Smith College 2007 (College Prowler)

Smith was established at a time when there were certain societal expectations of women; students had curfews, dress codes, and strict rules regarding their social lives. Because of the tradition of elite colleges in which Smith was founded, it earned a reputation as a finishing school for upper-class women. Though some people still think of Smith as a "pearls and tea" type of school, it has shifted towards a more progressive political and social student body. One thing hasn’t changed, however, and that is Smith’s reputation as a rigorous academic institution.

The first college I visited was Smith, and I hadn’t done much research; all I knew was that it was a "girl’s school" (or, a women’s college, as the perky representative at the Admissions Desk corrected me). That was not enough to impress me; I had never considered a single-sex institution and I was not looking to be swayed. However, as my mom and I talked to the admissions representative and then went on a tour, I could feel something clicking. It probably had something to do with the fact that it was a gorgeous fall morning, but I fell in love with Smith. As my college search extended to many other schools, I wavered on how much I wanted to attend a single-sex institution. In the end, however, I realized that there was no school that compared to Smith.

Once I had made my decision and bought the Smith College decals for my parents’ cars, I thought the hard part was over. But as I looked over Smith’s illustrious list of alumnae, I began to get nervous. There are a lot of expectations of Smith students and graduates. I worried that I wouldn’t hold up next to them. But when I started my first semester, I realized that the reason Smith graduates are thought of so highly because of the education we receive. Through internships, study abroad programs, summer opportunities, sports, extracurricular activities, independent research, and new relationships, Smithies get to experience many different aspects of education in just a few short years. This is why a Smith degree means so much in the professional world.

I did not choose Smith because of what I read in guidebooks. Frankly, they made all of the colleges sound the same. I chose Smith because it felt right to me. A large part of that was what students told me about the school. Hopefully, this book will give you some insight into the true nature of Smith and what students think about it. I’m not trying to sell you on Smith; not every college is right for everyone. What’s most important is figuring out what’s best for you.

Megan Hebard McRobert, Author
Smith College