My D’s choose came down to four schools, Smith and Skidmore being amongst them. Pros for Smith: academics seemed more challenging, location is closer to home, five college consortium, the “houses”, study abroad program was superior, and dare I say it “more highly regarded/elite”. In the end, D picked Skidmore. They offered a fantastic package at the same time I was fighting Smith to just get us one so the choice could be made. Skidmore turned out to be 1/3 the COA as Smith. If money is no object, this of course would not come into play but for us it was a major consideration.
I’m still a bit concerned that Skidmore doesn’t offer some of the upper level STEM courses D would like but she’ll figure it out. As it turns out Skidmore is pretty liberal as well and there have been some small incidents that came to our attention about stifling other opinions. I figure if these small actions bother D, Smith would have been a horrible fit ~ she is not political outspoken but does lean conservative. My take is there are all types: preppy, artsy, athletic, stoners, a good mix of students.
It took a minute (or more, spring break lol) for D to settle down and be comfortable but she spent the summer at school as well, got home yesterday, and can hardly wait to go back which makes all the difference in the world. Her group of friends includes all types, gay, white, nerdy, Asian, partiers, you name it, its there! And that’s good.
My guess is that DS will sit with the alternative kids, but then again he’s been an ice hockey goalie, is intense at Krav Maga, and is on a pre Vet track. Whomever he lunches with, I get a sense, on this thread as at Skidmore, that he found his fit.
I visited Smith once and found it to be an outspoken, politically active campus. Skidmore places more emphasis on the creative arts. This does not mean you won’t find strong opinions at Skidmore or arts/culture at Smith. By reputation, Smith is a notch above Skidmore academically. However, without taking classes at both, it’s hard to say if there is a substantial difference in her potential major. I have read about their new science center but know nothing about course rigger or research opportunities. Maybe take a look at grad schools where science majors gain acceptance. See if you can compare course offerings and syllabi.
Btw- Saratoga is a great town; many restaurants and shops, beautiful parks, National Museum of Dance, and one of the best outdoor concert venues in the country, SPAC.
^I can speak to the research opportunities a bit. D was asked to participate in a chemistry research project with three upper classman and was chosen as a Schlup Scholar which provided an additional stipend (on top of the $2500) and free room and board. She presented the findings at Bucknell University two weeks ago and said the whole experience was amazing. I’m not sure she would have had this same opportunity at Smith.
She was also offered a tutoring position in the chem department her first semester and did that her freshman year as well as work study in the coffee café. This year she has been asked to work for the Math/CS department grading papers. Again, two opportunities I’m not sure she would have been offered at Smith.
I can’t speak to SS, but I was decidedly unimpressed by Northampton and environs. Everyone crowed over it and it just seemed like a somewhat-hippie town you could find anywhere, but somehow plunk it in Western MA and it’s “cool.” I didn’t see it as a great college town at all.
^Agreed. On the other hand, Saratoga is a really nice town, walking distance from campus. My D has attended SPAC for concerts, there’s a few coffee houses, a really nice park, outdoor eating venues with heater lamps for the shoulder seasons (not sure they are used in winter but I was there in November and April and both times many places were using them), an upscale main street with fun, albeit expensive, shops. The casino and horse track are right there, Six Flags and Lake George are less than 30 minutes away. If you go in the opposite direction, there is a local bus that stops by the school hourly I believe that takes you to a mall area with additional, more mainstream (think chain) restaurants, a Walmart, etc.
I disagree with Pizzagirl about Northampton. It’s a great little town, also within walking distance of campus, also with coffee houses, a nice park, places to eat out, and some shops.
I saw a little of everything (positive and negative) in what each of you said regarding Smith and Skidmore. As you are aware, every bit of information is helpful when deciding what college is the best fit for your child. Once again, thank you for your responses.
I know nothing of Smith, but found this on their website, which seems to confirm @Pizzagirl’s comment:
Smith does not accept applications from men. Those assigned female at birth but who now identify as male are not eligible for admission.
and
Once admitted, any student who completes the college’s graduation requirements — regardless of gender identity, gender expression or sexual orientation — will be awarded a Smith degree.
If your D is interested in research, Smith does offer the STRIDE program. It includes a $20 - 25 000/year scholarship + a $2400 research scholarship for two years, and participants are paired up with a faculty member to conduct paid research with them for their first two years of college.
Regarding accessibility, Smith is a bit more isolated from the other colleges in the Consortium as a result of its location. Students at my college (Mount Holyoke) have noted that it’s a bit of a challenge to get to Smith for clubs/activities unless you have a car.
@QuirkyClarkie Interesting that you refer to Smith as more isolated but I can see that from the perspective of the Consortium as it’s the only school West of the Connecticut River ( I think). My D crossed off Mt Holyoke because it by itself was too isolated though personally I thought it was great.
I thought Northampton was a nice college town and from what I was told it’s where the indy music scene of Western Mass goes.
For those investigating Skidmore, it was a very popular choice this year, and many more students accepted their offer of admission than they were expecting. The freshman class is large! I heard they are offering discounts on tuition to upperclassmen who move off campus.
Visited both, with different Ds. I personally liked the house system at Smith and the combination of music and arts at Skidmore. In my day, Skidmore was where wealthy dilettantes with horses went, but that’s clearly changed. Both nice little towns, although Saratoga Spring is more upscale. Neither kid applied to either, alas.
Smith has more of an elite academic reputation which has existed for decades whereas even 2 decades ago, Skidmore was regarded as a respectable school a few tiers down.
One HS classmate who was admitted to NYU CAS in a period when it was regarded as a school for well-off B- students from the tri-state area and rejected by SUNY Bing and Stonybrook was given a full-ride to and attended Skidmore. He enjoyed the academics and Profs, but as a scholarship student from a lower-middle class background found he had some issues interacting/relating to a student body dominated by students from upper/upper-middle class backgrounds and tastes/spending habits.
Heard things have changed recently, but the stereotype of Skidmore as a school for academically average/below average students from wealthy families was prevalent enough during my HS/college years in the '90s that there were a few jokes/satirical songs referencing those stereotypes. One referenced a Skidmore student who sings about “doing Yoga in Saratoga” and having “big bucks” in the form of family provided trust funds/inheritances.
I live in the area of Skidmore and know people who went there. They have very good arts programs though the ceramics program has gone down hill(I’m friends with a girl who was an Art major with a focus in ceramics). Of Saratoga Springs itself, it’s a really nice area. It’s really pretty and most people are quite nice. It has one of the best Main Street’s (Broadway) in America- that was in some magazine. If your daughter is open to Women’s colleges and likes upstate NY, I recommend Russell Sage College in Troy. That’s where I am going and it’s easier to get into than Smith or other women’s colleges. And it doesn’t even really feel like it’s in a city.
@cobrat, that is not the reputation Skidmore has in the great Seattle area, at least in my circles.
Smith, on the other hand, seemed to have lost a lot of its “ring” years and years ago. Among the seven sisters who are still 100% sister, I have a hard time putting it with Wellesley, which seems to have put itself in its own category, and I would put Barnard and even Bryn Mawr ahead of it, thought that’s debatable.
We toured, and were underwhelmed and felt a lot of the “in your face” kind of thing to which people are alluding here. Mount Holyoke and Bryn Mawr blow it away based on campus, and I just don’t see the difference in play between a Skidmore and a Smith now. Wellesley, yes. Smith? That feels like a real reach, and I don’t have a dog in this hunt at all.
To me, when you get to the Conn. College, Skidmore, Smith, Mount Holyoke, St. Lawrence, Soka, F&M, Dickinson, Trinity or Richmond level, you should just go where you fit best … really you should do that even among the upper upper tier, but those schools seem to belong in a general category within which it’s just not going to really matter. I would put Smith in that category. The only real distinction with Smith is that they do have a big endowment relative to most LACs. But I don’t see it as a school that is in the same tier of the usual suspects in the $1B club, nor in the same tier as several that are not in that club.
@thumper1 The 5-col consortium does work. It’s pretty easy to take classes at other schools. Free bus service for example. It’s been in place for several decades now and while undoubtedly problems still exist (show me a system without problems) I’ve known several people who’ve used it and loved it.