Orientation, website logo

These checklists will help you get ready for your arrival on campus. Make sure to check deadlines and due dates for all required paperwork. You can download a pdf of this list here .

When you have questions, email the Orientation Team .

Before Orientation

All students.

Click on the arrow to expand the list.

Communication

Monitor your Mount Holyoke email account at least weekly. Important information about things like housing and registration will be sent to this email.

Complete your MHC Account setup and access your MHC email:

  • Update your MHC email password from the temporary password sent in May (in October for spring entrants).
  • Provide a Recovery Email address so you can complete self-service password resets if needed.  Log into your MHC email account at mail.google.com with your full MHC email address and your new password.
  • Once you've been able to log into your MHC email account, you'll need to enroll in Google 2-step verification . If you don't enroll in Google 2-Step Verification shortly after your first log in, you will be locked out of your account and need assistance from the LITS Technology Desk to access it again.
  • If needed, you can request help accessing your MHC Account by submitting this form .
  • Log into your my.mtholyoke account using your MHC credentials and explore the site. This is where you will access course registration and other resources.
  • Log into Workday to set up your account preferences and explore the site. This is where you will access all campus job-related functions.

Personal and Contact Information

  • Submit your name recording, cell phone number and both emergency and missing-persons contacts via my.mtholyoke (see Demographics & Contact Info on the self-service menu for students) between May 15 and August 1 for students starting classes in the fall semester; between late-October and early-January for students starting classes in the spring semester.
  • Submit a photo for your MHC OneCard , the ID that you'll use on campus, by August 1 (January 3 for spring entrants).
  • Learn how mail should be addressed and when you can start shipping items to campus.
  • (Optional) Share your pronouns in MHC systems through Workday.
  • Review the Academic Calendar . -- if needed, switch to the tab for the academic year you’ll be attending! Please note that further additions and revisions to the academic calendar may be made if needed.
  • Review the Academic Guide for New Students (requires login to my.mtholyoke) to prepare for advising and registration.
  • Complete all applicable placement exams (requires login to my.mtholyoke). Please note: not everyone will have to complete a placement exam; it depends on course selection.
  • Complete your online advisor questionnaire from May 15 -June 30 for students starting classes in the fall and between late-October and by December 1 for students starting classes in the spring. Spring admits should answer both the "New Student's Initial Info for Advisor" questionnaire and the "Summer Activities" questionnaire available in the my.mtholyoke Inform Your Advisor self-service function.
  • Participate in (optional) advising video chats in the summer for students starting classes in the fall and email advising at the end of October for students starting classes in the spring.
  • If you are considering a career in a health profession (Medicine, Veterinary, Nursing, Physician Assistant, Public Health, Physical Therapy, Optometry, etc.), please review this web page and contact our pre-health office at [email protected] to discuss which classes you should register for.
  • Submit your First Year Seminar preferences! Students starting classes in the fall will receive more information via email on May 15; your preferences will be due May 28. Students starting classes in the spring will receive instructions in mid-October via email for submitting their preferences.
  • Register for classes during the June registration period for students starting classes in the fall and in November for students starting classes in the spring. New students should check "Approvals, Holds, and Registration Access times" in my.mtholyoke in mid-June (students starting classes in the fall) or early November (students starting classes in the spring) to get the exact date and time range during which you can register.

Health and Wellness

  • Complete all required online health forms and submit to Health Services via the My Health Connection portal by July 15th for Fall matriculation.
  • If you have current prescriptions medications you need to continue while on campus, we encourage you to make arrangements for those prescription medications to be transferred to Community, A Walgreens Pharmacy for delivery to Mount Holyoke's Pattie Groves Health Center for ease of pick up.
  • An email from Gallagher Student Health, the college's health insurance partner, will be sent in June to all domestic students matriculating this fall. The email will contain login information for students seeking to waive or enroll in SHIP.
  • Fall Admits: The Gallagher Student Health portal to waive/enroll into the student health insurance plan (SHIP) will open in mid-June and it's published deadline will be on or around August 30.
  • Spring Admits: The Gallagher Student Health portal to waive/enroll into the student health insurance plan (SHIP) will open in the first week of December, before the spring semester tuition bill is published. Its published deadline will be on or around January 6.
  • Domestic students whose home insurance does not meet the Massachusetts minimum coverage criteria, and all international students will be automatically enrolled in SHIP.
  • Complete the required Alcohol & Drug Awareness On-Line Training, a program designed to help students make healthier decisions related to alcohol and other drugs. You will receive a personalized link in August to complete the training.

Mental Health and Counseling Service

  • The Counseling Service provides brief, relational, strengths-based counseling, urgent care appointments, therapy/support groups, a 24/7 Care and Support Line, and prescribing services at no additional cost for enrolled students during the academic year. Students who would benefit from longer-term counseling, specialized or intensive treatment, or psychological testing will be referred to appropriate campus or community resources.
  • Students who are interested in regular, weekly meetings with a counselor should consider arranging for off-campus care before arriving on campus, as off-campus providers tend to fill their schedules quickly. Contact your insurance for a list of local providers or contact the Counseling Service for a referral.
  • All incoming students are encouraged to review their health insurance coverage for mental health treatment in the state of Massachusetts, and to consider purchasing the student health insurance plan if making copays, meeting deductibles, or using out-of-state plans will interfere with obtaining adequate support.
  • Mark your calendars regarding billing deadlines. Tuition bills are sent via email to each student's Mount Holyoke email account. Students will be emailed in mid-June about their ability to create Authorized User accounts. Authorized Users would also receive billing notices via email, have access to their student's billing information, have the ability to make payments online, create payment plans, and more.
  • Notify Student Financial Services of any outside scholarships you may be receiving.
  • Domestic students can complete federal loan counseling and loan promissory notes online at studentaid.gov .
  • International students will be emailed to complete loan documents before arriving on campus. Check your Mount Holyoke email address regularly once you are able.
  • Consider protecting your investment by reviewing Tuition Insurance information by GradGuard . Should the student withdraw during a term of enrollment for a covered reason, tuition insurance would increase your tuition refund. Enrollment deadlines are the first day of classes each term.
  • Review health insurance waiver information as noted in the Health Section above.

BILLING DEADLINES FOR TUITION AND FEES THAT ARE BILLED BY TERM

  • Deadline: July 31, 2024
  • Deadline: January 5, 2025
  • Review the new student information provided by Residential Life.
  • Complete your housing form in Residence . The application will be available May 17th and due June 24th for students starting classes in the fall and open November 1st and due December 1st for students starting classes in the spring.
  • Incoming students will not be allowed to select their own roommates. The Office of Residential Life assigns roommate(s) based on their responses to their roommate profiles. Review the recommended packing checklist .
  • To request housing accommodations, please register with Disability Services . To be placed in housing with approved accommodations before the Spring semester starts, students must complete the three-step accommodation request process, including their initial intake meeting with Disability Services by Monday, June 24th . If you are approved, you will fill out a form (in addition to the "New Student Housing Application") letting us know you would like your approved housing accommodations to be implemented for Fall 2024. There is no guarantee of placement due to space(s) available.
  • While students may request housing accommodations at any time, any incoming student who is approved for housing accommodations after June 24th will be housed through the standard housing process for incoming students and Residential Life will look at adjusting their placement, based on availability of space.
  • More information about disability-related housing needs and accommodations are on Disability Service's my.mtholyoke page .

Disability-related Accommodations

FOR ORIENTATION

  • If you would like to request disability-related accommodations in order to participate in Orientation activities, please email the Orientation team . In order to ensure your access and accommodation needs are met for Orientation, please submit your request by August 2; January 3 for spring entrants.

DURING THE SEMESTER

  • Please see this handout explaining the accommodation process for Mount Holyoke College: How Do I Get Accommodations at MHC? The three steps are: filling out an application form with your basic information, having a provider submit documentation, and meeting with an accommodation coordinator for an intake.
  • Beginning this process early is highly encouraged, and you can also apply for academic accommodations at any point during your time at the College. While students may request accommodations at any time, any incoming student who is approved for housing accommodations after June 24th for the Fall or December 1st for the Spring will be housed through the standard housing process for incoming students and Residential Life will look at adjusting their placement, based on availability of space.

For more information about requesting housing accommodations related to a disability, please view the Housing tab above.

Contact Disability Services  if you have any questions about the accommodations process - we're happy to help! Please do not hesitate to call 413-538-2634 or email [email protected].

Student Employment

  • Review the email message sent from the Student Employment Office in late July and make a note of the meetings that you'll need to attend if you plan to work while you are here. Contact the office with any questions.
  • Acceptable documentation for the I-9 are found on page 2 of the form. They include a US Passport or Passport Card, or both a valid unexpired photo ID issued by a state (like a drivers license) as well as your social security card.
  • All international students should attend a work clearance session during International Student Pre-Orientation which will provide information on any documents required for working on campus.
  • Review the instructions for how to apply for jobs in Workday.

New Student Survey

  • Take the New Student Survey! This survey helps the College better understand the academic and social programmatic needs of our entering students, so please take the time to inform us about your expectations for your college experience. You will receive an email invitation August 1 to take the survey. This invitation will go to your MHC email, not a personal one. Email [email protected] with any questions.

mount holyoke visit

International Students

In addition to the items required on the 'Before Orientation: All Students list,' international students should also complete the following.

  • Complete Visa Document Request by May 31 for students starting classes in the fall and September 30 for students starting classes in the spring.
  • Complete your Declaration of Finance Form.
  • The arrival form for airport pick up will be emailed to new international students. This will be sent to you in June. If you do not receive it, please email the McCulloch Center for Global Initiatives .

mount holyoke visit

Varsity Student-Athletes

Varsity Athletes

  • Varsity student-athletes in the sports of cross country, field hockey, rowing, soccer, or volleyball must complete the Intent to Return Early form (sent by the Department of Physical Education and Athletics in the summer).
  • All varsity student-athletes must submit the sports clearance packet and meet all medical and compliance requirements.
  • Recruited varsity student-athletes in the sports of cross country, field hockey, rowing, soccer, or volleyball are expected to attend preseason practices and must submit pre-participatory requirements, sent to their MHC email by the shared deadlines, in order to be permitted to return early. Contact the head coach to confirm your move-in date and pre-move in requirements before making travel plans.

mount holyoke visit

We are offering opportunities for you to connect with other new students and to upper-class Orientation Leaders as well as staff and faculty before your arrival on-campus in August. You can:

  • Follow MHCStudentLife on Instagram
  • Use our hashtags #WelcomeMoHome #MyMoHome #MountHolyoke2028
  • Residential Life: Roommates and Living-Learning Community
  • Academic Life at Mount Holyoke
  • Social Life and Navigating the Pioneer Valley
  • Being Involved at Mount Holyoke
  • Move-In and Your First Weeks at #MoHome

During Orientation

  • Attend all scheduled sessions and regularly check the Orientation schedule for updates.
  • Meet with your academic advisor.
  • Sign the Honor Code .
  • Expand your comfort zone by talking to the other brand new people sitting next to you, joining others sitting alone in the dining commons, and inviting people to walk to events with you!
  • Meet at least one new staff member who can be a resource.
  • Ask questions, have fun!

After Orientation

  • Complete Orientation evaluation, which will be sent to you electronically.
  • Learn how to get involved on campus at the Involvement Fair on Sunday, September 8th.
  • During the first week of classes cheer at Convocation and celebrate at Nightfest!
  • Get involved with #WelcomeMohome
  • Participate in Class Traditions!

mount holyoke visit

Jump to navigation

  • K-12 Educators
  • Search the Collections
  • Collecting Policies
  • Request an Image
  • Object Spotlights
  • Special Collections
  • Virtual Exhibitions
  • Current Exhibitions
  • Upcoming Exhibitions
  • Past Exhibitions
  • Virtual Events
  • Virtual Tours
  • Sightlines Tours
  • Upcoming Events
  • Past Events
  • Ways of Giving
  • Opportunities for Students
  • Getting Here
  • Visitor & Family Resources
  • Policies & FAQs
  • Requesting A Tour

mount holyoke visit

SKINNER MUSEUM : Closed

  • Planning Your Visit
  • Selecting Objects
  • Museum Guidelines
  • Ideas & Inspiration
  • Student Employment
  • Student Events
  • Free Student Membership
  • Scheduling A Class Visit
  • Educator Resources
  • Joseph Allen Skinner Museum
  • Recent Acquisitions
  • More Collection Highlights

Check back for details on upcoming exhibitions.

  • Events Upcoming Events Weiser Lecture Series --> Past Events Falkenberg Lecture Series --> Student Events --> Past Events --> Thursday, September 19, 2024 - 5:30pm Artist Harmonia Rosales in conversation with Stephanie Sparling Williams
  • Friends of Art
  • Director's Circle
  • Planned Gifts and Bequests
  • Gifts of Securities
  • Gifts of Art

Give

Search form

You are here.

Welcome to the Mount Holyoke College Art Museum! Our galleries and events are free and open to the public. For hours of operation and closure announcements, please see below.

Explore MHCAM online by visiting our Virtual Engagement page .

E-mail icon

Signup for our e-mail announcements and be the first to receive updates on exhibitions and events!

mh_2015_5_v1_01-975x850.jpg

Edward Del Rosario (American, b. 197), Civilization II (detail), 2013

Laura Shea - VIEW OBJECT DETAILS

Edward Del Rosario (American, b. 197), Civilization II (detail), 2013

Art Museum Hours:

  • Tuesday–Friday: 11:00 am–5:00 pm
  • Saturday and Sunday: 1:00–5:00 pm

Closed Mondays, select College breaks, and days when the College is closed due to inclement weather. Check this page for up-to-date information.

Select galleries will remain closed as reinstallations continue in periodic phases leading up to the Museum's 150th anniversary in Fall 2026. Stay up-to-date with our reinstallation progress!

Note: the Joseph Allen Skinner Museum is closed for the foreseeable future. Please use the Visitor Interest form to receive updates.

Group Visits:

We welcome groups under eight to self-guide during open hours. If your group has eight or more people please contact [email protected] to schedule your visit.

Health and Safety Protocols:

  • Masks are welcome per MHC COVID-19 Health and Safety guidelines .
  • We ask you to always respect the space of other visitors.
  • Please refrain from visiting if you are feeling unwell.

Accessibility:

The Art Museum's lobby, galleries, auditorium, office, and a restroom are wheelchair accessible. The first floor of the Joseph Allen Skinner Museum is wheelchair accessible.

Museum Guidelines:

  • Please do not touch the works of art.
  • Large bags, backpacks, and coats you are not wearing can be a danger to the art, so please store them before entering the galleries.
  • Food and drinks are not allowed.
  • Small sketchbooks, notepads, and pencils are welcome in the galleries.
  • For the safety of the artwork, pens and markers are not permitted. Please ask the museum guard on duty if you need a pencil.
  • Only photography without flash is allowed in the galleries.

Inclement weather:

When Mount Holyoke College announces a closure, the Art Museum will also be closed. Please call 413.538.2000 for weather-related closures.

Stay connected!

Enjoy our virtual engagement experiences anytime, including an interactive 3D experience of the Museum galleries and student-curated virtual exhibitions .

Stay in touch by following us on Instagram , Facebook , and YouTube , and sign up for regular updates via our mailing list !

Events And Links

Crijn Hendricksz Volmarijn (Dutch, ca. 1604-1645), Joseph Interpreting the Dreams of Pharaoh's Butler and Baker, 	ca. 1631-1637

Seventeenth-century Dutch and Flemish painters invested great care in the technical concerns of luminosity, clarity, reflection, and shadow, producing paintings where light and its diverse forms take center stage. The Mount Holyoke College Art Museum holds a rich group of works that demonstrate...

Mariam Ghani (American, b. 1978) and Erin Ellen Kelly (American, b. 1976), Like Water from a Stone (Vigdel #1), 2014 (detail)

This small exhibition features Mariam Ghani’s 2014 single-channel video Like Water from a Stone , alongside two photographs taken by the artist while filming. Ghani uses performance to illuminate and personify issues around place and culture, tracing millennia of geological and social...

Installation view of Relaunch Laboratory, October 2023

Leading up to fall 2026, the Mount Holyoke College Art Museum’s 150th anniversary, Museum staff will be working with the campus and community to imagine new methods of display. This full-scale rethink aims to broaden and deepen the stories we are able to share, raise the voices of marginalized...

  • Teach & Learn
  • Collections
  • Exhibitions
  • Weiser Lecture Series
  • Falkenberg Lecture Series
  • Get Involved
  • From The Director
  • Stewardship Reports
  • Advisory Board
  • Books & Catalogues
  • In The News
  • MHCAM Magazine & Journal
  • Press Releases
  • 5 Colleges and Historic Deerfield Museum Consortium Collections Database

Mount Holyoke College Art Museum 50 College Street, South Hadley, Massachusetts 01075-1499 413.538.2245   Access & Inclusion | © Copyright restrictions: All images are provided for educational purposes only and cannot be reproduced without permission.

Visual Identity and Website Design by Corey McPherson Nash

mount holyoke visit

Access and Inclusion Jump to content Jump to Navigation

Group Visit Request Form

You are here.

  • Copyright © 2021 Trustees of Mount Holyoke College
  • Digital Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Use
  • Land Acknowledgement Statement
  • Accessibility Barriers Form
  • Skip to global NPS navigation
  • Skip to the main content
  • Skip to the footer section

mount holyoke visit

Exiting nps.gov

Mount holyoke in the hockanum rural historic district.

Painting by Thomas Cole, public domain.

“From Mount Holyoke…is seen the richest prospect in New England, and not improbably in the United States.” — Timothy Dwight, Travels in New England and New York (1823) Perhaps the best way to ensure conservation comes from seeing what you have to lose. The view from Mount Holyoke has inspired conservationists, recreational tourists, and nature lovers of all stripes for over 200 years. Standing atop the summit provides a glorious panorama overlooking mountains, hills, and the Connecticut River Valley with its small towns and rural landscape. Now part of the over 400-acre J.A. Skinner State Park, the sublime vista of Mount Holyoke still captivates thousands of visitors annually. Because of its unparalleled scenic view, Mount Holyoke became one of the most popular destinations for tourists in the 19th century. Numerous writers and artists visited and described it, including Timothy Dwight, who praised the view in his book Travels in New England and New York (1821-22), and Hudson River School artist Thomas Cole, who celebrated the view in his painting “View from Mt. Holyoke, Northampton, Massachusetts, after a Thunderstorm (The Oxbow)” (1836). Increases in the tourist trade led to construction of a one-room house on the summit in 1821, the first mountaintop structure in New England. By the 1830s, the climb up Mount Holyoke became a fashionable destination for tourists, who could purchase ginger-beer, lemonade, and other refreshments on the summit. In 1849, John and Fanny French purchased the property. They added a large hotel, the Summit House, and a tramway to carry the thousands of tourists from the base of the mountain to the peak. Today, visitors can reach the Mount Holyoke summit seasonally by automobile or year-round by hiking trails. In addition, a long distance trail, the Metacomet-Monadnock Trail, passes over Mount Holyoke. Tourists can still visit Summit House, which the Commonwealth of Massachusetts restored in the 1980s, that is now open as a museum. Visitors can view wonderful vistas from balconies of the former hotel, while the park provides habitat for a wide variety of plants and wildlife, including some rare and endangered species. There are also trails and picnic sites. The Mount Holyoke Summit is part of the Hockanum Rural Historic District, which is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.   Mount Holyoke Summit, a part of the Hockanum Rural Historic District, is located in J.A. Skinner State Park, 10 Skinner State Park Rd., in Hadley, MA. For more information, visit the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation website. To discover more Massachusetts history and culture, visit the  Massachusetts Conservation Travel Itinerary website.

You Might Also Like

  • massachusetts
  • massachusetts conservation
  • massachusetts history
  • conservation history
  • conservation
  • national register of historic places
  • nrhp listing
  • discover our shared heritage travel itineraries
  • heritage travel itineraries

Last updated: July 8, 2020

    The Friends of the Mount Holyoke Range is a  

Non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of, the mount holyoke range through land conservation,, natural history education, recreational, activities and cultural events., since 1982 it has assisted environmental, groups and state agencies purchase land for conservation,, sponsored nature walks and presentations in biology, geology, and astronomy, helped maintain hiking trails, supplied equipment, for j. a. skinner state park, hosted the annual seven sisters, trail race, and presented an annual summer concert series, in skinner state park’s historic summit house..

Our annual summer concert series seeks volunteers to help us make it all happen! Please click the link top of page to learn more, and come join us on the mountain!

Hey look, it's Gini and Jon at the

Under Construction

  • 2024 SUMMER CONCERT SERIES
  • ANNUAL MEETING AND PRESENTATION

FOMHR, ​P.O. Box 728, South Hadley, MA 01075         [email protected]

​ VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY!

West Street Common, Hadley

Copyright 2017. Friends of Mount Holyoke Range. All Rights Reserved.

Massachusetts State Seal

Official websites use .mass.gov

Secure websites use HTTPS certificate

A lock icon ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the official website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

mount holyoke visit

  • search    across the entire site
  • search  in Department of Conservation & Recreation
  • search  in Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs
  • This page, Skinner State Park, is   offered by
  • Department of Conservation & Recreation

Skinner State Park

mount holyoke visit

Details   of Skinner State Park

Overview   of skinner state park, hours   for skinner state park, auto road hours.

The auto road to the Summit will open for the season on 5/5/24. The road will be open daily from 9am-8pm.

Summit House

The Summit house will open for the season beginning on 5/18/24, the house will be open 9am-4pm on weekends and holidays.

The Summit house restrooms will open daily from 9am-7pm.

Parking   at Skinner State Park

Parking fees charged from May 15 - Oct 14 or until the road closes

MA resident  $5

Non-MA resident  $20

Resident and non resident status is determined by the vehicle license plate

Get a parking pass for Massachusetts state parks

Get a lifetime senior parking pass (MA residents)

Activities   at Skinner State Park

Hiking & walking, all activities   at skinner state park.

  • Cross-country skiing
  • Educational programs
  • Snowmobiling
  • Snowshoeing
  • Mountain biking
  • Horseback riding
  • Hang gliding

Facilities   at Skinner State Park

  • Picnic areas
  • Restrooms: The Summit house restrooms will open daily from 9am-7pm.   Porta-jons are located at the main entrance of the park.
  • Scenic viewing area
  • Visitors Center

Restrictions   at Skinner State Park

  • No rock climbing
  • No all-terrain vehicles (ATVs)
  • No going off marked trails
  • No motorized vehicles
  • No off-road motorcycles or dirt bikes
  • No roller skates or roller blades
  • No skateboards

More info   for Skinner State Park

School groups, wedding ceremonies, parties and other special events require  a special use permit  .  For more information please call the park office at 413 586 0350. 

Related parks   for Skinner State Park

  • Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) State Forest 
  • Mount Holyoke Range State Park  

More parks   for Skinner State Park

  • Visit Massachusetts State Parks Locations 
  • Hiking in Massachusetts State Parks Locations 

Help Us Improve Mass.gov   with your feedback

The feedback will only be used for improving the website. If you need assistance, please Learn About DCR| Mass.gov . Please limit your input to 500 characters.

Thank you for your website feedback! We will use this information to improve this page.

If you need assistance, please Learn About DCR| Mass.gov .

If you would like to continue helping us improve Mass.gov, join our user panel to test new features for the site.

Official Site of Mount Holyoke Athletics

Lyons Athletics

Equestrian Center

"Celebrating 100 Years of Excellence in Equestrian"

  • Collegiate Teams and Programs
  • Focus on Riding
  • Community Riding
  • Riding Program
  • Horses Currently Available

Top Stories

Information, mount holyoke college equestrian center.

mount holyoke visit

 Built in 1987, the Mount Holyoke College Equestrian Center is considered to be one of the finest facilities for educational and competitive riding available to students anywhere . 

Its stable provides 59 spacious, airy, rubber-matted stalls, a large outdoor all-weather footing show arena, a permanent dressage arena, two indoor arenas, all-weather turnout paddocks, hunt field and a cross-country course through 120 acres of woods, fields, and streams.

Interested in learning more about the Mount Holyoke College Equestrian Center? Contact an Equestrian Fellow today !

You can also tour the Equestrian Center, just a short walk from the heart of Mount Holyoke’s campus. The facilities allow students to pursue dressage, jumping, hunter seat equitation, western, and cross-country training. The Equestrian Center encourages you to call 413-538-2272 or  email  prior to your visit. 

View the Equestrian Center video tour

The Equestrian Center and the Office of Admission host an open house for prospective students (high school juniors and seniors) each fall.  This year we are offering our Focus on Riding Program on November 14-15, 2024 . Riders and their families will have the opportunity to connect with current riders and coaches and learn about our teams, lessons, boarding options, and more. 

  • Frequently Asked Questions

mount holyoke visit

We use cookies to ensure you have the best browsing experience on our website. By using our site, you acknowledge that you have read and understood our Privacy Policy & Terms of Service .

Bryn Mawr vs. Smith vs. Mount Holyoke vs. Scripps

My daughter (class of 2025) was admitted to the several women’s colleges (see below) and we’re wondering what sets each of them apart. She has not been able to visit in person due to Covid, so wants to find out about the intangibles like vibe as we most likely can’t visit before responses are due (we are in CA).

In particular, she is looking for serious academics with an academically inclined student body and culture, strong theater opportunities, she’s interested in studying linguistics/English/history/anthropology. She’s looking for a tight-knit community that supports each other and that is not cut-throat. She would like an engaged, energetic group of people and a place with strong student-professor relationships. Also, can anyone speak to the health and wellness centers at each school and how they handle mental health issues.

Thanks so much for your input.

Bryn Mawr - Presidential scholarship Smith - unknown merit aid Mount Holyoke - 21st Century Scholarship Scripps - no merit aid Wellesley - waitlisted Barnard - still waiting

My D is a Bryn Mawr grad and she’d say that BMC meets all of your daughter’s requirements–not cutthroat, strong academics, strong student-professor relationships, supportive community, theater opportunities, etc. Also, there’s a beautiful new theater and BMC offers theater courses; there are lots of opportunities for students to be involved in Haverford/BMC productions as well as productions at Swarthmore. My D took a number of theater courses and also did a theater program in Moscow while at BMC. She felt that BMC prepared her to continued her theater studies and she finished an MFA in acting from Brown in 2019.

Good luck to your daughter. If she can visit, it should give her some idea of the differences at the various colleges. Personally, i think all of the women’s colleges provide a great education.

Thanks so much for your thoughtful reply. I too agree that it seems like all of the women’s colleges offer so much for young women who want a stellar education and collegial college experience. Can she speak to the alumni network post college? As BMC is the smallest of the remaining sister colleges does she feel that it is sufficiently helpful? Also, as an alum of a sister college, is there a wider alum network as well? Finally, how was her experience with the health center? Does she know how they’ve handled mental health issues in the past? Thanks again! Such a difficult decision with so many great options, just trying to get as much info as possible!

I am new at all of this, too. My D21 is attending Wellesley in the fall and I have fallen in love with women’s colleges already. While researching, we definitely heard that the HWC (historical women’s colleges) network is strong. And since she was accepted in ED1, my D has loved getting to know people both on the Wellesley discord and the HWC discord. She hasn’t even started yet and she is meeting and connecting with students attending the various women’s colleges in the fall. I really love that.

My daughter is a first year at Mount Holyoke; she looked at Bryn Mawr, Smith and MHC, along with some other LACs and a few larger schools. She immediately fell in love with both MHC and Bryn Mawr; there are some distinctive differences between the two, but I think she would have been very happy at either. She is thrilled with her first year experience at MHC, by the way, even during a COVID year. Smith has a slightly more “serious” feel to it, in her opinion, although I think all of the HWCs will have a very academically inclined student body by nature. Both Bryn Mawr and MHC seemed to have a particularly supportive student body - this was big on my Ds list as well; I’m sure all of your D’s options will have excellent student-professor relationships. I can tell you that I’ve been very impressed with my D’s account of her interactions with professors at MHC. She has really enjoyed all of her classes this year, even in an online setting. Other factors for her decision: she loved the MHC and Bryn Mawr campuses…they really are beautiful. And from what she read (not first hand experience, I should note), the food at Smith was not as highly regarded (important to her)! She did love that all three schools were part of a consortium, and I agree that it is nice to have an option to take classes at a different campus setting.

I cannot speak to the departments at MHC just yet, nor can I speak to the health and wellness centers. She is just now on campus for the first time this spring.

Good luck in your decision, she already has some amazing options! I hope the online resources and, if you’re lucky, some campus visits, will help highlight the best fit for her.

Net price at each, and are you as the parent able and willing to pay the net price without parent loans or making it hard to save for your retirement or (if any) younger kids’ college costs?

I am an alumna of Mount Holyoke and loved my experience there. I was in the class ahead of Wendy Wasserstein '71 who won the Pulitzer Prize for drama for her play “The Heidi Chronicles.” She was known to have put a Mount Holyoke reference in each of her plays that only we alumnae would recognize. Her first play, “Uncommon Women and Others” was about her friends from Mount Holyoke. Meryl Streep was in the movie version which may be viewed online and, even though dated, gives a good idea of what some of the traditions are at Mount Holyoke. Another alumna, Suzan Lori-Parks '94, won the Pulitzer Prize for drama for “Top Dog - Underdog” in 2002 --the first African-American woman to win the award. She was inspired by Wendy Wasserstein and also one of her professors, James Baldwin, who was a Five College professor at Hampshire with whom she studied short story writing while Ms. Parks was attending Mount Holyoke. The theater program at Mount Holyoke is very much a collaborative endeavor with the other area colleges (Amherst, Smith, U Mass, and Hampshire). The faculty-student ratio at Mount Holyoke is 9 to 1 and so students have plenty of opportunities to cultivate relationships with faculty members. When I was there (many years ago) it was great fun to invite faculty for dinner and faculty often had students over for social gatherings in their homes. I do not know about the mental health offerings at the College but imagine that they have been enhanced during this year of the pandemic. I am sure that you may learn about that by asking during the numerous virtual events offered to newly admitted students. Congratulations on being awarded a 21st Century scholarship. That is a very high honor!

:slight_smile:

POPULAR STATES

Search sat scores, search act scores, search gpa’s, subscribe to our newsletter.

Stay informed with the latest from the CC community, delivered to you, for free.

CONNECT WITH US

© 2023 College Confidential, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

  • Faculty and Staff

Areas of Expertise

Nineteenth- and twentieth-century French and Russian literature

  • Ph.D., Yale University
  • License, Sorbonne-Paris IV

Happening at Mount Holyoke

Recent Campus News

Photo by Skylar Hou ’22

Emma Taylor ’20

Emma Taylor said yes her first semester and that has made all the difference.

Parvathy Bhushan

Parvathy Bhushan ’17

While I have challenged myself by taking classes in new areas, I am most proud of the incredible friends I have made here.

Recent Honors

Lectured on "The Russian Silver Age and its Impact on the West" at RGGU (The Russian State University for the Humanities) in Moscow on December 27-28, 2019.

IMAGES

  1. mount holyoke slider

    mount holyoke visit

  2. At a Glance

    mount holyoke visit

  3. The Best Things about Mount Holyoke: 25 Reasons To Apply

    mount holyoke visit

  4. Visiting or Connecting with Mount Holyoke

    mount holyoke visit

  5. Mount Holyoke College

    mount holyoke visit

  6. Mount Holyoke is a mountain in Western Massachusetts with amazing views

    mount holyoke visit

COMMENTS

  1. Visiting or Connecting with Mount Holyoke

    Visiting or Connecting with Mount Holyoke. Enter through our Gates and you'll quickly understand why Mount Holyoke's 700-acre campus is consistently named one of the nation's most beautiful. From elegant buildings to inspiring scenery, it's a place designed to bring people together and spark curiosity. But it's our close-knit ...

  2. Campus Visit, Interview, and Virtual Engagement Opportunities

    Mount Holyoke College is a women's college that is gender diverse. The College is committed to providing equal access and opportunity in employment and education to all employees and students. In compliance with state and federal law, Mount Holyoke College does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, genetic information, sex ...

  3. Mount Holyoke College

    Welcome to Mount Holyoke, a women's college that is gender diverse. We are committed to providing equal access and opportunity in employment and education. ... Visit Mount Holyoke Request Information Apply. 50 College Street. South Hadley, MA 01075 USA. 413-538-2000. Academics; Admission & Financial Aid; Student Experience; Why Mount Holyoke;

  4. Mount Holyoke Day Trip in Western Massachusetts

    At an elevation of 942 feet, Mount Holyoke in the Western Massachusetts town of Hadley has spectacular views of the Connecticut River Valley. Situated in Skinner State Park, there are multiple hiking trails and a paved road to reach the summit where you can visit the historic Mount Holyoke Summit House and see expansive views including the ...

  5. Student Experience

    The Mount Holyoke student experience. Mount Holyoke is where you will discover your passions — and your people: a campus filled with beautiful spaces that foster a close-knit community of individuals; a place where traditions span generations and connect you to people from all different backgrounds; a community of classmates, faculty and ...

  6. Mount Holyoke College Campus Tour

    Enjoy a tour of the Mount Holyoke College campus! More virtual visits: https://www.mtholyoke.edu/admission/virtual-visits

  7. Family and Friends Weekend 2024

    For additional Family and Friends information or inquiries, please contact us at [email protected] or 413-538-2478. If you have questions regarding the accessibility of a venue or an event — or suggestions on how to improve access to College programs, activities and services — please contact [email protected].

  8. Orientation To-Do List

    For more information about requesting housing accommodations related to a disability, please view the Housing tab above. Contact Disability Services if you have any questions about the accommodations process - we're happy to help! Please do not hesitate to call 413-538-2634 or email [email protected].

  9. Visit

    When Mount Holyoke College announces a closure, the Art Museum will also be closed. Please call 413.538.2000 for weather-related closures. Stay connected! Enjoy our virtual engagement experiences anytime, including an interactive 3D experience of the Museum galleries and student-curated virtual exhibitions.

  10. Mount Holyoke Range State Park

    The 3,000-acre Mount Holyoke Range State Park features a 7-mile mountain ridge line. The park also includes streams, wetlands, woods, and thickets. Visitors can explore more than 30 miles of blazed trails. ... Visit Massachusetts State Parks; Mount Holyoke Range State Park ...

  11. Campus Tours

    Not every event will be photographed or recorded. For questions or concerns, please contact the event organizers. Join some of Mount Holyoke's finest tour guides for a guided experience of Mount Holyoke's campus. If you're new to living on campus this is your opportunity to learn where buildings are, understand the shortest routes, and get some ...

  12. Group Visit Request Form

    Group Visit Request Form. * denotes a required field. Please fill out form to arrange your group visit to Mount Holyoke College. A group consists of 10 or more participants. NOTE: Submitting this form does not confirm your visit. A member of our staff will contact you to confirm details within 3-5 days business days of receiving your request.

  13. Admission & Financial Aid

    And become. This is where you'll discover what's next for you. At Mount Holyoke, you'll find an exploratory education that will challenge you to think creatively and an inclusive community that will inspire you to engage deeply. ... Visit Mount Holyoke Request Information Apply. 50 College Street. South Hadley, MA 01075 USA. 413-538-2000 ...

  14. Mount Holyoke in the Hockanum Rural Historic District

    Today, visitors can reach the Mount Holyoke summit seasonally by automobile or year-round by hiking trails. In addition, a long distance trail, the Metacomet-Monadnock Trail, passes over Mount Holyoke. Tourists can still visit Summit House, which the Commonwealth of Massachusetts restored in the 1980s, that is now open as a museum.

  15. Mount Holyoke

    Mount Holyoke, a traprock mountain, elevation 935 feet (285 m), is the westernmost peak of the Holyoke Range and part of the 100-mile (160 km) Metacomet Ridge.The mountain is located in the Connecticut River Valley of western Massachusetts, and is the namesake of nearby Mount Holyoke College.The mountain is located in the towns of Hadley and South Hadley, Massachusetts. [1]

  16. Friends of Mount Holyoke Range

    The Friends of the Mount Holyoke Range is a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of the Mount Holyoke Range through land conservation, natural history education, recreational activities and cultural events. Since 1982 it has assisted environmental groups and state agencies purchase land for conservation,

  17. Skinner State Park

    School groups, wedding ceremonies, parties and other special events require a special use permit . For more information please call the park office at 413 586 0350. The park offers many hiking trails and breathtaking views of the Connecticut River Valley. Reach the summit of Mt. Holyoke by road or hiking trail.

  18. Mount Holyoke College Equestrian Center

    You can also tour the Equestrian Center, just a short walk from the heart of Mount Holyoke's campus. The facilities allow students to pursue dressage, jumping, hunter seat equitation, western, and cross-country training. The Equestrian Center encourages you to call 413-538-2272 or email prior to your visit.

  19. Bryn Mawr vs. Smith vs. Mount Holyoke vs. Scripps

    The theater program at Mount Holyoke is very much a collaborative endeavor with the other area colleges (Amherst, Smith, U Mass, and Hampshire). The faculty-student ratio at Mount Holyoke is 9 to 1 and so students have plenty of opportunities to cultivate relationships with faculty members.

  20. 13 Significant Mount Holyoke Alumnae

    13. Nancy M. Hill (MHC Class of 1859) Nancy M. Hill was born on November 19, 1833 in Boston, MA. She was well educated and attended Mount Holyoke, graduating in the class of 1859. She served as a volunteer nurse during the American Civil War, working at the Armory Square Hospital in Washington, D.C.

  21. Traditions and Annual Events

    Visit Mount Holyoke Request Information Apply. 50 College Street. South Hadley, MA 01075 USA. 413-538-2000. Academics; Admission & Financial Aid; Student Experience; Why Mount Holyoke ... In compliance with state and federal law, Mount Holyoke College does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, genetic information, sex ...

  22. Mount Holyoke College

    Who is Mount Holyoke College. Mount Holyoke College is a private liberal arts college for women in South Hadley, Massachusetts. Founded in 1837, it is the oldest institution wit hin the Seven Sisters schools, an alliance of East Coast liberal arts colleges that was originally created to provide women with education equivalent to that provided in the then men-only Ivy League.

  23. MHC Forward

    A legacy — and future — too bold for boundaries. Rooted in the collective voices of students, faculty, staff, alums and friends of the College, our MHC Forward Strategic Plan maps an audacious vision for MHC's next decade and beyond. This plan centers the innovative, rigorous educational opportunities that Mount Holyoke values and champions, and outlines a roadmap to leverage resources ...

  24. MASSGrant Plus / Massachusetts Department of Higher Education

    On November 15, 2023, Governor Maura Healey announced MASSGrant Plus Expansion, a new financial aid program for students attending Massachusetts' public colleges, universities, and the University of Massachusetts. MASSGrant Plus Expansion increases available funds to current beneficiaries of the MASSGrant Plus program and offers financial aid to students who currently do not qualify for ...

  25. Catherine Le Gouis

    Visit Mount Holyoke Request Information Apply. 50 College Street. South Hadley, MA 01075 USA. 413-538-2000. Academics; Admission & Financial Aid; Student Experience; Why Mount Holyoke ... In compliance with state and federal law, Mount Holyoke College does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, genetic information, sex ...