Any insight on Hobart and William Smith?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>My D attends a prestigious boarding school in the Northeast and has been working closely with her college advisor and coaches on selecting a college. She has a gpa of 3.4 (school does not weight grades) and an ACT score of 29. She threw us a curve ball 2 weeks ago about going ED2 to Hobart & William Smith College but we aren't sure how we feel about that. </p>

<p>Our D was orginially searching for a school to play Div1 field hockey and/or lacrosse but was worried about the demands of practice and games and the impact it has academically. Over the course of the past few months, she has applied to colleges from Brown to Bucknell to Middlebury (even USNA!) and many more to find a really good fit. What she has uncovered in this process is that there are many 'lesser known' schools that her friends are attending that offer as much - if not more - than the better known schools.</p>

<p>She is looking for a close knit community where she could form strong connections after graduation, a place to continue playing both field hockey and lacrosse and have the ability to have a 'customized' major (art history/architecture). </p>

<p>I have searched the CC site looking for positive feedback on HWS and there isn't a lot. I keep reading that its a haven for lower level prep school kids. Is that true? If anyone knows anything about Hobart & William Smith I would appreciate your insight!</p>

2

<p>My mom went to Hobart & William Smith (technically, she went to William Smith). She majored in American Studies, if I remember correctly. A friend of mine got accepted to William Smith ED2, and is totally excited about it. I don't know much about the school, but my mom did say that it's very isolated, and it's cold in the winter. I've never been up there, but according to my mom (who went there in the 70s) the surrounding area isn't too exciting- which is what some people want, but not for those who prefer the "excitement" of a city.</p>

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<p>thank you!</p>

4

<p>My nephew applied to H&WS with higher stats and we never thought of it as a lower choice school. He visited and loved the school and the Professors he met there. He chose a different school because he wanted a larger school in an urban setting but it was a very diffecult decision for him. Every school has negative comments on this forum but we tend to ignore the ones of the "big name" schools. Even the Ivy league, too many TAs, snobby students, adminstration doesn't care etc. My daughter goes to a school that most comments say is no fun. She is in her second year and loves her school and doesn't have time for everything she wants to do. We took into consideration the comments here but it was not the most important factor in her choice. Visit the school and see if it is a good fit for your daughter. Good luck</p>

5

<p>I am having a similar problem. I want my son to go to Wesleyan univ in Ct. He went to visit Hobart on a footbal recruiting weekend and loved it, he was very impressed by the program and the campus. He has visited Wesleyan Lafayette, Amherst, Trinity all much better acedemely but he loves HWS. If you don't want her to go to HWS I suggest you don't let her visit, the campus blows away most others. I have asked many people about HWS and it is considered a very good school... Good Luck</p>

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<p>My son also visited most of the NESCAC schools but fell in love with Hobart and the football program. The campus is on equal footing as the others and was a better fit for him academically</p>

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<p>My best friend attends HWS and is love with it. She got did not get in to her top choice and was heart broken. But after visiting she fell in love with it. I went to visit her and the college recently. The kids are very friendly, and the campus was very nice. There was nothing to really do in the town however there was a nearby outlet which was very nice. The only problem I had was the guys and girls dorms seemed far apart.</p>

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<p>i believe there are coed dorms at HWS..i visited twice. Once for a tour and another for a scholarship. I recieved 13 grand so im still considering. however, if i didnt recieve the money, i would have still considered HWS. I also applied to WPI (obviously) and Union college (NY)</p>

9

<p>Good morning,</p>

<p>I actually stumbled across this thread when I googled HWS dorms. I am currently planning my wedding to another HWS alum and we are going to name our tables at the wedding after the dorms! Just wanted to share with you a few personal thoughts after reading the postings. My fiance & I both graduated from HWS in 2005. I went to Phillips Exeter Academy which is considered one of the top prep schools in the country so I assure you HWS is not filled with “borderline” prep schools. In fact, HWS is moving up in the rankings every year. My fiance came from public school. We both had one fo the best experiences we could have hoped for. First, Mark Gearan is the President of HWS, he was also the head of the Peace Corp under Bill Clinton. He is a genius and has more connections than most…therefore we were constantly able to attend guest lectures held by senators, foreign diplomats, Fortune 500 CEO’s etc. etc. He also teaches political sciences classes when possible usually around election time. I was lucky enough to have him as a professor and he is wonderful as are so many of the professors who really take the time to get to know you (It is not uncommon to go to a professors for dinner, office hours etc). HWS has opened so many doors since we graduated. I currently work for AIG (I know not so great right now but in 2005 when I graduated it was quite tough to get a job here and Exeter & HWS definitely helped, one of the people I interviewed with was actually a Hobart grad who also had an amazing experience). My fiance is a bond analyst at a top ratings corporation and currently goes to NYU Stern business school. I’m sure listing HWS on his application helped. Hobart & William Smith does open doors.</p>

<pre><code>Some people inquired about the dooms. You are entitled to BOTH options of single sex or co-ed life. The female dorms are at the top of the hill (Small campus you can walk EVERYWHERE) the guys dorms are in the quad and then there is a SUPERDORM called JPR that is completely co-ed. Also, junior & senior year you have the option of living in theme houses which can also be co-ed.

Honestly, I’m sure there are people who didn’t have the best experience here but I doubt it is higher than at any other college. The people I met there I’m still in contact with (many are coming to our wedding) and because of the small size of the college in general you really get to know a lot of people, class sizes are a lot smaller (better for class discussions & one on one with professors etc.), and you can’t beat the beauty of the campus. It’s also not too small though that you feel you know everyone within weeks. My parents really wanted to me to go Lehigh like many others in my family did but after my overnight trip to HWS I insisted on attending, my parents have realized this truly was the best decision and have never once believed since I went to HWS that I was getting a lesser education than Lehigh (tier 1 ranked). My fiance’s brother just accepted to HWS and we couldn’t be happier because we know he is looking forward to the amazing experience we both had.
</code></pre>

<p>Good luck to you all in choosing!</p>

10

<p>Lacrosse1,</p>

<p>HWS has an excellent architecture program, one of the best on campus. Two friends of mine were in the architecture program. One continued on to the Washington Univeristy at St Louis and the other is at the Univerisity of Oregon. Others went to Syracuse for grad school. I took several classes in the Art department, and they were all taught by great professors. Ted Aub, Nick Ruth, and Stanley Mathews were some of the professors I had. </p>

<p>Several of my friends from William Smith played lacrosse and field hockey; both have good standings in the league. </p>

<p>Here are some of my experiences at HWS. </p>

<p>I graduated several years ago from HWS. I am currently in medical school. During my brief spare time, I found this site while googling Hobart college and wanted to give a voice. I would like to say a few things about my experiences at HWS. Hopefully you get a chance to see the Houghton House art building which is off from the main campus, Another beautiful asset to the colleges in addition to the lake. </p>

<p>First off, my times at HWS were some of the best years of my life. The liberal arts education is phenomenal. Notable speakers from all over the world come to the colleges through the Forum Speaker program. President Clinton spoke at at the colleges is one example. Mark Gearan is most likely the best college president out there, liked by all the students and professors, and very engaged with students. He is a former president of the Peace Corps and has lots of political connections to bring speakers to the campus. He is also instrumental in the future direction HWS colleges is taking. HWS always offered a great education, yet the infrastructure and opportunities at the school has improved in the past ten years during his leadership. This is making the colleges more desireable and well known. HWS is increasingly attracting more students. More people are realizing what the colleges offer. This adds to diversity of the applicant pool and the student body.
HWS college is a gem. It is a unique school with the coordinate system, allowing for two Student governments, which I myself being involved in political campus clubs, found to make meetings fun and interesting. You should visit when school is in session if you are interested. </p>

<p>The city of Geneva offers several good restaurants and some bars. You can always drive down the lake to the vineyards to eat at one of the restaurants nearby. I forget the name, but it was a very good place to for dinner a ways down the lake;always a waiting line. There is a great place downtown to get pizza and ranch dressing on the weekends. The Smith Opera House, on the national historic registrars list, plays host to big concerts that HWS sponsors each year. The Hockey rink is downtown and seems to always draw a rowdy crowd. There are clothing outlets about fifteen minutes away on the highway. You can take sailing classes at HWS if you want to sail on the lake. You can swim in the Seneca Lake in the fall. The Seneca Lake borders HWS’s campus. HWS is in the finger lakes wine county and is surrounded by much natural beauty. Cornell’s Agricultural field station is in Geneva. In short, Geneva is a decent college town with a gorgeous lake. You can run/walk from downtown to paths along the lake. From what I heard, a new waterfront dock may be in the works in the future. Yet, I found myself not really needing to venture off campus because I was always busy with school and activities on campus. </p>

<p>I lived on campus all four years, and the school provides lots to do. I was never bored at HWS. I was studying a lot. To get A’s at HWS you will need to study and work hard. Yet, you will want to become active in your classes because the majority of the professors are very stimulating and engaging. Professors truly care that the student is interested. Students also show up to classes. Classes at HWS will make you want to learn; they did for me. Also, Hobart is not a suitcase school. Everybody lives near campus or on campus. You should check the colleges website to see the clubs and sporting events. HWS also has good athletic teams; fun to watch and they have a cool mascot named BART. Again, I suggest you visit the colleges website or call Admissions to learn more about the school if you have questions; maybe visit the school again. I visited twice; once for an interview and another time just passing though while looking at other colleges. When I visited the college for the second time, the beauty of the campus set it apart from others and I made my choice. </p>

<p>HWS reputation for academics has always been strong. And the students I met were more friendly compared to other liberal arts schools I visited. This is why I chose HWS. Somehow on this message board, someone stated that it is a party school for rich kids, and it keeps getting passed through the forum. I would disagree. More than 76% of students receive some form of financial aid. I received financial aid and some scholarship. In 2004 HWS had a Rhodes Scholar. There are some very bright and hardworking students at HWS. I had friends who chose Hobart and William Smith over Cornell, Georgetown, Boston College, Trinity, Colby, and Dartmouth, just to name a few. I had friends who were bookworms and others that partied more than others. HWS has a variety of students. Some students may party more than others, yet this is at any school. Most of the harder partying was done by a certain few. You could find a party if you wanted to socialize. You could also socialize with people who did not drink. A Substance Free House exists on campus. Yet, there are also fraternities, while their presence is not dominating the school. For me, HWS offered a perfect balance of excellent academics and social down time on a picturesque campus. It also is very active in community service, with President Gearan leading the Colleges each Fall in the Day of Service, in which a large percentage of HWS students go into the Geneva area to volunteer their time. All four years at HWS, I did the Day of Service. I also was active in Habitat for Humanity. </p>

<p>HWS is quickly attracting more applicants that are thrilled at the opportunities offered at HWS. The leadership of President Gearan has led to HWS becoming even more desirable. I foresee this to only increase in the future. Good luck with your college search.</p>

11

<p>“The city of Geneva offers several good restaurants and some bars. You can always drive down the lake to the vineyards to eat at one of the restaurants nearby.”</p>

<p>Sounds like a nice drive - - but is there anything w/i walking distance of the campus? Would a student w/o a car feel like s/he was stranded in the middle of nowhere? (Yes, I know one can ride with friends, but I don’t really want D to have to rely on the kindness of strangers.)</p>

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<p>nyc, </p>

<p>You can walk to the downtown on the sidewalk from the school; about a ten minute walk. The walk is very nice, bordered by historic victorian row houses and on an upper hill running along the lake. If I were to go to the bars or to restaurants in town, I usually walked. A great place for steak and pub fare is Parker’s Grille, and it is downtown. Many students go there. Students visiting the town at night generally walk. If my parents visited, we would drive down the lake to the vineyards. Some restaurants would require a car to get to. If you want to go to the grocery store, a car would be preferable, though walking is possible. The ten minute walking distance to downtown is closer than many small college towns.</p>

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<p>nyc, </p>

<p>thinking back, 10-15 minutes is about the time it will take to walk to downtown from the quadrangle section of campus.</p>

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<p>In addition, a shuttle system between the school and downtown exists.</p>

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<p>Response to Lacrosse1:
My son went ED to Hobart after being heavily recruited for football and lacrosse at what you seem to think are “better” schools. He will graduate from a wonderful and well placed Western Massachusetts prep school this Spring (Go Wildcats!). After spending most of the summer and fall visiting schools like Middlebury, Williams, Bates and Colby; including Recruit Days and visits to our home from coaches, our son finally told us, “My first choice has ALWAYS been Hobart. The feeling at the NESCAC schools is amazing and comfortable, but they feel too much like an extension of what I already know.” The football coaching staff, particularly Coach Yoder, was attentive and appropriate. The Admissions and Financial Aid were amazing. Not to mention the pure beauty of the school and academic excellence and pride the school exudes. Needless to say, my son is so excited to be going to Hobart and we are tremendously proud of how he recognized what he felt he will need for the next phase in his life.</p>

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<p>A good friend of the family goes to HWS. She has made terrific friends, both male and female, and absolutely loves it. Lots of opportunities there.</p>

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<p>My S is looking at a lot of small LAC schools with great outdoor programs. He also will be graduating from a top private prep school on the West coast. Hobart sounds interesting to me. It seems to me from this post to have a lot of positive things going for it. How preppy is it? My S is more the laid-back independent type who is NOT too into sports but loves backpacking, skiing, hiking climbing, kayaking, etc. Would he fit in here? He is also looking at Whitman, Lewis& Clark, Colorado College, St Lawrence… you get the idea. He could care less about prestige but just wants a small school, great professor contacts and unpretentious student body. His long term plans are med school.</p>

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<p>Mariemurray - - yes, many of the NESCAC schools look/feel like an ext of boarding school (and many with more manicured campuses than WNS, which has an urban feel), but how was Hobart different in that regard, other than its breathtakingly beautiful campus? </p>

<p>I found the HWS and NESCAC schools to be pretty much variations on the same theme: small, more preppy/jock than funky, solid academics (stellar in the case of Williams, Amherst and Wesleyan) and some with huge endowments which result in very generous finaid awards. OTOH, a number of the schools were a a little too remote for my city kid and a bit lacking in diversity (again with the Little Three as exceptions). What made HWS stand out from the pack?</p>

<p>(D too was recruited by NESCAC schools. I was/am delighted she chose a “lesser” but still top 20 LAC; I have always feared that the work at the Little Three would have been a reach for her.)</p>

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<p>Does anyone know when regular decisions are mailed?</p>