She has the grades, no doubt, but that isn’t everything, I know… They have the majors she thinks she is interested in THIS WEEK. She really wants to go to Smith, but my wife REALLY hated Smith… and since we are paying… She likes/ prefers small schools, but is also open to going to Pitt or UMass Amherst. ( I wasn’t that sold on Smith either, but I could be OK with it )
Her personality is one who will want to know her teachers and counselor(s). She is very reserved. Her idea of a good Friday night would be hanging out and doing make-up… playing board games… maybe some light shopping. Definitely not a party person. She wouldn’t mind being somewhat close to her sister, who likely will go to school in Boston ( Simmons ). She puts school before everything except family.
She loves to be challenged. She loves math. Likes most sciences. She is quiet, but very well spoken.
Mount Holyoke College. Also a women’s college in the Amherst area, maybe 10-15 miles south of Smith. Both have great academics, both are similarly respected, both were historically “Seven Sisters” schools, both are now in the 5-College Consortium (along with UMass, Amherst College, and Hampshire College).
Despite the similarities, MHC is much more rural, isolated, and quieter than Smith. Some people like the funkiness of Smith and Northampton, but if that turned your wife off, then MHC and South Hadley are definitely an alternative. Small shopping center across the street from campus, not much else in town. They can provide room & board for both your daughter and her horse.
Is 4.62 her weighted GPA? Does that mean that she’s had a lot of honors/AP classes? A 32 puts her on the low side for Bowdoin’s ACT. Their 25th-75th percentile range for the ACT is 31-34.
The vibe at Bowdoin is quite different from the vibe at Smith. If Smith feels really right, you may be pushing her toward something not so right. It’s not to say she absolutely wouldn’t like it, but it might mean she should keep looking. Maybe Vassar if coed is of interest. Or BMC (given the tri co thing.)
Yes, @homerdog ! I’d agree with all of those adjectives. On the whole, a more "mainstream " student body. And a more traditional social scene. Smith is definitely more quirky and more activist. It’s a popular choice among women who are LGBTQ, and I suspect that the freedom of expression granted in terms of gender identity extends to other expressions of self as well. Both have excellent academics so I don’t feel like the choice is around that.
@homerdog That was what I was trying to think of… my daughter is already an SJW… and my wife, and to a lesseer degree, me, can’t stand it… it’s exhausting to have that around us all the time… the constant SJW factor is definitely a good part of why not Smith. When we visited, and so many of the houses had bed sheets with their causes hanging from their windows, well, I think that turned us both off.
@doschicos We toured all of those schools. They are close to home…Swathmore was nice, but they treated us as if we were unimportant to them, and the guide who took us around would never answer the questions people asked; instead she would flip it right back to her agenda.
Bates. Look into the “community partnerships” and service or engagement opportunities. A creatively SJW sort can satisfy that without extremes. Productively, without so much rhetoric. My D1 thought Bowdoin was more staid
But for heavens sake. If she’s ok with UMass Amherst, look at the 5 college consortium. She can get a little Smith in the mix, along with MHC, Amherst, and Hampshire. Nice compromise.
I think that Smith is known for academics as well. If she is interested in their academic offerings she might do well there. Being around the extreme SJW crowd can be a direct route to centrism as an adult. I know because it happened to me (at a different campus, but yes with the homemade sheet signs and all). Her fascination with Smith might disappear altogether if you wait long enough…kids…
My impression is that Smith College & Bowdoin College are so different that a student comfortable & happy at one may be uncomfortable & unhappy at the other. Please listen to your daughter. Don’t force her in one direction if she is clear that that is not the path for her.
@AbsDad : I’m fairly new to CC. Is there a way for me to follow your posts? Your d sounds very much like my d and we’ve just started working on creating a college list. Words to describe my d would be:
Reserved
Friendly
Focused on academics
Not into partying
Not into sports
Future lawyer
Roots for the underdog
Liberal but balanced
Does “sjw” mean social justice warrior? If so, that’s my daughter as well. My d has lived a sheltered life with private schools, small class sizes—peers all have helicopter parents like her own—you get the picture. Colleges we’ve added to our list includ
Yale
Georgetown
Haverford
Vassar
Middlebury
Colgate
Washington U
Wellesley
Hobart & William Smith
Wake Forest
Bryn Mawr
Mt. Holyoke
On the list but may be removed:
Penn: Concerned about the competitive, cutthroat environment.
Brown: Concerned about stoner/party reputation and high rape statistics.
Swarthmore: Concerned so many students seem stressed and unhappy.
We’re working hard to investigate each school for culture and fit but it can be difficult to do this. It’s a work in progress. I’d love to hear about other options you’ve considered for your d. Thanks!
