This year, Smith College received a total of 8,666 applications for the Class of 2028, out of which 20.5% were admitted. The college expects to welcome a first-year class of approximately 650 students.
The Office of Admission saw a few changes to its most recent applicants, one being the 17% increase in Early Decision (ED) applicants.
“[We] received a total of over 1,000 applications for our Early Decision I and II rounds,” said Joanna May, Vice President for Enrollment. “We admitted our largest ED class in history.”
Many applicants were eager to bring their diverse experiences to campus early on. Students applied from across the globe, coming from 48 US states, DC, Guam and Puerto Rico and 64 countries. May remarked on regional shifts within the US this year, noting that “a record percentage of admitted students come from the South and Southwest.”
Of this year’s admitted students, 18% are the first generation in their family to attend college and 14% speak multiple languages. 21% are eligible for Pell Grants — a federal grant awarded to undergraduate students with significant financial need. This percentage, at its highest in the past four years, was approximated from Smith’s College Scholarship Service (CSS) Profile, as colleges have experienced major delays in retrieving FAFSA data this year.
“Unless there is a significant difference in the data submitted in the FAFSA as compared to the CSS Profile, their aid amount will not change,” said May.
The Office of Admission did not consider race and ethnicity in this season of applications and has not yet reviewed this information. The Supreme Court’s decision in 2023 to overturn affirmative action excluded race as a considerable factor in the college admissions process. Smith plans to report these demographics later in the summer after students officially enroll.
This year, Smith added a question to the Common Application and the Coalition Application:
“Smith has a unique housing system, where students of all class years live together in 41 different houses. With our Residential Curriculum, students will become critically aware global neighbors, exploring their self-identity by living in community, engaging in reflection and challenging their own beliefs. What personal experiences, background or abilities would you bring to this residential environment to share with your neighbors and what would you hope your neighbors would share with you?”
This new addition gave the Office of Admission further opportunities to learn about Smith’s prospective students.
“Responses allowed the admission staff to better understand each applicant and their lived experiences, and the question educated applicants about our unique house system,” said May.
Though COVID-19 is no longer considered a global health emergency, the Office of Admission still takes into account the pandemic’s impact on students. Students have the opportunity to share information about COVID-19 as it relates to their personal and academic lives.
“The Class of 2028 experienced the beginning of the pandemic as 8th graders and most were schooled remotely for their first year of high school,” said May. “We took this into context as we reviewed applications.”
Virtual information sessions — just one product of the pandemic — are still part of Smith’s admissions process.
“We continued to offer virtual information sessions and virtual Smithie to Smithie chats … allowing students from around the world to experience Smith,” said May. Students were also given the option for in-person campus tours and information sessions. According to May, there was an overall increase in applicants visiting campus compared to the past three years.
Smith began their partnership with QuestBridge this year, a national non-profit organization that helps students from low-income backgrounds consider attending elite colleges, providing a full, four-year financial aid package. 15 students were matched with QuestBridge’s college partners through the National College Match — a process that begins during ED I. These students hail from 8 US states: Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Texas, Arkansas, Colorado and California.
Aside from academic qualifications, admissions staff also consider students’ contributions to their communities.
“We pay attention to what students do with their time outside of the classroom … their co-curricular and club interests, if they are interested in the performing arts or are athletes,” said Deanna Dixon, Dean of Admission. “These student qualities help us to build our community.”
On May 1, National Decision Day, students who have not yet committed will make their official college decisions, and brand-new Smithies will make their way to Northampton this fall.
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