Never a Dull Moment!

Introduction
I originally chose Mount Holyoke in hopes of making their nationally renowned equestrian team. Yet, when I didn't make the team my first semester here, I had no reason to regret my choice. The women of Mount Holyoke are friendly, supportive, and entirely non-threatening...unless you happen to like Bush, in which case it would be a good idea to brush up on your debating skills, but don't avoid the school because of political affiliations (our college Republicans may need you!). Mount Holyoke doesn't rely heavily on test scores when considering admissions, which ensures that a wide variety of students make the cut. When applying, make sure to have a good interview and an attention catching essay.

Campus Life and Social Life
They said Mount Holyoke students party hard and they weren't kidding. Be ready to be on the go constantly here; the seemingly infinite list of clubs all want you, the sports teams demand committment and the academics, while not impossible, require a fair share of time. On the weekends though, be prepared to turn it up. You will not sleep until after midnight on a Friday night and if you make any friends at all during your first few weeks (and you will) you will be dragged to the biggest party of the year: Las Vegas Night. Every other weekend, it's a toss-up between UMass (sketchy!) and Amherst (less sketchy) and parties on campus (which tend to be boy-less). If partying's not your thing, there are concerts, movies, and club events to keep you occupied. Either way, the campus is never empty and Mount Holyoke women never miss a chance to have fun. Academics
Mount Holyoke profs are awesome. The worst ones are the easy graders who tend to lapse into overly eloquent prose in their lectures and the best are the profs that you will never forget. They will know your name and they will remember you outside of the classroom. Expect to get invited to at least one of your professors' house for dinner. But they also will expect you to give them a good effort or you will hear about it. No blending into the background here, but don't expect to be forced into no holds barred discussion in every class either. Most classes are Socratic-style lectures with Powerpoint. TAs generally run extra homework and test prep sessions but almost never teach classes. Lecture intro level courses are large, but rarely over 70 or 80 and upper level classes are around 5-10 students.

Student Body
Mount Holyoke students are friendly, enthusiastic, and intelligent. They share a slightly quirky sense of humor and often revel in self-confessed geekiness. At the same time, I've found them very much aware of their social position as women and very self-assured and classy. There is little to no inter-school academic competition and most students will happily lend you notes or help with class assignments. Mount Holyoke has a high percentage of international students, which has led to an interesting clash and mix of cultures--an Indian/hip-hop dance club, for example. Here, it's more about a fusion of culture than clash, blending the traditional with the modern.

In Closing...
Don't discount Mount Holyoke because it's a women's school. If you're a conservative who hates horses, then this probably isn't the best place. Otherwise, I dare you to visit for a weekend and not fall in love with Moho.