Should I go to Mount Holyoke? Opinions please!

College Search & Selection
1

<p>I really love the atmosphere at Mount Holyoke. The people seem amazing, I've heard incredible things about the professors, and I've been awarded the 21st Century Scholarship ($25,000 a year, plus funding for a summer internship/research. It also includes participation in "select intellectual and cultural events" on and off campus). My only hesitation is the fact that most people have never heard of Mount Holyoke. Many have said that I'm "throwing away my future" by choosing a "complete no-name school" in MA over some of my other options, such as NYU, Boston College, Boston University and Colgate U). People have warned me that Mount Holyoke has severe financial issues (I haven't found any concrete evidence of this, but any comments on this issue would be appreciated) and that Mount Holyoke isn't prestigious enough to help me get into a good graduate school (I'm thinking about law school or education, specifically) or get good job placement. Oh, and I want to major in history, psychology, or gender studies, so I'd love to hear any opinions on these departments!</p>

<p>Any comments would be much appreciated, especially about the influence of prestige, as well as anything pertaining to grad school/job prospects! </p>

2

<p>Mount Holyoke is an amazing institution. You should take the chance to go. If you don’t like it you can always transfer.</p>

3

<p>Mount Holyoke is a great school, with an excellent alumni network. It’s not unknown - strange to hear anyone say that. Go with your feelings about the atmosphere. I’m sure the admissions office would be glad to give you hard numbers for outcome (employment, grad school, prof school), and would guess it’s excellent. My D was accepted but the merit award wasn’t enough to make it affordable. It would definitely be her first choice otherwise.</p>

4

<p>Anyone who hasn’t heard of Mount Holyoke is probably not going to have any influence on your future whatsoever. Go, and be happy.</p>

5

<p>Severe financial issues with an endowment of $500+M? <a href=“http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/mount-holyoke-college-2192”>http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/mount-holyoke-college-2192&lt;/a&gt; An undergraduate school’s prestige doesn’t get students into grad school, a student’s performance does. Go. Don’t look back.</p>

6

<p>Speaking to your last question: Mount Holyoke shares an employment/recruiting database with Amherst and Smith Colleges. So the sorts of employers looking for the prestige of Amherst will find your resume side by side with Amherst kids.</p>

<p>I attended Colgate. I personally did not like the remoteness of it. While I love a pastoral area, I also want there to be things to do besides frat parties. MHC has the 5-college consortium, with 5x the interesting speakers, cultural events, art openings, as well as social "parties:. PLus the groovy town of Northampton and Boston 2 hrs away,</p>

<p>As I have said on several other threads, the thing that struck us, and many other students & parents, at the Accepted Students weekend was the strong, welcoming sense of community. IT felt both supportive and challenging at the same time. And everyone -students and professors alike- seems so engaged and passionate about being there.</p>

<p>Graduate school-wise, check this out:</p>

<p>"Typically, 25 percent of graduates go directly on to graduate, professional, and postbaccalaureate programs. Seventy-five percent enroll in advanced degree programs within ten years after graduation. Postgraduate institutions attended by recent Mount Holyoke graduates include New York University, Columbia, Johns Hopkins, Tufts, Georgetown, Harvard, Yale, Boston University, University of Massachusetts, George Washington University, and Princeton. The CDC helps students prepare for testing, work through the application process, and find applicable fellowships and grants. "</p>

<p>"Mount Holyoke women have an enviable record of winning major awards, scholarships, and fellowships—including the Winston Churchill Foundation Scholarship, the Gates Cambridge Scholarship, the Harry S. Truman Scholarship, Datatel Scholarships, National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships, Goldwater Scholarships, and Fulbright Full Grants. "</p>