<p>My D will be a visiting student in the fall. She is an English and Women's Studies major at one of the 12 colleges. Anyone have any idea how they assign housing? Also, anyone a women's studies major and have any idea about how difficult it will be for her to get in to some of the seminars? Any suggestions for how to best meet people? Thanks.</p>
<p>Not sure what they’ll do for housing, but I guess in terms of priority she’ll be treated like a junior and probably get a single if one is available. For seminars, that’s also hard to tell. Women’s Studies seminars are very popular, but for the first two weeks of the semester people “shop” classes, so they drop and add them at will. A lot of people who signed up for a fall seminar the preceding spring may decide they don’t want that seminar after all, and drop it, thus opening up slots. Best advice is, even if she isn’t able to register online for a seminar she wants because it is full, she should attend at least the first meeting of the seminar and see if there are spaces that open up that the prof will give away. </p>
<p>She’ll meet a lot of people in her house, so long as she makes the effort to attend the house events (house meetings, teas, other social events). It’s a good idea too to try to join at least one student org, it helps connect you with people that share your interest. And if she is in a seminar that she likes, she’ll probably befriend people in that class, since seminars are so small you get to know everyone.</p>
<p>I can’t really say much for any of your other questions, but in the welcome booklet that Smith sent to incoming students, it says the following under House and Room Assignment:</p>
<p>“Most entering students–including first-years, transfers, and those visiting Smith for a year–live in doubles.”</p>
<p>So while I think there’s a chance that your daughter might end up with a single in whatever house Smith selects for her, that particular mailing would lead me to believe that she’d get a double there.</p>