
About Life at Smith
High school students in Precollege Programs join a community of scholars to pursue their academic and extracurricular passions at Smith College. What sets us apart from other programs is Smith’s commitment to helping students build college connections—with each other, faculty, staff and undergrads. Through daily and intentional after-class activities, the precollege team creates an environment to support growth and community.
A Typical Day
During your time here, you can expect in-person classes to go from 9 a.m.–4 p.m, Monday–Friday, with a lunch break at our dining hall. After class, we provide activities in our houses, or you can choose to unwind. Precollege students have access to the following on-campus amenities: two indoor gyms, outdoor track and field, botanic gardens, a new bookstore, Smith’s distinguished art museum and the state-of-the-art Neilson Library. Academic lectures and office hours are also hosted throughout each week, and dedicated Smith students serve as classroom assistants and residential counselors throughout your precollege journey.
Food & Entertainment
Dining
Three meals a day are provided in an assigned Smith dining hall, buffet-style. Students can eat any time during the windows provided. Smith chefs accommodate many diets including vegan and gluten-free. We cannot accommodate kosher or halal diets during the summer. Check out the sample menus below to get a feel for meals at Smith.
Breakfast (7:30–9 a.m.) |
Lunch (noon–1:30 p.m.) |
Dinner (5:30–7 p.m.) |
---|---|---|
Blueberry pancakes Hot oatmeal Fresh fruit salad Fresh strawberries Hard boiled eggs Applewood smoked bacon Cereal Bagels and toast |
Maple-glazed acorn squash Steamed peas Pulled pork sandwiches Curly fries BBQ jackfruit Pickled red onions Coleslaw Tossed salad Salad bar with fruit and protein options |
Linguine Whole wheat penne Steamed broccoli Kale and white beans Smoked turkey sausage Marinara sauce Caesar salad Salad bar with fruit and protein options |
Enjoying Downtime
Your time at Smith won’t be all about classes. We have fun downtime activities for you, including (but not limited to!):
- capture the flag
- zine making
- a café crawl downtown
- a Paradise Pond walk
- DIY fairy crowns
- vision boards
- Museum self-guided tours
- a talent show
- spa night
- yoga
For Accepted Students
Students may withdraw from a course and receive a tuition refund on or before June 1, 2024. Your deposit and application fee is nonrefundable. Notification of all withdrawals must be submitted in writing to Smith College Precollege Programs. If you are unable to attend your program, contact summerprecollege@smith.edu as soon as possible. Tuition refunds are prorated according to the following schedule.
- If a student leaves the program early for any reason, no portion of tuition will be refunded.
- Refunds may be given for some extenuating circumstances when the parent/guardian submits a written request to the director of Precollege Programs.