<p>BUMP</p>
<p>I'm sure this topic will need to be revived for this year's applicants since many women apply to both MHC and Smith. A year after I've finished with the whole process with my daughter, I have a more concise view of the differences. Please note: the following reflects my own bias. My daughter attends Smith, although she got into both schools. </p>
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<li><p>Most women who apply strongly prefer one school over the other after visiting. Smith is a busier campus, both because of its proximity to NoHo and because of its larger size. Also, I understand that students in the 5 College Consortium take more classes at Smith than at any others off their own campus. MHC is more beautiful and isolated. </p></li>
<li><p>Both are liberal, with significant lesbian populations. Straights have no problems at either school, and, despite common misconception, are in the majority. If you are intolerant of gays, then you should not apply/attend either. Note: most colleges ARE liberal. It's the nature of academics. That doesn't mean that all graduates will be liberal, however, since people tend to gravitate toward one "side" or the other after college.</p></li>
<li><p>Smith's student body has a more urban feel -- however urban you can get in western Massachusetts. MHC struck us as more preppy, clean-cut. This overall impression is, of course, a gross generalization, since all types inhabit both campuses.</p></li>
<li><p>MHC has distributive requirements. Smith does not, although to graduate with Latin Honors you must take at least one course in seven different disciplines. The difference is that Smith allows students to make that decision. If that matters to you, then Smith should be at the top of your list. If it doesn't, both come out equal in this regard.</p></li>
<li><p>MHC has a much larger international population, while Smith is much more economically diverse. Both student bodies embrace those from different backgrounds.</p></li>
<li><p>Despite the closeness in rankings, Smith is more difficult to get into, but that should not matter when making the final decision. If prestige matters to you, then Smith has more name-pop, more respect. Neither school is widely known by the average American. Among academics, Smith is just a notch below the Ivy League, while MHC is one notch below Smith, but among the general population, both schools are just unknown places with odd names. (It's the old LAC name recognition problem.)</p></li>
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<p>Of course, there are many, many more differences - with just as many similarities. My d fell in love with MHC the first time she saw it, but, after visiting many more colleges, returned for her interview, only to discover that she had lukewarm feelings about it. She wanted a more vibrant location, and NoHo, with its small New England city bustle, fit the bill. She also liked the course offerings better at Smith. MHC's dorms were better kept up, but she loved the house system at Smith. (She's not a quad girl, which has a more dorm-like atmosphere.)</p>
<p>All in all, you can't go wrong at either school.</p>