skidmore vs. mount holyoke

<p>Hey everyone
I'm trying to decide between mount holyoke and skidmore. if anyone has any advice i would greatly appreciate it, i'm interested in pursuing art and anthropology/art history</p>

<p>what i like about mhc is its intensive academics, community, and network. i was wondering if i could get some more information on the strength of skidmore's academics, community, and network.</p>

<p>i have read mixed reviews of the academic curriculum. some say that it is easier then high school while others say it can be challenging. </p>

<p>my concerns about the community and social life are that when i spent time on campus i got the impression that there was a lot of partying, and that students don't spend that much time working or studying. i love my friends but i'm not a big partier and i want to make sure that i'm actually going to get an excellent education. also, i felt like the students were cliquey and I didn't get the sense of community that i got at mhc (but that was from a brief day i spent there)</p>

<p>regarding the alumni network i was wondering if it is strong and how well the college prepares its students for graduate school programs and or the job market particularly in the fields i'm interested in studying.</p>

<p>I would think the big issue would be coed vs not.
Will you miss the mix of personalities that come with a coed environment?
Have you checked out the alumni organizations of both schools in your current area and where you want to live after grad school? Make sure there is a good network of alumni/ae in your fields ad don't just assume that will be the case.
If you aren't sure, call up the admissions office at both schools and ask to be put in touch with the alumni group heads in your area.
Good luck with your choice.</p>

<p>I feel at any college there will be cliques whether they're visible or not, but as long as you as an individual is willing to get involved and make many different types of friends, then you will be fine. I know at Skidmore many people double major or have a bunch of minors, and that's probably the aspect that could factor into how challenging the academics are. Also, some programs like English and Business are really strong at Skidmore, and therefore more difficult, and some others are still growing. And in any Liberal Arts school community involvement has to be a big thing because it's the easiest way to make friends. And Skidmore has a great Art program, and the Tang museum is really cool if you want to study art history. They make it really easy for art students to get buses to go to galleries in any of the surrounding cities. </p>

<p>I would highly suggest looking up "skidmore" on facebook groups. Some of the groups are quite humorous. </p>

<p>I have a friend who goes to mhc, and she says the five-college thing helps, but most of her friends come from mhc. So at Skidmore you might get to know more people, and different kinds of people because the gender issue makes a big difference. Personally, I love Skidmore's location and Saratoga is a really cool town. The cafeteria is also amaaazing.</p>

<p>Having put two daughters through Skidmore, I can offer the following points that may help you decide:</p>

<ol>
<li><p>Skidmore is small, and its faculty are often uncomfortably elitist. This translates to an atmosphere that grandly rewards highly motivated, mature and responsible students, and severely punishes (virtually abandons) less motivated, less independent and immature students. If you're a very social, party-person type who has managed to get by in high school with a minimum of work, you will probably not make it at Skidmore.</p></li>
<li><p>The campus, housing and town of Saratoga Springs are unmatchable for a school of Skidmore's size and quality. It's very hard to find a better-quality-of-life for students in an under 2,500-student environment, anywhere on the east coast. And it's just 2+ hours to New York, Boston, or Montreal!</p></li>
<li><p>Skidmore is painfully preppy. This is a big plus for those who like it, but if you're looking for or more comfortable with purple hair, body hardware and skin ink, look elsewhere. The student body is, on average, a large collection of Abercrombie models.</p></li>
<li><p>There is a perpetual myth that the majority of males who attend Skidmore are gay. That is absolutely false, and probably stems from the facts that it was once an all-girls' school, and is "artsy" in that it offers such strong visual and performing arts programs. The gay population there is similar to that of any school its size, and is happily and openly integrated into the student body.</p></li>
<li><p>Skidmore is expensive, and has a very small endowment. If you're hoping for financial aid, then your family income will have to be less than one year's tuition plus room and board ($48,000). With two students there at the same time, the financial aid office's offer to me was a grand savings of 41 cents (I could mail both tuition checks in the same envelope). </p></li>
<li><p>Many Skiddies are fabulously creative in one way or another. If you think you have a significant, unique talent, be prepared; almost everyone there has some wonderful talent. </p></li>
<li><p>Skidmore's Education Department is among the best in the country. Ed. majors will graduate with a license to teach in New York, and be far more prepared than graduates of similar programs offered by many Ivies, or other notable-name schools.</p></li>
</ol>

<p>$290 million is not a "very small" endowment. If you look at the numbers, they are in the range of many of their peers, particularly former women's colleges, which traditionally have fewer wealthy donors than former men's colleges.</p>

<p>Commongrounds</p>

<p>I'm a little confused the college board fin aid
stats for Skid suggest it's pretty generous to middle
and lower income families. Please elaborate</p>