Brandeis University vs Smith College

Hi all! I’ve heard back from all of the colleges I have applied to and am now faced with the difficult decision of picking which to attend… I have narrowed my choice down to two options: Brandeis University and Smith College. I was wondering if anyone could give me some insight on which I should attend.

The cost is similar for both schools. I applied to both undecided. I am planning to major in the social sciences with a possible minor/double major in communications/English and/or statistics. I will probably pursue a master’s in Public Administration/Policy, Public Health, or something else in that realm after undergrad.

Here’s what I have for pros and cons:

Brandeis Pros
-Admitted as Humanities Fellow, which offers priority access to study abroad opportunities
-Possibility of participating in research at the Heller School, a top ten school for Social/Public Policy
-Majors and Minors that are much more aligned with what I hope to do in the future (HSSP; Social Justice & Policy; Creativity, the Arts and Social Transformation)
-Close proximity to Boston
-I have visited twice and absolutely loved it both times

Smith Pros
-Admitted as STRIDE Scholar, which offers guaranteed research position with faculty mentor for first two years
-Possibility of graduating in three years and saving money if I plan my schedule just right (and manage to gets 4s or 5s on all of my AP exams this year)
-Superficial observation but… possibly better living conditions? i.e. better dorms, food, campus
-Very strong alumni network

Brandeis Cons
-Could graduate only a semester early (though this would still save a substantial amount of money)
-The Humanities Fellowship sounds great but I wasn’t planning on majoring in the Humanities (though, majoring in the Humanities isn’t a requirement, and I can still get the scholarship that comes with the fellowship in full even if I do not enroll in the program)

Smith Cons
-Less flexibility in major/minor choice
-I’m unsure how I would feel going to a women’s college… throughout high school, some of my best friendships have been with guys. I realize that Smith is in a consortium with Co-Ed schools, but there is a limit to how many consortium classes one can take per semester, and most of my time would be spent at Smith
-Their (alleged?) ill-treatment of staff and minorities makes me uneasy…
-I was never able to visit campus bc ~covid~ and although I have attended virtual sessions, I feel like I haven’t been able to truly feel the vibes of the school & am uncertain as to whether I would fit in there

Just reading your pros and cons, Brandeis seems like a no brainer.

The 5 college consortium works best for the 3 colleges in Amherst. Because of its location, access to the other schools is very limited for Smith students unless you have a car, and even then it can be dicey.

Would you need to commit to Smith over Brandeis without seeing Smith? Or, are you planning to visit Smith before you decide?

If there’s no visit to Smith planned so you can get the vibe, I’d definitely go with Brandeis. You visited twice and said you absolutely loved it. That is saying a lot! I don’t know how you’d be able to give that up without seeing Smith.

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If you are unsure how you would feel going to a women’s college and enjoy spending time with guys, as you said, then you might be unhappy spending four full years at Smith, despite the 5 college consortium benefits. A women’s college is a unique experience and not for everyone.
It sounds like you really like Brandeis.
Yes, Smith would have better dorms. But from everything else you wrote, it sounds like you are largely decided on Brandeis and mostly looking for confirmation!

Both great schools, each with pros and cons.

I want to echo what @Bill_Marsh said - you should not overestimate the ease of accessing the 5 college consortium. Amherst/U Mass/Hampshire are clustered together. It takes 35-45 minutes on the shuttle to get from Smith to one of these campuses, assuming the shuttle runs on time. It’s about a half hour by shuttle to Mt. Holyoke, also all female. As Smith is pretty large by LAC standards, chances are you’ll find what you need there regarding classes. But it would take a bit of an effort to get to a co-ed campus and vice versa.

The other big difference I see is whether you prefer a charming small town and a classically beautiful campus with easy access to nature? Or would you rather be located on a more modern campus in a denser area connected to other towns and Boston by mass transportation?

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I’m confused as to why you would you have less flexibility of majors and minors at Smith? It has an open curriculum with a vast array of majors/minors/concentrations. The Stride scholarship, which is 2 yrs of guaranteed paid research with a professor is amazing!

The area of Northampton is a great town filled with restaurants, vintage clothing shops, music venues, etc. Smith borders the town. And you have the 5 college consortium, which Smith kids do partake in despite the distance (which you just organize through your schedule if you want classes at the other schools).

Which school did you choose? Wherever you ended up, I hope you’re happy!