Smith and Wellesley

sciencegal · 08-09-2009, 01:03 PM

So my two top schools are Smith and Wellesley. I've visited both, and really liked them. I'd like to apply to one of the schools ED, and I was looking for a little for information about them. I'm planning on studying bio or biochem in college and doing pre-med coursework.
I was wondering what students felt the differences were between the schools, the strengths (and weaknesses) of the schools, and any information about the sciences or premed advising/curriculum at either school.

thanks so much!

teenage_cliche · 08-11-2009, 04:27 PM

My impression, acquired mostly from alumnae and current students, is that Wellesley women are more pre-professional and that the Wellesley campus, while beautiful, is not in the best college town. Smithies, from my impressions, while just as intelligent as Wellesley women, tend not to be so focused on traditional, pre-professional fields (and the school encourages the inevitable intellectual curiosity and academic sampling that comes as a result of this mindset with the open curriculum). Smithies tend to come into college knowing that they want to make a difference in the world and leave college having a more focused but not necessarily traditional way of doing so. Also, Northampton is much cooler than Wellesley.

sciencegal · 08-11-2009, 09:25 PM

thanks. Did you go to either school?

teenage_cliche · 08-12-2009, 07:58 AM

No, I'm still in high school. I have researched both and have friends at both, and I'm getting most of my impressions from the friends. Full disclaimer, though: I am applying to Smith and not Wellesley, so if my post seemed a bit more inclined towards Smith I apologize.

sciencegal · 08-12-2009, 11:46 AM

that's fine! I'm also a rising senior and I really like Smith (and Northampton as well). Northampton is the much cooler town, plus it has the benefit of not being 10 minutes away from my house (which Wellesley is).

just curious, what draws you to Smith? what area of study are you interested in? oh, and what other schools are you applying to?

thanks!

teenage_cliche · 08-12-2009, 05:07 PM

Things I like about Smith (aside from all-women's and simply academically strong):
-open curriculum
-consortium
-Northampton
-dorm situation (houses>dorms)
-offers better merit aid than most top LACs
-I've been stalking the 2013 facebook group and the students just seem really interesting and like people I'd like to know and have classes with. they all seem very intelligent, rather well-read, with various and diverse interests and a desire to better themselves, learn a lot, and affect the world in a positive way.

I really have no idea as to major. I'm more inclined towards the social sciences and some humanities (not really a hard science person), but that's really all I can tell you.

The other schools I'm applying to: Amherst, Brown, Beloit, Lawrence/Mount Holyoke (I have to pick between them), Macalester, New College of Florida, U Rochester, SUNY Geneseo, William & Mary, Yale.

How about you?

sciencegal · 08-12-2009, 08:53 PM

The facebook group sounds interesting... maybe I'll look into that too.

Other schools I think I'll apply to (besides Smith): Wellesley, Brown, Tufts, WashU, UMass Amherst, University of Rochester, maybe MHC

What do you know about Smith merit aid? I've heard of STRIDE, but do you know what the applicants look like who get it?

teenage_cliche · 08-12-2009, 09:19 PM

Smith College: Financial Aid

I don't know anything about STRIDE personally, sorry.

sciencegal · 08-12-2009, 09:27 PM

That's fine.
Yeah, I already looked at the website. Thanks.

CaliforniaDancer · 08-12-2009, 09:37 PM

There have been some threads on the Smith board where applicants have posted what stats they got a STRIDE with - you might want to search there

Consolation · 08-27-2009, 10:57 AM

While I would agree that Wellesley is more pre-professional, the town comparison (Wellesley vs Northampton) is irrelevant. I agree that Northampton is a cool town, but Wellesley is 13 miles outside Boston/Cambridge, arguably the best college town in the US, with free buses running all day to and from Cambridge. Boston is hog heaven for students. On location, Wellesley wins big time.

mini · 08-27-2009, 12:22 PM

Not so sure about that. In Northampton, you walk five minutes and you are in the middle of a great, funky town with 9 bookstores, as many coffee shops, good restaurants, etc., etc. You can do that every day if you choose, without any advanced planning, without any transport, in any weather, without interrupting any class schedule, or other impact.

How many Wellesley students go to Boston daily? Three times a week? Weekly.

I don't think it's close, but I turn the equation around.

Consolation · 08-27-2009, 01:55 PM

Lots of Wellesley students go into Boston weekly or several times per week, in my experience. The bus is, or at least used to be, hourly and free. No planning required. The town of Wellesley, which is adjacent to one end of the campus, does have restaurants and coffee shops, too. It's probably more similar to the town of Amherst than Northampton, though. The point is that Northampton is certainly a cool town, but it doesn't have 300,000 college students, the MFA, the Gardiner, the Symphony, jazz clubs, etc, etc.

mini · 08-27-2009, 03:40 PM

I've been to the town of Wellesley. It is no Amherst. Not by a very long shot. I know Wellesley students. For most, once a week, or a little less often - to get sloshed - is about it. (And they have to take a bus to do it.)

Boston is indeed a GREAT college town. Too bad Wellesley isn't in it.

mini · 08-27-2009, 05:32 PM

I want to apologize for the "sloshed" is the previous e-mail; I don't in fact know that at all. What I do know are students reporting that they only go to Boston once a week at most (usually less), and that to attend parties.