Mount Holyoke College Top Questions

Don?t panic. Seriously. You?re smarter than you give yourself credit for! Maybe you won?t get straight A?s, but that?s okay. All that means is that there?s more for you to learn about. Need I remind you the point of going to college: to learn! Honestly, do you think you already know it all? That?s right, you don?t, but what to DO know has set you up for success. Be open to new ideas. Maybe most students planning on going into the health field major in Biology or Chemistry, but since when have you been normal? Being ?normal? is boring! Take advantage of what you?re good at, what you?re interested in and fly with it. Yes, you still have to take requriements, but that's not all you have to take! Have fun. If you only take classes you ?should?, never taking anything fun, you?re going to wear yourself out. Being sick and tired of classes before you even begin to apply to graduate school isn?t exactly the best way to make a good impression with admissions! Take at least one fun class a semester. And join a club!

Hey senior-me, it's college-me. I'm going to be relatively brief with you because you're busy selling your soul to IB. Right now, you might be worried that loads of high school work will be nothing compared to college work and you will thus flounder in a sea of papers and projects with little time for enjoyment. However, let me ease your worries. You will be assigned long essays to write frequently and you will have a much shorter time frame to write them, but there will be much less stress. I'm telling you now, you're going to be spoiled. Even when you have studying to do, friends will always be there to support and, if you prefer, study with you. Also, the wondeful thing about MHC is that many teachers don't tell you your exact grade in the class. That might sound a bit scary now, but it takes away a lot of pressure and you can just focus on the class instead of the grade. So don't worry about stress in college: there are people and resources that keep you afloat.

It is very important to balance school work with social activities. While it is important to study hard, it is also important to develop lasting friendships and connect with students. Also, choose a college where you feel like you would fit in the best and that meets your needs.

Do what you want to do. There is no "right" thing to do. You dont have to do what you're parents did. College is a learning experience in many ways. If when you leave college, you are the same person you were when you entered it, then you've wasted four/two years. In terms of finding the right college, find the one that suits you and your family the most. Money is important, yes, but more than that your college has to be your college-literally. It has to suit what you want to do. A word of caution for parents and students both: Do not be fooled by brands. You can make the most of your college experience by taking risks, getting out of your comfort zone. Being out of depth is a good thing.

Most students of a certain calibre believe that they should apply to a college or a university because of that school's reputation amongst elite scholars. I, however, beg to differ. In my opinion, a student should first decide whether they would like to attend a large university or a small college, and continue their search from there. Next, they can decide whether they would enjoy living in or near a city or whether a school located in the country would appeal to them more. From these decisions as well as their high school GPA, a student can put together a portfolio of colleges/universities that fit both their preferences and the schools' requirements. Once a student enters their chosen college/university, I would encourage him/her to try as many different activities as they possibly can without letting their schoolwork suffer. Joining a sport or a club/organization is an excellent way meet people with shared interests. Finally, I strongly recommend getting to know at least three people that he/she would have never even talked to in high school. In these three ways, the student will be able to experience their new college setting fully. Good luck!

When selecting the right college, ignore rankings, ignore perceptions of prestige - find the college that's right for you. Look through course catalogs and viewbooks and take note of which makes you feel more excited for the years to come. If you're not sure what major or career path you want to pursue, find a school which offers a wide range of academics and provides opportunities to explore your other interests, be it sports or music or volunteering. Visit campuses if you can. At the end of the day, ignore what everyone else thinks and go with your gut!

Visiting a campus and staying overnight is essential. Every college community is incredibly different and you will truly find the best fit for you by experiencing what it is to live, eat, and sleep in a place. Additionally, and I cannot stress this enough, don't be fooled by a school's name or "rank." The happiest students are those who followed their hearts, not the USA Today lists. I am a sophomore and I still have to learn this lesson over and over again. Competition among schools continues when you're in school, so it's best to simply love the place you're in and work on satisfying your own needs, rather than the expectations of others.

Don't rule anything out! And don't be afraid to change schools if you were wrong about the first one.

Do an overnight! I learned and saw so much about each school by doing an overnight and spending a full day with someone while they did classes on a Friday and then their day Saturday.

Students should know whether they want a small or large school, liberal arts or technical, and how important the surroundings and environment is to them.