<p>I went to Smith, worked at Smith for years, and now live across the street. I know many heterosexual students who have thrived there and would pick Smith again with hindsight. But, yes, there is a strong lesbian presence, and prospective students who are not comfortable with that may want to go elsewhere.</p>
<p>However, I think the REAL issue that straight young women need to grapple with when deciding whether or not to select Smith is how much coed social life they require. At Smith, one needs to work pretty hard to have one. Taking advantage of the Five-College Consortium can help, but its not a sure-fire way to meet guys and to interact with them outside of the classroom. Most of the Smith students Ive known in recent years who have boyfriends have imported them from home or met them during study-abroad programs, off-campus internships, etc. </p>
<p>When I was a Smith student (many moons ago), I missed daily interactions with guys and ended up spending a lot of time at Amherst College, juggling my schedule (and its certainly possible but it takes effort) to fit in lots of classes at Amherst and UMass. But thats not typical. On the other hand, while I did miss the men at COLLEGE, for seven years prior to that I went to an all-girls camp for two months each summer
no brother camp across the lake, no bi-weekly dances, just girls, girls, girls. And I loved it. It brought out a side of myself that I didnt see in my coed high school, and I didnt miss the men at all. So, while I DID miss them by the time I got to Smith, I can certainly see the value in a single-sex experience for a young woman who hasnt already had it. The key, however, is to approach Smith with the understanding that, as a gay student, youll probably have plenty of opportunity for an active love life; but, as a straight student, youll have to stick your neck out (and maybe some other body parts, too 
) to meet any guys at all. So ask yourself if it really matters.</p>