I’m trying to make a good list of colleges (I’m a junior) but I only have 3 colleges on my list despite looking into tons of schools. My dream school is Smith college but I need some more less selective schools on my list. Are there any schools similar to Smith that are less selective?
What exactly do you like about Smith? Are you specifically looking for a women’s college?
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Intended major?
political science / government
While I do like that Smith is a women’s college that is not that important to me. I like how Smith is a small school, I like the small hippie college town that it’s in, I like how it is very socially liberal, I also like the house system that they have! I’m looking mostly at liberal arts schools.
Look into Oberlin, Reed, and others:
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Wesleyan College is a good choice.
Are you looking specifically at women only colleges, or are you also considering co-ed colleges?
For less selective check out Willamette. Its campus borders the OR state capital and has great access to gov/poli sci jobs/internships.
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I’m surprised no one has mentioned Mount Holyoke. Less selective, but in the same 5-College Consortium, with may of the same benefits. Smart, engaged students, close professor relationships, fun traditions, and a women’s college.
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You’re right. It’s an amazing college, and has higher acceptance rates than Smith.
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Mount Holyoke is also on my list!
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Perhaps Goucher, Bard, Skidmore are worth checking into.
Thee aren’t too many places like Northampton. And you want a similar place with a college less selective than Smith? Tough order.
Asheville, NC retains much of that hippie culture and has a great arts scene like Northampton. UNC-Asheville (3800 enrollment) is the public liberal arts college of the UNC system and is worth a look. Tiny Warren Wilson College (650) is not too far out of town and is interesting in its own way.
Ithaca, NY is a liberal college town also with a vibrant arts scene. Everyone knows about Cornell, but don’t overlook Ithaca College (6800) as a less selective option.
St. John’s College-Santa Fe (800) is another tiny liberal arts college on the edge of town where there is a great arts scene and a hippie history.
New Orleans isn’t hippie but it’s . . . New Orleans. Tulane and Loyola are both right there.
Others have made some good suggestions, so I won’t repeat.
Bryn Mawr, Guilford, Earlham, Bard, Oberlin, Colorado College, Skidmore, Vassar, Bates, Sarah Lawrence are others you might want to take a look at.
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Some others to take a look at:
University of Vermont
Bennington
Sarah Lawrence
Eugene Lang College/the New School (NYC)
Beloit (WI)
Eckerd (St. Petersburg, FL)
Lewis & Clark (Portland, OR)
University of Puget Sound (Tacoma, WA)
Evergreen State (Olympia, WA)
Seconding UNC-Asheville.
What about Agnes Scott for a low match?
Scripps for college consortium/women’s college.
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Agnes Scott is a great suggestion.
Anyone mention hollins? Roanoke has a neat downtown
Hampshire College might be worth a look if you’re into the hippie vibe. It’s right next to Northampton in Amherst. Others have mentioned Skidmore and I think Saratoga Springs is a very cute, lively town.
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