My daughter has applied ED to MHC. When I’ve mentioned this to some of her friends’ parents who have asked, they act surprised – surprised that she’d choose such an “easy” school to get into, and surprised that I’m worried she won’t get in.
I think that’s crazy. I know it’s got a high acceptance rate at 47%, but the applicants are pretty self-selecting, and if you look at the average test scores, etc, they are in line with schools with a much lower acceptance rate. It’s a top-notch school – not HYPS, but far from a community college!
People seem to think she’s applying to a “lesser” school than their kids who are applying to places like BC, Northeastern, Villanova, and UConn. This genuinely confuses me. I acknowledge that MHC doesn’t have the acceptance rate of Wellesley, but it really doesn’t feel as if she’s settling. We’re not prestige-obsessed, but “justifying” my good student’s choice is getting old, and she’s going to feel AWFUL if she doesn’t get in and everyone thinks she didn’t get into an easy school.
First of all, considering a gross acceptance rate of anything below 50% as “high” is…odd. It just really drives home the weird bubble/echo chamber that families of upper-middle- and upper-class high-achieving students (like many of us here in CC) live in, you know?
Second, why even both to justify her choice? I’m serious here—if you feel you have to respond, a shrug accompanied by “She likes it, and expects to be successful there”* is quite enough, I’d think, but there’s no real need for even that.
Suppressing, though, the urge to respond with "We're not as ratings-obsessed as some families are" would probably be best, except in carefully chosen situations.
Agreed with all of your points! Just wondering if I’m alone in this.
I didn’t mean to insult anyone with my comment that 50% is high…I probably should have put it in quotation marks. I just meant high on a relative basis. I think you understood.
People seem to mean well. Their point is that my daughter could do better, which is a bit of a backhanded compliment, to be sure. Also, in general, these are old friends, so I don’t like just to shut them down, but it’s wearying to repeat the justification.
My boss said she didn’t understand how people could seriously consider a school my daughter was looking at for her son (obviously not MHC) as it’s “just a safety school” – and this was something with a 29% acceptance rate. I had to walk away at that point. People really do get obsessed. I wish her son luck getting into his first choice, Penn.
Ignore them… most have probably not visited MHC. I think it is a gem, and I recommend it all the time out here. My niece attended, and is a happy and successful grad. Both of my daughters were accepted; for various reasons they ended up at other schools, but it stayed in the running til the end. Beautiful campus, serious academic focus, diverse and interesting student body, consortium for additional social and course opportunities. Keep your eye on the prize, which is a college where your daughter is happy and successful. Congratulations to her, and don’t let these people who know nothing get you down.
Wow. They must not know MHC! I suppose if your ambitious accomplished daughter wanted to attend a college where she could cheer for the men’s basketball team and burn sofas at frat parties then UConnVillanova, BU NorthEastern would be suitable choices. Otherwise, your daughter has set her sights on a top tier school with a long legacy of offering a world class education. 0
Ugh. As a hopeful future Barnard or Smith student, I hate this. I think it’s amazing that your daughter is choosing a school that will prepare her for being a women in the world and connect her to a super strong alumnae network. I personally haven’t faced any prejudice from my high achieving and rather liberal friend group, but I wish you and your daughter the best!
I attended Mount Holyoke years ago and have gotten nothing but respect in the workplace and career world for my college degree ever since. In my era, UConn, Villanova, BU, Northeastern and the like were not considered to be remotely in the same league as Mount Holyoke for academics. Those whom you daughter will want to know about Mount Holyoke will know about it already. Those who do not probably do not frequent the environments where elite schools are discussed. There is a difference between the acceptance rate and the quality of the student body. As a college for women, Mount Holyoke excludes 1/2 of the potential applicant pool right off the bat on the basis of gender. Those who apply generally are very talented and encouraged to do so by someone aware of the academically-oriented nature of Mount Holyoke. It also is very diverse and world class. It attracted over 300 applicants from mainland China last year, for example.
Let people think what they want. The average person is an idiot anyway. You don’t need to justify your d’s choice to anyone. Why is it important that people outside your immediate family “approve”?
Just tell them the programs and opportunities are superb, the academics attracted her. Then smile.
I.e., make no excuses. Remember also the mighty consortium.
BFF is a grad, never had to explain. Her niece, too. Same for friends from Smith, Wellesley, Barnard and others. The women’s college experience can build strong, thinking women.
Never justify your or your child’s decisions. Never. Just give a Mona Lisa smile and walk away. Or assume the other person is ignorant and clueless. Respond with that in mind.
People have such set notions that often they have a hard time looking beyond them.
Wow. But some people just don’t know how to keep their mouth shut. I’m going to a women’s college next year (Russell Sage College in Troy NY) and I’ve gotten comments from classmates and my family on my dad’s side. The worst are “How? You’ll be perpetually single.”(from a classmate) No there is a coed college just up the road if you want guys or parties. “that seems so old fashioned and impractical, not too mention expensive.”(from my grandfather) No, while the buildings are mostly historic and there are lots of old traditions, the campus is up to date. The library was completely renovated a couple of years ago. They have a very good education program with small classes and lots of time in the classroom. And for the expensive part, I was awarded the highest merit scholarship which cuts the total cost for a year(including room, board and meal plan) to less than a semester of tuition. And that’s before any other financial aid.
I completely understand. I’m from India and every day, I hear comments like “It’s not worth going to the USA if you’re not going to HYPS” or “You’re Ivy League material! Why are you applying to Scripps?”
Maybe I could get into a highly selective school with my grades - but that doesn’t mean I WANT to. How successful you’ll be depends on fit more than the prestige of the school you go to for undergrad.
Selectivity doesn’t reflect quality. MHC is an incredible school, and I personally know women who’ve attended and are as successful and happy as people who attended more selective institutions. I would recommend it over a horrible elitist Ivy League school any day.
Submarina, if you attend Scripps, be careful to whom you express your opinion of the Ivy League universities. A significant number of Scripps and Claremont Colleges professors are Ivy League alums
Just smile and nod.