Smith is an all-women’s college. While that might get many of you excited, for others it is a point of significant apprehension. I get it. I was one of those for whom the thought of going four years without running into members of the opposite sex in the halls and between classes was almost unimaginable. In the end I chose Smith, not because it was a school for women, but in spite of it. Now, looking back, a year wiser, and fully cognizant of all that it means to be a Smith student, I know that if I were to choose again, I would choose Smith because it is a women’s college.
To qualify myself, I understand that for many students, the fact that Smith is a women’s college is a desirable characteristic, and one that they set out to find. The account of my experience is intended to be for those to whom the previous statement does not apply. Everyone’s experience is unique, but if mine can help to inform someone else, then I will have accomplished my goal in writing this letter.
I don’t need to mention the numerous statistics that indicate that women who are educated at women’s colleges make up the majority of women in leadership positions. They don’t lie at Smith when they say “Smith women run the world.” As the daughter of a Smithie, I grew up fully aware of the pride and value of a Smith, and more generally, a women’s college education. Yet when I did that first tour of the campus I couldn’t shake the little nagging voice in my head, asking where are the boys? Maybe it’s biology, but I just couldn’t wrap my mind around the idea of a single-sex education. I loved Smith from the minute I set foot on campus, but I don’t think I seriously considered attending Smith in the beginning. After all, applying to Smith was more of a concession to my mother.
After a year at Smith, I can confidently say that I do not notice the absence of boys on campus. At Smith I’m constantly surrounded by intelligent, inspiring and opinionated women. I cannot adequately describe how incredible it feels to be celebrated as women on a daily basis. The connections and community I have already made here are not ones I would trade for anything in the world. I know it is popular, especially amongst prospective parents, to question whether we, as Smith women, will develop the skills needed to interact with members of the opposite sex in “the real world.” My response to that is to say that at Smith we learn never to accept being silenced, and to develop integrity and conviction as well as pride in ourselves as women. I would also respond that the success of our alumni in all areas of life clearly indicates that our education at Smith is more than adequately preparing us for life after school.
Before I came here, I thought that a single-sex education meant that something was lacking. Now I understand that it cannot be fuller; of challenge, support, and a pride in our community that cannot be matched. Maybe hearing this is not enough to convince you, it admittedly was not enough to convince me, but I promise if you choose Smith you will never look back. I know I never will.