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Summary
Mount Holyoke College is a private institution that was founded in 1837. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 2,333, its setting is suburban, and the campus size is 800 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Mount Holyoke College's ranking in the 2012 edition of Best Colleges is National Liberal Arts Colleges, 29. Its tuition and fees are $41,456 (2011-12).
Mount Holyoke College was the first institution in the all-female Seven Sisters league. Today, Mount Holyoke women still receive a broad liberal arts education in the suburban setting of South Hadley, Mass., but have more opportunities to travel. Mount Holyoke is one of five colleges within 12 miles, and students can take courses and attend events at each. A free bus service transports students between Mount Holyoke, Amherst College, Hampshire College, Smith College, and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Through the school’s membership in the Twelve College Exchange Program, Mount Holyoke women can study at one of 11 other schools, including Dartmouth and Vassar colleges, for one or two semesters. Unlike many other schools, Mount Holyoke does not require students to send in SAT scores when they apply. The school does not have a Greek system, but students can choose from more than 150 clubs and organizations. At Mount Holyoke, a residential college, all student must live on campus. Juniors and seniors with a compelling reason to move off campus must apply and be approved. One perk of life in the residence halls: through a tradition known as Elfing, first-year students receive a week’s worth of gifts from an anonymous sophomore. More than 70 percent of students find employment on campus, and all freshmen who qualify for work study must work at least one shift in the dining halls. On the sports fields, the Mount Holyoke Lyons compete in the NCAA Division III New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference. The sports teams get their name from school founder Mary Lyon, and the mascot is a costumed lion named Paws. Mount Holyoke women can also get a workout outdoors, as the college near to skiing, hiking, and biking options. For a road trip, Boston is an hour and a half away by car.
There are multiple opportunities to gain real-world experience as a Mount Holyoke student. Students can complete internships in the summer or during January Term, a several-week break for students to get work experience, network, or take a noncredit course. The school works in conjunction with Smith College to provide students job opportunities, and sets up career fairs in Boston, New York, and Washington, D.C. At any time, Mount Holyoke students can peruse the online database of alumnae contact information for help or networking. Especially notable alumnae include poet Emily Dickinson, U.S. Representative Nita Lowey, and President Obama’s White House Deputy Chief of Staff Mona Sutphen.
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One of the nation's finest research liberal arts institutions, Mount Holyoke is a highly selective, nondenominational, residential college for women enrolling 2,300 students from 47 states and over 70 countries. Located in South Hadley, Massachusetts--in one of the most culturally and intellectually vibrant regions of the country--Mount Holyoke was the first of the Seven Sisters, the female equivalent of the formerly all-male Ivy League. Mount Holyoke is recognized worldwide for its rigorous academic program; its exceptionally international and diverse community; its powerful, global network of alumnae; and its conviction that women can and should make a |
General Information
| School type | private, women's college |
| Year founded | 1837 |
| Religious affiliation | N/A |
| Academic calendar | semester |
| Setting | suburban |
| 2010 Endowment | $533,583,430 |
Applying
When applying to Mount Holyoke College, it's important to note the application deadline is January 15, and the early decision deadline is November 15. Scores for either the ACT or SAT test are due January 15. The application fee at Mount Holyoke College is $60. It is more selective, with an acceptance rate of 51.6 percent.
For more information about the tests, essays, interviews, and admissions process, visit the Applying to College knowledge center.
| Selectivity | more selective |
| Fall 2010 acceptance rate | 52% |
| Application deadline | January 15 |
| SAT/ACT scores must be received by | January 15 |
Academic Life
The student-faculty ratio at Mount Holyoke College is 9:1, and the school has 68.5 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students. The most popular majors at Mount Holyoke College include: Biology/Biological Sciences, General; International Relations and Affairs; Political Science and Government, General; Economics, General; and Psychology, General. The average freshman retention rate, an indicator of student satisfaction, is 91.8 percent.
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| Student-faculty ratio | 9:1 | ||||||||||
| 4-year graduation rate | 74% - High | ||||||||||
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Student Life
Mount Holyoke College has a total undergraduate enrollment of 2,333, with a gender distribution of 0.1 percent male students and 99.9 percent female students. 94.0 percent of the students live in college-owned, -operated, or -affiliated housing and 6.0 percent of students live off campus. Mount Holyoke College is part of the NCAA III athletic conference.
See what students are saying about life at Mount Holyoke College.
| Total enrollment | 2,345 |
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| Collegiate athletic association | NCAA III |
Campus Info & Services
Mount Holyoke College offers a number of student services including nonremedial tutoring, health service, and health insurance. Mount Holyoke College also offers campus safety and security services like 24-hour foot and vehicle patrols, late night transport/escort service, 24-hour emergency telephones, lighted pathways/sidewalks, student patrols, and controlled dormitory access (key, security card, etc). Of the students at Mount Holyoke College, 26 percent have cars on campus. Alcohol is permitted for students of legal age at Mount Holyoke College.
| Students who have cars on campus | 26% - Low |
| Health insurance offered | Yes |
| Students required to own/lease a computer | No |
More About Campus Info & Services
Paying for School
At Mount Holyoke College, 70.6 percent of full-time undergraduates receive some kind of need-based financial aid and the average need-based scholarship or grant award is $30,538.
Paying for college doesn't have to be difficult or devastating. Go to the Paying for College knowledge center to get advice on raising cash and reducing costs.
| Tuition and fees | $41,456 (2011-12) |
| Room and board | $12,140 (2011-12) - High |
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* Overview details based on 2010 data
