Before we go any further, I should point out that I was never a student at Mount Holyoke College (MHC). It is an all-women's college, and I am not a woman. However, I have spent a considerable time there, experienced dorm-life, shared some of the social life, and even attended a few classes. I'll do my best to describe it all to you.

Location
If you've never visited MHC you probably won't know that it is in the middle of nowhere, well actually the middle of Massachusetts, which is similar. It is in, and is larger than, the village of South Hadley which consists of a cinema, a bookshop (if its still open), a shop, and a few houses. The setting is idyllic in Spring and Fall, but can be depressingly isolated and bleak in Winter - hence the J-term which I'll come to later. The somewhat larger towns of Northampton, Amherst and Springfield are a short bus ride away.

The campus is very "brick and ivy", with a few modern buildings thrown in. The atmosphere is fairly quiet and consistent with studious activities. Access to the campus is really by car, although there are public bus services from S. Hadley. Trains and a regional airport are within a long cab ride.

Academics
There are arrangements with the other 4 local colleges for shared academic, social, and sporting facilities. MHC has an excellent library and a good range of classes, but both libraries and classes are available to students from all 5 colleges, so students have access to academic facilities equal to those of any university in the US. In fact MHC is consistently rated in the top 25 liberal arts colleges.

Teaching is mostly through small classes and access to advisors is easy and frequent. In the arts, the classes tend to be quite informal, although I was a little disappointed with the amount of lecturing as opposed to discussing/exploring. Perhaps I expected too much of the mostly 18-21-year-olds. It is worth mentioning that MHC runs a program for bringing mature students into the college and these students were noticeably more outspoken in class - a nice touch of diversity. I have not experienced the science teaching first-hand (I am a Physics graduate) but have been told it is a little more formal and to a high standard.

The most interesting aspect of the academic calendar is the J-term, more or less being January. Students are generally expected to work on some form of project during the J-term. This may be an internship or a personal academic project. The student has freedom to define the project with their academic advisor. More than anything else, this avoids spending the dismal month of January in snowbound MA.

Sports
MHC is not a jock college by any means, but it does have a wide range of sports available. Perhaps they would best be described as extra-curricular activities. Most are pursued competitively with other colleges, but this is not the place to look for fancy sports scholarships and there are very few instances where MHC students are national sporting leaders. Rowing, athletics, equestrianism, as well as several team sports are all well supported. For many students, sport can become a major part of their life at MHC, but it is never allowed to take precedence over academics.

Political
In a relatively isolated all-female liberal arts college, it is to be expected that women's issues will gain a lot of attention, but more mainstream political and social agendas are also represented. Still human rights, and specifically female rights, get top billing in the political arena.

While I was there the students were extremely well-organised and active, with financial aid and the admissions policy being the hot topics of the day. I observed a famous sit-in at the Blanchard student center and the students at that time also played a large part in formulating college policy through more official channels.

Social
Perhaps the single best reason to attend MHC is its unique social atmosphere. Obviously, this starts with the all-women admissions policy, but it goes much further. All incoming students get a "big sister", which can be anything from a pal with a year or two's more experience to a more sisterly or even motherly relationship. The system is not too rigid and if a big/little sister pairing doesn't work out it can be changed. There are also elves, secret older friends who get little gifts for the younger students and just generally do nice stuff.

Each of the dorms arranges a whole slew of social activities, from decorating parties to theme nights, not high pressure but always something going on. Occasionally there are more formal events in the dorms. To tide the girls over between events there are nightly munchies laid on for supper, a very popular time for most. The dorm students handle most aspects of event organising, dorm security, and social activities themselves, but there are dorm mothers available to keep things going smoothly and for a little more mature help if needed. All in all, every possible support is given to young women living "on their own" for the first time.

More "mainstream" social activities also occur, with many parties at MHC and the nearby colleges (especially the ones with men in). The dorms provide a good level of protection from male incursions, at the same time allowing men in some areas on a restricted basis. Certain bathrooms are off-limits to men and unescorted movement is restricted. Despite having my freedom curtailed when I was in the dorms, I feel that the system provided a good environment for the women living there.

Mix in the academic and political fervour of intelligent youth with a single-sex environment and a fair amount of isolation and loneliness and it is perhaps not surprising that same-sex relationships are common at MHC. It seemed to me that around half of the students had had some kind of lesbian experience during their time at MHC, although not always sexual. I guess it goes with the territory and it drives the men from the other colleges nuts. Despite sometimes feeling like I was in the minority being heterosexual, and certainly in the minority being male, I rarely felt as if my presence was resented.

Perhaps I should mention here the strong rivalry with Smith College, a nearby all-womens college with a similar (dare I say better) academic reputation to MHC. The competition extends to sports and even the occasional prank, but never seemed rancorous.

Would I send my daughter there?

For me, this is the question which determines whether MHC is a good college or not. Overall, I think the answer would be yes, if that's what she wanted, but I have very definite reservations. The academics are excellent and the environment is superb, but the somewhat isolated nature of the college, both physically and socially, must always be borne in mind. Living in an ivory tower can be an incredible four years, but it is not for everyone.



Recommended: Yes