Also what is the student's intended study? Smith I believe is one of only two top LACs to offer engineering. It's the only 7 sisters to do so.

My younger cousin just graduated from Smith two years ago. She seemed to LOVE it and formed close friendships with other girls. One odd thing my husband noticed was that none of the girls are particularly good-looking. The girls are mostly ugly. And, lots of lesbians. Not that that's a bad thing, but just should be known going in.

The lesbian thing is a known entity at Smith and other women's colleges. Who cares? If it's a good fit and you can get in, go.

Anonymous wrote:So are all girls high schools full of lesbians too

Let's just say I had to have a serious talk with my D about applying to a women's college that I didn't with coeds. Just don't sleepwalk through this.

So are all girls high schools full of lesbians too

The best person for a Smith feedback would be your D. My D told me flat out she's not going to a women's college. I would have been a fool not to pay attention to this kind of reaction.

Smith is an excellent school academically, full of truly bright and talents young women(based on the experience of someone I know who teaches there). But as some OP said it's a tough place (socially) for women who are straight (based on the experience of a niece who went there recently).

Smith is about 30% lesbian. Most girls go to parties at the consortium schools and are plenty happy to go back to their clean relaxed college.

Interesting, my straight friend went to Smith in the 80s and fell into depression. Also, more currently, my brother lives nearby and it still has the reputation for having an abundance of lesbian students - the whole area has quite a few lesbians - maybe they stay after attending one of the several women's colleges in the region. As others have pointed out, it's just something to be aware of.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I might get flamed for this, but: People will assume your daughter is lesbian if she goes. It's not fair, but it's Smith's (and Wellesley's) reputation. She might be fine with that (maybe she's lesbian herself and wants that community), but it's something that's important to point out.

Unintelligent people make all sorts of assumptions. Smith is an excellent college and being part of the five college consortium is a real benefit.

To be fair, Smith and the other Seven Sisters schools played a big role in the beginnings of the feminist movement, which overlapped with the LGBT community fairly heavily.

Sure, but to suggest that only lesbians attend these schools is idiotic. My wife graduated Wellesley and whilst there certainly were lesbians on campus by no means did their culture have primacy over others. Like most schools, the student body is diverse.....just not in terms of gender.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I might get flamed for this, but: People will assume your daughter is lesbian if she goes. It's not fair, but it's Smith's (and Wellesley's) reputation. She might be fine with that (maybe she's lesbian herself and wants that community), but it's something that's important to point out.

Unintelligent people make all sorts of assumptions. Smith is an excellent college and being part of the five college consortium is a real benefit.

To be fair, Smith and the other Seven Sisters schools played a big role in the beginnings of the feminist movement, which overlapped with the LGBT community fairly heavily.

Anonymous wrote:I might get flamed for this, but: People will assume your daughter is lesbian if she goes. It's not fair, but it's Smith's (and Wellesley's) reputation. She might be fine with that (maybe she's lesbian herself and wants that community), but it's something that's important to point out.

Smith a consortium with at least 3 other schools, Amherst, Mt. Holyoke, and a state school. Women's college surrounded by 3 other schools. One story I heard from a friend is some straight women students can fall into a depression issue. If this were an issue, check out Barnard. Smith is a consortium but the colleges are not walking distance. Barnard is next to coed Columbia with Julliard and MSM nearby.

Anonymous wrote:I might get flamed for this, but: People will assume your daughter is lesbian if she goes. It's not fair, but it's Smith's (and Wellesley's) reputation. She might be fine with that (maybe she's lesbian herself and wants that community), but it's something that's important to point out.

Unintelligent people make all sorts of assumptions. Smith is an excellent college and being part of the five college consortium is a real benefit.

I might get flamed for this, but: People will assume your daughter is lesbian if she goes. It's not fair, but it's Smith's (and Wellesley's) reputation. She might be fine with that (maybe she's lesbian herself and wants that community), but it's something that's important to point out.

DD is starting to look and is focused on NE liberal arts schools that are smaller but not tiny. She is a very good student. Smith seems like a good option. Any impressions from people who have attended or looked?