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Inside Scoop

Quick Stats

School Slang
  • CDO: Career Development Office
  • HCA: House Community Adviser. This student is employed by the College to enforce policy within houses and “advise the community.”
  • HetNorm: Heteronormativity, or the belief that people fall into two distinct and complementary genders with corresponding heterosexual sexual identities.
  • HONS: Head of New Students. These students are elected by their houses to come early to campus to greet first-years and transfers during Orientation. They also work during the year to integrate students into the Smith and house community.
  • House Council: Students elected by their house to organize house events. Each council usually includes a president, vice-president, social chairs, HONS, and diversity representative.
  • House Party: Houses, usually on the quad, throw parties once or twice a semester. They have to be approved by Res Life, and there has to be a minimum number of Res Life staff at the parties.
  • HR: House Resident. This student is employed by the College to enforce policy within houses and “encourage community.”
  • LUG: Lesbian Until Graduation. Refers to straight students who come to Smith and only date girls while they’re here, but then leave Smith to date guys again.
  • OLs: Orientation Leaders. They lead groups of new students (called Orientation groups) in activities while they become accustomed to Smith.
  • Res Life: Residential Life, the department that deals with party policies and social code infractions (i.e. drinking). HRs and HCAs are part of Res Life.
  • SGA: Student Government Association
  • The Smith Bubble: Term used to describe the feeling that Smith is isolated from the rest of the world.
Things I Wish I Knew Before Coming To School
  • Buying your computer through the school ensures that you will have free access to technical assistance all four years.
  • Do a pre-orientation program.
  • Girls drink a lot!
  • It’s harder to take classes off campus than it seems.
  • The house you’re in really shapes your experience.
  • The winters here are frigid.
  • There is a lot of work outside of classes, which is a hard adjustment coming from high school, where most of the work takes place in the classroom.
Tips to Succeed
  • Don’t be afraid to go to your professor when you’re struggling. They’re usually very understanding about individual circumstances and are happy to offer extra help or extensions.
  • Don’t be afraid to take a class pass/fail. It lets you experiment and enjoy the class without worrying about your GPA.
  • Get involved. There are a ton of organizations on campus and at the other local colleges. Getting involved helps you meet different people and makes the school feel more like home.
  • Get off campus once in a while. Even if you’re not taking a trip to Boston or going home for the weekend, go to events downtown and at the other local colleges. It’s very easy to get sucked into the Smith bubble and then feel really claustrophobic.
  • Research professors before taking their classes. There are two survey databases online where you can read reviews from former students. These are invaluable in finding out which professors to stay away from and which ones to make an effort to take a class with.
  • The Smith alumnae network is truly incredible. Many Smithies find summer internships and jobs after college through Smith alums, so use them as a resource early and often!
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Inside Scoop at Smith College

RayHoffman

Women's Studies '12

5.0
A+

Praxis Internship Incentive

Smith has an excellent internship incentive program called Praxis which provides one stipend per student (only once during their enrollment) to partake in any internship they choose, ranging from local opportunities to places abroad. The stipend has ranged yearly from $2,000 and more (more being allocated for traveling abroad) and has given students the opportunity to partake in internships otherwise unpaid and therefore usually not as accessible for those who need to work during their breaks. Praxis has allowed students to broaden their experiences during their summers and has given employers the incentive to take on Smithies who do no require payment for their services. The college also has a Career Development Office which keeps binders of information of former Praxis applicants and employers with descriptions of their experiences to allow for future applicants to explore areas already seen by other Smithies or to give them ideas for new internship locations.

Feb 25, 2012

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Inside Scoop at Smith College

TifDuckie3

Women's Studies '15

5.0
A+

AMAZING <3

I'm a true Smithie. The house community, academics, surrounding community, and facilities are what separates Smith from its counterparts. We live in houses, eat in our own homes and enjoy engaging conversations with many like-minded women. Our facilities are amazing. Our gym is designed for women and we have a renowned art museum complete with paintings from world-renowned artists. You can't get much better than Smith.

Dec 12, 2011

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Inside Scoop at Smith College

juliam919

English '12

5.0
A+

Smith Is a Blast

I am so lucky to get to go to Smith. Most students are really enthusiastic about what they're studying and there are so many talented people here. But I would say the best thing about Smith is the opportunities Smith offers you--Smith bends over backwards to help you succeed. We have a Career Development Office, which helps you with applying for jobs. The Jacobsen center is a great resource to help you improve your writing. Smith offers a Praxis grant for unpaid internships (around $2,000!). And the alumnae network is huge, and can really help you once you leave Smith.

Apr 27, 2011

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User rating for Smith College - Inside Scoop is 4.6 out of 5 based on 16 user reviews.

Facts

Traditions
  • Celebration : Celebration originated more than 10 years ago as a candlelight vigil in response to a homophobic incident in one of the Quad houses but has since evolved into a night of celebrating, dances, skits, and songs. Taking place on the second Thursday of November, each of the Quad houses does a performance, and then students visit other houses that set up booths for everything from handing out hot chocolate to head shaving to a kissing line. The event culminates at the Campus Center where students dance and hang out.
  • Convocation : Convocation marks the formal beginning of the college year. All members of the Smith community (including the faculty, dressed in caps and gowns) gather the night before classes begin in John M. Greene Hall to listen to an opening address and a performance by the glee club. Each house dresses according to a common theme, and the costumes range from togas to lingerie to outfits made entirely out of Saran Wrap.
  • Ivy Day and Illumination Night : These are traditional parts of Commencement Weekend. On Ivy Day, alumnae escort the seniors, who are dressed all in white, around campus. The seniors then plant ivy to symbolize the connection between the College and its graduates. On Illumination Night, campus is lit by colored paper lanterns.
  • Julia Child Day: Julia Child was an alumna of Smith, so to celebrate her, Smith dining services makes some of her recipes, which are served in all campus dining rooms for a day.
  • Mountain Day : The College president chooses one day in the fall as a break from classes. The holiday is announced by ringing the college bells. All classes are canceled, and students spend the day apple-picking, boating on Paradise Pond, picnicking, or getting caught up on work.
  • Primal Scream: The night before finals begin, students go outside late at night to participate in Primal Scream—a chance to yell and relieve stress. Many then head over to the Campus Center where music and food (like chocolate-covered coffee beans) are offered as motivation for the night’s study.
  • Tea : Every Friday at 4 p.m. students gather in their house living rooms to enjoy pastries, fruit, and tea. It’s a great time to relax at the end of a hard week and catch up with people you might not see every day. Occasionally, houses have teas with themes.
Urban Legends
  • Many Smith houses have ghosts associated with them. One is Sessions House, where it’s said that a ghost hangs out in the secret stairwell there.
  • The rumor that Mel Gibson’s daughter goes to Smith has been around for years. People keep swearing that she’s abroad.

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Name
Dara Kagan
Hometown
Croton-on-Hudson, N.Y.
Major
Government, with a minor in the Study of Women and Gender

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How do we get our information? Find out here or report an error here. The statistics on our site are from the National Center for Education Statistics IPEDS database.
We update this information twice annually, most recently in May 2012, but it may not be the most recent information available for a particular school.
For additional information we encourage you to visit school websites or contact the schools directly.