Mount Holyoke College Top Questions

There are a good amount of people on campus. Sometimes South Hadley can be kinda small, especially when you've been on campus so long. I make an effort to get off campus a lot, but this area still seems kinda small. I don't know if I like a lot of the administration here. There is a big disconnect between the students and the administration I feel. Also, Isis is a huge pain in the neck and you have to go through so much red tape to fix simple problems. LITS and the computer help guys are awesome though. I think at this point the hours for dining are ridiculous. We need some kind of food available at 2 or 3 am. People get hungry, college students, especially ones who are studying forever, need food. So why the heck does blanchard open at 11 and close at 12? After 12 you are on your own and it sucks. If the college is going to do that... they need vending machines that are reliable and work regularly. The biggest complaint on campus is definitely the absurd amount of homework we are asked to do. Way to much. I think some teachers don't understand that we have 3, sometimes 4 other classes besides theirs. I will remember a lot of experiences at this college that I will carry with me for a long time. Dont get me wrong, this is a great school, but it can be really hard and challenging to survive it sometimes. And yes, there is quite a lot of school pride, because of what we have to all go through together and how much love there is on campus.

The best thing about Mount Holyoke? Having a coffee shop in the library is pretty damn cool. One thing I'd like to change is the work study program. Your first-year one must work in the dining halls at least one hour a week. Unfortunately most of the time this is the amount you end up working in a single week. Getting a check for eight dollars doesn't exactly pump me up in desire to go and earn more money. In terms of size, my school is just right. People usually get excited when I tell them I go to Mount Holyoke. they usually ask a lot of questions. Like, what's it like living with so many women? I'll say "It's the same as living with men---just a lot cleaner." I spend a lot of my time at the Sports Complex, Kendall. The Five College Area is pretty cool--you have Northampton and Amherst within a 10 minute drive. The PVTA system makes these places accesible. Mount Holyoke is unusual because it is a Seven Sister and has one of the most beautiful campus' you will ever see.

The best thing about Mount Holyoke is students' acceptance of differences. If you are different, you are not made an outcast. You do not feel pressure to conform as you may in other settings. For me, the school size is perfect. As a senior pursuing a thesis, I know that it would very difficult to get the individual attention I get from faculty if I went to a larger school. I spend most my time on campus in the library. It not only serves as a study venue, but also a good place to socialize because so many people are here. There is nothing to see around here, unless you have access to a car. That is the one downside to Mount Holyoke - if you are into a vibrant life outside the school, you won't find it here. School pride exists and it does not exist. There are people who love this school and there are people who despise it. While at first it may take some time to get used to, it grows on you and you learn to love it. It becomes nothing short of a second home, and you are quick to defend it against people who might verbally slander it.

One experience I'll always remember is a guy streaking across campus with chubby public safety officers running after him. THat was HILARIOUSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS. I will never forget that.

A lot of rich kids and lots of international students. Cold most of the time, great facilities, good professors, good food, tons of academics, good with sports esp. against smith. college town is dead most of the tiem

Best thing is the warm environment. I'd change the pressure on grades though and make studens more worldly knowledgeable, ya know? South Hadley is puny, tiny, small. Nothing much to do here. I spend my time at my bf's appartment in Northhampton which is a cool place.

The firs thing you notice is all the girls making out. Its scary but you get used to it. Then you become one of them. Thats a part of our college culture. It just means that you are comfortable with your own sexuality and it does not mean anything else. Mt. Holyoke believes gender to be fluid and sexuality to be the same as well so there is no defining people in one form or the other and that is just great. I spend most of my time in the coffee house outside campus.

I'd change where we are located for sure. South Hadley is HOW SADLEY for me. Good thing I'm done with this place thoough I HEART MHC to death and more. People spend a lot of time at the library but I prefer common rooms or just my own room.. I get more privacy taht way No controversies as a MOHO

most of my time is spent in my friends room because we have similar courses and we study together. south hadley where the college is does not have much to do and is not too commercial which i like too but also dislike because im used to having places to go and hang out all the time. mt holyoke is said to be haunted!!!!!!!!! if that can be called unusual. i suppose we all have our ghosts

On the outside its all pretty and dandy.People ride their horses, bring their cars, boyfriends and girlfriends over, its all fun and cool but in the inside there is this feeling that Mt Holyoke is far from the diversity it claims. People of color are definitely a minority still though Mt Holyuoke does try to work on that very hard. People ask me if I'm gay when I tell them that I go to Mt. Holyoke. Maybe so maybe not, but thats not a judgment for anyone to make. Most frequent student complaints revolve around tuitions being far too high. Very true too.

The best thing about Mount Holyoke is the attitudes of the people here. Students are very welcoming and accepting of one another. The majority of professors have a genuine interest in their students, and have a passions for teaching and their various areas of expertise that shows and is contagious. I think Mount Holyoke is "just right" when it comes to size. People my own age assume that I must be crazy or thinking of becoming a lesbian when I tell them I go to Mount Holyoke, but most people, especially people older than me, are impressed. I spend most of my time on campus in my dorm. There is a good amount of school pride, but I feel that since we are a women's college and do not have "big university"-like sports programs, school pride suffers a bit, since sporting events are a great way for school pride to be expressed.

South Hadley is not a college town. However, Mount Holyoke is close enough to Amherst and North Hampton that South Hadley's lack of life is not that big of a deal. If you're not one for staying on campus 24/7, the PVTA is a godsend.

it's just right size. i like the library and the radio station i don't like the food

I think that Mt Holyoke is the right size for big egos. At this school, you only have to know 10 people to be considered popular. I know that was something I enjoyed about it. Seriously though, you can be a big fish in a small pond. What this means, in addition to skewing your perspective of how apt you are at whatever you choose to do, is that you have access to resources and opportunities that would go to some freakishly talented person at a larger school. At Mt Holyoke, you start out mediocre, and can end up decent. You can eventually fulfill your own conceited prophesies of success. At a larger school you start out mediocre and end up bitter and alone.

Mt. Holyoke is great. The one thing I'd change is residential life- our housing and the housing lottery aren't great, and the res life staff act like police.

The people are the best thing. I'd change the workload. People are either impressed I go to MHC or have never heard of it.

Everyone at Mt. Holyoke hangs out at the library, ref room, between stacks, carrels, commons, coffee place....thats where conversations brew, gossips go around, friends meet up

Best thing about MHC is its diversity you meet people from all over the world thus you are exposed to many different cultures. I think the school is just right it might be getting a bit too large in recent times with more and more students being accepted. Places like Blanchard need to be expanded to accommodate new students. Well people say ooooh its a all womens college how is that. This is usually the first response of many people. Many other people say they hear its a very good school which produces many bright and successful women. I spend most of my time on campus in the library on in my dorm or the dorm of my friends. Well this is really not much a college town its more like a school in the middle of no where. I would love it if they leveled the village commons and put up a mall or something more interesting. Mount Holyoke administration are there but we don't really them much they are mostly in the shadows. They seem very autocratic to me and many times I feel they are not in touch with the needs or feelings of the students. The biggest recent controversy was several racially discrimination articles written by the school newspaper. The school news paper is a reflection of the administration I feel they are a close group of people which do not let others in readily. They edit some people's pieces but not others it depends on who you are. The school newspaper and its leaders need to be changed. There is a fair amount of school pride. Don't think there is anything unusual about MHC except it is a all womens college I really think if it was co-ed the educational and social experience would be much better. One experience I will always remember is my first year living in a quad it was awesome because I was from Jamaica my roommates from Nepal, Vermont and Connecticut. It was soo much fun and I learned so much from them about their culture, family and we are all still good friends today. Most frequent complaints have to do with the high tuition to attend MHC, the quality of some of the teachers, lack of working printing facilities in the dorms, the policing of Student Advisor's instead of helping students, the fact that every year students are ripped off by the bookshop in the village commons and our book list is not provided on line before classes start. These are just a few of the major complaints

Best thing: Warm environment with a lot of love I'd change: Give singles to firsties too Too large, too small, just right: Just right React to Mt. Holyoke: Are you gay? Spend most of my time in: My room What college town: South Hadley Administration: We don't hear much about them or from them after you get in...... Biggest recent controversy: Some girl was raped when she was walking back from the parking lot real late at night which led to a lot of questioning about mt holyokes security School pride: Yes, when it comes to against Smith college, otherwise its ok Unusual: We are all very awkward and we talk about our awkwardness One experience to remember: Drag Ball when girls run around naked....wonderful Student complaints: Not enough parties

The town of South Hadley is pretty small and there's not a lot of activity. There are coffee shops, a post office and a movie theater, but otherwise you need to go to a neighboring town to find something to do. It's very nice, though, because it's quiet and there's not a lot of hustle and bustle so it's easy to relax. I spend a lot of my time at the library and at Blanchard, the campus center. Blanchard is one of the things about Mt. Holyoke that I really like because it's very social and welcoming and it's a fun place to hang out with your friends, listen to music, get some food or some coffee or you can go downstairs, sit on a couch and watch TV for a little bit.

Students complains revolve around bathrooms, food, and too much work load. food in my opinion is decent and better than a lot of other places. i spend most of my time in Kendade which is a new science building with lounging chairs and big classrooms for group discussions. I'd change the fact that its all womens.

Professors and the Campus. the fact that its a women's college. just right. you go to a women's college?. library. what college town?. none. none. not really. too liberal about somethings and too uptight about somethings that's don't matter. don't have a specific one. there's nothing to do.

best thing. small classes i'd change the fact that there is no social life its almost too small most people are impressed if they know where it is i live in my room or the library there is no town the administration is great the biggest controversy is transgendered people on campus no school pride mt holyoke is unusual enough because its a women's college i'll always remember the thousdands of vaginas we all complain about the social life

There is a lot of school pride. The alumna are very supportive of the students here. The campus is not in a college town, but there are plenty in the area. I will always remember my sports team and the time we spent together.

The education and resources at Mt. Holyoke are unbelievable. The best part about them is they will be available to me for the rest of my life. I do feel, however, there is a lot of hypocrisy on this campus. Everyone claims that just because they do not believe in binary gender or are not racist, they are nonjudgmental. When it comes down to it, it really feels like everyone is always in everyone else's business and judging them for it.

Best thing: It's community of students, faculty and staff. I wouldn't change anything. It's college town, but just the right size. Depending on the area I'm in they might not know it or be really impressed, and usually people ask if it is a womens college. I spend most of my time in the library. I think the administration does a good job. There is a lot of school pride. Its students are really smart and hardworking, everywhere you go there is people studying or discussing on an academic topic, but competitiveness is not the goal here, we really help each other. I haven't heard of the students complaints yet, I'm new on campus. I'll always remember listening at least to 4 different languages being spoken wherever i go here.

My school is beautiful on the outside. Most of the students are super smart and it makes class discussions a pleasure. The diveristy provides perspectives from corners of the world i'd never even heard of. the size is perfect for me. people either react like WOW you go there? or Where's that. haha.. south hadley is a little dead, but its nice and easy to get off campus. the administration is fine i guess, i haven't had to deal with it quite yet. recent controversy... white kids making themselves into the opressed. it was bs. there is school pride and wonderful spirit.. sometimes TOO much, i feel like i'm a freak if i don't feel like marrying the school. Most frequent complaints... can't think of any. maybe the lack of boys, but i wouldn't go co-ed for the world

academics are the best thing at Mt Holyoke. I also like the little things: M&Cs, the food, gracious dinners, dessert dilemma, brunch, having interesting conversations with people. I like the size of MHC and wouldn't change it. Something I would aim to change would be the social life--I think Public Safety shouldn't be so strict about drinking and I think that people should be able to have group/hall parties openly. People don't usually know where Mt Holyoke is and have usually never heard of it, though if they do know of it then they are impressed. I do usually spend my time in my friends' halls/in blanchard. I think South Hadley has a LONG way to go to become a college town. Most importantly, we need town bar/hangouts. I don't think there is a lot of school pride. I would say the biggest recent controversy is over to-go cups. I think the unusual thing about Mt Holyoke is how the gay population makes up the "popular" clique of the school.

The best thing about Mt. Holyoke (it sounds cliche) is the bond I've made with all of my friends. It feels like a huge slumber party and we're all so open with each other. I love the size of my school- it's small enough that you can recognize a lot of people whenever you leave your dorm and also small enough that your professors personally know you. There isn't the anonymity that exists at large schools. People are usuall impressed when I tell them I go to Mt. Holyoke because they've heard that it's a very good school.

Professors I would change the menu in the dining halls. People just splurge in food. I believe the dining halls give too much of it than what it actually eaten/consumed. A lot of food gets wasted and I would change that. Too large. They're impressed! My time is distributed among classes, library and dorm. I don't really spend much time anywhere for that long but I would say the library. I really don't have much to say about the administration. Recent controversy???? ummmm...not aware Yes, i think so. No, nothing unusual. I am actually used to seeing and having gay girls around. There are lots of experiences. That the dining halls have stopped giving to-go cups for a week which really annoys some students.

The best thing about Mt. Holyoke is the feeling of pride that you get knowing that you are part of an institution that fosters such brilliant minds and values all kinds of women without passing judgment. I do wish that the college was located in a more urban setting. It is just the right size. When I tell people that I go to Mount Holyoke, they are almost always taken back by the prestige of the college and the quality of the education it offers. I spend most of my time at the equestrian center or at the library (two of the most beautiful places on campus). The students here are unusually supportive and friendly. Everyone strives to do well, but there is rarely a feeling of competitiveness. Students complain that there is not much to do on campus during the weekend, but if you are resourceful, there is always a party to be found, or an event to go to. Also, the 5-college consortium allows students to take classes at UMASS, Amherst, Smith, and Hampshire Colleges. It also helps to expand your social network beyond the gates of the Mount Holyoke College.

I like the all women's environment. Things get done quicker and there's less overt competition. I'd change how the campus policies make it hard to have a good time on campus and don't do enough to promote safety when partying etc. When I tell people that I go to Mount Holyoke they ask me one or a combination of the following: Where is it? Is that a religious school? Are you gay? Have you hooked up with a girl? How do you get by without guys? How can you go to school in the middle of no where? Why did you decide to go there? I'm in the library, campus center or the dorms a lot. The administration seems a little slow and somewhat out of touch. Sometimes they're right on and a lot of the individual people are great. We have a lot of unusual things - class colors/mascots, traditions like M&Cs, elfing, Dis-O and random stories that get passed around campus. Students don't tend to ever like the hours of things - like the dining halls, the library, the offices they need to use. The health center is also hit or miss. A lot of people also have complaints about the CDC.

The best thing is its alumni network. I would want it to have more rigorous academic and more professors, and also more financial aid! Too small, but beautiful. Either they have not heard of it, or "that's cool", mainly because it's a girls college. I spend a lot of time in my room when i'm on campus, this semester. Before I also spend much time in academic buildings where i have many meetings. I don't think we have a town, but I like Odyssey. I actually do not have much idea how it is. Don't see any controversy lately, used to be about racial issues. Yes, more or less, but not as strong as I think it should be. That it's in the five college area, and a girls school, so we have a double experience of both a women's education, and a mixture of others. My Class Board experience--I have been serving on the board for two years, loved the job, committed, and it's hard to forget such things. That we do not have quality food in dining halls.

You don't go to Mount Holyoke for the guys. You go because you will make the most amazing girl friends you'll ever have in your lifetime. I'd want to be closer to the city. It's just a little bit too small. Some people ask me "Where is Mount Holyoke?", lots of people just don't know anything about the school...other people know that it is prestigious and are really shocked. I spend most of my time running around from class to studying to meetings. What college town? There isn't even a pharmacy that isn't run by the school. The administration is really slow sometimes. The race controversy was pretty big (someone claimed in the newspaper that minority organizations weren't involved enough). There's a lot of school pride, but there is some school hate too. It's mostly because it's just stressful to be here. Mount Holyoke is just a sweet place. I'll always remember living with my three best friends in a quad and LOVING it. Lots of people complain about boys--I think it's natural, but it goes away after awhile, when you realize that you don't need them to be happy.

The best thing is the pretty campus and the huge international community!!....it's just right!!....well i get mixed reactions....some get really impressed and go wow.....nd some go 'are you a lesbian?"

I love Mt Holyoke for its diversity. It has one of the largest acceptance rates for international students, and this helps in building a global culture. The college promotes and supports diversity and the huge array of cultures that co-exists exceptionally well in a small college community. We have 'gracious dinner' nights with different themes, such a Chinese Gracious night or Mexican Gracious night. This is usually held by the language departments but does a great job at fostering cultural awareness. Besides diversity, Mt Holyoke surreal location is captivating. Its a clash of history and modernity. The new technologically advanced science building, Kendade, with plush couches and winding stairwells is connected to a towering Victorian looking building, Clapp, made out of old red brick with ivy growing on its walls. That would be something that Mt Holyoke has been doing right for a long time: preserving the old while promoting the new. We are simply very different from so many other colleges that I have visited. Residence Halls are scattered across campus amidst academic buildings, and the environment is not commercial at all. There aren't any small outlet stores or coffee houses inside the college campus, though we do like to complain a lot about a lack of Starbucks in the vicinity. The worst thing about Mt Holyoke though is that you can't really do anything without a car. We're situated in South Hadley, which is a small college town, and is lifeless after 7 at night. The public transportation system is not the best in the world, though there is the PVTA, which is the bus service that runs through the 5 colleges - Hampshire, Amherst, UMass, Smith, and Mt Holyoke, through sometime in the morning to 2 at night. This is a lot of help but it could get painful to go anywhere outside the 5 college area.

Best thing about MHC: the classroom. everyone wants to participate and you learn from every other student and they help to shape your own viewpoints. One thing I would change: I would completely rebuild our indoor athletic facility. Just not a good building. School size: Just right for me, small liberal arts. Reaction: Where is that? Isn't that all-women's? Why do you go there?...other people who know it say "Oh great school!" Spend the most time: Dorm room or athletic facility "What college town?"....the college towns are down the road (Amherst, Northampton) Administration: Very close to students and do their best to meet students' needs. Some departments are better than others, as to be expected. For the most part, we have a great administration. Controversy: Transgendered students is pretty big, when will the new dorm open. School Pride: Among alumnae and athletes there is a great deal of school pride. not much anywhere else. Unusual: We get milk and cookies every evening in our dorms from 9:30pm-10pm...we love it, Experience I will remember: Tearing my ACL in a soccer game against Clark U. Complaints: Wasting energy/resources, FinAid