I am looking for some help for my daughter who is looking at both Smith College and Skidmore College. We have visited both schools (along with others) and are impressed with both. Please give me your insights and perspectives if you have either visited or have a child who attends one of these colleges.
It is strictly personal preference. Does she want an all-girls school experience or not?
I’ve been to visit both schools and know grads of both schools.
As noted above…does your daughter prefer a single sex school, or does she want coed?
My daughter is not opposed at all, but sees great value in attending an all-girl school such as Smith. Both Northhampton and Saratoga Springs are beautiful college towns. I’m looking for the sense of community that both schools represent and the make-up of both the professors and student body.
Well…where are you from? It might be easier to travel to Northampton than Saratoga Springs via air travel.
I believe Smith also has the benefit of being able to take courses at the consortium of colleges up that way…although practically, I’m not sure how easy that is to do.
Both are great schools.
She should apply to both and when she gets accepted (!!) revisit the schools on admitted student days. She would then be able to look around and see some of the fellow students who she might be spending four years with.
At that point, you will also be able to compare total cost of attendance and any financial packages,
as the total COA of both may factor into her/your decision-making process.
To put Smith in its proper perspective, you might start by thinking of it as a women’s college, not an “all-girls school.”
See the difference? 
Historically, Smith is the better school, and the 5-College Consortium offers a lot, as does the town of Northampton. As to how easy it is to take courses at the other members, I can only say that when we toured Amherst our (male) tour guide told us that he was premed with a serious interest in music, and was studying music with a professor at Smith.
I don’t know anyone who has gone to Skidmore, but it is by reputation a fine school.
You might want to look at the individual college fora, and the women’s college forum also.
The Amherst/Northampton area has a lot more going on most of the year than Saratoga Springs.
This may not be accurate at all, but my impression, based on kids in my children’s cohort who went to either college (but definitely more to Smith than to Skidmore) is that Skidmore leans kind of preppy and mainstream, with a noticeable orientation towards New York City, while Smith is somewhat crunchy-granola, lefty, and green. Those qualities may be evanescent – in my day, based on my friends, I would have described them very differently.
Smith certainly isn’t the Smith of Barbara Bush’s and Nancy Reagan’s day, that’s for sure (though none of the women’s colleges are any more). I found it very in-your-face … which I am not positing as a negative.
We found Smith very ‘in your face’ too, and for us it was a big negative. There did not seem to be room for opinions that might be outside the majority.
Run the NPC. If they’re both affordable, apply to both.
Smith is more politically active and has the 5-college consortium.
Both towns are fantastic college towns.
First of all, thank you to everyone for posting your thoughts.
We live in New England, so traveling is not an issue. I like the suggestion to wait to see if she is accepted and then check out admitted student day for both schools. Can you elaborate on what in-your-face means?
Please keep the comments coming, as I find this forum to be well informed.
I agree that Skidmore has more political diversity, and the students I’ve known from there were more open to the opinions of others.
The students I knew who attended Smith had very strong opinions…and were more likely to try to sway you into their way of thinking than to listen to your point of view openly.
But really…I’m sure there are the opposites of both of these at each school.
Where else is your daughter applying?
My youngest, a trans male, would not be described as preppy or mainstream. He very quickly felt that Skidmore was the school for him, and thankfully the AOs agreed. He will matriculate next month, so it remains to be seen how it turns out, but we have been pleased with the school’s openness.
IB,
That is so good to hear. Based on my long ago experiences, when Smith was so open to gay women, I would have expected them to be in the forefront. Never heard a negative opinion about either college.
I believe Smith’s policy, clarified about a year or so ago, is to accept applications from cis females and trans females. They are not interested in trans males, though if a female student determines during her time there that she identifies as male, she won’t be kicked out. If I am incorrect in my understanding, please correct me.
There was a poster on CC last year who said her daughter liked Smith, but never felt she could have an opinion that was different than the major, who was perhaps a little conservative (gasp), and that made her feel her opinions were not as important. My daughter is a little on the conservative side (when she has an opinion). I think that Smith offers a lot of really good opportunities in government and in world affairs for those who can take advantage of them, but I don’t think my daughter would take advantage of them.
It was a fit issue, and she just didn’t fit.
I can only compare Smith to Wellesley as my D looked at both, but this is how I would express it:
W: “I’m going to change the world.”
S: “I’m going to change the world. Wanna make something of it?”
My daughter chose Smith for several reasons that may be relevant. She loved the idea of a “house” system. She matched into a single room in the area of campus she wanted. If it does work out to be a fit, she can stay in that house all four years. She will have the chance of getting to know women of all academic years and that level of support is encouraging. Yes, the young women did seem opinionated. But they also appeared accepting and affirming. Smith’s “required” introduction to pronoun use and micro-aggressions focused on the underlying principles of being kind and respectful. Hard to argue with that. However, she mostly loved the idea of the open curriculum. She is intellectually curious and a self motivated learner. She likes the idea of selecting courses based on her interest rather than a “requirement.” And access to the other colleges is definitely a plus!
@ixnaybob my son will be at Skidmore this year too, and he also got a good vibe about the open-minded atmosphere. We shall see! It seems like the school appeals to both an athletic perhaps preppy type, but also to a more artsy/alternative type. I am glad it is not homogeneous. Have you heard about the red and blue sides of the dining hall? Apparently the artsy alternative kids eat on the red side and the athletes and science students on the blue side. Some say it is a myth, but it seemed real to me! I wonder what side my alternative scientist will sit on… (BTW my son also happens to have a good friend who is a trans male who will be going there as well.)