Hi! I have recently been accepted to Wellesley and Mount Holyoke, and I want as much insight as possible as I weigh my options. I received the Leadership Award at Mount Holyoke, which does make it more attractive, however I would be lying if I said the prestige and selectivity of Wellesley has no weight on my decision.
For some background, I am interested in pursing a major in chemistry (although I am also interested in neuroscience and geology). Is the academic environment at Wellesley much more rigorous than Mount Holyoke?
I also have a passion for musical theatre. I do not plan on majoring in theatre, however I am hoping to have the opportunity to participate in some type of performance while I’m in college. From what I’ve heard, Holyoke seems more likely to grant me those opportunities, especially with the consortium, but I’m not sure.
I also am planning on pursuing a career in medicine, so would I be more likely to get into medical school at one school over another?
Lastly, I’m interested in a school with a very collaborative atmosphere where, although students are challenged to succeed, they don’t feel as though they’re competing against one another.
Which school seems like a better fit for me?
Thank you so much for any insight you are able to give me!
P.S. In addition to my previous visits, I plan to do overnights at both schools.
Mount Holyoke sounds like a better fit for you.
Thank you. May I ask why?
Congratulations on two fabulous choices!
Definitely do overnights at both schools. My D was interested in both… they do have a different “vibe”. She felt much more at home at MHC. She felt that MHC had a more supportive, collaborative atmosphere than W. W has a (perhaps unfair?) reputation for being more cutthroat/competitive (although I do think that all the women’s colleges, including W, are likely to be more supportive overall than comparable co-ed schools!)
MHC students take their academics VERY seriously, and there’s a certain amount of “stress culture” as you are going to find at any college with highly academic, driven students… but I think it’s more about students pushing themselves rather than competing against their classmates.
Both of these are wonderful colleges. Go and do your overnight visits, sit in on a class or two, and I’ll bet you will have a clearer idea of which is the best fit for you!
Thank you very much!
Does anyone know anything about the theatre scene at either school?
My D’s roommate is involved with theatre at MHC and she is loving it. She comes from a theatre family so this was very important to her. She has been in two high-caliber productions so far this year. One had visiting director from Yale school of drama, if I recall correctly. My understanding is that there is extensive crossover with the other schools in the 5-college consortium (i.e. auditions for productions at all of the colleges are open to students from Mount Holyoke, Hampshire, Amherst College, Smith, and UMass.) So that really broadens the scope of the theatre world in the Amherst area.
MHC is reputed to have the more cooperative culture and you have a lot of theater opportunities with the 5 college consortium. Wellesley also has its own consortium, but some of the schools are a little harder to get to. From what I gather, the academic environment at Wellesley is more rigorous (it’s WELLESLEY!) however MHC is an excellent education too.
I think you made a mistake in choosing Smith after reviewing your comments on this thread. Mount Holyoke has produced two Pulitzer Prize winning playwrights. I haven’t heard of any from Smith or Wellesley.
My goal is not to be a playwright, so I don’t really see your point. Smith is a better fit for me overall, and I think it’s rather impolite to tell someone they’ve chosen the wrong college after you know they spent countless hours working through the decision.
I have been corrected. A Smith alumna wrote the play “Wit” which is one of the best I have ever seen. Apparently the Pulitzer Prize was conferred on the playwright. Wit is about the experience of a college professor who is diagnosed with ovarian cancer and her experience navigating the medical nightmare that goes with it.
Oh, and congratulations on choosing to attend a women’s college. While you are at Smith, take some chemistry courses at Mount Holyoke. Mount Holyoke produced the highest number of female graduates who went on to earn PhD’s in chemistry of any undergraduate institution up until the early 90’s when places like Stanford started to produce more.