<p>Hi,
I'm really interested in women's colleges b/c I haven't ever been to an all-female school. I go to a pretty bad public high school (super large!) & I feel more comfortable w/out boys. (They can be immature...or just plain weird).
My parents totally disagree w/me & think that girls get into fights all the time. They think that w/out boys, girls just fight over stupid things. I don't think so, of course, but I was wondering what a women's college is really like.</p>
<p>Are the girls like the "stereotypical girls"?</p>
<p>Women's colleges are not catty (at least Smith is not, I can't speak for the other schools, but I imagine they would say the same). I think one of the main reasons girls have a bad rep for fighting is because of guys not because of the lack of them. Girls thinking they have to compete for male attention, girls angry at other girls because of some boy trouble, etc. </p>
<p>Women's colleges are great because you don't have that kind of drama. Smith is a really supportive community where people care about each other and treat each other like family. The whole purpose of the college is to build strong, smart, world-changing women, and for the most part, people really adhere to that ethos.</p>
<p>Thanks. That's my impression too. There is a lot of stupid drama at my high school & I'm really sick of it all. I don't fit in with those girls & I like to be more academic. I'm hoping that girls are more academic when surrounded by all girls...</p>
<p>Kiefer, having gone to Smith, Colgate (co-ed LAC), and Michigan (sharing some classes with undergrads) and studied abroad, the key to your success in the academics is your self-confidence and assertiveness. If you are always speaking up in classes and independent, it won't make a difference to go to a women's college. You will do great no matter where you go. However, if you have self-esteem and confidence issues in the classroom, then you might be more comfortable at Smith. But you have to think about who exactly are you trying to impress? If it's the men, then go to Smith. If it's the professors, it won't matter as long you go to a LAC envrinoment type of school where professors tend to be more caring about their students.</p>
<p>Drama will always be there but it really lessens after freshman year. I lived in a sorority for my junior and senior years at Colgate and there was very little drama going on and if there was, often it was contained between a couple of women, not over guys but just issues with each other. The rest of us could choose to get involved or not.</p>
<p>Guys are still weird in college but they just take a little longer to mature. However, if you go to a school that attracts high-achieving students, you will find good guys there who won't be stupid. Jerks, maybe. By junior year, they actually shape up pretty well and get very serious about their academics. I've met very few guys who continued to party through their senior year but many of them, towards the end of their sophomore year, win my affection and friendships.</p>
<p>One of the reasons why I transferred out of Smith was I thought my classroom discussions really needed guys' perspectives. You'll be very surprised by what they say and think if you ever have an opportunity to sit in a course that strikes a nerve for each gender like military history or gender literature. I've always enjoyed the male students' perspectives. So if your parents are still worried, you can assure them that you can always take classes at UMass or Amherst if you wanted to be around guys.</p>
<p>I attended Smith for two years and would have to say there was hardly any fighting between girls. The only time I saw it was roommate problems like one having guys over or the other staying up too late with the light on ect... Very minor. </p>
<p>I loved Smith and one of my greatest regrets in life is that I didn't stay and graduate. I was young and in too much of a hurry to get on with my life so I transferred to a specialized program in another college so I could graduate and make money sooner. I accomplished my goal but at the expense of a well rounded liberal arts education. </p>
<p>I highly recommend you go to Smith - and take art history for me since I never was able to fit it in! :)</p>
<p>Factor into your decision making that you will be put under a lot of pressure to be gay or gay until graduation.</p>
<p>Some staff behavior at the engineering camp Smith sponsors for high school girls would be ground for legal action or dismissal in other areas - But the PC quotient for being Gay at Smith trumps everything else.</p>
<p>toadstool is a troll. I don't know why he/she is going around to all the thread spreading lies about Smith. </p>
<p>Again, as a straight person at Smith I've never come under any pressure to be anything except myself. At Smith people respect each other's sexuality and respect each other's boundaries, and if people tell you differently then they don't know much about the school.</p>
<p>Kiefer, my daughter is a first-year at Smith. She tells me there has been no remarkable drama in her house or classes. The women make an effort to include one another and build camaraderie instead of competitiveness. She has felt more accepted at Smith than at any time in her life. If you would like, send me a private message. I would be happy to talk to you. Best of luck with your parents.</p>
<p>I'm a senior at Smith. I've seen painful break-ups and friendships dissolve into bitterness and animosity. I've also seen awesome displays of comfort and support and friendships that only grow closer as graduation approaches. These things are not unique to Smith and they do not depend on the presence or absence of men. Living with people is not a cake walk and you will end up in some hurtful and uncomfortable situations no matter where you end up. I guarantee you, though, that you can find a group of friends who support and accept you at Smith. And je<em>ne</em>sais_quoi is right, Smithies prefer camaraderie to mean competitiveness.</p>