<p>Alright, I'm sure this topic has come up before on some forum, but could anyone help explain to me how Smith and Mt. Holyoke are different in terms of the student body? In other words, how is the typical Smithie different than the typical Moho? I sort of want to know where I might fit in better. </p>
<p>BTW I'm posting this on the Smith forum because the Mt. Holyoke forum seems sort of dead.</p>
<p>Well, there's one difference already. </p>
<p>More importantly, rather than talk about the differences between the two schools (and there are some), what are your interests, concerns, intended major, minor, etc. Maybe we can help determine which is a better fit for you.</p>
<p>the five colleges have been likened to the main characters of scooby doo; fred:amherst
shaggy:hampshire
scooby:umass
and...
daphnie (the pretty one): MoHo
velma (the smart one): Smith</p>
<p>now, i don't know how accurate that is... but that's the general stereotype.</p>
<p>hmmm...ok. </p>
<ul>
<li>I'm interested in majoring in a science, and I'm leaning towards bio. Possibly med school.</li>
<li>I'm also interested in studying non-science related things for fun (Philosophy, religion, old European history...)</li>
<li>I'm not at all a party person. I spend a lot of time in the library, but it would be nice to be able to hang out in small groups and go out to a restaurant, movie, etc.</li>
<li>the better the library, more of a plus for the school</li>
<li>I like talking to people about random stuff like politics, religion, or whatnot. </li>
<li>if one school is more tolerant of conservatives viewpoints than the other, that's a plus. However, I've heard that both schools are fairly conservative intolerant (correct me if I'm wrong). </li>
<li>I don't like too many required courses (especially anything PE or foreign language related....may seem arbitrary, but I just have never felt comfy in either of these two fields)</li>
</ul>
<p>BTW I've heard that the women is the scooby doo stereotype are often switched around.</p>
<p>thanks.</p>
<p>I'm not sure about Mount Holyoke, but the only requirements at Smith are that you complete a major, take 64 credits outside your major (half your classes) and that you take a single writing intensive class your first year (which is very easy to fulfill). PE and foreign language classes are completely optional.</p>
<p>And yes, there's no true consensus on which school is Velma and which one is Daphne.</p>
<p>^that's the problem with the metaphor. the men are pretty clear though.</p>
<p><scratches head=""> Yeah, I have trouble with that metaphor: Smith is both smart <em>and</em> pretty.</scratches></p>
<p>I've heard that both schools are fairly conservative intolerant (correct me if I'm wrong). }}</p>
<p>Stand corrected. The Republican club at Smith is very active and their views are not only tolerated but respected by many students. The junior class president is also the president of the Republican club. I dont believe an entire class would elect their class president, who they were very aware was also the president of the Republican club at the time, if the students werent tolerant to different or conservative views</p>
<p>{{but it would be nice to be able to hang out in small groups and go out to a restaurant, movie, etc.}}</p>
<p>Then you'll need to take a bus to Amherst to do so if you attend Holyoke. Smith has everything, i.e NoHo, within a short walk.</p>
<p>Well, the degree of tolerance might seem a mite peculiar to some. Reminds me of the Colorado Territorial law about giving a man a fair trial before hanging him.</p>
<p>Dateline: 2010 Today the members of the Smith Republican Club were asked if they felt fully accepted at Smith. Both said yes. One said that even his gender reassignment surgery was greeted with equanimity.</p>
<p>{{Today the members of the Smith Republican Club were asked if they felt fully accepted at Smith. Both said yes. One said that even his gender reassignment surgery was greeted with equanimity.}}}</p>
<p>Do you find ridiculing a club you have absolutely no personal know of constructive or tolerant?
If Smith stands for nothing else, tolerance has always been the hallmark of the college.</p>
<p>{{{Well, the degree of tolerance might seem a mite peculiar to some. Reminds me of the Colorado Territorial law about giving a man a fair trial before hanging him.}}]</p>
<p>I didnt realize you were so familiar with the Republican club, its members and all the community service and organizational functions they attend both locally and in DC. Who do you know in the Republican club that led you to your judgments? Fwiw- the Democrats have a great deal more members but most do squat. Almost every member of the Republican is engaged and contributes to the community. And contrary to what you may ignorantly believe, the members of the Democratic and Republican clubs get along very well.
Well enough that the vast majority of Democrats voted for a Republican to be their Jr class president. I would say thats significant.</p>
<p>If you're speaking because you're on the left coast and know no better, you're forgiven :)</p>
<p>AHEM...,cough,cough> Back to the question at hand.</p>
<p>There are numerous differences between Smith and Mt. Holyoke. Here are some:</p>
<p>Take a look at the course requirements from Mt. Holyoke: There are seven areas you must take classes from. Two of those happen to be languages and Phys. Ed. hehe.</p>
<p>In addition look at: <a href="http://www.mtholyoke.edu/offices/comm/premed/%5B/url%5D">http://www.mtholyoke.edu/offices/comm/premed/</a> if you are interested in pre-med.
[quote]
Students
2,100 students from 48 states and nearly 70 countries. Approximately one in every three Mount Holyoke students is an international citizen or African American, Asian American, Latina, Native American, or multiracial. In the 2004 U.S. News & World Report's ranking of liberal arts colleges with the highest number of international students, MHC ranked near the top.</p>
<p>Class Profile</p>
<p>Testing
Mean SAT Verbal 648
Mean SAT Math 625
MHC SAT Composite 1273
Mean ACT 28
Mean TOEFL Paper 622
Mean TOEFL Computer 268
Secondary School
Public 64.2%
Private 25.4%
Parochial 10.4%
Number of High Schools 414
Rank in Class
Top 5% - 25%
2nd 5% - 18%
2nd Tenth 24%
U.S. Geographic Representation (home)</p>
<p>New England 37%
Middle Atlantic 18%
South 7%
Central 7%
West 17%
International 14%
Number of states 35
Number of foreign countries 33
Students entering this year come from</p>
<p>Bangladesh
Brazil
Bulgaria
Canada
China
Czech Republic
France
Germany
Ghana
Hong Kong
India Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Korea
Latvia
Malaysia
Moldova
Myanmar
Turkey
Venezuela
Zimbabwe Nepal
Nicaragua
Pakistan
Romania
Russia
Singapore
St. Lucia,
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
Thailand </p>
<p>Alumnae Relatives</p>
<p>Total 68 students with 87 Alumnae Relatives
Mothers 21
Sisters 17 students with 20 Alumnae Sisters
Student-to-Faculty Ratio 9 to 1</p>
<p>Average Class Size</p>
<p>28 percent of classes have 10 or fewer students
50 percent of classes have 15 or fewer students
81 percent have 25 or fewer students
Applicants</p>
<p>First Year Applicants 2913
Early Decision applicants 249
Transfer applicants 203
Total first year acceptances 1642
Total Early Decision acceptances 153
Total transfer acceptances 69
Total first year acceptance rate 56.4%
Early Decision acceptance rate 61.5%
Total transfer acceptance rate 34.0%
Total first year matriculants 575
Total Early Decision matriculants 144
Total transfer matriculants 33
International matriculants 80 </p>
<p>Admission Statistics for Class of 2009</p>
<p>Applications: 2,924
Number admitted: 1,530
Number of students of Class of 2009: 506
Mean test scores:
SAT Verbal: 667
SAT Math: 651
ACT Composite: 29
TOEFL (paper): 638
TOEFL (computer): 274
In the past five years, applications to Mount Holyoke have risen by 40 percent
[/quote]
</p>
<p>For Smith: There are no course requirements with the exception of a writing intensive course in your first year. Don't be fooled, however, because if you want to go for Latin Honors, i.e. Summa cum laude, magna, etc..then you must take classes from several academic interests as well. I hear that most students choose to do this.
[quote]
STATISTICS</p>
<p>The Class of 2009
SAT Scores Distribution</p>
<pre><code> Verbal Math
</code></pre>
<p>Size of class
639
750-800
12%
6%</p>
<p>Number of transfers
entering in September
68
700-749
18%
12%</p>
<p>Number of states
represented (including
D.C.)</p>
<p>49
650-699
21%
21%</p>
<p>Number of foreign
countries represented
(by citizenship)
26
600-649
17%
22%</p>
<p>Percentage of students
of color (not including
international)
32
550-599
12%
16%</p>
<p>Regular Decision
480
500-549
5%
9%</p>
<p>Early Decision
159
Below 500
8%
7%</p>
<p>Not avail.
7%
7%</p>
<p>Applications and
Enrollment
Rank in Class</p>
<p>Total Applications
3,408
Top decile
61%</p>
<p>Number admitted
(48 percent)
1,649
Second Decile
23%</p>
<p>Number enrolling
(39 percent)</p>
<p>639
Third decile or below
16%</p>
<p>Not ranked
42%</p>
<p>Geographic Distribution
Representation of Schools</p>
<p>New England
28%
Public
66%</p>
<p>Middle States
25%
Independent
25%</p>
<p>West
17%
International*
8%</p>
<p>Midwest
9%
Schools represented
507</p>
<p>South
6%</p>
<p>Foreign & U.S. territories
9%
* includes both public
and private schools</p>
<p>Southwest
5%
[/quote]
</p>
<p>You can draw your own conclusions if you wish. My daughter will be attending Smith next Fall as well, with an interest in biology. She, too, does not like any Phys. Ed. requirements (not a jock, but loves to express herself through ballet). </p>
<p>Here, FWIW, are my opinions as to why I think Smith is far greater a place than any other (including Ivies and other elite LAC's):</p>
<ol>
<li> Advising: Simply 2nd to none, period!</li>
<li> Praxis:<br>
[quote]
The Smith College program, Praxis: The Liberal Arts at Work provides students access to funding for summer internships which build upon their academic studies and offer opportunities for career exploration. Praxis-funded internships are intended to help students to do one or more of the following: </li>
</ol>
<p>apply the theoretical learning of their liberal arts education to a field of work;
gain broader exposure to opportunities beyond Smith and beyond the classroom; acquire firsthand access to the institutions, problems, and conditions that they are studying; prepare themselves for the next stage in a chosen career; work closely with a faculty member on a scholarly research project; gain access to opportunities for service learning and community service, with emphasis on internships in the public interest;
obtain the hands-on experience valued by employers and graduate schools.
[/quote]
<p>I hope this helps!</p>
<p><long low="" whistle=""></long></p>
<p>RLT, I was speaking of second- and third-hand knowledge of Republicans in general. One unfortunate girl, whose name was the same as a Republican first lady and was pretty "out there" with her Republicaness(!?) got harrassed fairly unmercifully by more than one account. The few times I dipped into Jolt I encountered some exchanges that were as, ah, sprited as some of the more zingy in the Parents Cafe and not exactly reeking of tolerance. </p>
<p>I have no brief about the Democratic Club so I have no idea where you're pulling that from.</p>
<p>And the Dateline thing was the re-tread of a joke: it was originally about the remaining "American Indians" in 2020 as told on Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In in 1969.</p>
<p>I suspect that the Republicans at Smith must be a fairly sturdy lot to survive in that environment; if one can be a Republican at Smith, one can be a Republican anywhere.</p>
<p>From your touchiness, one might deduce that you're a Republican.</p>
<p>As for the Left Coast, a) I'm in the conservative half of my community, and b) I, too, am sometimes startled at how loose superior perception has rolled this way from the South, Plains, and Rocky Mountains states...a social phenomenon I'm at loss to explain. :)</p>
<p>arianneag: I'm sure RLT and TD will have much more to add to my data, as they have implicitly more knowledge about Smith than I.</p>
<p>my sis is now at smith and she loves it.. great lesbian scene and very gay friendly.. dont know much about mt holyoke but should be quite similar.. you should fit in just fine.. good luck</p>
<p>
[quote]
great lesbian scene and very gay friendly
[/quote]
Let's not be presumptuous. Here we go with the whole gay thing. Yeah, there are gay women at Smith, and at Mt. Holyoke too. Just like there are at Wellesley and other women's colleges. What does that have to do with the price of tea in China? True, NoHo is very gay-friendly; but, so what? </p>
<p>My advice is visit both of them if possible, and ask questions, lots of questions. Talk to Bio profs and get attitudes towards research opportunities in early years and later. We did that, and Smith came out resoundingly on top; not even close in our humble opinions.</p>
<p>I do, however, like the Dapne and Velma thing.</p>
<p>"the whole gay thing" is very important when deciding where you want to go to school. i mean.. come on why would you want to go to an all girl school at the first place if you're not into girls? i'm not saying everyone who goes to smith or mt holyoke are lesbo but many are.. i've heard something like 40% of the student population.</p>
<p>
[quote]
i mean.. come on why would you want to go to an all girl school at the first place if you're not into girls?
[/quote]
Whoa, Dude! You know little of which you speak.</p>
<p>bjm8... i apologized if i offended you in any way.. but it's cool if you're into girls... and i'm not saying it as though it's wrong or anything.. i'm sure proud of my lesbo sis</p>
<p>Wes, no apology necessary. It's cool that you're proud of your sister, and the fact that she's a lesbian should have nothing to do with that. Just understand, that she is attending one of the finest colleges in the country (not just all-women's colleges either). Now that, is something to be proud of!</p>