<p>My D is interested in international studies, voice, dance, psychology. She is politically aware, and has already traveled quite a bit overseas. She wants a medium sized school that has a fairly diverse student body that is politically liberal/open/cosmopolitan, but not too "hippie" or "fratty", located in Northeast or as far south as DC (we're on the west coast). We met with Mt Holyoke representative at a college fair and were quite impressed by the academic programs and the 25% international student population, the traditions and the beautiful campus, and the highly rated teachers at MtH. Merit scholarship possibility appeals to the parents; D has a 3.8 GPA with good AP/Honors load, lots of ECs, and 2000 combined SAT1.</p>
<p>We hope to visit the area soon, and wonder about the differences between MtH and Smith, and whether there are other east coast liberal arts colleges she should be considering, either coed or single-sex.</p>
<p>Any comments about Mt Holyoke vs. Smith, and other school suggestions would be most appreciated!</p>
<p>My D is a firstie at MHC and is loving it, though she’s now on break and wishing she were there for yesterday’s 20" of new snow. She is planning (this week) to major in psychology/education and music (clarinet/sax). We are from NYC and liberal minded. D has found many similar minded at MHC, from all over. We visited Smith during a junior year road trip, but D liked MHC better, and ED1’d. I liked both. Smith DOES have a reputation for liberal minded people.</p>
<p>I think either MHC or Smith are great for psy & int’l studies. I believe MHC offers an advanced degree in psy. Not sure re voice & dance. There are a few voice majors in the MHC music department. At MHC there are about 20 music majors.</p>
<p>Also consider Vassar which I think has a good dance program. A good dancer friend of D went to Vassar for dance. S, MHC and V all have beautiful campuses, although S & MHC have smaller dorms.</p>
<p>Universities have everything, but they are much bigger which your D (as mine) does not want.</p>
<p>Consider also how academically intense each place is – one reason why D chose MHC over Smith and others. MHC is very laid back, it seems, although my D says she worked very hard last semester (and had good results, too). Also consider requirements. Smith has none. MHC has a quite a few, which my D actually wanted in a college.</p>
<p>MHC is #1 in classroom experience according to the Princeton Review, if you consider such surveys. I did attend 4 classes in 4 subjects and found the profs to be articulate, responsive to questions and interesting. My D’s language class only had 14 students - nice size.</p>
<p>Thanks for the prompt reply. We visited Vassar last year, and she quite liked that, based on the tour and info session. So that’s definitely on the list. </p>
<p>I also read the transcripts of recent student and parent chats on the Mt Holyoke site, and it sure seems that everyone is very positive (of course, they’re not going to pick the malcontents as chat hosts!). </p>
<p>All I remember was the old saying, “Smith to bed, Mt. Holyoke to wed”, so you know it’s been a long time since I was tracking the differences. My sense is that the student population at Smith may be more artsy,alternative, in-your-face, but I don’t know if that is true. If so, it probably isn’t a good match for my D.</p>
<p>My daughter has applied to both MHC and Smith, and liked her classroom visits at both, but by far prefers the Northampton setting over South Hadley. SH is just a bit too sedate for her. I graduated from MHC, so I am partial, but either school is top-notch, and I know my daughter will get an excellent education at either school, so I am leaving it up to where she feels she can be most comfortable for 4 years.</p>
<p>My daughter graduated from Mount Holyoke in May. It was a wonderful choice for her. Many times she mentioned that Mount Holyoke women were able to achieve balance between academic intensity and the ability to relax. Perhaps it is the bucolic campus that sets the stage for a more “laid back” atmosphere. That was important for her, as she is a Type A (perhaps A+) personality who realizes that she needs to achieve that balance.</p>
<p>She, too, is very globally minded and the internationally diverse student body was certainly an attraction for her. </p>
<p>She found the classroom experience outstanding and we believe that she received the top-notch education. </p>
<p>Of course Smith also provides an excellent education. If you have the opportunity to visit both, I believe you’ll find quite different atmospheres. Your daughter will know which “vibe” is right for her!</p>
<p>Younger D was accepted to both for transfer last year. She really liked both of them.</p>
<p>Smith won due to the financial aid offer being slightly better, and accepting more of her transfer credits.</p>
<p>She would have been happy at either, however.</p>
<p>I applied to both (and Barnard and Bryn Mawr). I am nervous because both schools seem very GPA focused. My GPA is okay (Honors and AP classes) but not awesome (3.7 weighted) but my senior grades, which have not gone out yet and I don’t know if they consider them, are close to 4.0 (only one AP class though, it was a scheduling issue). </p>
<p>I have heard people choose on basis of location and $$. Some receive more from one than the other (can’t tell why). I just know I will be happy to get into either or both.</p>
<p>My guardian is an MHC graduate (with latin honors and Phi Beta Kappa) but I don’t know if that counts for anything. I hope it does because I don’t have any other edge at any other school.</p>
<p>But I think both are great schools (and a year ago I would not have considered a women’s college). Good luck all.</p>
<p>We will be visiting Smith and Mt Holyoke in October. D will spend a night at each, also “shadow-day” at MHC.</p>
<p>Can you really get a flavor of what they are truly like, and of the differences between the two, in that amount of time? </p>
<p>Do girls bad-mouth the “other school” (see that on CC a bit, and I don’t know why, since no one has ever attended both – and they both seem wonderful). Is it possible to like them both equally?</p>
<p>Is there a “type” that prefers one or the other, perhaps activities-wise? They both have so much to offer that, other than the big-town-vs-little-town-thing, they both seem like great choices.</p>
<p>She is looking at economics and dance/ballet. Will she be able to tell which is “right” for her?</p>
<p>We visited both of them on the same day. The individual “flavors” are pretty apparent.</p>
<p>Actually DD liked MH a little bit better than Smith. However, she was applying as a transfer, and Smith accepted more of her credits. She would have had to attend school an extra semester if she were to attend MH. She was accepted as a transfer to Smith, MH, and Boston College. When she considered all of the factors, she chose Smith :)</p>
<p>Your D can get a good feeling about MHC if she stays the entire Shadow Day. My D did it, and that convinced her to ED MHC. On Shadow Day, parents can attend one, and if lucky, 2 classes. Thre are about 6 to choose from. Prospies follow a student around for the entire day and do everthing from soup (lunch) to nuts (psychology), depending upon the student’s actual classes. Parents get a nice luncheon with a speech, a tour, and a speech from the admissions office followed by a Q&A session. The parent(s) should expect to be asked if D will ED. 2 years ago, Shadow Day was also Elfing day, an old MHC (secret) tradition. Of course, October is not exactly at a time when the students have intense work to do (for example, mid-term time), so visitors will not see completely what life is like then. At MHC, there DOES seem to be a rivalry with Smith, especially in sports, but that carries over to general feelings, it seems. Some (MHC/S) who have taken courses at the other (S/MHC) think the other (S/MHC) is a gut school. Girls at both seem to have the same opinion, based upon what I have read and heard. It really depends upon the course and the prof. My D worked VERY hard spring semester to earn her great grades. But there are some who don’t work too hard at MHC and don’t get great grades. It’s the same at every college. There seem to be grasshopper partiers everywhere. After 1 year, my D has become a MHC patriot and loves the many traditions (I neva wooda tought). By the way, both S and MHC students (and profs) on the whole are quite liberal minded, in every way, just so that you are not shocked when you get there (I see you, IB792, are from the SW, a rather conservative area, generally)</p>
<p>My daughter graduated Mount Holyoke in '10 and I have an international daughter currently at Smith. Two wonderful choices…two very distinct campuses. Your daughter will feel the difference. I would say there is “friendly rivalry” between the schools…at least in my house ;)</p>
<p>My daughter loved her experience at Mount Holyoke. Made close friends, received a fabulous education, had nice on campus leadership roles, experienced wonderful internship opportunities (one in Spain, one in Washington D.C. and one in Chile) and is now working in NYC. She can’t wait for her 2 year reunion next May to get back on campus!!!</p>
<p>Best of luck to your daughter!</p>
<p>Thank you for the Shadow Day info ConcerndDad. We can’t consider ED because of FA, so I hope that is not a consideration. I am surprised they bring it up.</p>
<p>My S will be starting at Grinnell this fall, and we just went through the college admission process last year. So, being very pleased with Grinnell, we are the opposite of conservative. Also, I grew up in New England, and would be very happy to have my daughter attend one of these colleges.</p>
<p>What is a grasshopper partier?</p>
<p>What is a grasshopper partier? </p>
<p>From the fable of the grasshopper and the ant, I believe. The ant works diligently and saves food and is prepared, the grasshopper eats and saves nothing and eventually starves.</p>
<p>In college, some party all semester until the deadline is here and then panic, and they end up getting Cs (or worse). Others work consistently, don’t need to panic, and do much better.</p>
<p>Oh! I thought it was another secret tradition of parties with the drink “grasshopper”. Creme de Menthe, yuck.</p>
<p>mom 5853,
check thread “is mh right for me” to read about our compared experience with both schools.<br>
vtparent</p>
I visited Smith on Wednesday and Mount Holyoke yesterday. I feel more welcome and comfortable at MHC. I love the whole feeling of MHC. Smith makes me feel nervous. It seems like everyone there is so busy and serious. At MHC I saw groups of happy students. The whole environment is very classic.
I felt the same way when I visited. Although, for the future, it might be a good idea to start a new thread - this one’s from 2011 
@FireflyLights Oh! Didn’t realize it!