Environment of Noho/Smith

Colleges and Universities A-Z Smith College
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<p>Okay so I just got an early-write :)</p>

<p>Even though Smith isn't my tippy top choice anymore, it is still in the running, pending late March decisions. </p>

<p>I'd like to know about the surrounding area. I've been up there twice, but have not been able to drive through Noho. I've grown up in rural/suburban areas, but there's a city girl inside of me. NYC/Boston/Miami and the like really appeal to me. I know Noho is nothing like that, but my mom instinctively referred to it as just like my town (blech!)</p>

<p>Has anyone come from a big city to Smith (well I know people have)? What was your adjustment like? </p>

<p>I need the traffic, noise, pollution (I jest), etc. </p>

<p>If I am awarded a STRIDE, Smith will definitely be bumped up to a top top choice, still pending March decisions (I have 4 schools left to hear from). </p>

<p>I also feel like I am better suited in a larger environment (read: student population). It seemed very quiet vs other schools I have visited (MIT, Harvard, Northeastern, BU - of course these schools have the noise factor of their city, but I mean as far as on campus busy-ness). I want small/moderate class sizes, but not in the single digits/teens. </p>

<p>I am a prospective engineering major, and I recall that that department is already very small to begin with. I would rather be at a bigger school and feel swallowed than a smaller school and feel like I've outgrown. </p>

<p>I have read through the insider's guide to Smith, but I'd like some feedback more tailored to my individual questions (I have more :))</p>

<p>Thanks!!!</p>

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<p>Just a note - the Engineering Deparmtment is NOT really small, as far as I know. I think there are more than 110 students in it.</p>

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<p>Sorry, I was thinking of the number of engineering students by class, roughly 1/4 of 110.</p>

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<p>My D had a bias for large cities (live three blocks from Los Angeles) and originally had an NYC school as her first choice. She really liked NoHo and I have to agree. Enough music/arts/restaurants/etc. to keep life interesting, far outpunches its 30,000 population. I think maybe the Smith “bubble” started to close in senior year but she had had a years split between D.C. and Budapest, next to which a lot of cities might pale.</p>

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<p>I’ll first talk about Smith and then Noho.</p>

<p>Yes, the engineering department is “small”, but I would see that as a bonus. Your core classes will have a relatively stable group of people in them, and because of this, most of the engineers I know are pretty close. Also, it’s much easier to get one on one time in office hours if you are struggling. Anecdotally, my friends at schools like Pitt and Cornell have a heck of a time getting to see their profs for personal help. </p>

<p>Most of your classes will not be in the "teens’ more like 20s to be fair. Classes like Calculus, Linear Algebra, Physics are offered by their respective departments and many people take them, so they’ll be reasonably sized. Also, this is a chance to meet/interact with people in different departments, something not all engineering departments allow(many have their own math/science courses)</p>

<p>As far as Noho. While I didn’t come from a big city, I always thought I wanted to do a big city for college. Noho is better than any big city for me. There are always a million things going on, and it has a niche for everyone. Plus, it’s so safe, which is comforting. You can walk downtown for a concert, and walk back late at night no problem. </p>

<p>The bigger plus of the way Northampton is situated is that while it’s so close and accessible, it doesn’t become a substitute for lively campus life. People go to Northampton in addition to doing things on Smith campus, not instead of. I know my friends at school in Boston/New York rarely if ever do things on their home campus. The city is where things are happening which causes you to lose the college campus environment. Don’t get me wrong, they LOVE that about living in a city, but it’s nothing I would have wanted.</p>

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<p>On another note about Noho, as a Smith student you are going to be very busy…studying. So even though there is plenty to do in Noho, at Smith, the other colleges and universities and surroundings, remember it’s not like you’ll have a ton of free time to spend in any city or town outside classes and doing your work. Just another thought…</p>

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<p>TheDad- thanks for your response. And wow, Noho is 1/2 the size of my town!</p>

<p>rocket6louise- thanks for your perspective. I am more like your friends. I don’t mind the school size necessarily, but I’ve found myself naturally drawn to smaller schools on bigger cities. </p>

<p>njcdmom- thanks for your response. I don’t want a city setting because I want to go out in it, but I prefer those surroundings (noise, people, etc). I know I will be busy with schoolwork/sports/etc, which I prefer more than going out in the city.</p>

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<p>Smaller schools in bigger cities? Give us an example. ;)</p>

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<p>Well, in my opinion, I would prefer (based on size and location only in this example) to go to MIT which has roughly 5,000 undergrads but is located on Boston/Cambridge, than attend my state school, UConn, which has roughly 18,000 undergrads but the city (town?) of Storrs is rural. </p>

<p>I know 5,000 is bigger than Smith, but I still consider it “small”.</p>

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<p>I see. I think…haha. Anyway best of luck in making up your mind.</p>

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<p>I came to Smith from a big city (and having grown up in the center of the city, not the suburbs). I was a little worried about being bored, but I found that at Smith I never was. There was always something going on campus, and as I was very involved in the Smith Democrats, I travelled to neighboring states and cities frequently for campaigning. Northampton is basically like a very cool neighborhood from a large city, it’s got a vibrant arts scene, good restaurants, and really, really amazing music scene. The Iron Horse Entertainment Group, which owns most of the venues in town, brings in awesome bands, and then Smith has a couple of major acts per year (Vampire Weekend, Feist, the Decemberists etc), in addition to other concerts and events. </p>

<p>If you prefer MIT, you prefer MIT. Smith’s engineering department is certainly smaller compared to MIT’s, though it has the benefit of being specifically designed to encourage and educate female engineers. Smith doesn’t have fraternities and the accompanying party scene that you can find at MIT, and while it does have the Five College Consortium, at MIT you can cross register with other schools in Cambridge. They’re very, very different places, apples and oranges really. So if you find yourself strongly drawn to one, that may be indicative about your feelings about the other. Good luck with your choice.</p>

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<p>Thank you SmithieandProud. </p>

<p>I just need to visit Smit again and do an overnight. </p>

<p>I’m not accepted to MIT, waiting to hear a decision, but since I spent a week there doing engineering projects, it’s the only school that I have experienced enough of to use in examples. </p>

<p>For the admitted students weekend, are we allowed to choose a certain type of host? Say, would I be able to request an engineer or rugby player?</p>

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<p>You can’t request a “type” of host, but you can request a specific person to host. I would suggest trying to find a Smithie who is an engineer or a rugby-er ( I know someone who does both) and then request for them to be your host. Try facebook for starts</p>

<p>I totally understand that Smith isn’t for everyone, but as a woman STEM major (the M to be particular), I just want to say that the academics should be your trump card. ONLY at Smith will you have a faculty who’s sole purpose is to educate women engineers(or to educate women in their field for classes outside your major). The professors know how to teach women (who, do in fact learn things differently then men…not worse, not better, simply differently). ONLY at Smith will you have the sheer number of female professors in your engineering classes. ONLY at Smith will women make up nearly 100% of your engineering classes, giving them all of the professor’s time and attention. Everything else notwithstanding, this is vital and will make a difference in your education, which should be a major factor in choosing a college.</p>

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<p>Thank you R6L. </p>

<p>The reasons you stated are really important to me and are the reasons why I haven’t totally dismissed Smith (not that I want to).</p>

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<p>@CPU: I’ve visited Smith/Northampton and while smaller than a major city, Northampton has a wide variety of restaurants, cafes and shops and is much more interesting then most towns of its size:)</p>

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<p>For what it’s worth, I consider Northampton with its international and quirky flair as a version of Cambridge, MA, with a wonderful variety of shops, restaurants, street entertainment, theatres, pubs and clubs. Some aspects of it close down earlier than others on the weekends; current students can speak to that. I LOVE Noho; to me, it’s the perfect college town. If I were to move anywhere, I’d move to Noho. When we visit our daughter, we not only get a great visit with her but we get a great meal. I have yet to meet a restaurant I didn’t like and over the last three years, I’ve pretty much checked them all out. How’s that for an endorsement?</p>

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<p>Actually, NOHO today reminds me of Cambridge in 1973. Today, NOHO is much nicer.</p>

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<p>That is great!</p>

<p>I’ve pretty much decided on Smith. Now I’m hoping that since I was an early admit, I’ll be awarded a STRIDE. But I’ll still go to Smith without one, of course!</p>

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<p>CPU…i was admitted ed 2 to smith with relatively low stats, and i was admitted to an HYP SCEA before i found out about Smith. I am not sure i am comfortable with vermontmaid’s post. If MIT or Carnegie Melon are higher on you list i wouldn’t mark them off yet…when i say low stats, i mean i have below the 25% at the HYP i was admitted to. I am choosing Smith because it’s is an awesome place, but keep your options open.</p>

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<p>kristina- first, congrats! </p>

<p>I was never interested in applying to Carnegie Mellon lol. I don’t pay any mind to vermontmaid’s posts. Smith is my current number one. It has been since last march when I visited for an open house. Since then it has moved up and down my list. But now I know it’s where I need to be, academically, mentally, and socially.</p>