Smith College or CWRU?

Hi!

So I was lucky to be accepted into these two awesome schools and I’m heavily leaning towards Smith but I want to give CWRU some consideration before I make my final choice.

About me:
-interested in bio major, would like to do research starting freshman year (did it all 4 yrs of h.s.)
-gay, latina
-fiscally and socially moderate maybe with a liberal leaning cuz im young and from ny

Things that I like about Smith over CWRU
-it’s a LAC
-the res life is based on houses not dorms
-10k cheaper than CWRU
-northampton is nice town
-5 college consortium
-2.5 hours away
-no classes with more than 100 students
-only 5% of classes have 50-99 students
-idk just nice vibes from the school i guess
-even tho im into step the gender ratio between the profs is p. equal
-the group chat for smithies is way more fun/less awkward than Case’s group chat. not very significant but i feel like it may be an -slight- indicator of something ?? maybe???

Things that I do not like about Smith
-very sjw-y ? i was on the facebook page and every person was announcing their preferred pronouns which i get, i guess. but then it’s a women’s college, why is there a need to announce that my preferred pronouns are she/her ?

Pros of CWRU
-higher ACT/SAT test score avgs?
-Cleveland is a big city so public transit and entertainment
-maybe more opportunities for internships/research
-6.5 hrs from home, a good distance
-??? idk cant think of much else

Cons of Case
-10k more expensive
-campus not very safe

Are you interested in pre-med as a bio major?
Case will have more engineer-types than Smith so hence the awkwardness
You can do research at Case as well…check out the “SOURCE” program…it connects you to professors
I would not say that Case is not a safe campus…but it is near a city so one needs to be reasonable.
I never had a problem in my 4 years there…but I used the “greenie” busses (door to door service) when crossing campus late at night.
Case is definitely making an effort in LGBT issues…http://case.edu/lgbt/
Case has a residential college program for first year students: https://students.case.edu/campus/class/firstyear/

@hechopecho - congratulations on your acceptances. This is a very tough comparison as the two schools are so different. DD applied and will probably be going to CWRU. Also noted the ‘nerdy’ factor but found the kids at the accepted students event in Boston to look and act pretty “normal” so she was relieved. We personally didn’t find the campus to feel unsafe - thought it was great.
I don’t know Smith personally but we live in MA so know tons of people who have gone there or to other nearby schools and they love the area, but once again, it is sooo different.
I don’t think this is one of those decisions that anyone but you can make - go with your gut - I don’t think you can go wrong with either one but you seem to be leaning towards Smith. A more rural all girls school is just different from a more city/suburban coed research college. I will say that most people I’ve spoken to never actually use the 5 school consortium so that shouldn’t be a large factor in your decision, but if you get a warmer, fuzzier feeling from the close knit community at Smith, and you like that, that should be your answer. Academically they are both terrific! You will not make a mistake with either - but once again, as a mom with life experience, I say, in this case it is okay to just go to the one that calls to you more…

Have you gone to admitted students days? That would really help you to get to know what the student body is like.

Interesting choice. I happen to have a teacher friend at Smith and stayed in that area. My son is at Case.

Research options are better at Case compared to Smith but Smith professors often do find ways to get students into research in other states, so you need to investigate that. The breadth of project choices is smaller at Smith, because it is a smaller school, but labs at U Mass Amherst may be open to you, check about that.

If you are premed, Case may give you more exposure to medical science because there are two major research hospitals, University hospital and Cleveland Clinic. Cleveland Clinic has many joint programs with Case
and some of the best heart disease research and the top hospital for Crohn’s disorder and intestinal disorders.

Case allows students who get into medical school early leave with a bachelors degree in three years, very flexible for smart premedical students. !

The two geographies are very different. Amherst and the five college system are in a rural area with a lot of intellectuals! Cleveland is a small scale city, also quite liberal in politics, but less flamboyantly ultra liberal compared to Smith/Amherst. Massachusetts takes some getting used to, as its strangely rule bound New England mixed with ultra liberal politics out there. Its a good three hour drive to Boston, so you will not go to Boston that much.

Smith will have a more intellectual atmosphere, and more of the student body will be studying humanities like English literature, art, history, social sciences, but Case does also have very strong humanities and social sciences too.

At Smith, you will have free public transportation to all the other campuses, including U Mass Amherst and be able to cross register at any of those schools, but Smith may limit the credits you can take at the other colleges (Hampshire, Mount Holyoke, Amherst College and UMAss). .

CWRU offers a lot of flexibility on studying things you may not have thought of, and a LOT more courses are offered compared to Smith, because there are PhD programs offered, thus graduate level biology, physics math and other subjects are open to undergraduates who have the prerequisites . There is a full law school and business college and a very well known college of social work at CWRU. CWRU offer practical majors like accounting, or nursing should you want to change majors. CWRU is bigger socially and appears to be supportive of gay students, and very inclusive. CWRU is close to Cleveland Clinic and has joint programs for research and a new medical facility where dentists, doctors, engineers and psychologists can meet and talk about how to care for patients. You may get exposure to more different fields of study at Case and find that to be in your favor if you are undecided about what career to follow. The engineers at Case are not that nerdy, according to my son who is not an engineer. Greek life is mellow at Case.

I am unfamiliar with Smith’s music offerings but art, music and theatre is a strength at Case Western and Cleveland as a city.

Cleveland Institute of Music is on campus and you can get music lessons from very top musicians and attend CIM concerts. Also Cleveland Orchestra plays on campus at Severence Hall. Its the top five orchestra in the WORLD! , only Chicago Symphony would beat it for quality and amazing concerts. Students get season passes for a reasonable rate.
Finally Cleveland Art Museum, a block from campus, is almost to the level of the NYC MET. Its better than the Boston Museum of Fine arts in collection size and layout. Its free for everyone and has a wonderful small cafeteria should you grow tired of “Case Food”.

Cleveland Playhouse offers very good theatre. While Amherst/Smith will have some really good arts on campus
its not the same as a professional playhouse or world class orchestra that Cleveland offers you.

Good luck with this tough decision! .