<p>For those who do not have the time or inclination to look through those threads, here are some observations. (I’ve edited a PM and a post from the time when my daughter was still looking at schools:</p>
<p>My response should be qualified by the fact that I have set foot on these campuses, and known some grads (especially for Wellesley), but have not taken the tours.</p>
<p>Smith - we know and love Northampton because we vacation nearby. I’ve always thought I should have attended Smith. It’s always impressed me as a place for smart, strong, offbeat women (although the only grad I’ve known - my generation - actually is not offbeat at all. She has her MBA from Wharton and had a hugely successful career at Fidelity Investments.)</p>
<p>My d visited Smith first. She attended a Philosophy class, was shown around by a crew team member. While waiting for her on campus, I saw quite a few Asian students. A lesbian couple sat entwined at the student center. There were plenty of people walking around although it was a very cold day at the end of January. The house system seems like a huge plus to me.</p>
<p>Wellesley - My SIL graduated from Wellesley. My daughter’s crew coach (whom she adores) is a Wellesley grad. My sense of Wellesley grads is that they tend to be quite driven and not very frivolous.</p>
<p>The students I saw on campus looked perhaps less alternative than at Smith. </p>
<p>D and I agreed that we have a feeling that Wellesley students are more ambitious, Smith are more in-your-face alternative (which for us is not necessarily a bad thing).</p>
<p>Wellesley is the most selective of the colleges (and, unlike Smith, requires SAT scores and subject tests - and actually they take these tests more strongly into consideration than another school of interest to my daughter, Wesleyan), so I think that influences the nature of the student body.</p>
<p>Another factor which highly colors the experience at the schools is the location. Wellesley is in a suburban Boston location, Smith is in a funky town. </p>
<p>When you are in Northampton, you are out in the country, out of the orbit of urban life.</p>
<p>Off campus socializing for Wellesley tends towards Boston and Cambridge, whereas from Smith you would head to Amherst if you wanted to mix with students from other schools. Amherst is a college town, on the same bus line as Northampton but probably 30 or 40 minutes away.</p>
<p>At Wellesley you can take classes at MIT, Babson and Olin; at Smith, you can take classes at UMass, Smith, Hampshire or Amherst.</p>