InstitutionsSmith College
Founded in 1871, Smith College opened in 1875 with 14 students. Today, Smith is among the largest women’s colleges in the United States, with students from 48 states and 78 countries. An independent, nondenominational college, Smith remains strongly committed to the education of women at the undergraduate level, but admits both men and women as graduate students.
More than 1 million items. Special-subject libraries for the fine and performing arts and the sciences; distinguished collection of women’s history manuscripts; nationally prominent rare book collection.
41 self-governing house communities accommodate between 10 and 100 students; most houses include women from all four classes.
11 varsity sports and extensive intramural and club sport programs.
Six months after graduation, 97 percent of alums are employed or enrolled in full-time graduate studies.
Student and faculty exchanges, joint faculty appointments, joint course offerings, doctoral programs, combined library catalogues and borrowing privileges between Smith and nearby Amherst, Mount Holyoke and Hampshire colleges and the University of Massachusetts.
More than 45,000 undergraduate and 8,000 graduate degree recipients in all 50 states and more than 120 countries.
Fundraising campaigns, including Women for the World and Here for Every Voice, have raised a total of $605 million in recent years. It was the largest and most successful campaign ever undertaken by a women’s college. In 2020, the college received the largest gift in its history – $50 million – in support of financial aid and career development.
Graduation Rates
Smith’s six-year undergraduate graduation rate is 90 percent.