(Smith) Smith was my first choice, and while it hasn't

Educational Quality	A	Faculty Accessibility	A
Useful Schoolwork	A	Excess Competition	A-
Academic Success	A	Creativity/ Innovation	A+
Individual Value	A+	University Resource Use	A-
Campus Aesthetics/ Beauty	B	Friendliness	C+
Campus Maintenance	B	Social Life	B-
Surrounding City	C-	Extra Curriculars	C+
Safety	A+

Describes the student body as: ' color='class=grade' > Describes the faculty as: , ' color='class=grade' >

Female

1970

Quite Bright

Surrounding City	C-

Creativity/ Innovation	A+

She cares more about Surrounding City than the average student.

Date: Sep 26 2008
Major: (This Major's Salary over time)
Smith was my first choice, and while it hasn't exactly lived up to my expectations, I'd have to say that I'm more or less happy here. Academically, I think that Smith is fabulous. Sure, there are definitely professors to avoid, but if you do your research, you can end up with fantastic professors throughout your four years (yes, there ARE that many). Many fall into the trap of taking a class because it sounds interesting even if the professor isn't up to par. Look, we have a shopping period, and there are many places to look for the experiences of others. There is absolutely no reason for anyone to take a class he/she isn't completely enthusiastic about (the only exception I can think of is if it's absolutely required for a major that you love). All of the professors I've had so far are kind, fantastic at teaching, and are more than willing to help. Going to lectures are really useful, and many have even been so thoughtful as to take how much it's going to cost the student into consideration when assigning textbooks. All of my professors know me by name, and they're all really familiar with my work. My experience with informal academic advising has been great. Professors usually have really flexible office hours, but if their doors are open and they aren't working on something really pressing, students are more than welcome to come in and just chat. In addition to the professors, I've found my experiences with the bigwigs (college deans, study abroad admins, etc.) to be really positive. Everyone was supportive and encouraging regarding my indivdual goals, and I've never felt as if they shut me down. If you come here, you'll quickly learn that there's ALWAYS an exception at Smith, and it's true. Consider the things in print to be guidelines, and if necessary, those who have power will change things for you if it's in your best interest. This is, IMO, one of the best things about going to a small school where faculty and staff have the time to really consider each student's case, rather than worrying about granting exceptions to everyone if one person gets it. The abundance of research positions is amazing. If you look on paper, it looks as if only the upperclassmen and those who received merit scholarships get these positions, but really, they're probably yours for the asking. While we may not be doing the cutting edge research that other high-powered, research universities are doing, but we do have some fascinating projects going on nonetheless. Socially, I think that Smith could be better. I'm quite introverted as it is, and even I think that the Smith bubble and the surrounding town is quite stifling. Sure, there are parties on campus, but they're not really for everyone. Bus rides to other campuses are free, but they stop running a bit after midnight. The town of Northampton shuts down at 7pm on weekdays and 10pm on the weekends. It really stinks if you want to get off campus, and hang out or work at a local cafe for awhile because the businesses close so early. In addition, while downtown NoHo is cute and everything, it quickly grows old. There are the requisite shops, guaranteeing that you won't really run out of things you need, but you can only browse them only so often, and you can only eat out so many times before your budget goes kaput.

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