How I chose Smith
Okay kids, here’s the story of how I chose Smith:
It all started after attending Coastal Studies for Girls, all girls semester school during the fall of my sophomore year of high school. This experience led me to realize several things about what I wanted in a college, including that I wanted to be away from Minnesota and study environmental science. I also found that I wanted a small college with a close knit community, and that I thrived in a women-focused environment. After visiting Smith, I could tell that it was the place for me because it ticked so many of my boxes, and most importantly felt like somewhere I could call home. I decided to apply Early Decision 1, because I was completely positive that Smith was my number one choice!
Here’s what stood out to me about Smith:
The Academics
I wanted a school where I could find challenging and interesting courses, but not have a negative or competitive attitude about academics. Smith seemed to have a healthy balance of academics which drew me in. The small class sizes and focus on undergraduates also stuck out to me, as well as their Environmental Science and Policy major.
Houses not Dorms
Out of all of the colleges that I looked at, Smith was the one whose housing system felt like it would foster a sense of community. I appreciate that there are all four classes in each house and that students live on campus all four years. I also really appreciated that the houses are much smaller than dorms at most colleges, which also builds a sense of community and feeling of home.
Location
I had been hoping to go to a college far away from home so that I could explore a new area and new people, which is why I looked on the east coast. The fact that Smith is so close to Northampton also is a big bonus! No other college that I visited had such a close proximity to small downtown areas, and Noho is a gem!
Really, there are a million reasons why I chose Smith, and I’m so glad that I did choose Smith!
