<p>I'm having a hard time deciding between these four. Mainly, I'm focused on which has the best Art History department, compared with the others. Any help? :)</p>
<p>EarthWithoutArt-- I can’t speak to Art History as my daughter is a science major who chose Smith College – she’s been very happy with her professors and the attention they provide students. She chose Smith as an LAC be/c she wished a high level of individual attention and she is getting it at Smith.</p>
<p>From her perspective and that of her parents, Northampton is a real nifty college environment – 4 years in western Mass is close to perfect. Well, this winter has been challenging but she has adjusted to snow.</p>
<p>Oh, she chose Smith over Wellesley, Bryn Mawr, Mount Holyoke and the University of Florida. She didn’t apply to Williams.</p>
<p>You have a number of fine choices – GO SMITH!</p>
<p>.02</p>
<p>David</p>
<p>What does your daughter like specifically about Smith?</p>
<p>EWA-- I note from another CC site that you are not accepted to the schools you list.</p>
<p>D likes:</p>
<p>Close attention from Smith profs.
Residence style housing – unique
Ease of flying into Hartford/Bradley CT airport and short drive north to Northampton-shuttle
Strength of faculty in science majors-- her focus
Northampton as a town is nifty – blends college town with upscale ($) environment - cool!
W/O “boys” she can focus academically-- she has plenty of time for boys.
Post graduation Smith has an incredible alum network – one of the best – really!</p>
<p>.02</p>
<p>David</p>
<p>Yes, I am a high school sophomore who is just interested in getting a head start, so no, I haven’t applied nor been accepted to any. What you describe about Smith is reinforces what I’ve heard from other people about it, thanks.</p>
<p>My daughter’s a Smith senior, an English major. She could have gone either way, women’s college or co-ed college, but as it turned out she went to Smith, has adored it and has never looked back. The friendships you make there can be life-long.</p>
<p>I understand art history is very strong at Smith; there’s even a (new!) museum major/minor focus, but I’d suggest you do more research into this as I’m vague on the details; however, students get phenomenal internships in museums all over the country. The Smith Art Museum is one of the best college museums in the country.</p>
<p>I love Northampton and would live there if we felt like moving (we live 1-1/2 hours away). There’s an energy there that’s palpable.</p>
<p>EWA,</p>
<p>Since you’re interested in majoring in Art History and attending Williams College, I thought this interview with the Director of the Museum of Modern Art, Glenn D. Lowry, Williams '76 will amuse you and add valuable insight. Glenn’s story is also a testament to the value of a LAC education.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>[Interview</a> with MoMA Director, Glenn D. Lowry](<a href=“http://thelatticegroup.org/moma-director-glenn-d-lowry]Interview”>http://thelatticegroup.org/moma-director-glenn-d-lowry)</p>
<p>I’m a current Smith student who applied to all of the schools you listed (in fact, those four plus Harvard were my top choices). I’m a science major, and Smith’s strength in the sciences is one of the main reasons I chose it, but I can tell you a little bit about why I picked Smith over the other schools and what I know about Art History at Smith. </p>
<p>Of the four schools I think Smith definitely has the best location. Downtown is a 5 minute walk from campus and there are a ton of great restaurants and other things to do. The 5 college consortium expands your academic, extracurricular, and social opportunities beyond what a single small college can offer. Because of the consortium, Smith feels like a small college with the resources of a larger university. The campus is beautiful with a great botanical garden, and also quirky with buildings ranging from traditional brick to the modern campus center. The housing system at Smith is very unique. Students live in one of 36 houses on campus, which range in size from 12-110 students. The houses tend to feel more homey than traditional dorms and houses have close communities and fun traditions. I assume that at any of these small liberal arts colleges you would have a similar experience of small classes and access to professors. I know that at Smith in particular it is very easy to get involved in research if that is something you are interested in. The Sophia Smith Collection at Smith College is one of the oldest and largest collections of women’s history documents in the country. It is very accessible to students–in my first year seminar, each of our papers had to be about a primary document from the SSC. I’ve gotten to see/touch Clara Barton’s diary and letters to Margaret Sanger, among other things there. </p>
<p>About Art History specifically, I know a surprising number of people in that department. I know the college’s art museum is one of the best. I also know a number of people interning at the Smithsonian in DC for a semester through a Smith program, which is pretty cool if you are interested in museums. Three of the many interdisciplinary concentrations Smith offers are Museum Studies, Book Studies, and Archives. Let me know if you have any specific questions!</p>
<p>Hi @SMithie55! I am deciding between smith and williams and really can’t make up my mind. I want to study engineering but am also interested in environmental policy, art, and economics. I felt a little bored in the classes I visited at Smith, and not so at williams, but like the homier, more well rounded aspects of smith. any insight? thanks!!</p>
<p>by well rounded I mean the students, social life. i.e. there is no athlete non athlete divide, the drinking/hook up culture does not dominate like it does at williams. but I felt a little bit more at home intellectually at Williams (just from my experiences in the classes, and hearing from visiting lecturers). help! :)</p>
<p>It seems that if you’re interested in engineering but not completely sure, it would be best to attend a college with an engineering program. For example at Smith, you could take engineering, environmental, art, and economics classes during your first year and see what you like. You could also talk to upperclasswomen in those majors living in your house. The engineering program at Smith is well-funded and has nice facilities. While you can do engineering after attending Williams, it’s a more difficult process and you won’t get early insight into whether it’s the thing for you.</p>
<p>Most of my daughter’s classes at Smith have been interesting and intellectually stimulating. There have been one or two that have been less so, but I’m sure that you’ll find that at Williams also. It can be hard to judge a student body from a short visit; my daughter’s friends are smart and engaging, and have an amazing range of academic, artistic, athletic, and other interests and talents.</p>
<p>One thing that you may or may not be interested in is study-abroad. Smith has one of the premier programs with their own study-abroad programs in four European cities. For example, you could study art in Paris or Florence, or attend their environmental studies program in Hamburg. They just started a new Science in Paris program that’s designed to make it easier to allow science, engineering, and math students (who often have more required courses than other majors) to study abroad. Among other things, it requires only a year of college-level French or the equivalent. So you could be taking technical classes as well as art classes in Paris, and hanging out at the Louvre and Orsay in your spare time. Another option for engineering students at Smith is a junior year away at Princeton to take engineering courses in a research university environment.</p>
<p>Hello hattie914!</p>
<p>First of all, congratulations! What an exciting choice you have to make! I agree with your observations about Smith being “well-rounded” in terms of academics, social life, athletics etc. and the lack of a prevalent drinking culture like at Williams. These are some of the many reasons why I absolutely love it here. I love the warm feeling on campus, the strong sense of community, the homey feel of the houses, and the diversity of the student body (in terms of both background and interests). </p>
<p>I’m curious if you remember what professors/classes you sat in on at Smith? I definitely wouldn’t worry about being bored in Smith classes. It is possible that Williams could be a better fit for your personal preferences regarding learning style and class atmosphere, if that is what you mean by feeling more at home intellectually. However, I would encourage you not to discount Smith because you think the environment is less intellectually stimulating. The academic environment at Smith is quite rigorous and engaging, and I believe that anyone familiar with the college would agree with me on that point. Keep in mind that you just might have been unlucky with the class you sat in on, and don’t necessarily judge the entire college based on one class with one professor (although I understand that is hard to do when that is your only personal experience). Every college will have some great professors and classes and some that are not so great. Overall, I have had an extremely positive experience with my classes and professors. My friends (majoring in visual art, English, and engineering, among other fields) have similarly had positive experiences.</p>
<p>I think it is important to consider how your academic goals mesh with each college. If you want to study engineering and are interested in a liberal arts college environment where you can also explore other areas of study, Smith sounds like a perfect match. Smith is very unique among liberal arts colleges in the sense that you can study (major, minor, take classes in) engineering. Another big difference between the two schools is the fact that Smith is a women’s college while Williams is coed. I think that the benefits of studying at a women’s college are especially pronounced in areas that are still so male-dominated, such as engineering. One of my close friends is really interested in engineering, geosciences, government, and environmental policy, and she has had the opportunity to explore all of those areas during her first two years at Smith. I think Smith’s abundant resources in science and engineering along with the open curriculum would really cater well to your range of academic interests. </p>
<p>I hope some of this was helpful. I am so happy at Smith and I am confident that it is the right college for me. That being said, it’s not the right fit for everyone. I’m not trying to convince you to choose Smith. You need to make sure you pick the college that is the best fit for you personally, academically, etc. Please let me know if you have any other questions or want me to elaborate on any aspects of life at Smith. If you have any specific questions about studying engineering at Smith, I can have my roommate answer them for you. Good luck with your decision!</p>