Hi Everyone,
I am 2016 spring admit for Mount Holyoke. I really want to know about the environment I will be living in and the learning environment in MHC. Any information would be helpful as for I don’t know anybody in the school. Thank you 
Can you be more specific? MHC has strong academics, but it is also a supportive environment (you can get help from profs and fellow students, and it is not a highly competitive/cutthroat environment).
Have you got access to a Fiske Guide to Colleges? It gives pretty good write up.
@intparent No I don’t have access to Fiske Guide to College but I will look it up. I just want to know the environment of the classes and about area around Mount Holyoke. That can you find a job on campus or off campus during the school year.
If you live in the US, your local library may have a copy of Fiske. Or your guidance counselor. It doesn’t matter if it is a few years old, mostly just the score ranges change over a few year period.
The area right around the immediate school doesn’t have too much there. Right across the road is a small shopping area with a restaurant, bookstore, movie theater. It is sort of a small village area. It is quite quaint, but not bustling.
Regarding getting a job, probably a current student or parent would have to respond. Most colleges are always hiring in the food service area. If you have been awarded work study money as part of a financial aid package, it seems like those students are then always able to find jobs on campus. And usually some students who are not on work study can get campus jobs, too. But I can’t speak specifically for MHC on this particular item. And I don’t know about getting one when you come at mid-year. But there likely would be some students going off to study abroad then who had held jobs in the fall, so I suppose that might open something up.
Have you had a chance to visit? Have you tried the online virtual tour?
All freshmen who want work study have to work a shift per week in a dining hall ( at least they did as of 2013, when D graduated). She was able to find two other campus jobs easily.
Just to clarify, students have to qualify via the financial aid application process for actual “work study”. Only US citizens or perm residents are eligible. Their salaries are then paid through the work study program. Certainly students who are not in work study can probably find jobs. But some jobs may only be open to work study students. And if a student is not in work study, they may not be required to work in the dining hall. Although there is nothing wrong with dining hall jobs – they are convenient, and it is a good way to meet other students when you are new to campus.
Freshman seeking jobs are directed towards dinning services. Other campus jobs may be come available if not filled by upperclasswomen (ex lifeguard). Off campus jobs like babysitting and tutoring are also common. My daughter earns about 70 a week from a combination of on and off campus work.
The village of south hadley is directly across from the main campus gates. There are cafés and causal dining, a movie theater, book store et al. A short bus ride north is the larger town of Amherst to the sputh in Chicopee is the large holyoke mall.
The campus itself is spectacular.
To get a better layout look at google sati lite maps.
Hi, current student here.
Just to clarify you do not get to choose if you want to be on work study or not. FA office decides that for you. I would have loved to have been on work study, but alas, I was not offered that opportunity.
SO- if you don’t get work study, you have to find another on campus job or an off campus job.
I believe you might be asked on FAFSA if you want to be considered for work study–then your eligibility is evaluated.