Smith College Admission
Smith College Undergraduate Program
Smith College Application

The Facts

Smith College is a moderately sized private womens college located in the town of Northhampton, Massachusetts. It is home to over 2,640 undergraduates and approximately 475 graduate and part-time professional students. The school is perhaps best known for its long list of distinguished alumni which includes such luminaries as Sylvia Plath and Barbara Bush. The school offers its women a flexible, self-motivated academic experience with no core curriculum, and with most of the decisions resting with the students. The school also has a strict honor code by which students are expected to abide, and most students take it quite seriously. The school offers its students over 45 undergraduate degrees in a wide variety of disciplines, however, some of the most popular with students include majors in the areas of government, economics, psychology, English, as well as biology.

Admission to Smith College is quite competitive, and most students who apply come from the top of their high school graduating class, and are attracted to the self-motivated and liberal nature of Smith. Last year, over 3,300 students applied for admission to the school, and approximately 1,700 of those students were accepted. Eventually however, only about 635 of the admitted students actually enrolled for the coming Fall semester. The admitted students had an average combined SAT score ranging from 1150 to 1370, and an average comprehensive ACT score ranging from 25 to 30. Additionally, over 88% of those admitted were ranked in the top 25% of their high school graduating class with an average high school GPA of about 3.8.

Smith College has a fantastic student to faculty ratio of 9:1, and it is very rare to find an undergraduate class with more than 15 students. The classes are usually discussion based, and center around extensive debating and close reading of materials. Students say that their professors are extremely accessible, and that they have close relationships. Professors serve more as mentors and friends, and help to guide students along their self-directed path. This accessibility also translates to the administration, where there is very little red tape to hack through.

The Social Scene

The town of Northampton is small, but very cute and popular with students. There are plenty of movie theaters, cafes, shops, bars, and restaurants all within walking distance from campus. There are even a few theater companies and terrific art galleries to keep students occupied. Smith is definitely not known for being a party school, and the total absence of sororities helps that reputation be maintained. Drinking does exist, but it’s usually done in small groups, and doesn’t leech into the academics lives of students. Smith also offers its students a huge amount of student run clubs and organizations, as well as plenty of community service activities. Sports are also a popular draw, and the rugby team is quite good, and many students participate.

The dating scene is fantastic if you are a girl who likes other girls... of which we hear there are many.

What’s Good

“It’s nice to not be around guys, as it really keeps you focused on your academics, and prevents a lot of fights.”

“The dorms, if they can even be called that, are incredible, and are actually old houses with a fireplace, dining room, and private libraries. It’s awesome.”

“The professors really encourage the develop of you as a whole person, not just a brain that absorbs random facts and information.”

What’s Bad

“The school can feel too small; it seems like everyone knows everyone else’s business here. It can be a bit stifling.”

“There isn’t really a good party scene here. People tend to just hang out in small cliques, and never really mingle.”

“There are a lot of people here who just think they are the best thing since sliced bread. I would have to disagree...”

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