At What Price?

pesto
Mon, 20 Feb 2006 13:23:13 +0000

I dunno. I guess I wouldn’t argue against the significance of reputation and rankings, but still I would emphasize that there is some ineffable quality that comes across in any visit to Smith that transcends statistics. My daughter was never particularly interested in rankings – she WAS looking for the place that felt right – and she found it in Smith. We did look at Colgate (a school we probably would never have considered if NOT for its ranking), but we all experienced a collective shudder there. Compared to Smith, it felt like a college for automatons. I guess I would hope that Smith will always attract young women with character, who want to be in a place where they can be themselves, rather than putting up and shutting up, all in the interest of future status, in a place that feels alien to their sensibilities. I would still hang onto the principle that it’s what you do, not the reputation of your school, that determines your ultimate success in life.

Should Smith start trying to play the ratings game? Or should they concentrate on doing what they’ve always done best – provide an environment for learning that is supportive on so many levels I can’t begin to count them all, the kind of environment from which their students can launch rich and interesting lives. I vote for the latter.

Between all us parent posters on this site, I expect we have, in our daughters, the best ambassadors Smith could possibly hope for. It is students like them who will help Smith seed future populations of formidable young women, and the rankings will follow suit.