Hobart William Smith Colleges

You'll step into a rare coordinate system at Hobart and William Smith Colleges, where Hobart College—founded in 1822 as one of western New York's oldest institutions—and William Smith College, established in 1908 as the nation's first coordinate women's college, share faculty, facilities, and a 195-acre campus overlooking Seneca Lake. Hobart carries a legacy of all-male camaraderie turned co-ed, while William Smith honors its namesake benefactor who championed women's education long before his daughters reached college age. Students who thrive here are collaborative adventurers who crave intimate discussions and outdoor pursuits over urban hustle; think introspective types who bond over lake sails rather than club-hopping. The school's personality blends progressive activism with old-school loyalty—think spirited rivalries between Hobart Statesmen and William Smith Herons amid Finger Lakes vineyards. But tradeoffs loom large: Geneva, a sleepy town of 13,000, offers stunning natural beauty and wineries yet isolates you from big-city energy, with brutal Upstate winters that test even the hardiest souls.