do different types of students interact? Yes. Our housing system which isn’t based on any factor of commonality whatsoever ensures that individuals from different backgrounds, age ranges, races, classes have to interact. There are four tables of students in the dining hall. Describe them. The four tables would probably be four tables of four different houses. We all generally try to eat with our houses at meals – which are completely diverse in every way and are not based on any commonality. If there were additions to sitting by house, then individuals would be sitting perhaps by academics – like the theatre kids sitting together, by sports, or possibly language or once in awhile you catch the Christian kids segregating themselves or the black students segregating themselves. Where are most Smith students from? North East America – middle class or lower. Many students are from very urban areas or extremely rural. What financial backgrounds are most prevalent? Smith is the most economically diverse private school in America. Over 60{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of the student population is on need based financial aid. I would say the majority of the population is from middle class or lower. I have never met someone I’d really consider rich, and the rich students at Smith that exist hide the fact that they are. Are students politically aware/active? Students are extremely politically aware, and extremely active for a college campus, but not always as knowledgeable as they should be for what they’re saying. Are they predominantly left, Right, or center? Predominately left. But students from all perspectives certainly speak up. Do students talk about how much they’ll earn one day? Never.

no experiences....I republican would feel out of place these days...students wear anything and everything to class....I feel that athletes just interact with athletes and non atheletes interact with non atheleters, there should be more support between the two. Four tables-Athletes, Engineers, House tables, Orchestra/glee club.....some are politically active I AM NOT. predominantly left. yeah i better make millions to pay of this education

Students wear whatever they want to class. Some prefer to dress up, others come in pajamas. Sometimes the dress represents a social group, but more often it doesn't. Smith is a pretty heterogeneous mix of politically aware and sporadically active women. Most face politically leftward. Racial diversity is something of a challenge in the area surrounding Smith. While the college tries to recruit people of all races, the area makes it unattractive for some people of color so the racial diversity is sometimes lacking. It might also be uncomfortable for a very right-wing student in a very left-wing school. However, the brave own their beliefs, back them up, and end up being left alone about it.

I've had some negative encounters with girls who act quite entitled because they are wealthy, but overall Smith students are respectful. I think someone uncomfortable with her own sexuality and/or with homosexuality would feel rather uncomfortable here. Most students wear comfortable clothes to class. Students from all backgrounds interact. Most Smithies are from New England. Most students are wealthy. Most students are politically aware. Most are left. Students don't really talk about how much they'll earn one day.

I would say our campus is very liberal. Sometimes I leave the Smith campus and have political conversations with peers I meet at conferences, and am surprised that anyone could my age could be a republican. Sometimes being in the Smith "bubble" disconnects you from the reality of the outside world. Constantly being around women who are very vocal about their liberal political stances makes it easy for one to forget that many people outside of Northampton do not feel the same way. One of the reasons I came to Smith was that I expected it to be a politically active campus. I was dissappointed to find out that the school is not as politically active as I had thought. I imagined protests and great enthusiasm at rallies, and yet for the most part this is not the case. This is not to say there aren't activism groups on campus because there are. The Student Global AIDS Campaign, and MassPirg have been very active on campus, and yet the level of committment and involvement by the student body is somewhat dissappointing. It is easy for students to get caught into their work, never leaving the library and constantly pushing themselves for that 4.0. Sometimes, it is discouraging to see so many brilliant women focussing only on their work and not getting involved in politics or coming to watch a basketball game which would improve the exciting atmosphere of our campus even more.

everyone has an opinion.

Smith's population is really diverse with lots of students who are queer, including gender queer.

Smithies are definitely politically active, and usually liberal. There are some conservative students, and I think they have a group, but there aren't nearly as many of them as there are liberal students.

At this point, it is a lot of rich white girls who are over-sensitive about everything. They run around (so very proudly) telling people, that in spite of their millions of dollars, how liberal they are-- and how much they care about the poor. However, in most fundraising these girls are the first to pass by with out donating to African children, wounded veterans, or a fellow student battling a terminal illness. Most people are from New England and it shows. There is little interaction with other types of people, though this is not intentional. Smith 'talks a big talk' about want to accept "different" students--those out of the mainstream. However, the hypocrisy of this statement becomes apparent once you are on campus. Smith wants you to attend if you are out of the mainstream of white, Christian America (85{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of the US pop.) If you are Muslim, black, Jewish, gay, Native American or transgendered, then Smith wants you, but only to boost their stats. If you are simply a little bit weird (not even really weird, just a little), but not because you fall into any group they can label you in (such as the above named), then your life will be a living hell. The minority students will not accept you, and the WASP-y students will be mean to you because you are the only ones they will not be called bigoted for hating. (You will have your stuff stolen and profanities written on your door/belongings)

There are obviously some radical groups on campus, but in my experience it is easy to both get involved if that's what you like, and stay away from them if you are not interested in their causes. Closed-minded people will probably feel out of place. You don't have to change, but you have to be open to accept other people's personal decisions, which are frequently very different from what you would encounter anywhere else. People wear anything, and most are pretty careless. Unless it is really cold, Sweatpants and Flipflops are probably the preferred way of showing up to class. The campus is small enough to get people to interact with all kinds of people, but also large enough that you are able to avoid crowds that you don't get along with. There is not prevalent financial background. Students are very politically aware and active, and mobilize easily to fight what they believe in. Students are predominantly left. Seniors that get offers for jobs after Smith will talk to their friends about what the conditions are, but there's not much boasting about future earnings.

jeans and a sweatshirt very diverse body of students The Loud, the quiet, the onlookers New England Almost everyone is on one form of financial aid or the other Yes- very politically aware

There is at least one of everybody, even after a bunch of people transfer out the first year (and a lot of people transfer in). People wear skirts to gym pants to class. Conservatives have a hard time on campus. It seems like a lot of groups are "in your face" and involved all the time, but I think they just stand out more. I've gotten my fare share of dirty looks because I was drinking a glass of Coke during lunch, but you just have to not let it get to you. Coke has been kicked off campus so it is not an issue anymore. Many students feel really strongly about certain things, which means that they never shut up about their opinions during class and often get into heated debates with other people. Either get into the debate with them or just leave them to their own demise. I try not to get involved. I've found that even though students are mostly liberal, they aren't open to a difference of opinions.

There is at least one of everybody, even after a bunch of people transfer out the first year (and a lot of people transfer in). People wear skirts to gym pants to class. Conservatives have a hard time on campus. It seems like a lot of groups are "in your face" and involved all the time, but I think they just stand out more. I've gotten my fare share of dirty looks because I was drinking a glass of Coke during lunch, but you just have to not let it get to you. Coke has been kicked off campus so it is not an issue anymore. Many students feel really strongly about certain things, which means that they never shut up about their opinions during class and often get into heated debates with other people. Either get into the debate with them or just leave them to their own demise. I try not to get involved. I've found that even though students are mostly liberal, they aren't open to a difference of opinions.

I would say that Smith is an extremely supportive and accepting community. As a queer person, I had no problem with coming out to friends or coworkers. The community was so diverse in this respect that I found a lot of support. However, race and class issues are abundant, but subtle. Smith has a programs during orientation that are geared toward international students and "students of color" that emphasizes how to find support, academic help, and introduces students to diversity clubs on campus. These orientation groups are fantastic in helping students find support and familiarity, however, I think that the idea is fundamentally folly. The orientation program geared toward "women of color" automatically calls attention to "otherness" rather than encouraging integration, awareness, and bridging cultural and racial gaps. Class issues are frequently brought up in discussions of inequity, but the college hardly does anything to help students with financial difficulties. Class and privilege are hardly discussed campus wide, but students tend to be more aware of this than the administration.

The student body has its groups and cliques like every other campus, however the Smith cliques I believe are a bit different than most of other colleges. There is a large population of lesbians at Smith, including those Smith dubbed LUGS or lesbians until graduation. There is a small but growing trans-gender community at Smith. There are a small group of conservative or Republican students on campus. Generally, the school is a liberal one (may 90 to 95 percent). The different groups can blend and interact together fairly well with the exception of where politics are involved. The school is extremely politically active and aware and the different opinions can create conflict.

Smith is, by the book, very diverse (sexuality, race, socio-economic class). I don't think any student should feel out of place at Smith--however, I do think students should be aware of Smith's history as it pertains to certain groups and know what incidents may have happened on this campus in the last few decades. Smith is always trying to improve itself, but the campus community should be aware of what we are trying to avoid and work away from. We are also a predominantly political-left campus. However, we do have a healthy and active Smith Republicans student organization. As for class, there is a very wide spectrum, so expect to see students from all different times of socio-economic backgrounds.