So during my college search, I’ve come across Smith, and realized it is a perfect fit for me in almost every way:
-Women’s engineering program
-Ability to take classes at neighboring schools
-Non-traditional house-style dorms
-Near hiking trails and nice scenery (for photography)
-In New England
-Safe campus
-Can walk into Northhampton
-Variety of food options
-Open curriculum
However, my mother read some articles, and has now turned against it due to the mostly liberal student-body, and lack of men nearby. I come from a conservative family, but I am left-leaning politically, and she is worried that going to Smith will brainwash me, and doesn’t like that “she has to pay a lot of money for me to turn into a Socialist”. How can i convince her that Smith is the best school for me, and that viewpoints aren’t forced upon students?
Mmm. I’m a liberal, and I’m kinda with your mom on this one. There is a lot of pressure there (more than most schools) to the liberal side. It is very intense. And the bottom line is that it is her money.
Not sure what your stats are, but how about Harvey Mudd, Case Westerm, Michigan Tech, Colorado School of Mines, RPI, or WPI? Assuming you want to major in engineering.
@intparent I would like to stay on the East Coast, which limits my options. My stats would have me in the running for Smith’s STRIDE program, and my current list is Smith, Barnard, Northeasterm, BU, and UMASS Amherst as a safety. I am into the idea of a woman’s college, but don’t necessarily need it. I have heard a lot about the political pressure at Smith, but my idea is that if I’m not part of the main social justice scene, it shouldn’t be too much of a problem
I absolutely hate the south and midwest, cannot stand the area whatsoever (which is too bad, there are schools there that are academic matches, but they’re in the armpit of the US). Add that to being an only child with protective parents, I’m pretty much limited to the East Coast, because they don’t want me to go too far away from Rhode Island
I think you really need to check out Smith before you decide it wouldn’t matter. My very apolitical daughter (but leans conservative) was very uncomfortable after just one night on campus. She didn’t want to discuss politics, social policy, entitlements, the European union, what her preferred pronoun was, her sexual orientation, or just about anything else, but she couldn’t avoid it. She was being offered a great opportunity to study engineering at a top university, but she just felt uncomfortable.
For my other daughter? It would have been great but she didn’t have the grades. It is a place where I feel it would be difficult to not be ‘part of the main social justice scene’ because that is a big part of the school. It may be perfect for you, but don’t make assumptions. Check it out.
The thing is, I am a strong feminist and political, and I know I’d be comfortable with most of the political discussion. I will be visiting soon (along with UMASS Amherst), so the main thing is to hope she isn’t too uncomfortable with me going to a very liberal school after touring
@intparent I apologize, I have nothing against the people there, and do realize there are some great opportunities there. However, I personally have not liked it geographically, and have not had a good experience in the places I’ve been to (I probably come off as a bit obnoxious about the subject, my family is from the midwest, and their complaining has made me a bit biased against the area as a whole)
Wow. I’m amazed at how Smith is painted here. It’s very political, and not for everyone. But it’s not as extreme as people paint it. Put those opinions in this context: some of the people here are painting the entire East Coast as “limited” and warning you away.
Wow. Talk about limited.
Sounds like the parents here need to expand their worldviews before chastising OP.
Okay – how about looking at Sweet Briar? That’s another women’s college with an ABET accredited program. It has great hiking and a beautiful campus, a very strong tradition of empowering women, but is less overtly political. It also has no cute little town like Northampton. It’s also more conservative – or at least in the more conservative part of the country. Sweet Briar seems to have a range of political opinions. You would find it a safety school. In addition it’s super cheap right now
Another option might be to start at Haverford or Bryn Mawr and then continue for a masters degree at UPenn–
Both Haverford and Bryn Mawr have this program. It’s a 4+1 program and it differs from a 3+2 program in that you would be able to graduate with your class before continuing to complete the engineering degree at UPenn.
OP, while you are in the area visiting Smith and UMass, also look at Mount Holyoke, another member of the consortium. They have several dual degree engineering programs.
Is your mom accompanying you on the visits so she can see the schools as well?
Smartest lady I knew, an elderly Aunt, went to Mount Holyoke about 100 years ago. Very liberal, but they were successful in their fight for women’s rights!
Other considerations:
As high a regard as I also have for Smith, the breadth of engineering offerings is very limited. See https://www.wpi.edu/academics/departments and check out the range of majors and fully developed majors. Outside of engineering, what would you like to study?
STEM schools are too busy to argue. They are actually designing working solutions to problems,
The heart of the WPI program is teamwork through project experiences. You can’t get a lot done while arguing.
Engineers are used to being classed as not well rounded, but not at this school. The school program focuses on interdisciplinary thinking,
They have been in a long term effort to raise the entering class from 44% to 50% women and this pulls for your FA.
intparent had a good list:
Not sure what your stats are, but how about Harvey Mudd, Case Western, Michigan Tech, Colorado School of Mines, RPI, or WPI? Assuming you want to major in engineering. Depending on you stats, I would add CMU or Clarkson.
No that wasn’t what I wss refering to. Instead, I was suggesting places that will likely have more diversity of thought. Being liberal is fine, but it is better to be one where your ideas are challenged a bit by other intelligent students, rather than simply confirmed.
I’m not sure what you can do to convince her, it IS the alma mater of Gloria Steinem and Betty Friedan, so it would be hard to shake that feminist image. About 15% of the student population are from countries outside of the US, so I don’t believe that everyone is in lockstep about everything.
I think all you can do is tour the school, along with others that are similar (and different), and make your case as to why you like your top choices (and see if you get in.) Smith has a beautiful campus and the admissions staff is just marvelous. She might end up seeing what you like about it. It’s a very friendly place. I agree with the suggestion of touring the nearby schools, and also with touring Bryn Mawr if you like Smith’s vibe because of the engineering program with Penn and the close relationship with Haverford.
If you’re a headstrong girl, I don’t think she needs to worry about you suddenly becoming a mindless follower.
STEM schools are too busy to argue. They are actually designing working solutions to problems,
This is hilariouis! I have no doubt that STEM schools are actually designing working solutions to problems, but may I point out that so are other schools.
Boy oh boy are the narrow minds coming out in force on this forum! Lots of projection going on!
Smith clearly helps to nurture people who solve real problems.
As for the engineering offerings, remember that Smith is part of the 5-college consortium and so the OP would be able to take courses at UMass Amherst – she should check out those offerings as well.