<p>MWFN, of course, obviously most people on this board are going to advocate a bit stronger for Smith than for MHC. I just wanted to show the other side of the perspective of this thread, which asked for the differences between the student body. Not trying to convert anyone, just wanted a fair portrayal of MoHo! I thought Smith had a beautiful campus and tons of fantastic resources when I visited as a prospective student, but like many high school juniors, just didn’t have that “feel” for me. MHC did, and so that’s where I stayed!</p>
<p>As a prospective high-school junior I’ve recently visited both campuses for a “self-guided tour”. I loved both schools in different ways, and am so grateful for this helpful thread! </p>
<p>Does anyone have any comments on differences in the teaching styles between MHC and Smith? Differences in the classroom feel?</p>
<p>I’ve never taken a class at Moho so take this with a grain of salt, but I don’t think you’d find much difference between the two in terms of classroom feel, and I’m sure the teaching style is pretty much the same between the two schools. </p>
<p>Of course, there are academic differences, like Moho has a required core curriculum whereas Smith does not.</p>
<p>When my daughter, a First Year, considered both schools, she wound up sitting in on a total of four classes at Mount Holyoke and two at Smith. Maybe it was the luck of the draw, but she was not entirely satisfied with the first two Moho classes she experienced, so she went back to sample two more and was surprised that they were still not to her liking; she was thrilled with the two Smith classes. </p>
<p>When I first learned about Smith’s having no distribution requirements, I have to confess I was a bit put off; it seemed contrary to what the purpose of a liberal arts college is supposed to do–offer tastes from the various disciplines to contribute to a well-rounded education before diving into a major. I came to appreciate Smith’s expectation that Smith women can take responsibility for their learning: to be as well-rounded as desired or to zero in on their passions. My understanding is that if a student wants to qualify for Latin honors at graduation, there are distribution requirements that need to be fulfilled.</p>
<p>Perhaps I’ll have more to say about classes once she’s really started 9/8/09!</p>
<p>CarolynB, yes, Latin Honors requires students to fulfill distributive requirements. My guess is that most students do this naturally, or come close to it. Of course, not all students qualify for Latin Honors.</p>
<p>My daughter had the same experience with courses. She found the Smith classes to be the most thought-provoking and energetic out of all the schools she got into; however, she might not have chosen wisely at the others. Honestly, I don’t think you can go wrong academically at any of top all-women’s colleges. They all give their students good educations but have very different feels.</p>
<p>The “luck of the draw” is indeed a huge part of liking a school. If the weather is bad, or the tour guide is arrogant, or the building that houses the major department is being renovated, potential students can be put off. I always recommend that students visit a potential college twice: once before applying, and once after acceptance. </p>
<p>In my daughter’s case, the evolution of the decision process was interesting. At first, the only women’s college she wanted to consider was MHC; she loved it. As we started visiting colleges, she continued to prefer co-ed schools – until she hit Bryn Mawr and Smith. Although she applied to and was accepted to MHC, it had dropped so far down her list that she probably would have picked one of the co-ed acceptances over it if she had not gotten into Bryn Mawr and Smith. I think the relative isolation and the personality of the tour guide had a lot to do with it. </p>
<p>@college3231: most small liberal arts schools have the same teaching style, although, obviously, style also varies among individual professors. Liberal arts colleges usually strive to create a classroom environment that encourages discussion and interaction with the professors. Some of the larger, introductory courses are lecture-based by necessity, and even smaller courses that depend on the accumulation of facts will be more lecture than discussion. Still, the majority of non-introductory courses tend to be small and somewhat intimate. It’s much easier to ask questions in a small class, even when it is lecture-based, than in a hall of 300 or more students.</p>
<p>Having just come back from first-year dropoff at Smith, I have to say I really enjoyed Northampton. It’s like a piece of Cambridge that’s been helicoptered in and dropped - and it even goes to bed at a reasonable hour. Took me right back to my Harvard days. I think the fact that it’s an easy walk from the Smith campus is a plus.</p>
<p>I haven’t spent as much time on the Mount Holyoke campus so I can’t really say I’ve formed an impression of what’s within walking distance in South Hadley.</p>
<p>Actually I’d say Northampton is like the Cambridge of 15 or 20 years ago in ago in a good way. Harvard Square is mostly banks and boutiques at the moment - Somerville has the real college hang out feel these dys. I think it was partially what appealed to my daughter. I cringed a little at the sight of Urban outfitters in noho though.</p>
<p>That could be. I of course am speaking of Cambridge as I new it from 1974 to about 1984.</p>
<p>My first year D at Smith has a friend starting at MH and I thought it was pretty interesting to see the two schools convocations videos 
My D dressed as a mermaid and spent a lot of time screaming and it was a real connection to her house vs MH where it is done by class.</p>
<p>My international first year “daughter” seems very happy at Smith. However, she was “culturally shocked” at Convocation. She felt that the goal seemed to be to wear the least amount possible (if anything at all) to display the house theme. I think she would have felt better at MHC’s Convocation…lots of screaming and class pride and cohesiveness (according to my D, a senior), but students are clothed and adorned by class color ;)</p>
<p>Well, wearing the least amount possible is definitely the goal, but of course, no one is forced to wear less than their comfortable with (I had several friends who went to Convocation well clothed every year). It is a bit of a culture shock, but it’s also sort of a celebration of the safe and inviting atmosphere of the college. Where else and when else are young women allowed to be so free and so loud and so unihibited and proud? It’s a unique tradition, not everybody gets it, but it was always my favorite part of Smith. That crazy, unexplainable, raucous and break-all-the-rules spirit that told me that I was home at last for another year.</p>
<p>My daughter enjoyed it but kept her clothes on - I think just the overall enthusiasm was contagious.</p>
<p>One of my D’s Smithie friends is from the Deep South and one of her remarks has stuck with me: “I thought I was liberal until I came here.” Uh, yeah, there are some culture shocks but for the most part it winds up being all good.</p>
<p>Btw, in my translation of S&P’s post, “unhibited” = “impossible not to offer their opinion,” a far more widely shared characteristic than state of dress or undress or egress.</p>
<p>My mom loved the idea of Smith’s Convocation. She called it “bra day” (my house traditionally wore bras and jeans - some wore more, some wore less) and bought me a new one for the occasion every year. Of course, I never told her what some of my fellow students were wearing…</p>
<p>Well yes, being uninhibited in speech is one thing that Smith brings out in you. I always thought of “dressing down” for convocation as a sort of re-comitting to being free for a year. You free your body as a symbol of how you will liberate your thoughts, actions, behavior, and speech and how you will go outside of your comfort zone for the rest of the school year. The goal is to be unencumbered so you can be open to new experiences and growth. Yes, it’s always a little uncomfortable at first, and it’s a little shocking, but in the end, pushing the boundaries helps you grow. </p>
<p>Okay, maybe that’s a tad high-blown for a bunch of screaming college women in their skivvies, but now that I’m an alum I’m allowed to wax philosophical about ye olde alma mater.</p>
<p>My first-year daughter enjoyed Convocation a lot. Her first comment was that she’d never been in such a loud room in her life, with all the cheering going on. She loved the enthusiasm, kept her clothes on, and confessed she was surprised by the scarcity/lack of dress. We didn’t know about this “custom,” so when she told me, I was likewise surprised, but ruminating since then, I had come to view it pretty much as S&P described–as pushing the envelope and empowerment. Thanks for waxing philosophical, S&P! It’s nice to know I was on the right track!</p>
<p>Last year, as a first year, my daughter thought convocation was okay. She just hadn’t known what to expect. When I asked about it this year, she said it was fun, much better than last year. I did not ask what she wore, but she volunteered that black cut-off jeans were part of the attire. She and her housemates went swimming in the river afterwards–I didn’t ask what she wore there, either :-)</p>
<p>“Don’t ask, don’t tell” seems to be a widely invoked policy. I always figured that what I didn’t know wouldn’t kill me. Though I sometimes think D was a little disappointed that I wasn’t shocked or outraged more when she did tell me some stuff or show me some photos.</p>
<p>It’s seems that it’s our job to either mortify or disappoint our offspring! :)</p>
<p>Given a choice, I vote for mortify: it’s more fun.</p>
<p>As in, “OMG, my Dad just didn’t say that, OMG, he did.”</p>