Smith College

It is a wonderful college where the entire staff and students care so deeply about the school. You will never meet someone at Smith who does not love it. There is a strong sense of school pride, but in an atypical way. Not in a way where people are so excited for the football game, but in a way that everyone is dedicated to loving the school and treats it with the utmost care.

Do not go to Smith. My experience with this college was hellish. They do not care about student experience. Their concern is solely with the image and funding of the college. They gatekeep resources from students, disregard student concerns, and blame them for issues. Optics is the only concern. Professors are hit or miss, and many take themselves/the college far too seriously. Elitism and condescension are rampant, both within the student body and from the administration. Communication between offices is abysmal. It seems like nobody actually knows college policy until the damage is done and there’s a way to put the onus of an issue on the student. You fend for yourself, and god forbid you have mental health issues. The college sees you as a liability and will work as hard as they can to push you away rather than help you. The students are vitriolic towards each other and play the “oppression olympics” for social status. Do not attend this institution. Definitely not worth going into crippling debt for an insular, holier-than-thou institution working just towards profit. They treat staff terribly too.

Smith College as an all-women identifying liberal arts college provides students with a well-rounded education in both humanities and STEM. Students are encouraged to explore courses outside of their major requirements. Smith provides an open-curriculum for students to explore their various interests from major, minors, the concentration of studies, and through the Five College Consortium. What makes Smith College unique is the supportive environment between the students themselves and with the professors. Students form study groups and collaborate with others to study and work on projects. Professors are always available in-office hours, after and before classes, and through email to meet with students. My favorite aspect of Smith College is the availability of research opportunities opened for undergraduate students to gain experience in various fields of studies, from the study of women and gender to the sciences. These unique opportunities allow students to gain experience through research, which provides a different aspect of learning outside of traditional classroom settings.

Smith College is a unique and wonderful institution. The students are very politically engaged, and it is possible to find a great diversity of opinion and life experience anywhere on campus. The classes are small, and the professors are always ready to help with a research idea or just have a conversation one-on-one.

Smith is the best place in the world. Anyone would be lucky to go here. I never expected to find a college that felt like home, but I find myself getting "home"-sick during breaks. The people and houses are AMAZING and I love all of my professors. Every department seems to care about each individual student.

I love it! At Smith, I am given the freedom to be myself and to explore whatever interests (academic or not) that I might have. Most professors are incredibly nice and knowledgeable and are willing to speak to students one-on-one. It is a lot of work, but the things I have been learning have made it all worth it.

If you want a small school with a tight knit community and a vast range of opportunities, Smith might be the place for you. I didn't really know what I wanted to do when I came here (except that I didn't want to take STEM classes), but thanks to the open curriculum I've gotten to explore a lot of interesting subjects (including a physics class that's now one of my faves lol). There's not a lot to do here on the weekends (the nearby town is really cute but it's expensive and spans roughly 3 blocks), but if you're into bigger parties you could always hit up Umass with other Smithies. The academics can vary, but all professors are accessible and are good, helpful people, if not always fantastic educators. The house systems and all the school run activities make it easy to make friends, but it's easy to feel entrapped in the "Smith bubble" sometimes. I think the best thing about Smith, though, is how easy it is to access so many great resources. There's tons of grants you can apply to for summer language study or for travelling to attend conferences or even to buy winter clothes if you're from a warmer climate. The writing center and work centers always have people to help you with your essay or resume, and people in your house are great resources. Granted, there are still problems (the counselling services are understaffed and some students have strong opinions on certain people who ARE on the staff), campus police can be unhelpful or unfriendly, and like any school Smith has its flaws. Overall though, I think it's a good school that has the potential to be whatever you make of it.

I think it provides a high level of education, with plenty of opportunities for student activism. Smith is academically stressful, but the community here is invaluable. And the community of alums is the same. I feel so incredibly lucky to have so many connections quite literally all over the world because of Smith.

Campus is pretty, faculty are good, facilities are good, and Smith provides a lot of financial aid. The college as an institution is great. But the students here are the worst. I write from the perspective of a woman of color who attended Smith on financial aid because my parents were poor. My classmates were mostly white women from middle class/wealthy backgrounds who were extremely angry, militant, and bullish for no reason. If your opinions don't fit under the extreme left progressive umbrella, don't bother expressing them, because you will get shouted down and called racist, ignorant, ableist, or whatever epithet is convenient. While students claim to embrace diversity, there is no diversity of thought or of politics on campus. Everyone mostly parrots each others' radical views. When not talking politics, students mostly talked about themselves. "I got into Harvard but decided to come here." "I scored xxx on the SATs and got into all the Ivies." Students here are very self-centered and entitled.

Smith has its ups and downs. A good thing is that you’re supported by many people to discover who you are and your major, if needed. Something to watch out for is that adminstration can be a bit slow to change, so it’s important to remain persistent in holding them accountable. However, you will have people who will support you, especially with many students.

Smith College is a great place to receive a higher education. It can be comforting and inspirational to be surrounded by people that are like minded and equally as ambitious. I have encountered many genuine people and even more people willing to help.

An incredible school with innumerable opportunities. Praxis, for example, pays you to do a summer internship anywhere you choose. Faculty are leaders in their field and love working with students. An accepting and safe community of students who support one another. A strong emphasis on social justice.

I have had a wonderful first semester and I am looking forward to my many years to come. Smith students are provided with a unique opportunity to explore who they in a safe, diverse environment. The acceptance all students receive on campus is an outstanding aspect of the atmosphere.

Smith College is a top-tier women's college with a beautiful and quiet valley campus just on the edge of Northampton. I had mixed feelings throughout my first semester because though I was always happy to be there I wasn't always happy there. Because the school attracts a niche group of hyper-feminist left-wing students, most students get along well-enough and are very passionate about their school. The academics are good but it is a little tricky to understand how Smith is a top-tier school based on the difficulty level of the classes and student engagement. I am looking forward to applying myself more next semester and getting more involved with the Smith arts scene- it is small but growing! We have a wonderful slam poetry team too.

Smith College in terms of its academics is on par with some of the best colleges and universities in the country. However, it is still a predominantly white institution and while students here tend to be more progressive, that does not mean everyone is and this goes for faculty as well. Smith has yet to divest. That being said, there are many good aspects. The school opened its doors to Puerto Rico relief victims in the aftermath of the natural disaster.