<p>So I was just accepted to Smith, and I really love it, but I've read some things about competitiveness that kinda worry me. I go to a tiny midwestern school, and have never in my life been asked about a grade. My school doesn't even do class rankings: I have no idea where I'd fall. I don't feel remotely ready for the kind of cutthroat competitiveness that Northeastern schools can sometimes be famous for. Does Smith fall into that category? Are there any Smithies on this board who've had bad experiences with over-competitiveness? Does the Honor Code have any effect in this area?</p>
<p>One of the things that I really loved about Smith when I was there (just a year ago…<em>sigh</em>) was that the students were focused on being collaborative rather than competitive. We were for the most part highly ambitious, but one of the big things that’s impressed on you at Smith is that Smithies always help each other. Whether it’s alums helping new grads find jobs or older students helping first-years pick classes or editing your roommate’s paper, the people I knew at Smith at least were very focused on how all of us could move forward together, as women, Smithies, citizens, whatever, rather than how just one person could reach the highest heights. So I found the community over my four years to be welcoming and supportive, rather than cutthroat.</p>
<p>Well said, S&P. My daughter, a first-year, recently commented on the fact that there is one student in her house who, when she took a class with her, asked her indirectly several times about “how was she was doing in the class.” I think my daughter sidestepped her question, said “just fine” and changed the subject. My daughter said, with the above exception, NO ONE asks anyone about their grades and they all help each other. She has helped her roommate with calculus and friends with their papers and she has received help in return. My daughter, like you, also hates super-competitiveness, and she loves Smith!</p>
<p>I will third this - my D (first year) went to a very intense but supportive PH and would say that Smith is the same. People work hard but also study together and help each other - she has tutored kids in her house and some of the more traditionally difficult classes like orgo chem have a lot of support and tutoring built in which I think also gives a very non cutthroat message. I think kids do sometimes talk about grades on exams and papers but I don’t think it is something you are pressured to day and isn’t done in a competitive way. There are other NE LAC that will tell you the same on admissions tours but the inside take is different - this isn’t the case at Smith.</p>
<p>I’ll fourth it. Which isn’t to say that many Smithies aren’t highly driven and competitive with themselves… I’ve seen two Smithies consoling a third about a B+ in class…and each would have been miserable had the shoe been on the other foot. But it’s a very supportive environment. And not the kind of place where you have to sleep next to your O-chem experiment in the lab overnight to make sure some cutthroat pre-med doesn’t sabotage your experiment…it’s happened at other schools.</p>
<p>I agree TheDad - i just had to remind my D that a B+ on an exam was not a failure :)!</p>
<p>I’ve heard the same from my D as well. She won some honors at which time her GPA became apparent; she was mortified since that’s something she and her friends never talk about. She has found her peers to be nothing but supportive and collaborative. Competition is, at least for her, purely internal.</p>
<p>Thanks all, this is really helpful.</p>