Smith College - Academics - College Prowler

A

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Quick Stats

Student-Faculty Ratio		9:1
Full-Time Student Population		3,022
Part-Time Student Population		109
Full-Time Instructional Faculty		316
Part-Time Instructional Faculty		65
Total FT Faculty		316
Faculty with Terminal Degree		98%
Average Faculty Salary		$100,708
Full-Time Retention Rate		91%
Graduation Rate		88%
Programs/Majors Offered		64
Average Course Load		4 courses
Academic/Career Counseling?		Yes
Remedial Services?		No
Class Sizes		Fewer than 20 students: 67% 20 to 49 students: 28% 50 or more students: 5%

Student Author OverviewWhat's This?

There is no such thing as an “easy” class at Smith—the challenging and invigorating academic environment is what this College is best known for. Some students even say they settled for a less-attractive social scene in order to take advantage of Smith’s academic resources and opportunities. The academics here are Ivy League caliber and all-nighters are common, but the all-female environment often provides a supportive atmosphere that can ease the pain of a massive syllabus. The College’s open curriculum allows students to explore focused topics that pique their interest, which is the point of a liberal arts college. Many students' most rewarding academic experiences have come from classes outside of their major, and having the freedom to discover the class offerings from the Five Colleges consortium is a major perk of Smith.

The College’s professors are consistently regarded as one of the school’s best attributes. Smith has a tradition of hiring intelligent professors who are dedicated to their fields, and many go out of their ways to make the material exciting and relevant. Professors are accessible to all students, even those not in their classes. They will meet with students after class or respond to e-mails—sometimes with an almost frightening speed. However, not all students foster close relationships with their professors, mostly because the relationships are largely based on the amount of effort put in by the student. Some students complain that, much like the student body, the professors are too outspokenly political, causing discomfort to anyone who doesn’t agree with the views they express. However, in reality, while many professors express their views freely, very few are closed to hearing dissenting opinions. Smith professors are dedicated to the academic material and make sure students get the full picture—they rarely use class for merely preaching their personal opinions.

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Academics at Smith College

Marmie

'15

Computer Graphics

A+

Challenging Yet Fun

Smith College may be famous for its heavy workload, yet I found that there is actually less work than high school. Instead, the work there is more challenging and intellectually engaging. There is virtually no busy work, which is something I love about Smith. When the work gets too tough or you start to feel stressed, professors are more than happy to schedule time to work with you one-on one. There are also excellent peer resources available. I have learned more at Smith in one semester than I ever would have thought possible in high school. Most importantly, Smith is a supportive environment where students can truly enjoy learning.

Jan 11, 2012

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Academics at Smith College

TifDuckie3

'15

Women's Studies

A

Catered to My Interests

I'm currently undeclared but I'm considering a major in the study of women and gender (SWAG) with a concentration in archival studies. An all-women's college like Smith is THE place to study SWAG. Also, the archives we have on campus are in the top 3 in the world that deal with women's history. This refers to the Sophia Smith Collection that we have in the archives.

Dec 12, 2011

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madelbean2

'14

Education

A-

Workload

The classes I have taken have been pretty good at requiring a decent amount of work but not piling on extraneous, unnecessary busywork as seen in highschool. Stress is definitely high at Smith but with good time management practices, completing all assignments is possible.

Aug 14, 2011

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Facts

Instructional Programs		Occupational: No Academic: Yes Continuing Professional: Yes Recreational/Avocational: No Adult Basic Remedial: No Secondary (High School): No
Special Credit Opportunities		Advanced Placement (AP) Credits: Yes Dual Credit: No Life Experience Credits: No
AP Test Score Requirements		Placement for scores of 4 or 5
IB Test Score Requirements		Credit and/or placement
Degrees Awarded		Bachelor's degree Doctorate - Research/scholarship Master's degree Post-bachelor's certificate Post-master's certificate
Most Popular Majors		Economics and Econometrics: 3% Political Science and Government, General: 3% Psychology: 4% Social Work: 6%
Graduation Requirements		Writing-intensive course
Special Study Options		Study abroad Teacher certification (below the postsecondary level)
Other Academic Offerings		Accelerated program Cross-registration Double major Exchange student program (domestic) Honors program Independent study Internships Student-designed major
Best Places to Study		Atrium in the Brown Fine Arts Center Campus Center (try to get the comfortable booths in the café) Neilson Library, especially the alcoves
Did You Know?		Smith students can take classes at any of the other schools in the Five Colleges consortium (Mount Holyoke College, Hampshire College, University of Massachusetts-Amherst, and Amherst College). Smith’s founder, Sophia Smith, was encouraged to leave her fortune to Amherst College. Instead, she stipulated in her will that the money be used “for the establishment and maintenance of an institution for the higher education of women.” Smith opened in 1875 with 14 students and six professors, and today, it is the largest women’s college in the United States. In 1999, with the founding of the Picker Engineering Program, Smith became the first women’s college to offer a program in engineering. In spring 2004, Smith graduated the first class of all-female engineers.

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Most Recent Student Author

College Prowler guides are in the hands of students throughout the entire process. Because you can't make student-written guides without the students, we have students at each campus who write, edit, and survey their peers for every guide that we publish. Thanks to our most recent student author at Smith

Name: Dara Kagan

Hometown: Croton-on-Hudson, N.Y.

Major: Government, with a minor in the Study of Women and Gender

see all student author bios > Become a student author to help update the guide for this school

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