<p>Hi,
I'm really interested in women's colleges b/c I haven't ever been to an all-female school. I go to a pretty bad public high school (super large!) & I feel more comfortable w/out boys. (They can be immature...or just plain weird).
My parents totally disagree w/me & think that girls get into fights all the time. They think that w/out boys, girls just fight over stupid things. I don't think so, of course, but I was wondering what a women's college is really like.</p>
<p>Are the girls like the "stereotypical girls"?</p>
<p>Sorry your parents feel this way. My D is a senior at Mt Holyoke and it has been a fantastic academic experience. Profs at MHC do a fabulous job of supporting their students learning and career aspirations. She has wonderful friends, much better than the ones she made in her coed public high school. The facilities, the food, the faculy are great. She is getting a lot of support and mentoring for her grad school applications as well. Good luck.</p>
<p>Mount Holyoke women are not stereotypical girls at all. I don't even know what they mean about fighting over little things. Most "girl drama" happens as a result of girls being stupid about boys, so not having them around actually reduces the drama a great deal. People here are generally very nice. I've never witnessed anything like a catfight here. In fact, I don't think I've ever seen an argument here, besides one heated philosophy debate in class that I suppose could be the closest to an argument I've seen (and it wasn't even bad, just a little intense). I don't think you or your parents have anything to worry about. Let me know if I can answer any more specific questions. :)</p>
<p>Mount Holyoke is great, but it can be like any other place. I have never seen a "catfight," but a few years ago there was a very PUBLIC passive-aggressive course of actions taken by a few people. They have all graduated, fortunately. Since then, it has been pretty calm. I have great friends and I get along with my peers. I don't know of many people that have 'problems,' lest it is tied to a relationship. I love the atmosphere; I can really feel how fortunate I am when I visit the nearby coed schools. I never wanted to go to a women's college, but I am here, and I would never turn back!</p>
<p>There is no lack of male perspectives. I'd have to agree with mythmom. Also, I haven't really seen a difference within classroom dynamics while taking a class at other of the 5-College co-ed schools. In my experience at the other schools, men are more likely to talk and dominate the classroom. At Mount Holyoke, however, the tables turn and the classroom is generally a majority of women. One class I took at MHC had 8 women and 2 men. The way that played out was amazing, because the opinions of all the women shined more. You don't NEED the male perspective in the classroom : that is what you always get. </p>
<p>you go girl!
rainbow-flutterbug is right. You should apply to colgate, crest, and minty fresh college. I'm sure you could get into any of them. I think your mom should take a look in a mirror and see what she has become.</p>
<p>When I dropped my daughter off at Moho three years ago I felt that she was going to receive an outstanding education. I also believed that she would have the opportunity to develop strong female friends. Up until that time all of her friends had been males. I wanted her to also develop into a strong independent woman who did not need to rely on a male for all of her support. Mount Holyoke has been the ideal school for her. She has been able to spend a year abroad and have an internship at the EU. Many parents have ideas about college that are outdated or uninformed. Keep talking to them about the school and if they haven't visited the website encourage them to do so. Good luck.</p>
<p>As a MHC graduate (Class of 1981) I can assure you that MHC attracts and admits bright, independent and accomplished women. The typical MHC student is not the type of girl your parents are talking about. If you are a caddy, petty, and shallow girl who fights over silly and irrelvant issues, MHC is NOT the place for you. We had fun and enjoyed our free time. While many of my evenings where spent at Dartmouth and Amherst frat parties, others preferred other social outings. But we were all grounded and serious about our studies as well as our MHC friendships and extracurricular pursuits. I remember visiting my brother at U Michigan and staying at his girlfirends sorority....very different and more the typical girl atmosphere your parents are talking about. I suggest your parents read some reputable college guides as I have yet to read one that gives even the slightest credence to your parents' claim.</p>
<p>mhc women do not get into fights. it's a very relaxed scene. women are different without men around, probably because there's less competition. it's more of a sleepover vibe, you know what i mean? im a student and i really think people have been exceptionally nice.</p>
<p>There are little spats here and there between friends -- that happens everywhere -- but in general, it's a very relaxed environment. Interestingly, there are a lot of us here (myself included) who usually get along better with males, but we do fantastically well together.</p>
<p>Also, it's really important to remember that there are always men on campus. We have Five College students in our courses, we have male professors, we have male staff and administrators...there is no lacking for men here. :) And male students from the other colleges, especially Amherst and Hampshire, are always here for social events.</p>
<p>MHC2011....You must be attending a different Mt. Holyoke than my daughter. (Currently a senior at MHC).</p>
<p>I recently asked her how many men she interacts with on a daily basis... her reply- "Daily, none....I have one guy in my class at Smith but I have that class on Tuesdays and Thursdays" . She then went on to say that last semester she had one male professor and zero men in her classes. </p>
<p>This is what she excepted when she decided to attend....it is a woman's college after all, how can there not be a shortage of men?</p>
<p>I think it depends on your social life, CrewMom. I don't know a ton of people on crew, but the ones I know don't make man-friendly social events a habit. I also think it depends on your friends. I know people who made friends at UMass and Hampshire right off the bat, so they/their whole group see(s) guys on a frequent basis.</p>
<p>frazzledmaybe- oh, I wasn't referring to social events. I felt MHC2011 was talking about the the campus environment , not locating man-friendly social events, since she mentioned both staff and administration....who I assume you don't party with often.</p>
<p>I was simply saying that in my daughter's day to day classes and work at MHC, she has virtually no contact with men. She isn't causing or choosing it to be that way...it just is.</p>
<p>Oh okay, yeah, then I have to agree with you also. I don't really count male professors and administrators anyway. Sure, they are guys, but they don't provide the same interactions as male peers would. Not that they aren't worthwhile in their own way haha, but if someone asked me how often I see guys on campus, I wouldn't think to include my male professors. If you're doing work study, you might have male coworkers though, so I'd count that. But that's also for a limited amount of time, so, yeah, I have to agree that on a day-to-day basis (as in, not during free time/social time) you're not going to see many guys.</p>
<p>And as for guys in classes, I think it depends on the department, since some Hampshire departments depend on the consortium more than others. And since we're so close to them (and just awesome in general, of course :)), I think many times they choose to come here. Not that the other colleges' students don't come here, but I think Hampshire uses the consortium the most. But, yeah, it's a college for women so you're not going to see a lot of guys in classes here either. Though, again, if someone wants that class experience, she can easily take classes at UMass, Amherst, or Hampshire. :)</p>