Smith College Reviews  | Admissions, Tuition, Ranking, and Scholarships

Smith College is a liberal arts college in Northampton, Massachusetts.

It was the first women’s college in the United States to grant its own undergraduate degrees and has been coeducational since merging with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1971.

Smith is a four-year institution and offers a variety of majors and concentrations.

Smith is a member of the Five College Consortium, which allows its students to attend classes at four other Pioneer Valley institutions: Mount Holyoke College, Amherst College, Hampshire College, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Want to know more about this school? Read this review.

Smith College History

Looking for a great college? Subscribe to our blog, “Smith College: The Big Picture,” to learn about why it’s one of America’s most prestigious liberal arts colleges.

You can also read more about Smith in our blog archive.  It is often said that a liberal arts college is the best preparation to be a world leader.

In America, in the world, and in the Smith College community. In this new era of globalization, technological innovation, and globalization, liberal arts education prepares you for all paths to achieve your goals, to succeed in any field, and to imagine what the world might look like if your future is anything but a given.  

But with a college education comes the expectation to graduate having engaged yourself meaningfully with all aspects of your education.

Smith College was founded in 1871 as the first women’s college in the United States. In 1971, Smith merged with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Also, Smith is one of only eight women’s colleges, four of the Seven Sisters, and the first since Union College.  

The student-faculty ratio is 13:1 and the acceptance rate for in-state students is 45% and for out-of-state students 62% for Fall 2017.  

Smith College has only admitted 7% of women of color. Is this problem still existent in 2018? The percentage of women who were women of color at Smith is 20%. We work hard to increase women of color at Smith.

Smith College Overview

Smith College was founded in 1871 by educator Mary Smith and three of her sisters in Northampton, Massachusetts. She, along with her sisters, was a feminist.

The founders of Smith College were committed to empowering women to pursue education and careers that allowed them to live as independent women, without fear of being marginalized in society.  

Today, Smith College is a highly selective college with an acceptance rate of just under 17 percent. Many students are the first in their families to attend college, and Smith offers highly-touted majors including nursing and the studio of fine arts.

 In 2018, Smith College was ranked number eight on Forbes’ most expensive college list, just behind Princeton University and ahead of Harvard and Stanford.

Smith College Overview

Smith College offers a wide variety of majors and concentrations to students. They offer Associate of Arts (AA), Associate of Science (AS), Associate of Arts in Liberal Studies (AALS), and Baccalaureate in Science, Humanities, and Social Sciences (BSHSS) degrees.

As well as majors and concentrations, Smith offers an Interdisciplinary Minor in Design for Film and Media.

To graduate, students must complete four years of study, including one term of study in a sequence of 13 interdisciplinary courses that strongly connect to their majors.

In order to continue their education, students must complete their coursework with at least a 3.6-grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) in all courses taken in the sequence.

Smith College Admissions

Admissions officers at Smith College review applicants’ resumes to determine how well they are prepared for the academic year ahead. The admissions process includes an extensive review of the applicant’s past academic record and life history, an in-person interview, and a written assignment.

Students who are accepted must commit to paying tuition for two academic years. It is a competitive process that requires an excellent academic record.  

Smith offers a limited number of scholarships, but students who are pursuing majors in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) must pay full tuition. A student must be a U.S. citizen or have permanent legal residence to be accepted.

2019 Admission Numbers:  ASP + Associates: 14,089  College Bound: 6,189  Hometowns: From all 50 states and more than 75 countries.

Smith College Application Requirements

If you’ve been accepted to an accredited college or university, you can apply for an MA in English at Smith College.

Applicants who are not currently enrolled in a degree program at another college or university must have completed six academic years of undergraduate study in an accredited college or university with a grade point average of 2.0 or better in their undergraduate major.  

Step 1: Complete the Application Online This will take you to the Smith College Admission application. At the top of the page, click “apply now.” Fill in all the information on the form, and click the “Apply Now” button.

A panel will pop up with your personal information and information from the colleges or universities that you have attended.

Smith College Rankings

The most important thing about Smith College is…  the cost of attendance  10 reasons why you should consider applying to Smith College at 3,234 colleges and universities in the United States and Canada, with an average enrollment of nearly 2,700 students.  

Admissions requirements:  The admissions criteria for freshmen and transfer students are not identical.  Smith College Admission Test (MAT) results are accepted at all levels for undergraduate admission; however, SAT/ACT scores for out-of-state students may reduce the number of scholarships offered.  ACT/SAT scores are also accepted for students who applied by May 1, 2023.

Smith College Eligibility

Smith College is a four-year college and requires applicants to meet the following criteria: High school graduate, Active Smith student for two consecutive years. 

You must also be enrolled in a four-year college or university (acceptance to a Smith college is contingent on your acceptance to a four-year college or university), unless you have applied and been admitted elsewhere.  

Admissions/Financial Aid: A Smith college student can apply for any level of need-based financial aid if sufficient financial aid is available.

If there is no available aid, Smith will provide your own money to pay for the remaining course of study. To apply, apply to the financial aid office for the cost of the tuition and required fees.

Smith College Tuition and Financial Aid

Smith College tuition costs for the 2023-2024 school year range from $47,600 to $59,400. Tuition is the lowest in the Five College Consortium. In the 2016-2017 school year, Smith enrolled 5,070 undergraduates.

The average class size is 18.6. For the 2023-2024 school year, Smith College received $100.4 million in tuition and fee revenue from its 15,200 students. Smith College’s tuition revenue accounts for 16.2 percent of its overall revenue.

Smith College offers generous financial aid packages to many students who qualify for financial aid. In the previous school year, 25 percent of Smith College’s class received need-based financial aid, many of whom received helpSmith.

College’s All Needs Financial Aid Program.

Ringwood scholarships may be used for tuition, essays, and costs. For the two years beginning in Fall 2023, students who enter Smith with the maximum American with Disabilities Act (ADA) or Higher Education Act (HEA) financial need may be eligible to receive a $20,000 year-long scholarship.

Students who receive a $20,000 grant year-long are also eligible to apply for the college’s Summer Promotion and Retention Scholarship, which provides an additional $20,000 grant to a student who keep his or her academic standing and grade-point average (GPA) while participating in an on-campus internship.

This year-long scholarship, which offers a 10 percent scholarship match to eligible graduates, is open to returning students with a minimum of 3.

Smith College Tuition and Fees

Tuition at Smith College is $52,630 per academic year. Smith College is the second most expensive college in Massachusetts.

With many financial aid packages available, the cost is generally attainable for those who qualify. The school offers a wide range of scholarships and financial aid.

Scholarships and Grants: Smith College offers undergraduate and graduate students many scholarships. Smith College Scholarships and Grants include Progressive Scholarship Endowment  Samuel Zell & Judith A. Zell Excellence in Education Scholarship  Community Service Scholar  Dorie E.

Smith College Ranking and Accreditation

Smith College offers a range of undergraduate majors and minors and graduate programs in various fields, and each major has its own major assessment.

U.S. News & World Report, the best rating in the country for undergraduate advising has rated the undergraduate academic advising program Excellent.

Smith has been awarded “Most Beautiful Campus” by Princeton Review, and is the second-oldest national liberal arts college to be named to the Princeton Review’s list of “America’s Best Colleges.”

In addition, the college has maintained its place on the Best Bang for the Buck Schools list every year for the past three years and is ranked #17 of Best Value Colleges. Smith offers 79 associate and bachelor’s degree programs and 59 graduate programs.

Smith College Application Process

Selection is based primarily on undergraduate essays and personal statements. Requirements for admission vary depending on major. Once admitted, students can choose a major and transfer credits from other colleges or universities.

While it is possible to enter a junior or senior year as a non-major, many choose to pursue an additional major or concentration. If a student is undecided, the admissions staff allows the student to apply for one of the residential-specific programs.

This also applies to part-time students seeking to double major. Applications are sent to Smith College offices in Northampton and Northampton.

Diversity In The Class Room

Students from diverse and underserved communities make up 19% of the class. In-state students will pay $53,258 in tuition and room and board, while out-of-state students will pay $81,375 in tuition and room and board.

The College also offers merit and need-based scholarships and student loans. More than half of the entering class were awarded merit-based financial aid.

Ranking And Scholarship Of Smith College

Skeptics of the ranking system wonder if the college is trying to sell itself. However, the college asks prospective students to tour the campus to “get a feel for Smith’s beautiful buildings, special academic programs, and generous community, and to determine how you will fit in and contribute to this extraordinary community.”  

The college uses a proprietary ranking system called Smith Score to assess the holistic aspects of each student’s application. This system includes a personal statement, a series of essays, and four “proofs of moral and intellectual preparation,” including academic records, extracurricular activities, and other extracurricular activities.

The average score for students applying this year is 7.1 on a scale of 0-9.
Smith College receives thousands of applications each year.

To be admitted to the college, potential students must score in the top one percent of their high school class, and applicants are admitted based on academics and a personal essay.

A rigorous selection process, including interviews, requires that students score in the top third of their class. Because of this high bar, Smith’s acceptance rate is only 4%.

Smith has one of the country’s highest endowments per student averages, but many Smith students participate in service-learning and pursue research in their field of interest.  

In September 2017, Smith College received accreditation from the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC

Living Situation At Smith College

Smith College’s campus is located approximately one and a half miles from downtown Northampton.

The town of Northampton is known for its small-town feel, great shopping, diverse cultural offerings, and its status as a popular tourist destination. Smith students are given plenty of opportunities to get involved in the community, including through the Smith College Club of Northampton and the Northampton Area Interfaith Center.

The town of Northampton offers great options for students and the greater Northampton area, from the Mission Hill Family Estate and Big Y grocery store to ice cream shops and eclectic restaurants.  

Smith College is close to several Northampton businesses and has a shuttle that takes students to nearby downtown areas.

Campus Life And Activities At Smith College

Here are the activities and campus life of students at Smith College

• Faculty and Faculty’s Office Hours
• General Education Hours
• Employment Information Hour Internship Fair
• Faculty and Staff in Semester (FA3)
• Science of the Mind  Annie Taylor Center
• Loeb Music Library
• Belcher Center for International Human Rights
• Student Center  
• Student Resources and Resources Available
• Office of Human Rights, Campus Safety
• Outdoor Recreations (Incredible Experiences)
• Campus Housing (Homewood, Clover Hill, Smith Village, Longfellow, Green Hill)
• Union, Bookstore
• Career Development  Campus Events and Events Off Campus  Abby Wahl Scholarship (www.smith.edu/scholarships/abby-wahl-scholarship)
• Merit-based award for admitted students with demonstrated financial need.  
• Appreciation Day (www.smith.edu/appreciation-day-20180631-1.html), Green Zone Suppers.

Conclusion

Most colleges in America have a place on this list because they have low admission standards and high tuition. Smith is not the only liberal arts college that offers high flexibility.

The College of Saint Rose, Framingham State University, and the College of the Holy Cross are all within driving distance of Western Massachusetts.

These schools are some of the best in the country, especially if you plan to pursue a STEM degree. These schools have a lower yearly cost than other schools on this list but are not free to attend.

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