Admission Chat Transcript 11-13-2007 for Room 1
MHCLiz joined.
mhcsofia joined.
MHCabby joined.
MHCLiz ::rolleyes
MHCabby we have faces now!
MHCabby coool
MHCLiz ::biggrin
MHCLiz ::ninja
mhcsofia you're a ninja!
mhcsofia stealth admissions...
Sydney joined.
Sydney left.
mhcsofia Hi Sydney!
mhcsofia welcome!
chat-admin joined.
chat-admin left.
mhcsofia So what courses is everyone considering for next semester?
MHCLiz i'm registered for 5 classes so far... collective behavior and social movements, sociology of gender, elementary spanish (at hampshire), sex, gender, and the family (at amherst), and drawing 1
mhcsofia wow! off campus courses and everything
JanelleGatchalian joined.
mhcsofia Hi Janelle!
JanelleGatchalian left.
mhcsofia welcome!
JanelleGatchalian joined.
JanelleGatchalian left.
mhcsofia I'm trying to get into Sociology of Gender, I hear that Eleanor Townsley is a great professor
mhcsofia And I want to take a course at Hampshire too, that way I will have taken one at everyone of the Five Colleges
thu joined.
mhcsofia Hello!
MHCabby Welcome Thu
thu hi
mhcsofia if you have any questions we'd be happy to answer them!
thu left.
yxh900614 joined.
MHCLiz welcome!
thu joined.
mhcsofia hi!
mhcsofia welcome back thu!
thu how is it like in a girl's college?
thu do you have chance for interaction with other schools in MHY?
mhcsofia I've found the women's college to be an incredibly powerful experience
yxh900614 left.
thu how powerful?
thu what do you mean particularly?
mhcsofia it's a supportive atmosphere but not one that somthers you, one that challenges you to try a lot of things and then supports you in trying those things
mhcsofia (sorry, took a while to type that)
thu haha its ok
MHCLiz because we are part of the five college consortium, you have ample opportunities to interact with the other schools
MHCabby do you have any specific concerns about coming to a womens college thu?
MHCLiz you can take classes at any of the other four schools as well as participate in their events and activities
thu really
MHCLiz yep, and there's a free bus system
MHCLiz that connects all five schools
thu like wellesley, vassar and brynmawr?
ash90 joined.
MHCabby welcome ash
mhcsofia actually, to Amherst, Hamphsire, University of Massachusetts and Smith
thu oh
ash90 hi.
thu tt's so cool!
mhcsofia Wellsley, Vassar and Bryn Mawr are a bit far for just class, unfortunately
thu hey ash
mhcsofia but that would be a pretty sweet bus system!
thu oh i see
Sydney joined.
MHCLiz welcome sydney
thu how abt economics in MHY?
MHCabby do you have any questions about MHC ash?
mhcsofia any questions in particular about economics?
ash90 this may seem really blunt, but, are most of the students at mhc considered wealthy?
thu like is it a large major there?
MHCLiz well, about 70% of our students are on financial aid
Sydney I was wondering if you have student teaching opportunities available to education minors?
mhcsofia Indeed it is
MHCabby well the economics department is very developed at mhc
mhcsofia and a pretty popular one too
MHCLiz so we are pretty socio-economically diverse
thu oh tt sounds great
MHCabby we have professors that specailize in game theory, econometrics, micro, macro and development
mhcsofia Our psych department is connected to a childcare center
MHCabby as well as other aspects
thu wow
MHCabby are you interested in economics thu?
mhcsofia so people intrested in student teaching can observe there, as well as at other schools
thu how about if i want to do a minor in political science?
Violet_ joined.
MHCLiz welcome, violet
Violet_ Thank you
MHCabby you can do that too thu
mhcsofia I have a friend who, through various MHC contacts is currently working at three different elementary schools
thu actually im an international student so im not so familiar with the system there
mhcsofia Does that help Sydney?
MHCabby oh i see
Sydney can you get your teaching certification upon graduation?
MHCabby well you wouldn't be alone
mhcsofia Indeed you can
MHCabby we have 17% international students
MHCLiz if anyone else has other questions, feel free to jump in!
Violet_ It's very interesting!
lavender joined.
MHCabby are you in the british system thu?
mhcsofia It's specifically for the state of massachusetts but you can take exams to have it converted
MHCLiz welcome, lavender!
Sydney Right now I am interested in both psychology and education. Is it possible to double major in that should I decide I like them both?
thu yes
thu im doing my study in singapore
MHCLauren joined.
thu but im a vietnamese
MHCLiz sydney: there is a psych + education combined major
mhcsofia and a number of our grads go on to work for Teach for America and other teaching fellow programs
MHCabby oh ok so that is the British system i believe
Sydney That sounds great!
MHCLauren hi guys - just switching rooms
mhcsofia hi Lauren!
MHCLiz hey lauren!
MHCabby yes, we have several students that are international and transition from the British system to American
thu yes singapore follows british system
Violet_ Well, I'm an international student who is studying at the States now. If I want to transfer to MHC, what type of applicant should I choose? International or transferring?
MHCLauren violet - are you in an american college currently? or high school?
Sydney I am interested in substance free living if it is available. Are some of the dorms substance free?
thu if SAT is not so impt for admission to MHY what would you consider as the most impt one?
mhcsofia We don't have theme housing
Violet_ I'm in an american college currently.
mhcsofia But alcohol is not allowed in the residential halls unless in the room of over 21 students
MHCLauren violet - then you should complete a transfer application.
MHCLiz thu: your transcript is going to be the most important part of your application. we also strongly consider your writing.
mhcsofia and really I've never had a problem with substances in the halls
Violet_ I see.
Violet_ Do I need to take the SAT?
MHCLiz also, though, we definitely take a holistic approach to the admissions process
mhcsofia MHC is based on the honor code and so we trust our students and they respond to that trust
MHCabby thu: we are SAT optional but that does not mean that when students choose to submit it we do not take it into consideration
MHCLauren nope - it's optional for all students. But if you haven't had instruction in English for at least four years, we will need you to take the TOEFL.
MHCabby it's your choise
thu oh i see
MHCabby choice
MHCLiz we really want to get to know who you are, and we want to see all the different ways in which you and your skills and talents will be expressed
thu does community service help much for admission
MHCLiz we definitely like to see applicants who are involved in and concerned with their local community - so yes, community service is a huge bonus
MHCLiz (especially when you've served a leadership role)
thu yup
mhcsofia But at the same time we look for well rounded studnets and mostly want to get a good sense of who you are
thu im so glad to hear tt!
mhcsofia if community service is a part of that then wonderful!
abby joined.
Violet_ Besides the transcript from the current college, the recommend letter from the professors, my personal statement, what else I need to submit?
MHCabby welcome Abby
MHCabby :-)
abby :D thanks!
lavender does work experience affect admission?if so,does the duration of the work counts?
MHCLauren Violet - you will need to submit the transfer supplement to the Common Application, which asks for a few additional things. You can access it off of the admission portion of the website.
Violet_ Also, can transfer student apply for scholarships and financial aids?
thu actually i need financial aid so how competitive is it at MHY for intl students?
ash90 coming from a single parent household, in the area, (i'm from easthampton, basically 15 minutes away), do you think i could expect a substantial amount of aid? my dad owns his own small business and so doesn't have a lot of money to give me. i'm really caught up on financial assitance because whatev
Violet_ all right.
MHCLauren violet - yes, transfers can absolutely apply for aid
MHCLiz ash - your best bet is to speak with the financial services office
MHCLiz they are really helpful and will be happy to speak with you about your specific situation
MHCabby Abby (or anyone else) if you have any questions please jump in
thu how competitive is financial aid for intl studetns?
MHCabby Thu international students can apply for finaid
MHCLauren thu - aid is competitive for international students, but as these students make up 16% of our population, it's definitely available to many
MHCLauren where are you from, thu?
thu vietnam
MHCLauren excellent!
thu but im currently in singapore on scholarship
MHCLauren also good! :)
abby ok then~ ;-) i'm already in a Chinese college now, so should i ask my current college counselor to fill in the MIdyear form instead of my high school counselor?
ash90 thanks, liz. i'll look into talking to the financial services office.
lavender seems that my question is not noticed,so i'll ask again.does work experience affect admission?if so,does the duration matters?
MHCLauren yes, abby
MHCLiz ash: no problem :)
MHCLiz lavender: again, we like to learn as much as possible about you
MHCLiz so work experience definitely counts
MHCLauren work experience is considered as part of the bigger picture with how you spend your time outside of school.
MHCLiz we like to get a good sense of how you spend your time outside of school - whether that's sports, clubs, or work
MHCLauren if you've been in a job for a while it certainly shows your commitment
gracieloos joined.
MHCLiz welcome!
mhcsofia Ash, you can also link to financial services off the admissions page too
abby can i ask my employer to write a recommendation for me then?
WonderfulWombat joined.
ash90 if i end up going to Umass Amherst like my dad prefers, would i be able to take any classes at mhc?
MHCabby welcome
mhcsofia absolutely ash
MHCLiz ash: yes, you definitely can take classes at MHC
WonderfulWombat Sombody said Liz was the person to ask about the riding programs
mhcsofia Hi wonderfulwombat!
MHCLiz abby: you need 2 teacher recommendations and then there's an optional parent/peer evaluation, which can include an employer
MHCLiz hi! yeah, i know lots about the riding program
WonderfulWombat Hi.
MHCLauren abby - absolutely
ash90 oh good. that's a relief. thanks.
abby great! thank you guys!
mhcsofia Yea, the five college interchange is alive and well
WonderfulWombat Are there programs for n00bs like me? :)
Violet_ What will the admissions counlesor consider when they are accepting the transfer applicants?
MHCLiz haha, what do you mean?
mhcsofia And there is a free bus system connecting all of the colleges as well
bubble_gum joined.
WonderfulWombat I can tell one end of a horse from the other, but that's about it.
mhcsofia Welcome bubble_gum!
MHCabby hello bubble gum
MHCLiz wonderfulwombat - that's no problem, we have beginner riding lessons all the way up to advanced. some people begin riding here when they've never even been on a horse before.
ash90 the bus arrangement is nice, i don't have my own car. i'm cheap and steal my dad's car whenever i need to go somewhere. :) so that'll be good when i'm dorming somewhere and need to leave.
MHCabby if anyone has any questions please jump in :-)
mhcsofia Definitely, and it's nice to go out to dinner or go shopping or to a lecture too
bubble_gum hello!
MHCLauren violet - we look at all the same things as with the first-year population, including your transcript, writing, recommendations and activities/work.
bubble_gum i have a question about financial aid
MHCLauren we also want to know why you'd like to transfer.
mhcsofia We'll do our best to answer!
WonderfulWombat Are you allowed to live off campus freshman year?
GenevieveCoe joined.
Violet_ what's the difference between the twelve college exchange program and the five college exchange program?
mhcsofia Welcome Genevieve!
MHCLiz wonderfulwombat - no, unless you are a day student (which means you live very close by), you are expected to live on campus as a first year
ash90 does your educational background play a factor in the admissions process at all? public school vs private?
mhcsofia The tweleve college exchange is a bit more like study abroad
mhcsofia in that you go to that school for a semester or a year
GenevieveCoe I second Ash's question.
lavender besides the two teacher recommendations,can i submit another recommendation written by the teacher in charge of the students' union as i'm president of the students' union?
mhcsofia Whereas the five college one is part of your time at MHC
bubble_gum i know that the CSS Profile is due in February, but my parents' tax returns will not be ready by then. do u want us to estimate our answers on the CSS Profile based on tax returns from 2006?
WonderfulWombat I'll bet the dorm doesn't allow pets, right? You see, I've got this snake...
mhcsofia so you can be taking classes both here and at one of the other schools
Violet_ Thanks for your answers.
WonderfulWombat :)
mhcsofia because we are all within half an hour of each other
MHCLiz lavender: yes, you can send additional recommendations
MHCabby ash, we have a students from both from public and private schools. Students are not compared to each other in the admissions process, but rather on what their school offers. Does that make sense?
mhcsofia Bubble_gum I am not sure, I would recommend that you talk to financial services
GenevieveCoe yes, that makes more sense. Thanks.
MHCLauren ash - we look at the schools you are coming from to give us context on your education, but we don't compare schools and/or advantage students coming from private schools.
MHCLiz wonderfulwombat: no, you can't have pets... well, you can have fish. anything that lives underwater in a 10 gallon tank or less
mhcsofia they're very nice and can give you an exact answer
MHCLiz so, unfortunately, no snakes
mhcsofia there's a link to them off of the admissions page
bubble_gum thanks sofia!
Violet_ left.
mhcsofia No problem, sorry I didn't have an exact answer but I don't want to give you the wrong one!
gracieloos what do you say to parents who don't want you to move far away, yet you feel you'd like to attend college out-of-state or in a different environment?
mhcsofia I think that you should be honest with them and explain what it is about the school that attracts you
ash90 how is the english department at mhc? that's what i plan to major in. (sorry about the broad question...)
mhcsofia and then why it would be not only a good place to get a great education but also the advantages of going farther away
mhcsofia Is there anything in particular that your students are against?
MHCLiz ash: the english department is one of the largest departments, so it's quite popular. i've taken a few classes and i've really enjoyed them.
GenevieveCoe When will we know about the decisions for the November 15 Early Decisions?
WonderfulWombat What's the art department like? I'm getting rather into computer animation this year, and while I don't want to major in it, it's a useful skill and I want to continue.
mhcsofia Sorry, liz just pointed out that I mean "parents" not "student"... oops!
MHCLauren wombat - we do have a digital lab in the art building, but our program focuses mainly on painting, printmaking, sculpture and drawing.
MHCLiz wonderfulwombat: we have a great art department - it's small but you have the opportunity to become really close with the professors
MHCLiz you can also take advantage of art classes off campus
mhcsofia I was going to say that I think that Mount Holyoke is a once in a lifetime experience and worth a journey
MHCLiz for example, hampshire has a great photography lab that we use for our own photography classes
HCCCC joined.
MHCabby welcome HCCCC
mhcsofia We also just put in new Mac equipement for digital work
mhcsofia welcome HCCCC!
HCCCC thank you!
gracieloos oh, well mostly I think it's just the empty bird nest. and they also believe that financially, it's not worth it to go out-of-state when I could just go to a large state school w/ "more opportunities", particularly the University of Washington
MHCabby Genevieve you will know by Jan 1 if you applied by Nov 15th
GenevieveCoe thanks!
WonderfulWombat What's the student-to-teacher ratio?
ash90 i get a lot of superficial comments when i mention mhc from a lot of my peers because they say i'll be totally secluded. i know that's not true. do you see boys often, enough to get to know some? i'm assuming that the whole five college exchange would provide some outlets..
mhcsofia I understand, that's a great school, but there are a lot of merits to a small liberal arts college to, and you can argue the advantages of the five college consortium as well, if size is something they're considering
bubble_gum i second what gracieloos said
bubble_gum my parents say the same thing
MHCLauren gracie - it all depends on what they mean by "more opportunities." If that means getting individual attention, experiencing a new part of the country, having five schools are your fingertips...MHC is a good option!
MHCLiz wonderfulwombat: our student-to-faculty ration is about 10:1
lavender someone said that there are 6 boys in MHC,is that true?
GenevieveCoe Ash, I get the same comments! I feel like I'm defending my decision to apply to an all-women's school.
ash90 it's exhausting.
HCCCC Same here!
bubble_gum the state schools are more affordable, and private schools just seem unreachable
GenevieveCoe YEAH. I have to keep explaining about the 5-college thing.
MHCLiz lavender: what do you mean?
MHCLauren we joke in the admission office that we should send you guys a brochure with the "top 10 defenses for looking at a women's college"
MHCabby Ash, there are plenty of opportunities to meet people from the 5 college area. MHC hosts several events: talks, parties, dinners ect that are welcome to the whole community.
GenevieveCoe So true.
mhcsofia A women's college is an unusual decision but a bold one too
MHCLauren agreed, sofia!
ash90 it's weird though, because i live 15 minutes away from mhc, and my peers know all about the five college deal but still give me a hard time.
mhcsofia It's a unique experience that really allows you to learn not only about all the incredible things that you are exposed to in college but also about yourself
HCCCC Do people actually interact with the other colleges without these planned events though?
mhcsofia and all the wonderful things that you are capable of
lavender liz:someone said this,i don't know whether they are joking or not...sorry about that
MHCLauren there are more than 6 guys taking classes at MHC, but we don't have any male students that live on campus.
MHCLauren :)
GenevieveCoe I loved the t-shirt the school sells- "Not a girls' school without men, it's a women's college without boys." I'm gonna have to buy it if I get in."
mhcsofia They do absolutely
MHCLiz lavender: that's totally fine, i'm just not sure where they might be getting their information from... we do have a very, very tiny graduate program so maybe that's it. but i'm not sure.
mhcsofia We take classes at the other schools and they take classes here
mhcsofia people also join clubs at various schools
GenevieveCoe I thought that there was no graduate program?
mhcsofia and clubs do activities together
GenevieveCoe Why would they have a really small one?
MHCLiz genevieve: i don't know much about it, all i know is that it is very, very small (which means it has like, two students)
HCCCC Yes, that brings up the question of whether the teachers are more interested in their research than in their students?
MHCabby HCCCC, yes we do. I have made several friends from the other campuses, people do mingle- why not? ::biggrin
mhcsofia You also meet people from the other schools just out and about, going to dinner, seeing movies, going to concerts and lectures
MHCLauren we have some students in chemistry and psychology that continue on to do Master's degrees with specific faculty members. We're talking fewer than 12 or so a year...
GenevieveCoe oh, ok. Thanks!
gracieloos could you explain some of the merit scholarships available? and what kind of statistics the recipients have?
mhcsofia The joke that my professors make is that MHC is about "75% teaching and 75% research" for professors
MHCLiz gracieloos: we offer a mt. holyoke college leadership award. as long as you submit an application to the college, you are automatically considered
mhcsofia meaning that there is just as much emphasis on teaching as on research
MHCLiz it's typically given to the students who fall at the very top of our applicant pool
HCCCC thanks sofia!
GenevieveCoe left.
gracieloos gotcha! thanks Liz!
mhcsofia in fact, professors don't come to MHC unless they want to teach because there are no TAs here so they have to be very involved, have to want to interact with students!
MHCLiz who have exhausted the academic and extracurricular possibilities
MHCLiz available to them
gracieloos how many of the leadership scholarships are awarded yearly? or does it vary?
WonderfulWombat Are there any marine biology courses?
HCCCC What do the admissions team look for the most extracurricular activites? Sports, volunteer work, hobbies, or awards? What really stands out?
ash90 i have to go now, but thank you to all that answered my questions. you calmed me down quite a bit. thanks for being so helpful and have a good night!
MHCLiz no problem, ash!
MHCabby thanks ash!
MHCLauren gracie - it varies, but it's often around 10% of the admitted student group.
MHCabby best wishes
mhcsofia Anytime ash, happy to help!
ash90 left.
MHCLauren bye ash
gracieloos I see I see
mhcsofia HCCCC, we look for a depth of interest
HCCCC Wonderful Wombat, I agree, I am interested in marine biology as well.
MHCLiz wonderfulwombat: if we don't offer it here, it may very well be offered at one of the five colleges
MHCLiz feel free to check out our course catalog
mhcsofia so it doesn't matter so much what you do so long as you have challenged yourself and shown something that you are interested in, passionate about and have taken a leadership role
MHCLiz as well as the course catalogs at the other schools
HCCCC I see, thanks for clarifying.
mhcsofia this could be a sport captain, head of a club, a job, community service
Mariya0615 joined.
Mariya0615 left.
Mariya0615 joined.
MHCLiz welcome!
mhcsofia HI mariya!
lavender so liz,do you mean that students have to ger very high scores to be considered for the scholarship or is the scholarship given to those the admission officer think perform good on every aspect?
JasmineH joined.
mhcsofia welcome Jasmine!
gracieloos do admission counselors know much about the high schools that we go to? is it one of your tasks to research the school, demographics, opportunities, etc?
MHCLiz lavender: we award the scholarships for different reasons
JasmineH Hello!
Mariya0615 Hi everyone!
lavender thank you
mhcsofia The counselors look at each student in the context of their school
MHCLiz so it could be a combination of things - great writing, lots of involvement, and good grades
mhcsofia so they have a profile of your school and look at you according to that, not compared to other schools
HCCCC Does MHC accept many homeschoolers? I am homeschool but have taken 15 + classes at a community college. Will this help in terms of being admitted?
Mariya0615 Does MHC have both merit and need-based scholarships?
km joined.
MHCLiz mariya - yes
mhcsofia Hi km!
MHCabby HCCCC, some students have a laundry list of outside activities, which is nice but the admissions office also sees the value in a student who had participated in one or two activies and has really developed their interesteed in that activie. So it's not about quantity but rather quality
km hi!
MHCLauren gracie - we know *alot* about your schools. We look into demographics, application history, courses offered, etc.
qiushiqing joined.
MHCLiz welcome!
mhcsofia We do have a number of homeschooled students
HCCCC thanks Cabby! I am glad to hear that.
MHCLauren HCCC - we get about 20 homeschool applications a year and admit many of those students. Your CC classes will help!
HCCCC thanks lauren!
bubble_gum do you compare applicants from the same school side by side?
Denise joined.
MHCLauren we look at all applicants from a school together, but don't place limits on the number we admit.
MHCLiz welcome, denise!
MHCLauren we just want to be sure that we're making consistent decisions based on what is available to you are your school.
MHCabby welcome, please jump in and ask questions
Denise left.
thu how is the workload
km i was wondering, what is the relationship between smith and mt holyoke colleges like?
lavender i'm the first student in my school ever considered studying abroad.so there's no one from my school in MHC,will it be a disadvantage as you don't know my high school?
mhcsofia Well, we are sister schools
gracieloos okay, I see, well that's good to know. does attending more than one high school have any affect, other than just a different applicant w/ a different experience? I moved to a different city/state before my junior year, and switched high schools
MHCLiz thu: the workload is totally manageable
mhcsofia and so like all families, we have our shared loves and our shared disagreements!
MHCLiz i've never had a problem coordinating my schoolwork, extracurricular activities, and my job
Mariya0615 Does it matter/ make sence if the student takes about 20 courses, plus lots of extracurricular activities, where at about 4-5 clubs she is the President or one of the most active figures, still has time for job and volunteering..? Is this the kind of student MHC will be looking for?
MHCLiz and still have time for hanging out and having fun!!
mhcsofia But overall it's a good relationship with a friendly rivalry
MHCabby i would say that MHC students work hard and equally play hard
km ok...do many students have jobs on campus to help with the tuition?
mhcsofia I have taken class at Smith and never been treated poorly, and vice versa with Smith students taking classes here
MHCabby at least i do
MHCLauren switching high schools is not a big deal, and being the first applicant from your high school is not a problem as well. We'll do some research if we need to, but most schools send us a profile along with your transcript so we have some basic info.
thu how many extracurricular activities would a typical studetn join?
Mariya0615 MHCLiz~ yep ::smile
km well thats nice to hear:)
Denise joined.
thu i mean how many can your time allow you
MHCLiz thu: it depends on how much a student wants to take on
MHCLiz personally i'm involved in three different organizations, in addition to riding
Mariya0615 I am an intl student from Ukraine, but in my junior year i've studies in the USA. Do i need to send transcripts from both schools?
km what dorm is the most popular? haha
HCCCC Thanks for answers!
WonderfulWombat What are the clubs?
MHCCherry joined.
MHCLiz but i'm also a leader in one of the organizations, that makes a big difference
MHCLauren mariya - yes
MHCabby Km, I'm not sure on the numbers of studens who have jobs, but I know that 70% are on some amount of finaid and a componet of the package is workstudy
WonderfulWombat Any unusual ones?
MHCLiz i'm involved in the radio station
bubble_gum i know that mt. holyoke is SAT optional. But what if I want to send my SAT Subject Test Scores only? Will I be able to "block:" admissions from considering my SAT Reasoning scores>?
MHCLiz i guess that's kind of unusual
mhcsofia IT changes every year, with 19 residence halls there are a lot of choices!
JasmineH Oh, MHCLiz you are on the riding team?
MHCLiz it's a lot of fun - if anybody here likes music, i highly recommend it!
thu are the organizations very big or small
MHCLauren bubble gum - yes, you can. Just let us know your perference.
mhcsofia they've also been built over more than a century so they each have their own style and own perks
MHCLiz jasmine - i'm not on the riding team but i take lessons and board my horse, so i know a lot about riding here
thu you can set up your own one right
km ok! sounds great
km everything about mt holyoke sounds great:)
HCCCC What is the school mascot?
MHCLiz lyons!!
MHCLiz yay!
MHCabby we like it!
mhcsofia Kitchens to cook in in some, dining halls in others, large windows, wood floors... a whole range!
km what is something which you would consider less than ideal about mt holyoke?? if anything
bubble_gum lauren- where in my application should i state that i want the SAT Reasoning scores to be blocked?
JasmineH I am thinking about boarding my horse at the school as well. I was asking because I will be at the overnight Thursday for students interested in the riding team
km yeah it sounds amazing!
HCCCC Yes km, great questiong
MHCCherry thu-yes, if you feel passionate about an organization, you are more than free to create an organziation
MHCCherry organization*
thu oh great
MHCLiz jasmine - excellent! i will be at the dinner
thu thanks
mhcsofia Hmmmmm
MHCCherry what sort of organization were you thinking of thu?
thu i dunno
thu just some random stuff
JasmineH I'm sure I will see you there then ::smile
MHCCherry :) fair enough
MHCLiz sounds good!
mhcsofia I think that there are too many choices sometimes, and the students that come here are so passionate and so involved that it can feel as though you have to join everything
thu cuz im not so sure what kind of organisations are available there too
mhcsofia because otherwise you're not doing enough
mhcsofia but really you have to learn how to say no and how to do what you are truly committed to, what makes you happy
HCCCC How bad does the weather get in Massachusetts?
Mariya0615 to MHC stuudents - do you get enough of sleep at MHC? Or is studying overwhelming? hic hic
MHCLiz HCCC - where are you from?
HCCCC Or mhc in particular
MHCabby good question Km, I am a city girl at heart, so if I could i would transplant MHC into a bigger city. However, with that said, I have found a lot of fun activities in Northampton, Amherst and Boston that have kept be throughly distracted. ::biggrin
mhcsofia But saying no to things is really hard!
HCCCC maryland
MHCCherry if you'd like a peek, search for Student Organizations in our website and you'll be directed to a site with all of our 140 or so orgs
mhcsofia Mariya, I get about nine hours a night!
MHCLiz HCCCC - oh, it'll be a little colder/snowier but it won't be a difficult adjustment for you at all
gracieloos nine hours, wow
thu owow
MHCCherry HCCC--I'm from Hawaii and I survived! :)
thu so many
mhcsofia The weather is typical New England!
thu in my school we have like 30 only
MHCLiz it's so pretty, too!!
mhcsofia haha, yea, I love my sleep!
HCCCC Okay! I was worried about turning into an icicle before class!!!!!!!
MHCCherry Every year is different in terms of weather, but you get used to it!
km thanks cabby! also i was wondering....do boys ever stay overnight on campus??
MHCLiz HCCC - no way, you'll be fine!
MHCCherry Thu--are you from Vietnam?
mhcsofia Overnight guests are allowed
Mariya0615 mhcsofia~ thanx!
thu yup im from vietnam
bubble_gum what about for someone from nevada? will it be a big adjustment in terms of the weather?
mhcsofia my brother just visited for three nights
MHCabby Km, we can have overnight guests for 7 days
thu are there many vietnamese there?
MHCLiz bubble_gum - we have students from all over the world
MHCCherry Great! I visited Hanoi in early September...glad to see you in our chat room!
MHCLiz including students from much warmer climates
MHCLauren yay nevada! we need more of you. :) We have more "seasons" but I think you'll be fine.
thu wow
MHCLiz and they've comfortably adjusted
Mariya0615 Are there many students from Ukraine at MHC?
km ok great! unfortunately i have to go to a french class....is there going to be another one of these chats>?
HCCCC What made you choose Mt. Holyoke over other colleges you applied to?
MHCLiz and you will definitely be able to bond with students who aren't used to the cold :)
MHCCherry We get quite a number of applications from Vietnam, and yes we do have quite a few students from Vietnam currently studying at MHC.
mhcsofia There is one at the beginning of December
MHCLiz mariya - i don't know about ukraine specifically, but we do have students from other parts of eastern europe
km ok great see you then ,,,thanks for your help bye
MHCabby KM, but you have to square it away with your roommate frist, no suprise visitors.
mhcsofia Wednesday the fifth!
MHCCherry I believe there's another one in Dec 5th KM
MHCLiz bye km!
MHCabby bye
thu i heard MHC does go to hanoi to recruit students and interview
km haah ok:)bye
qiushiqing Hi Lauren, I'm from China. I'd like to know, what do you look at when you admit a Chinese student? Is there any thing different from that when admitting an American student?
MHCCherry Good luck KM!
km thanks you, you too:)
thu does it an disadv if i cant attend the interview my admission officer
MHCabby left.
km left.
mhcsofia No, the interviews are optional
thu cuz im not staying in vietnam now
MHCAbby joined.
MHCCherry Thu-it's not a disadvantage although I wish I had an opportunity to meet with you during my visit
mhcsofia We like them as a chance to get to know you, and for you to get to know us
MHCLauren qiushiqing - we aren't looking for much that is different, other than to make sure that your English skills are solid.
mhcsofia but we understand that not everyone can make an interview, particularly given how international our student body is
MHCCherry Where are you now Thu?
thu im in singapore
Denise Liz- I know you mentioned riding. Are there options for someone who just wants to ride occasionally?+
MHCLauren We do require the TOEFL for international students if you haven't had four years of instruction in English.
gracieloos okay, well my time is done. thanks for answering all my questions!
MHCCherry We do have an alumna in that area, so if you'd like to arrange an interview with her, we can help make that happen!
MHCLauren good luck!
MHCAbby best wishes! bye
gracieloos left.
MHCLiz denise - yes, there are a lot of ways to get involved in the equestrian center. if you're an experienced rider, you can help rehabilitate injured horses when necessary and can also offer to ride boarders' horses if they don't have the time.
thu yup i requested for an alumna interview but i havent got the reply yet
Mariya0615 mHCCherry~ is ther an alumna somewhere round Uraine? Eastern Europw maybe?
JasmineH What would you say are the three most imporant things you consider when considering applicants?
MHCCherry Great....let us know if you don't hear from her soon.
mhcsofia We look for a student who has challenged herself, academically and otherwise
HCCCC What is the best location for studying abroad?
thu okay thanks
lavender when do interviews usually take place?
MHCAbby HCCCC that totally depends on you
MHCLiz HCCC - there is no "best" location, students go all over the place
MHCLiz and have all had very rewarding experiences
qiushiqing How much TOEFL iBT scores MHC is looking for?
mhcsofia some one who is curious about things and has pursued this curiousity and taken leadership roles
MHCLauren Mariya - we have an alumna based in New York who travels regularly to the former soviet union. if you email admission@mtholyoke.edu we can give you her name.
MHCAbby where would you like to go? MHC has several programs all over the globe
HCCCC Well, i guess then what is the most popular study abroad location?
MHCLiz i personally went to china and loved it, but i also have friends who studied in vietnam, belgium, germany, south africa, denmark, chile, etc.
mhcsofia Lavender - we have interviews going all the time on campus
MHCLiz yeah, i don't think there's a most popular - england, france, spain
MHCLiz are all pretty popular
mhcsofia and then we also have admissions directors traveling
mhcsofia as well as alumnae interviews
HCCCC Okay!
MHCCherry Lavender - it usually depends on the alumna and where you're located.
lavender thank you.when do you usually have interviews in china?
HCCCC Well thank you everyone from MHC! You are a great help, and thank you for answering my questions! Bye!
MHCLiz but i think it's easier to get funding if you go to a non-english speaking country
MHCLiz so that's an advantage
mhcsofia Glad we could help!
MHCLiz bye HCCC!
MHCAbby Bye! Good luck!
HCCCC left.
thu will interviews be like a sharing session between the alumna and interviewee or is it like they will ask lotsa qns and im supposed to answer>
Mariya0615 Is there a TOEFl score that is concidered a failure at MHC?
mhcsofia Well, there are questions that we ask, but there is also time for you to ask questions
mhcsofia so it's really more of a back and forth
thu oh
mhcsofia We ask questions because we want to get to know you a bit more!
thu will alumna interview count as much as on campus interviews or those with ad officers
MHCLauren cherry is looking up the TOEFL averages...
MHCCherry qiushinqing - iBT score of 100 or above is what we're looking for
MHCAbby thu, yes it is viewed the same
MHCCherry But keep in mind that's the average
thu how bout SAT
MHCAbby especially since you are international, it would be difficult for you to come for a 30-45 minute interview
thu do you have stats on it
qiushiqing How many Chinese students did you admit last year?
lavender is interview only allowed after submitting all the applycation material?
MHCAbby lavender nope
MHCAbby you can interview before you apply
lavender thank you cabby
MHCCherry Mariya, we don't look at test scores are failures especially since we are a test optional school ---we know our applicants are excellent and are able to do the work! With the TOEFL scores, it gives us an indication of your English fluency, which is helpful for us to know
MHCAbby come over, we'd love to meet you!
Mariya0615 MHCCherry~ thanks!
MHCCherry Thu - our mean is between 1860 and 2130
thu oh okie
lavender when will you come to china to interview?
mhcsofia Well, we have alums in the area who do interviews
MHCCherry But again, Thu, we are test optional so while we love to see test scores, we also do not penalize those who do not submit their SATs
qiushiqing Do you have anyone to do the interview in China?
lavender so I can contact them at any time?
mhcsofia Unfortunately the admissions director who visits China just finished his trip there about a month ago
MHCCherry You're welcome Mariya!
mhcsofia You can contact the admissions office front desk
mhcsofia and they can help connect you with an alum
lavender oh what a pity...thanks sofia
Mariya0615 How are fin aid decisions announced? 2 weeks after the admission decision? Or longer? What happens after the stuudent is admitted?
mhcsofia Denise, Jasmine, abby, any questions?
MHCCherry Lavender, unfortunately Obio, our director of international recruitment, completed his visit to china in september
thu so subject tests are not required too?
mhcsofia I want to make sure that we answer everyone's questions!
MHCLauren mariya - we send you for fin aid information with your admission decision, provided that you got your information in to us by the deadlines.
MHCCherry if you're interested in knowing about interviews with alumnae in China, email that request to admission@mtholyoke.edu!
thu actually i took subject test so does it make a difference if i dsent or not send them
MHCLauren mariya - after you're admitted, it's up to you to make a decision! :)
Mariya0615 What happens with visas? Is F1 the usual type for intl students?
JasmineH Thanks! I'm learning a lot just from reading everyone else's questions
lavender thanks cherry.he appeared on CUUS.a website where we chinese students often visit
MHCCherry if you feel that it will help your application Thu, then go ahead and send it to us.
mhcsofia Okie Dokie! Just wanted to make sure that no one was getting left out!
thu oh i see
thu thanks
Mariya0615 Is F1 the typical visa type for intl students?
MHCCherry Were you able to meet him during his visit to China Lavender?
mhcsofia Unfortunately Mariya I don't know
mhcsofia Lauren or Cherry, do you know?
Mariya0615 awww...
Mariya0615 ::smile
MHCCherry I'm not sure what the visa situations are like Mariya
lavender unfortunately, i only leared about it when it was finished
Mariya0615 it
MHCLauren mariya - I believe so
Mariya0615 's ok. I guess i'll have to find it out sooner or later anyway... ::smile
MHCLauren mariya - our international folks on campus will help you through that process once you're admitted.
qiushiqing How cold in winder in MA?
thu do you have like some typical charater for MHC students?
MHCCherry Oh I see. Well, if you're interested in an interview Lavender, contact our office and we'll see about connecting you with an alumna
Mariya0615 Can intl students stay at MHC for breaks?
thu i know some schools here do
Mariya0615 like winter/summer?
lavender thank you so much cherry!
MHCCherry You're welcome!
MHCAbby winter can be cold, right now it's about 45C but the winter can get much colder than that.
thu personality counts for admission too is it
MHCCherry Qiushiqing - every winter is different, but you survive, even if you're used to warmer climates. :)
MHCAbby agreed Cherry
MHCAbby you get used to it and it's so beautiful when it snows
qiushiqing Is there any place for skiing around the campus?
MHCLiz mariya - international students can stay at MHC for breaks
MHCLauren mariya - yes, even over the holidays if you need to.
mhcsofia not on campus, but not to far away either
MHCLiz qiushiqing - yes, there are lots of places to ski in the northeast
Mariya0615 Does winter ever get somwhere around -80F?
MHCAbby yes, lots of winter sports. MHC even has an ice skating rink
mhcsofia the outing club and other groups arrange ski trips
MHCCherry Thu - we don't have MHC "characteristics" because we build a class one student at a time....but we do look for intellectually curious, passionate, motivated, women leaders...and students who want to be a part of a community of women who aims to make a difference in the world
mhcsofia no! never that cold
MHCJenni joined.
nickate joined.