Haverford vs. Barnard vs Smith

juillet
Mon, 10 Apr 2017 18:15:02 +0000

As I was reading your description of what your daughter wants, her desires seemed to SCREAM Smith. Even after just the first sentence I was like “Well, any of those schools would be great for her, but that sounds like Smith” and then after the second sentence, I was like “Well, obviously Smith.”

Location: I have actually heard Smith (and other Five Colleges students) say that the location is one of the best parts of the experience. Northampton is an artsy, quirky town; the Pioneer Valley is known as “Happy Valley” because it is one of the happiest places with a good quality of life; and it’s got some of the most highly-educated people in the country there. I think many students assume that a college not in or near a big city is going to feel isolated, but it really depends on the town itself and how vibrant the college campus is. With four other small colleges nearby and a town that is recognized as an excellent place to live, I think she’ll find what she’s looking for there.

As for longer trips from home…I think that’s worth it if the atmosphere is really what she wants. She’ll have to do the trips home what, 3-4 times a year? (To get there, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and for summer break.)

She might be well-suited for Barnard and Haverford too, though. Barnard students are intellectuals and activists as well; I wouldn’t exactly call the vibe “down-to-earth,” but the students are friendly and serious about studies. There are not many commuter students at all - although a quarter of the students are from New York (and many are from the NYC area), those students still live on campus.