<p>Recently, it seems, I've been running into a lot of people who seem to think that Smith is an easy, not-so-great school. It's less selective, they say, and so can't be nearly as challenging, stimulating, or rigorous as other small, liberal arts schools who are more selective. Personally, I think selectivity and acceptance rates are relatively meaningless, and aren't a good method for evaluating the rigors of a school. But it does have me worried. In my very, very small pond, I'm one of the bigger fish when it comes to intellectual pursuits. And I want that to be change; I want to be surrounded by people who are just as intellectually curious, motivated, and passionate as I am. Can Smith do that?</p>
<p>I guess what I'm asking is this: is Smith challenging, is the work thought-provoking? I know a lot of college is what you make it and how much effort you put into your work, etc., so let me ask this: how has your (or your child's) academic experience been at Smith? What is the "intellectual environment" like?</p>
<p>First of all we are a future Smith family so no personal experience but my D has a number of friends there who went to a very challenging PHS that sends kids to a lot of high end colleges and all of them are happy there academically. Most of them are already in advanced science classes so t looks like the school does a good job of advising as well.
BTW - just because you go to an Ivy is no guarantee everyone works hard.</p>
<p>I agree that selectivity is overrated when judging academic challenge--Smith's applicants are largely SELF-selecting, so it cuts down on the number of students the school has to reject.</p>
<p>I went to a very good public high school and so I think I had an easier time at Smith than many people did--in part this was because I didn't take all that many classes in fields that were hard for me. But I think it's very possible to challenge yourself no matter what level you come in on. I took a year of a foreign language I'd never before studied, wrote a 60-page research paper, tried an upper-level math class...and these things were HARD for me. I was very happy with the academics at Smith, because I knew there were plenty of challenging opportunities (writing a thesis, grad classes at UMass, subjects that were hard for me) and also because not everything was a struggle, which allowed me to get a high GPA and devote a lot of time to extracurriculars and paid jobs. I don't think it's a bad thing if not every class is a struggle for you.</p>
<p>I also agree with overwhelmed that at every school there are a wide variety of work habits--some people make academics more of a priority than others do.</p>
<p>Hey guys! Thanks so much for the quick reply--especially Stacy. </p>
<p>It's certainly reassuring to know that there are opportunities to challenge yourself, and to be involved. But I guess I'm wondering more about the general feeling as opposed to the workload, if that makes any sense. Like, are your peers engaged in the classroom? In classes that require participation, do people participate? Are people generally "intellectual?" And by intellectual, I don't mean holed up in their room studying all the time; more like, are people interested in having intellectual conversations outside of class and that kind of thing? </p>
<p>My problem is that I honestly want to be challenged, and I want to have to think, but I also want time to explore other aspects of the college--extracurriculars, etc. So Stacy, what you described sounds good--I just want to be challenged enough in the classroom that I'm engaged and interested, if that makes any sense. Do you find in general that you are (were) engaged in class? Obviously some classes will be duds wherever you go, but what has your experience been like in general?</p>
<p>Honestly, I'm just worried because I've been reading the Jolt (not always a good plan, I know) and there's a thread about "Smith Prestige" which has turned into a discussion about work load, etc., and some people make it seem like Smith's ridiculously easy and no one else is intelligent or interested in academics, etc. Should I take what people say about Smith being easier than community college as true or not?! I suppose you could say I'm going through a bit of a "crisis of faith." :]</p>
<p>Take the Daily Jolt with a gigantic rock of salt. That place is a heaping mess of people looking to stir stuff up.</p>
<p>The vast majority of people I've met at Smith have intellectual (not just academic) pursuits and can talk about a range of issues. I've had the oddest conversations about contemporary art, feminism, politics, bookmaking, women's jeans sizing, theater, educational philosophies, religious texts, vegan recipes, etc.! Smithies love good, smart conversation.</p>
<p>A potpourri of responses: My D said "there are very few slackers at Smith." As far as grades go, it seems to be relatively easy to get a B, relatively hard to get an A in many classes. (Note: there are some departments about which I know nothing.) I've seen two young women console a third about a B+. </p>
<p>The classroom really carries over to the dinner table and the House discussions. I've overheard quite a few and was even privileged to take part in a couple. I'm dazzled by the depth of what some Smithies know <em>outside</em> their majors, e.g., the Religion major talking about social and political issues of Edwardian England.<br>
I've gotten to know some of the recent Smith alumnae through the local Smith Club events and they continue to impress in multiple dimensions...in fact, I think the current students and alums are the best advertising any college could ask for. </p>
<p>AJ, you'll find that having challenges is no problem. Especially if you're involved in extracurriculars like athletics, music/dance, or more clubs than you could ever possibly explore. Sleep is often a casualty. If you really want to challenge yourself, just decide that you want to graduate with Latin Honors. It'll add to your stress level, but....</p>
<p>Let's put it this way: (and, agreed, anecdotes are not evidence): for her one year of German at Smtih, after taking their placement test, my d. would have received two years of credit at Princeton.</p>
<p>Your right in saying that selectivity is sort of pointless as a measure, at least when it comes to Smith. Yes, Smith accepts a higher percentage of applicants than most other LACs of it's size. But Smith is a women's college, and because of it's unique situation a lot of its applicant pool is self-selecting, meaning that we get mostly qualified people who really want to go to Smith and are a good match for it. So by the time they even get to applying, the pool is already pretty narrow.</p>
<p>Smith is no different from any other college in as much as you choose your friends and you choose your classes. Some classes are definitely more challenging than others, just as some students are more focussed than others. Your advisor will be the person who can gauge your needs and your potential. Last semester, my D's advisor took one look at her list of courses, and boosted them all up one or two levels. Believe me, she was challenged!</p>
<p>Our daughter just finished her first term at Smith which included two lab science classes and an intermediate language course for grades and a pass/fail poetry class. She carried 17 credits and felt very challenged. For comparison, she took something like 14 AP courses in high school (National AP scholar, so she did well too). When I asked her about the difficulty of work at Smith, she said that it was like having all AP courses that had to be finished in half the time. In other words, the courses were very thorough but extremely time consuming. She had lots of reading, of course, but felt that the writing component of each course was intense. Lab writeups were extremely detailed and her French course was very demanding in terms of written homework as well as listening (e.g. viewing films). She spent plenty of time in the lab, too.</p>
<p>As far as sharing what's she learned with other Smithies...yes, yes, yes, it is pretty heady. She has developed a peer group already that studies together before exams. They seem to have fun doing it, too. She's made friends from other colleges in the consortium and is included in their social as well as academic endeavors. She came home over Christmas break and had a ball sharing school information with her non-Smithie friends. </p>
<p>I wouldn't worry about the rumors. Smith has an excellent academic reputation in states far away, and our daughter, at least, has had no problems finding the intellectual challenge and the corresponding peer group she has sought.</p>
<p>An indirect gauge of Smith's intellectual environment: how many other colleges have anywhere the number of parents per capita who rave about their daughters' education? The number of parents here on the Smith board raving about Smith is sick. Some of the students might agree, albeit with a slightly different intent in meaning. :)</p>
<p>Count me as a raver. My sophmore daughter had the option of attending an ivy but chose Smith. She is having a great academic experience at Smith that is quite intellectually stimulating. Her research opportunities and interactions with profs at Smith are probably far superior to what she would have experienced at an ivy. </p>
<p>I could not be happier as to my daughter's choice of Smith.</p>
<p>ajlangs, Smith is a wonderful place and is known for small classes, academic excellence, terrific advising and mentoring, and available, committed professors. It has a real sense of community, and an open curriculum that gives you lots of room to explore your interests.</p>
<p>Academically, you WILL be challenged, and will have an intellectual community of peers. You also have the opportunity to do research with professors who really get to know you and mentor you. </p>
<p>Smith offers solid internship opportunitiesa great way to make connections for future jobs. Through Smiths PRAXIS program, every student is provided with a stipend for an internship. Also, Smith has a very strong and loyal alumni network.</p>
<p>And there are many extracurricular activities in which you can participate, and many leadership roles available.</p>
<p>Dont pay any attention to the Jolt. The majority of students who are happy at Smith are not complaining there.</p>