Mount Holyoke College Top Questions

The advice I would give parents and students would be- follow your heart. Mount Holyoke was not my first choice school, I visited and I knew something was different about it. After going through the application process and recieving my acceptances, I didn't have to think about it- I knew in my heart that it was the place for me. You have to remember not to worry about the money, it will always figure itself out- just make sure the college you chose is comfortable- make sure it offers a lot of choices because your major will change- and your interests will too. And NEVER follow any of your highschool friends, boyfriends, or girlfriends- it never works out and you won't be happy. Once in college, try all different classes, you never know what will spark your interest, go to lectures and programs, join clubs and sports- if your occupied you won't get homesick and your brain will stay stimulated. Don't waste your life away in the library or in bars- you will regret it, find a happy medium and you should be happy. Good Luck!

Do not allow anything to be set in stone. I began as an International Relations major and ended up in Psychology instead. Parents need to be supportive of their college-age children, because this is a confusing period in life. Students need to feel support from those they deem important in their lives, or else they might lose hope in their future.

Research, research, research! I procrastinated looking into colleges, but it is really important to avoid doing that and get a head-start on available options. Investigate schools that might not sound entirely appealing before you rule them; being open-minded is how I essentially ended up at a women's college, rather than a co-ed school. Think about some characteristics that you are sure you desire: do you want to attend a small school or a large school? What area of the country do you want to be in for school? Private or public institution? These preliminary answers will really help direct your search. Try to do as many college tours, visits, and interviews as possible. Being on-campus for these events is a really good way to get the pulse for a school, meet some members of the student body, and maybe even sit-in on a class. Schools may feel very different from the way they appear on a college website, and experiencing the college culture at a school before you apply is valuable when selecting "top choices." Apply early-decision if possible, and complete the hefty applications bit-by-bit. Do the essays first!

Go with your gut instinct, with the school you most see yourself at. The experiences is what you make of it.

DON'T READ THE BROCHURES!!!! When you visit the schools, opt to stay overnight in the dorms. And always get the laundry service.

Visit the campus overnight. It gives you a real feel for the daily life of a student at that school.

The "right college" will challenge you and push you to grow, while embracing the impact you can offer on the facilities and taking your needs seriously. It is more than just academic facilities, it is also a home and a family. Choosing the right college is about finding a place that will cultivate your academic needs while also providing the right environment where you feel safe and comfortable to grow and be yourself.

Remember that the main objective of going to college is to get an education. Be sure to pick a school that is academically stimulating and conducive to learning. That said, to really make the most of your college experience you need to pick the school that suits you. Realize that it may not be anything specific or articulable. It may just be a feeling you get while seeing students interacting on campus. Be open to that. If you choose a school that fits you and you meet other students and teachers you can connect and form strong bonds with, the happier you will be and the more likely you are to succeed. Perhaps most importantly, do not be afraid to make a mistake. There is no way to know for sure exactly what you want at the age of 18, so if you pick the wrong school, transfer. If you pick the wrong major, change it. You should not know exactly where life, or even college, is going to take you, so let your new experiences shape who you become. Embrace the trial and error process and college will be a blast. Work hard, play hard, and have fun.

Visit the school at a time when there aren't a lot of featured events for prospective students. This will give a better look at the school and will allow you to make a better assesment of whether it's the right school for you. How you make the most out of your college experience is up to you. However, for me finding opportunities to travel around the world and pursue my career goals with school funding made my experience really memorable. It is also a huge plus that I never made such great friends until I came to college. They support me and without them my college experience would be miserable.

Definetly visit...try and go to the weekend events, and allow your child to spend a night there, see how it feels. It is an intense feeling to start somewhere new, so the more immersed in that place you can get before going there, the better! :)

Just relax

Visiting the campus is key. Also, make sure to think about what you really want out of college life rather than prestige.

Don't be too narrow minded in what area you want to be in, and don't over analyze the whole process, and be willing to take a risk, but also go with your older friends advice!

The advice I would give having gone thru the entire High school senior year experience and stress of trying to apply to the colleges that are the best fit for you would be, pay attention to the smaller details that make a very big difference and impact your lifestyle when you arrive at the school to live. What I mean by this is the basics such as transporation, access to buses, shuttles When they operate? daily, only on weekends etc. Proximity of grocery stores, drug stores etc for your basic necessities. Pay attention to the little things that we don't tend to see as important in the bigger picture.

Finding the right college is tough. You can't really tell how you will fit anywhere just by visiting or reading about the school. If possible, try to find out what kinds of people go there, what kinds of people come out of the school, what kinds of professors there are. You don't always have to know exactly what you want to do. On that note, I strongly suggest NOT knowing what you want to do, exactly. Leave your options open, because chances are that in college, you will find a whole lot more than what you expected. Certainly visit the school, try to engage some of its students and professors, and find things that you think make the best fit - but also look at the school's philosophy - is it driven for just numbers and success on paper, or will you actually learn how to affect the world with your education? DO NOT make a decision based on the "name" of the school - make a decision based on its character and how it will affect yours.

Sometimes the first school you pick just doesn't pan out in the way you wished. In such a case, transferring is the way to go and there is nothing wrong with it. I started off in a completely different environment and couldn't figure out a way to get what I wanted out of my college education. I felt embarassed that even though this school was originally my number one pick, I absolutely hated it. But I knew I had to change and so I took it upon myself to go through the entire college process a second time and ended up in a much better situation. If the student isn't comfortable in the situation where they are, let them make that choice and let them be the one to figure out how to change it. Helpful and caring parents made the difficult process much easier. Be supportive whether or not your child dislikes his current college or not!

Really look around at the school's surrounding environment as well as campus. Don't go to school in an area where you feel too isolated or overwhelmed. Consider how many people you felt like you could connect with on campus after an overnight stay. Don't pick a college based on how much money they give you if it's only by a couple thousand. It's most likely around the same amount the second year.

If it is economically feasible, take the time to go and visit the school you are interested in. Do your research, and know what clubs or organizations might interest you, and try to find out specific information about those clubs and organizations, and meet people who are in them. Ask specific questions about the academic areas that most interest you, and try to speak with a few students not affiliated with the admissions process about what they think of the school. Remember to choose an environment in which you will have the ability to be happy and to learn effectively, and go with your gut instinct when choosing your college. Once at college, try out all the things you want to try out, and proactively engage in your surrounding environment. Be aware that you can contribute and make change if you only put forth the effort. Do your best to expand your horizons, seek out alternate views, and educate yourself both in and out of class. Challenge everything, but be respectful and open to everything as well, then make your own informed choices. This is your time to come into your own, so take advantage of it!

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In my opinion, research only goes so far. You can memorize your college's statistics, but ultimately, when you walk onto campus during that first week of September, a newfound reality will hit you (like the proverbial ton of bricks). An interesting shift in responsibility happens during this time. This enigmatic shift or transformation begins and persists during a college student's first year away. It's a transformation of self, a time to gague one's self, and, most importantly, in my opinion, a time to test one's limits and boundaries. If I could go back and do it all over again, I wouldn't so much change my scenery--I know that I'm getting a great education where I am--but I would try my best and put my whole self into succeeding at those aforementioned tests. Staying true to where I came from and recognizing this identitiy as I faced new challenges, experiences, and situations is where I failed to thrive. And this is a test that is so crucial and undeniably significat to the first-year college student. Stay true to yourself while making room for new people; it will make all the difference.

Don't go for the name. The right fit is more important than how famous the school's reputation is.

Having transfered to my current school, I know what it is like to pick the Wrong college. Finding the right college is about looking at the big picture. Your college choice should not be based on one thing. The factors that you thought weren't as important, like social life because you figure every college has one and you will just join in, should be considered. You might not get along with the people at the college you choose or share any of their interests. In regards to the college experience, everyone says the same thing. Get involved! Well guess what? They're right. Getting involved is a great way to meet friends and find that social life because you already have something in common with those you are with. While the first thing you look at concerning colleges, and your first priority while you are there, should be academics, everything else is important, too. Not only job placement and rank and variety of classes and majors, but also environment, student body, and location. College is about finding the balance between all of these things and seeing where you fit in, while also learning some things along the way.

Make sure to visit a school before making any decision. Accepted students weekends are very telling and made a huge impact on my decision between Bryn Mawr and Mount Holyoke Colleges, (two very similar schools in profile but different in atmosphere and organization).

Don't just take a tour of the school, but engage current students on their thoughts and experiences. Trust your instincts.

I just want to give students advise that they should go to a college that they will enjoy. Although some dream colleges are very pricey, Your money is well worth the experience. I may be worrying about all the bills and loans i will have to pay when i graduate, bif its something that will make you happy, paying back the loans won't seem as horrible.

Be ready to adjust, work, hard and have fun!!! Learn as much as you can and have as much fun as you can. Learn from the people around you.

If you are looking for the right college, remember to look where you think you least belong. As a student at Mount Holyoke College, I want to tell you that prior to a few months before I applied to colleges, I had never dreamed of committing myself to any sort of all female environment. The choice to even look at a women's college was completely unprecedented. However, once I looked into it, I began to see that it was the right fit for me. I think this works with all the criteria of colleges. If you think you want a big school, be sure to look at a smaller school and read about the benefits. If you think you want a school near where you live, look at those farther away. And if you want to be farther away, consider whether or not the same sort of educational opportunity is right around the corner, maybe within in-state tuition range. If you absolutely must have a co-ed college experience, consider whether going to an all women?s college within a consortium may be a fit for you. Look at everything, even if you think it is all impossible.

It is so important to visit the campus, talk to both students and professors (don't be intimidated! we've all been there) and really get a feel for the place before you make a decision. Try to stay overnight if you can, or at least take a look at the dorms and bathrooms. Don't limit yourself either- when i first started looking at colleges, i was dead-set on a large university in an urban environment. I ended up at a tiny women's college in the middle of nowhere, and i've never regretted that choice. I think being open is the most important thing, not only during the application process, but also when you arrive. It's only by meeting new people and trying new things that you learn about yourself.

Colleges cost a lot these days. As a dance major, I get consiterable criticism about how I should major in something more "practical" so that I will make my parent's money worth while. I would like to argue that studying a subject you're not interested in is a waste of money. So I advocate for parents to support your children through college--both financially and in your expectations. But students have to hold up their end too. We must make our parents' money worth while by understanding what an opportunity we have. We are so incredibly lucky to have two or four years simply to enrich ourselves, and because of this we must throw ourselves in completely: take on as much as we can, try new things, and THINK--even outside of class. Less than 1{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of the world's population gets go to college. We have a responsibility to take what we have gained and help those less fortunate. We must not take our education for granted. We must change the world.

Visit the college and try to experience an overnight program that the college offers. Don't be afraid to talk to current students and attend some of the classes. The college should offer such things for prospective students. When you get to the right college for you, remember why you are there and work hard. Set goals and strive to maintain them, but don't forget to have fun.

I visisted one school and one school only. And I've never been happier. Sometimes love at first sight is real!

I think it's really important to jointly make a list of likes and dislikes regarding the right college for the student. Next, parents and students should visit the narrowed down list they have decided. They should make sure to go on the tours, ask lots of questions, and read all phamphlets and information provided to them. They should review by making a pros and cons of each school they visit to match up with their criteria. An interview is also a really good idea when applying to schools. Once accepted to schools, they should visit again or go to accepted students orientations - great way to meet peers. Overnight visits with current students are also key - able to attend actual classes and chat with professors.

It is always worth taking a tour of the campus before making your decision. It was on my tour that I fell in love with MHC. When you start attending, keep your partying to a minimum. It is easy to get caught up in parties and mess up your school work.

To find your perfect school, acknowledge your ideals. Make a list of criteria to compile a rough list of ?fit? schools. Consider how you learn best: in semester block scheduling or a more experimental rotation? Knowing your major is not necessary, but may narrow down choices to schools with strengths in particular fields. Visit as many schools as possible, even types you aren?t initially interested in?you might be surprised. On visits, talk to everyone?not just the admissions staff! If shyness inhibits, people-watch and eavesdrop; appearance and reputation, along with campus atmosphere may be deciding factors. Back at home, narrow down your list and research carefully. Use rankings and official school websites skeptically; opt for firsthand sources. Seek out Facebook groups and blogging communities; skimming the journals of random students for school anecdotes is fun and informative. By politely messaging students on public forums, you?ll find many are excited to share their college experiences with ?prospies.? Lastly, finances are important. Realize it might be important to choose the school that wants you versus the school you want. No matter where you end up, seek out resources, make connections, know your options, and enjoy independence responsibly.

If it's possible, go to a college where you can engage with the subjects you're passionate about. Small schools are ideal for many disciplines but large universities may be the place for niche or pre-professional majors. Make sure you will have a strong support system wherever you go, so you don't feel isolated. Institutional support is important. At a smaller school, the adiministration wants to help all students. Support within a major department can be found at any size school.

Make sure that you visit as many schools as are within your means. I was put on the waiting list for many of my top-choice schools because I had never visited them. Once you get to college, even if it wasn't your first choice, try to become as involved as you can. School is what you make it and it can be wonderful or it can be not so wonderful. Join the club you never considered in high school, take that class that wouldn't fit in your schedule before. If you put yourself out there you can have an incredible time and you might learn something about yourself along the way.

The college application process is definitely a daunting one for students and parents alike. From my experience, the best thing for parents to do it to let their children ultimately make their own decisions about which schools he or she is interested in. Just as going to college is a learning process and experience, choosing a college is the first part of that experience. As students take serious steps in researching the way a school fits his or her personality, he or she will discover aspects of a school environment that are important to him or her. Some great ways for students to get a true feel for a college is to talk to current and former students who don't only work for the college's admissions office. Going on the websites for a college or university's organizations is a great way to make a connection with a student who might even have the same interest at you. This way, you've spoken to someone who is involved on campus and is hopefully an active member of the school community.

Choose the college that feels like it fits you. Beyond prestige or location, finding a place where you are comfortable and able to thrive is the most important factor in determining where you should go to college. Your happiness is the most important part of growing as a person during your college years, and you will be able to absorb so much more in a place that supports all aspects of your interests.

Create a general idea of what you want in a college; location, size, financial range, etc. Be organized with application deadlines and stay on top of those essays! Interviews and over night stays are extremely helpful. Do not judge the college solely on the tour guide alone; if you can talk to students or sit in on a class. In the end, you WILL end up at the right school, even if it doesn't seem that way at first.

To narrow down your options (of which there are thousands), use online survey searches. However, be warned that you will find you are unsure of the answer to some of the questions asked. So, take the survey multiple times, but vary your answers on questions with which you have trouble deciding upon one answer. Then compile all the results and begin to narrow down those options further through more in-depth research. Finally, when you have a reasonable number, visit the schools so you can truly get to know each environment. Make sure you leave each school with an impression of what it means to be a student and resident of that college. Then, choose the school where you feel you will thrive. This school must have an environment in which you feel at home, but also in which you will grow as a student and a person. Of course it is helpful if the school offers the major(s) and extracurriculars that interest you. However, you will be surprised to find your interests change as you discover new things about yourself and the world, so more than reputation, offerings, location, or social life, go with your heart.

Don't believe in rankings and flyers and various forms of adverstisements. Don't ever take the first impression as the truth. Visit the campus and ask questions to the students currently on campus. Don't choose a college because of one specific reason. Search the whole institution and grasp the atmosphere of it. If your heart tells you yes, I can see myself here for 4 years of my life, and there are other great things like financial aid and proximity to home, then you know this is the place. I have applied to 20 + colleges. Don't waste your time and money applying to so many. Know what you want first and then if you are accepted to the one you want, that would be the perfect match.