Smith College
Smith College is a fabulous small liberal arts college with about 2,500 undergraduates in one of the best college towns in the northeast, Northampton, Massachusetts. Smith admits only female identifying students and as one of the largest women’s colleges in the U.S. prides itself on its very tight alumni network. The school offers majors and minors in 57 departments and includes the only ABET-accredited all-women’s engineering program in the country. This program is also unusual in that it does not require students to specialize in a specific major so students are free to design their own engineering pathway, students in other majors may also minor in engineering.
Smithies, as they are known, are able to culminate their studies with an optional senior thesis gaining them the opportunity to graduate with honors, high honors or highest honors.
The Smith campus is an arboretum and students can walk to Northampton quite easily and safely. Smith has a full compliment of art and adjacent majors and minors including Architecture & Urbanism, History of Art, and Studio Art, all enhanced by the Smith College Museum of Art located in the heart of campus. The campus also includes a fabulous botanical garden, which supports a minor in landscape studies.
Smith housing consists of four campus “neighborhoods” each with their own character. Students select their neighborhood freshman year and are encouraged to live in that house throughout their four years. About 98% of Smithies live on campus all four years. Housing ranges from quaint New England style residences for 10 students to large houses (similar to norms) for as many as 100 students. Many students are able to live in singles all four years. Most houses have dining rooms and students can eat at any dining room on campus.
Smith is also a member of a four college consortium including Amherst, UMass-Amherst and Mt Holyoke college and students at all four colleges are free to take courses, enjoy all activities, and use the facilities at each of the consortium schools.
