<p>One of my best friend is at Bryn Mawr and I was at Smith in my first year. I’ll say that when we compared notes throughout our first year during our visits at home… is that the two places are VERY different in terms of attitudes. We both agreed that Smith is much more left-leaning and lax about sexuality on campus. I can’t compare with the academics but there is something to say about how the open-curriculum affects the students versus a core curriculum at Bryn Mawr. Had I stayed at Smith, I would never take a math class or a science class again (as I did at Colgate, YUCK!) and thus my curriculum would have probably been filled with literature, language, and history classes. My friend didn’t love her curriculum as it was set in a more rigid way that she could not study abroad in her junior year as she switched her majors very late and is taking more courses in the major per semester than necessary because so much of her first two years were defined by the curriculum (actually she took an elective course in her major and just fell in love with it, not because the curriculum demanded her to take something within that area). However, Smith’s open curriculum CAN work for you- it’s how you make it and Smith’s Latin Honors requirements basically demands a core curriculum anyway. In fact there was a study sometime ago on Smith students that discovered that 80%+ of the students ended up following Latin Honors curriculum (which going for it is absolutely optional) anyway.</p>
<p>Both schools are very similar and offer similar advantages found in a liberal arts women’s college. You just need to look beyond the basics- look at the area schools for social and academic life, support in the career services office, networking, etc.</p>
<p>Honestly, all it really comes down is to visit both campuses when you’re accepted and see how you feel there.</p>