Smith College Top Questions

Here's your chance: Say anything about your college!

Siobhan

Smith is part of the five-college exchange, making for a huge variety of class and degree options for a small liberal arts school. The all-female (excepting trans students), generally very liberal student body makes for a great campus culture if you're a cumudgeonly progressive like me. The science and research angle is very strong for liberal arts, and all the academics are rigorous and demanding.

Stephanie

Most of the other schools I considered were "safer"-they were in my home state, and co-educational. I only considered one other women's college. What set Smith apart is the sense of energy on campus- it's not a competitive energy, it's a genuine drive to be the best at whatever it is you do, coupled with the desire to enjoy the companionship of the other people around you. Most importantly, all the school's resources are meant for the students, and specifically geared toward women: all the facilities, classes, etc. are meant for ME. Awesome.

Jenelle

Houses where everyone lives aren't like any other. They look nothing like regular dorms and you really get to know the people who you live with. Everyone in the house does things together and it's as if you get to come home to your second family every night.

Caitlin

It's a women's college that encourages independent thought from women who deserve the opportunity to opperate in a community without restraints based on their gender, race, sexual orientation or anything else that may be used to identify them elsewhere.

Jennifer

The campus is very beautiful and not too big that you can't find anything and not too small that you fell it is crowded. It is a nice to be able to see the many different varieties of plants from all over the world on campus. The dorm rooms don't look like a jail cell and the house and each house has its own personality.

Samantha

Students are given a lot of freedom to organize their lives. There are no course requirements for graduating and there are no RA's.

Jeanette

The housing situation is very unique to Smith. We have actual houses (varying from 15 to 130 girls) instead of "dorms". We are also very unique in that we are an all-womans college.

Chelsea

I love the town/environment. It is very liberal, it has a classic New England feel to it. Both the town and the college are not too big, yet not too small. It is a liberal school where people can feel free to be themselves and be accepted for it, I like that attitude of comfort and tolerance. It is an ideal environment in which to learn and grow as a person, to meet like-minded indivuduals and establish connections.

Rachel

Smith is not only unique in that its a women's college, but its dorm system is as well. It is a close community, set in a cute little town in Western MA, yet with all the opportunities of a small city - thanks to the local colleges and fairly short distance to Boston (only one hour).

Parker

I love Smith!! :)

amsilina

Some days you may wonder why you chose this women's college, but then you will think about the classes you're taking, how beautiful the campus, the pond and the nature trail are, and how much you love Northampton and you will remember. But only come if you really mean it.

rachel

SO smith is pretty cool. it's not perfect, but no where is. sometimes you can feel trapped inside a smith bubble - cut off from the goings on of the world. but it's not hard to get off campus. make friends at other schools!

Alex

Smith is a place for leaders. Do not think you are going to come here and things are just goin to be given to you like in high school. You have to work for everything!

Erin

FROM TALBOT HOUSE!!

Julia

Sometimes, half of the floor will be menstruating at the same time and the boxes for pads will get full. That kinda sucks.

Leigh

Talbot House!!! I LOVE the housing system. Every residential building has character, traditions, and history. There's a house for everyone, whether you like a quiet environment all the time, or you want to be somewhere parties happen often, and you can be loud at 2 in the morning on a weekday.

Ryan

No, I think I wrote enough.

Petunia Bee

MONKEYS!

Nina

I live in Talbot House, and it is the best! To give you an idea of what going to Smith is like, this semester someone started a group called Grammar Underground that distributes flyers in people's mailboxes advocating good grammar. That's pretty friggin' awesome. There is a significant number of transgendered (female to male) students, who for the most part are accepted in the Smith community. Having grown up in a place where I hardly even knew any gay people it was really weird at first, but I got used to having trans students around pretty quickly and now I'm friends with a few trans Smithies.

Emmerson

I'm a resident of Talbot House

Bryce

I love Smith. It is the right place for so many people.

Jennifer

I'm with Talbot House!

Shannon

Come to Smith it's great!

Maggie

I am Smith.

Charlie

Talbot House!

Jocelyn

My house! I live in Talbot House in Upper Elm. It houses 80 students. And we have an amazing community that is accepting, close knit, and a little bit strange. Mouse love!

Andy

TALBOT HOUSE!!! The food is good, except for right before break. I'm pretty sure that is universal though. We have some excellent cooks, and because there are multiple dining halls, there is a fairly high chance you will get to know the staff. You are allowed to eat at as many dining halls as you want every day, and as much as you want. Food isn't a major focus of college life, I know, but it sure makes a difference to have something palatable available after an exam.

Margaret

Talbot House

Julie

This is for Talbot House!!!

Scout

I can't imagine going anywhere else but Smith. I thought I wanted to go to a Co-ed school but I really can't see myself at such a school anymore. I have learned so much at Smith about just about everything I have immersed myself in -- including myself. I have had some of the most amazing professors and am truly awed by their skills and knowledge. All the while, I have met some incredible people who mean the world to me. I find that I am frequently just astounded and so proud of my friends. Smith has a beautiful campus, with amazing teachers, and amazing students (for the most part). But, every college has some problems and Smith is, in no way, exempt from that.

Becky

Chapin House rocks!

Bobby

I LIVE IN WASHBURN HOUSE.

Alison

I hated Smith at first, but the I learned to love it...not because I got used to the lifestyle here, but because I took a deeper look at the things that I didn't like about this place and realized that they weren't bad because of it's nature, but it was because I didn't understand it and how to deal with it. I couldn't be happier now:)

Grace

SMITH IS AN AMAZING SCHOOL. I highly recommend it to those who are willing to forgo everything the once thought about themselves and accept change. I have certainly changed plenty since coming here and I like to think for the better. It is difficult and school is tough, but so worth it in the end.

Caroline

i think i'm pretty much set.

Alyssa

The best part about Smith is the house I live in: Hopkins House. It is one of two co-ops on campus, where we cook all our own food and are off the campus dining plan. Aside from this awesome opportunity to cook, it is a chance to live with people who genuinely believe in living intentionally and caring for one another. As I type this, I can hear people laughing in the kitchen, eating ice cream and griping about their classes. I love this house, and it is where I have met people who will remain my friends for life.

Alexandra

Washburn House - where I live is a small house with only ~40 people. We work hard to have a community - only about 10 or 15 of us participate regularly, but its a comfortable house atmosphere and we definitely look out for each other. A lot of houses are small and I assume have some community, though of course there are larger houses with 100 people that aren't quiet on the weekends - again, there's such a diversity in choice, even on campus - you can live in a small quiet house or a more traditional college dorm... apartment style or coops are available too (though not many language houses at all : (

Gabriele

I live in Hopkins House, which has been a real haven of sanity during my time at Smith. I like cooking for myself and my housemates, and I really love having a close-knit community to come home to.

Bronwyn

Beware the Smith bubble, it really gets to people. And you really do meet some really cool people and make some really good friends here, and did I mention its absolutely beautiful, which I think does make a difference.

Emmerson

WASHBURN HOUSE !!!

Andy

n/a

Liz

My liking for Smith college has gone up and down, it really depends on what you make of it. if you really try to find your crowd, your classes, your passions, then you will. its out there you just have to seek it

Laura

There are many frustrations I have as a Smith student, but ultimately it has been perfect for me. Smith opportunities have taken me to Italy (Sicily), India and Senegal. Japan isn't working out, but I will go after I graduate.

Allie

Some people need to chill the fuck out. Seriously. Not EVERYTHING is an issue of class, race, or politics.

Sarah

This survey should be counted towards Parsons Complex House

cornelia

some people wear capes.

Julie

If you are looking for a place where you will be challanged academically, meet passionate people, and join activites you care about, go to Smith!

Caroline

All set.

Caitlin

It's possible to find your niche at Smith, especially if you expand your horizons to the whole Pioneer Valley...with five colleges and lots of towns, there's something for everyone if you give it enough time and don't expect anyone to hand you a community/social life/etc on a plate when you arrive.

Alicia

Don't be afraid to attend Smith because it is all women, there are ways to meet guys and you don't even notice that there are only females sitting in the classroom with you.