Hi, I am an incoming freshman (or first year) and still have no idea where I should send my deposit. I have visited all 3 schools (each one twice except for Dickinson which I only saw a short tour of) and really like aspects of all schools.
MHC: The prospect of attending an all women’s school turned me off at first, but after my second visit to MHC I fell in love. The campus is gorgeous and I can really see myself there, majoring in Political Science (where the program is awesome and the alumnae are strong). MHC would turn out to about $40,000 per year.
Dickinson: Although it was only a short visit, everyone at Dickinson was overwhelmingly friendly and nice there. It was also pretty (not as pretty as MHC) and the political science program there is also strong. Carlisle, PA, is in the middle of nowhere, though.
Goucher: Goucher is very pretty (still not as pretty as MHC) and is in a great location for proximity to Washington DC, however, just because it is close does not mean I would be secured an internship there, because from what I’ve heard, the alumnae network at Goucher is not as strong as say, U Maryland College Park (where I was also accepted but decided it would be too big for me) and they don’t have many connections. Goucher isn’t as selective as the other colleges, plus it is the smallest (1,300 students) so I feel this would allow me to shine through / stand out at Goucher and get more leadership positions. It is also supposed to be a nurturing, very welcoming environment.
One thing I didn’t like is that I asked one student there last week if he liked Goucher and he said no. He said “When I tell people I go to Goucher they ask me if I was a social outcast in high school.” His comment turned me off. Plus you can’t rent laptops there if yours breaks and the president is so new.
Please help me out:
Which do you think is the most prestigious, has the best alumnae network, will get me the job interview/ help me get into law school?
Which do you think I will enjoy myself most at?
I am a straight female and if I attended MHC I would utilize the 5 college bus to go out and meet boys, if that’s of any relevance.
but doing well at MoHo also will get you into some very good law schools–possibly Ivies.
Most fun-- um. I don’t know Goucher. But either that or Dickinson. MoHo is very quiet.
Carlisle isn’t any more remote than South Hadley. In fact, I’d say there is more to do in Carlisle than in South Hadley. Of course, you have the 5 college thing with Moho, but Dickinson isn’t far from Hershey where there is a lot of fun and entertainment.
I’m a huge fan of MHC. My daughter is a first year there and absolutely loves it. (So much so that she doesn’t want to leave this summer!) She has some very close relationships with her professors, they are extremely accessible and obviously care very much about teaching. She loves how passionate and engaged the students are there. MHC also provides funding for every student to do an unpaid internship after sophomore year (and helps students find the internship and assess the experience afterwards. I’ve been really impressed with how they are incorporating career preparation with their strong commitment to a traditional liberal arts education. Also: the 5-college consortium is great! There’s a free bus that runs every 30 minutes connecting all the schools and my D and her friends frequently attend parties and cultural/academic events at other campuses (and you can take classes at any of them as well.)
As far as getting good job interviews, MHC is part of a common recruiting database with Amherst College and Smith College, which I suspect is going to attract high-quality employers.
Deciding between quality colleges can be tough. Think about which one is the best fit for you personally, academically, and financially. I will add that alumni of the seven sisters tend to help each other when out in the real world so not only would you have the MHC network to draw on but potentially sisters from Barnard, Wellesley, Smith, and Bryn Mawr too.
Thank you all so much! That was extremely helpful! One more thing: I have to admit that as a bonus of a great academic enlightenment, I have always yearned to meet my dream husband at college. Do you think that I would more likely meet them at Dickinson or MoHo? I know MoHo is all girls but UMass is close by.
Not only UMass but Amherst College and Hampshire. My D and her friends frequently attend parties and cultural and academic events at the other schools. Were you not aware of the 5-college consortium? Many of my D’s friends are dating boys from Amherst College and UMass.
That said, if Dickinson is co-ed, it’s probably easier to meet men there
I majored in political science at Mount Holyoke and, following graduation, I attended the University of Michigan Law School. I was so well prepared for law school that I got better grades there than at MHC. While at Mount Holyoke, I had a summer internship in Washington in the US Senate. This year, the College has committed to funding a paid internship for each student through the Lynk program. Lynk is a program that connects Mount Holyoke students to alumnae and work opportunities.
Based upon your comments, I think in your heart you are drawn to Mount Holyoke because of all the things that prompted me to apply Early Decision. I chose Mount Holyoke and have been happily involved with the College ever since. I even serve on the Advisory Board of the Mount Holyoke College Art Museum (now there’s a liberal arts college for you – putting a lawyer and a poli sci major on the Art Advisory Board!). If you go to Mount Holyoke, you will love it.
My daughter is also deciding between Mount Holyoke and Dickinson and the only thing holding her back from sending in her deposit to Mount Holyoke already is that it’s a women’s college and she’s just not sure how that will impact her experience coming from a co-ed public high school. While I am happy to hear @staceyneil’s daughter takes advantage of the consortium, I have heard too frequently that a lot of girls do not use the 5 college options because of the long bus rides or that when they do, the students at the other colleges are not welcoming to the Mount Holyoke women. Anyone else have any thoughts?
Hi. My daughter has been admitted for Spring and she has also had these concerns but the feedback from those girls who attended the admitted students weekend has been overwhelmingly positive. I get the opinion that there are a group who really do want to take advantage of the FCC and that there will be others that your daughter can go out with. I do not know anything about Dickinson but having looked a great deal at Holyoke, it would appear to be a great place with many opportunities. My daughter has also heard about the negative comments but she is determined to be involved with the activities offered at the other colleges.
@peggy222 We also had a very positive experience at the admitted students event this past weekend as well, but my daughter is still having lingering doubts. I wish she had had that “this is definitely the one” moment at any of her acceptances, but that hasn’t happened.
D took classes at Hampshire and UMass and did not experience any negative experiences. She avoided Amherst College because of stories of snotty Amherst kids treating Five College students poorly, and avoided Smith just because of the distance.
Hahahaha…@MADad…D would head there first to demonstrate - in a mature and proper way of course - that she was their equal. She really likes the idea of being able to utilise all the events at the other campuses then be able to return to MHC for the quieter atmosphere to study and also the space the college offers. She sees it as the best of both worlds. Amhurst will be her first sign up course off campus I predict…!
@wpk321 Yes she has. She has been accepted to several other well respected co-ed institutions but really thinks that MHC can offer a quality of internship and professors that will be hard to beat. There is also the security and safety that MHC offers. It is a big commitment in terms of going to an all-women’s college and she does want to meet boys and go to parties, but it is the whole package she has looked at particularly in terms of career and alumnae contacts and I am really proud that she was accepted there.
@ConfusedHSSenior My D is completing her first year @ MHC. She loves MHC! She was accepted into both large public Universities and small co-ed LAEs in N.E. She was drawn to MHC because of the superior/rigorous academics, welcoming community, and caring professors. The opportunities to further develop her leadership skills and practical/career skills for a life beyond MHC was also a deciding factor. My wife and I have seen tremendous growth In our D just after a year. She loves the fact that although there are men on campus in a few classes and at some social events, women have the opportunity to lead and learn without the distraction of men. She and her dorm mates travel into Amherst - often (mostly Amherst College) for parties and lectures. It also makes a difference that finding a boyfriend while in college is not a priority for our D and her friends. Getting good grades to land the ideal internship, job and graduate school is of primary importance. Men will always be there. In fact, MHC is hosting a big party this weekend where students (especially men) from other colleges (other than the FCC) in the pioneer valley will be there. Seems to me you should determine whats most important. The academics @ MHC can be demanding. Few students have ample time for ‘finding a boyfriend.’ Good Luck where ever you go. All three schools provide quality academic programs.
