Asking if it's better to be attractive than smart is like asking which is better between money and wisdom. Anyone who chooses and receives wisdom suddenly realizes it would have been wiser to take the money. Same goes for smarts versus attractiveness. Let's face it, this is a world where the cheaper attributes are the ones that open doors. With girls it's looks, with guys it's money. I'd choose attractiveness myself, no doubt about it.
Maybe I'm one of the privileged ones, but personally I cannot imagine my life without one or the other. From an early age I've had experienced that being good looking and having a high IQ open a lot of doors.
I have always heard that smart is attractive. It might not be the first thing people notice but over time it is what lasts. I used to be pretty into how i looked when I was young. had "great hair and a nice ass" according to girls i knew But hey when you get older you have to have a fall back plan. Have know physically attractive women that i found less attractive the more i got to know them and other women who grew more attractive the more I knew them