After her father's death, Smith's mother would be unable to provide funding for an education similar to her siblings, however a cousin with ties to Bryn Mawr College provided her the chance to pursue a bachelor's degree, guiding her along a path that would begin her mentorship under Professor Florence Bascom.
[1][2] Given her family's background within education, Isabel thought she would have no issue pursuing her studies at any institute she saw as fit.
A cousin whose sister studied at Bryn Mawr College funded the opportunity for Isabel to pursue a bachelor's degree at the same institute.
[1][4] She continued her studies within this circle and obtained her master's degree, publishing "A columbite crystal from Boothwyn, Pennsylvania.
She adds particular attention to a well-developed crystal from Boothwyn, Delaware County, that is held in Bryn Mawr College.
[5] After she received her master's, Bascom recommended an M. Carey Thomas European Fellowship from Bryn Mawr to Smith, enabling her to study mineralogy in Paris for a year (1920–1921).
[1] Following this, Smith completed her Ph.D. at Bryn Mawr, writing her dissertation: "Anorthosite in the Piedmont province of Pennsylvania."
From 1927 to 1928, she again served as an assistant professor, returning to teach general geology, meteorology, mineralogy, petrology special advanced work, and this time, lithology.
For the 1928–29 school year, Smith only taught mineralogy, lithology, petrology, and special advanced work.
Smith taught interdisciplinary courses such as the "Progress and Meaning in Science" to "The Natural History of Southern California."
[1] Following the publishing of The Stone Lady: A Memoir of Florence Bascom, Smith went on to donate additional biographical materials.