The Philosophy

Medium (2,200) women’s, research liberal arts college in a large town
Women, trans, and gender-nonconforming students welcome
Prepares students to be in control of their choice based life
Helps students developskills to influence, inspire, and empower others
A dynamic environment to live and learn as a community
Active community of more than 37,000 alumnae

“One life lived well can make a difference.”
-Chemist and educator Mary Lyon,
who founded Mount Holyoke in 1837

The Classes

Small class sizes
9:1 student to faculty ratio
Award winning faculty (Pulitzer & Guggenheim awards, NASA grants, and Carnegie Fellowships)

The Path

ED Nov 15, notified Jan 1
ED II Jan 1, notified Feb 1
RD Jan 15
Financial Aid Priority Feb 1, notified April 1

3,600 first-year applications, 1,900 admitted, 525 enrolled (2018)
SAT Reading & Writing 640-720
SAT MAth 660-780
Average ACT 31
Average GPA 3.84
48% top 10%, 75% top 20%
All first-year students receive a plant from the Talcott Greenhouse
Can design interdisciplinary majors
128 semester credits to graduate (standard course is 4 credits)
68 credits must be earched outside of one’s major’s department
50 undergraduate degrees, 37 majors
Distribution requirements: humanities, sciences and mathamatics, social sciences, language studies, multicultural perspective courses

The People

27% of students are international citizens
17% of students are first generation students
Students from 45 states and 69 countries
35% STEM majors
55% students of color
20% faculty of folor
62% female faculty

The Aid

Average first-year grant is $38,523
Average first-year package (grant, loan, work) is $44,224
%60 of students receive need-based aid
Internship stipends of $3,000 available ($3,600 for international)
Second Bachelor’s students are not eligible for financial aid

50 departmental and interdepartmental majors
6 cultural centers on campus
-Asian Center for Empowerment
-Betty Shabazz Center
-Eliana Ortega Center
-Jeannette Marks Center
-Unity Space
11 languages offered on campus
Engineering students can receive a BA from Mount Holyoke and a BS from California Institute of Technology, UMass Amherst, or the Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth College
Offers Master’s programs in teaching

150 pre-approved study-abroad programs available in 50 countries

3 academic centers dedicated to the environment, global initiatives and leadership
First of Seven Sisters Colleges

700+ acres
2 lakes on campus
4 miles of marked trails
96% of the 2017 class were employed or enrolled in graduate schools within 6 months of graduation

One of two women’s colleges, along with Smith, that are members of the Five College Consortium in the scenic Connecticut River Valley of western Massachusetts. Less nonconformist than Bryn Mawr and Smith. MHC is strongest in the natural and social sciences, and one of few colleges to have a program devoted to leadership.

The women who choose Mount Holyoke College value achievement, leadership, inclusivity, and tradition. Mount Holyoke pioneered women’s higher education in 1837 and continues to pave the way as a diverse research liberal arts institution. While students sometimes complain about the heavy workload, most bring that challenge upon themselves as they seek intellectual fulfillment within the supportive, caring environment that MHC fosters. “Mount Holyoke is a sisterhood,” says a senior. “I have never before been surrounded by so many amazing, passionate women.”

Mount Holyoke is located in the heart of New England on 800 acres of rolling hills dotted with two lakes, miles of hiking trails, and waterfalls. Modern glass-and-stone buildings stand alongside more traditional ivy-covered brick and sandstone structures. Campus highlights include the Japanese Meditation Garden and Teahouse, the Talcott Greenhouse, an art building with studios and a bronze-casting foundry, an 18-hole championship golf course, and an equestrian center. The recently renovated and expanded Blanchard Community Center (a.k.a. Super Blanch) serves as the main campus destination for student life and dining. The 8,000-square-foot Fimbel Maker & Innovation Lab opened in 2019.

Despite changes to the campus, curriculum at this 184-year-old institution remains rooted in the traditional liberal arts and sciences. All students must take a first-year seminar; the college offers roughly 35 seminars each fall and five in the spring, covering a wide variety of disciplines and topics, such as Exploration of Mars and The Once and Future Family Farm. The focus of these courses is developing skills in analysis and critical inquiry. Some also include field trips to museums or events in Boston, New York, or Washington, D.C. “First-year seminars are a great way to ease into college life,” says a senior.

Chemistry is a traditional strength at Mount Holyoke, bolstered by top-of-the-line labs, a scanning electron microscope, several nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometers, and a linear accelerator. English, international relations, politics, mathematics, and environmental studies are also strong. The most popular majors are economics, computer science, biological sciences, and psychology. Five-year dual-degree programs enable students to combine degrees from MHC with B.S. degrees in engineering from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Caltech, or Dartmouth. Many students find the Five College Consortium one of the school’s greatest assets: each year, 74 percent of Mount Holyoke students take at least one course offered through the consortium. A free bus service runs every 20 minutes between MHC and Amherst College, Hampshire, UMass Amherst, and Smith, multiplying a Mount Holyoke student’s access to academic, social, and cultural opportunities. As an alternative to pursuing a minor or second major, Mount Holyoke also offers the Nexus program, which builds in opportunities for internships, off-campus research, and public presentations, along with traditional coursework. Participating students select from one of nine preprofessional tracks, such as global business, nonprofit organizations, and data science.

“Mount Holyoke is a simultaneously intense and supportive academic environment,” says an environmental studies major. “I feel challenged but not overwhelmed.” Students rave about the quality of teaching and the small classes. “Faculty are warm, sensitive, incredibly intelligent, and highly invested in their students,” says a psychology and education major. Although some of Mount Holyoke’s intro courses have 50 or more students, 75 percent of classes have fewer than 20. Since the required curriculum is so diverse, there is little trouble getting into the smaller classes and finishing in four years. The school’s honor code makes possible self-scheduled, self-proctored final exams. Students say the Career Development Center’s assistance with résumés, cover letters, and interview preparation is particularly effective.

Many students choose to take advantage of an optional January winter term to take a noncredit, nontraditional course or do an internship in major cities or points abroad. The Lynk curriculum-to-career experience guarantees all students funding for an internship or research opportunity, domestic or international, and offers students access to special resources, workshops, and networking opportunities with alumnae. “Lynk funding allows students to do work they want to do without sacrificing a summer of making money,” cheers a sophomore. The Weissman Center for Leadership can help students hone their rhetorical skills and offers enrichment programs in leadership and public service and community-based learning. For a change of scenery, 39 percent of MHC students spend all or part of junior year in another country. In addition to roughly 100 study abroad programs from approved partners, Mount Holyoke sponsors its own in France, China, Japan, and Costa Rica.

“Students are kind, intelligent, curious, supportive, and global,” asserts an international relations major. The college attracts students from 45 states and 76 countries; 19 percent are Massachusetts natives and a substantial 27 percent are international. African Americans make up 5 percent of the student body, Asian Americans 8 percent, Hispanics 7 percent, and multiracial students 4 percent. “Social justice and human rights are big issues on campus,” says one student, and others add that transgender rights have been a particular focus recently. CAUSE (Creating Awareness and Unity for Social Equality) is a large and popular campus group dedicated to community-building and student leadership. Mount Holyoke’s financial aid packages meet 100 percent of applicants’ demonstrated financial need. Merit scholarships are available, averaging $22,400, but there are no athletic scholarships.

Ninety-six percent of Mount Holyoke students live in the residence halls. “All the residence halls at Mount Holyoke are great. They all have their own personality, which makes it very difficult to choose sometimes,” says a student. Most dorms are also very homey, with living rooms, TV lounges, and baby grand pianos; all serve milk and cookies (as well as healthier fare like hummus and vegetables) at 9:30 p.m. on school nights. Students from all four classes live together, and housing is guaranteed for all four years. Some residence halls also offer apartment-style living. Campus dining and security both get enthusiastic reviews.

Social life on campus is described as “mellow” and inclusive, consisting of low-key parties, plays, concerts, speakers, and cultural events. “A cappella is the football of Mount Holyoke-we have six different groups who perform every semester and have significant followings in the student body,” notes a senior. Students seeking a more “traditional” party scene typically head to UMass or other Five College schools. A computer science major says South Hadley (population 18,000) is “a bit isolated for people who really enjoy city life.” The South Hadley Center has eateries, a pub, shops, and a movie theater. Road trips to Boston, Vermont, and New York City are popular, when students can find the time.

“Traditions are a big part of life at Mount Holyoke,” comments a philosophy major. Each class has a color and a mascot, and class spirit is huge, especially for the annual Junior Show and Convocation. Every fall on Mountain Day, students wake up to ringing bells, classes are canceled (even the library is closed), and everyone treks up Mount Holyoke to picnic and see the foliage. “In the spring we have Pangy Day (short for Pangynaskeia, or ‘cultivating the total world of women’), where students wrap a maypole, snuggle baby goats, and hang out in the sun with friends,” explains a senior. The Mount Holyoke News is the oldest continuously running college newspaper in the country, and the campus is also home to the Mount Holyoke College V8s (Victory Eights), the oldest continuing female collegiate a cappella group in the United States. Community service is an important emphasis, and 41 percent of students regularly volunteer.

In addition to academic pursuits, Division III athletics at Mount Holyoke, such as crew, riding, field hockey, and lacrosse, are popular. The Lyons field hockey, riding, and swimming and diving programs have won team and individual championships recently. The college encourages athletic participation with six club sports and a state-of-the-art fitness center, although intramurals are not offered. Mount Holyoke’s Model United Nations team frequently brings home top honors.

Mount Holyoke’s diverse student body makes for a globally aware community, and its identity as a women’s college promotes a culture where deep, personal relationships are the norm. Academic excellence and easy access to New York and Boston provide a small college atmosphere that’s infused with art and culture. As one senior explains, “There is a unique bond and desire for empowerment on campus.”

-Fiske Guide