Mount Holyoke college vs Smith College

College Search & Selection
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Hello,

This is the first time I post here, so please bear with me.

I was accepted into Mount Holyoke College and waitlisted at Smith College. Because of the deadline to accept admission, I enrolled into MHC. Last week I received admission from the wait-list to Smith College and since then I have been trying to decide if I stay at MHC or tranfer to Smith.

Couple of things to consider:

  • I am a non-traditional transfer student
  • My major is psychology and I am leaning towards research and social entrepreneurship.
  • Smith offered me full-tuition, health insurance, fees and a possible annual stipend.
  • MHC offered me full-tution.
  • MHC has an entrepreneurship minor that I really liked.
  • I have talked to students at MHC and really liked the college’s more laid-back vibe.
  • I have not talked to any student form Smith College but for what I have read, their vibe is more focused, goal driven.
  • I want to attend grad school after my bachelor’s.

I know that the full-ride from Smith should be enough for my decision but I have always been a driven person and I think I would benefit from being in a place that is more community oriented like MHC. I think that is something I need to learn. But then again, I am not sure if at Smith they would have something like that too.

If you are attending or have attendend any of these colleges, which one is more research focused?
Do smith also has a community vibe?
Is there much difference in academic culture? (Like grade curving, limiting A’s per class, etc.)

Thank you!

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I am not moved by “maybe a stipend”. If it isn’t in the letter, I wouldn’t make a decision based on it.

R&B at Smith is more expensive than at Holyoke, and that reduces (maybe even slightly reverses) the cost differential. I am sure both colleges know this and set their aid levels accordingly.

I haven’t attended either school (wrong plumbing) but I know some grads of both schools, and can tell you the Smith alums are not the sort who would seek out or thrive in a low-pressure, relaxed environment. I know one Holyoke faculty quite well (not in psych) and he is an outstanding researcher. Unquestionably the strongest in the country at a LAC, and fully able to get a job at an R1 if that were his goal.

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Are you in the Smith Ada Comstock or the Mt. Holyoke Frances Perkins programs for non-traditional students?

Which location do you prefer? (Personally I would prefer being in Norhthampton). Do you have a car?

How much do you save by getting health insurance at Smith? How much are fees at Mt. Holyoke? Can you check on the possibility of stipend at Smith?

The young women I know from Smith are not hard driving, but they tend to be accomplished.

I personally would lean toward Smith.

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Yes. I was accepted into Francis perkins from MHC and Adam Comstock from Smith.

Insurance is around $2500 in both colleges. I wouldn’t have to pay at Smith though.

Waiting for reply from financial office to confirm the stipend. It is on the award letter but I’m confirming if it would be the same if I take more credits.

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The stipend is on the offer letter. I am just waiting to confirm if the amount would be the same if I take more credits.

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Have you made a decision? Curious to hear where you wound up.

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My daughter has applied to Smith and we also looked at Mount Holyoke because she was recruited by both schools for a sport. We learned in that process about the 5 college consortium that both Smith and Holyoke belong to, along with UMass Amherst, Amherst College and Hampshire College. I believe you can register for classes at any of those colleges. If there is a certain class at one school, but not the other, you should be able to take it.

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