Admission Chat Transcript 12-5-2007 for Room2

MHCAlly Hello!   MHCCatarina joined.   Kay joined. Kay Hello!! MHCAbby hi Kay Kay hey abby Kay hey everyone Kay Im Mikayla, from Brazil MHCAlly hey kay! MHCCatarina Hi Mikayla. Do you have any questions? Kay Yes Kay First of all, your students right]? MHCAbby yep I'm a senior MHCAlly and i'm a junior Kay great! MHCAbby are you interested in applying? Do you have any questions about MHC? Kay well, I live in brazil and unfortunaly I can't visit campus yet, so can you tell me how is it there? from a students perspective? Kay I am defintly applying MHCAbby Sure. It will help if you have specific questions Kay Is there a lot of international students? MHCAbby We have a lot of international students about 17% Kay thats great MHCAbby so you wont be alone MHCAbby we really value our international population Kay but IM am scared of not adapting you know, from the viewbook I see a very charming and friendly place, but is it really like that? MHCAbby haha- yes it is MHCAlly Yes it is. I thought the same thing when applying MHCAbby students here are very friendly and very down to earth MHCAbby Since we are so diverse you will find people here who are interested in the same types of things you are   ProspectiveTransfer joined. Kay thats good   ProspectiveTransfer left. Kay Can you tell me about the teachers MHCAbby sure Kay they seem very smiley on the pictures MHCAbby our faculity have the highest degrees in their field, so they are very intelligent, but equally important they are friendly and truly interested in students MHCAlly MHC teachers are amazing! You become great friends with them. They're always avaiable to help you.\ MHCAbby I've been to my professors houses for dinner/ or end of semester parties Kay really? Kay that must be nice MHCAbby They all have mandatory office hours about twice a week MHCAbby so you can stop by their office and chat about class or whatever you want Kay I would love doing that Kay i really like talking about ideas MHCAbby yea it's a great way of getting to know them MHCAbby what are you interested in studying? Kay Im interested in studying geology MHCAbby very cool Kay major in geology or enviromental studies and minor in italian Kay something like that MHCAbby we have a really great department   Faith joined. Kay what about interships? MHCAbby hi Faith MHCAbby welcome Faith Hello MHCAlly Hello faith   MHCDarcy joined. MHCDarcy Hi Kay, I'm a geology major! Kay REALLY? MHCAbby Do you have any questions Faith? Kay tell me tell me!!!!! MHCAbby please feel free to jump in MHCDarcy Yes haha I'm serious! Kay tell me about the classes Kay please!! MHCDarcy What would you like to know? Faith I wanted to ask about Dual Enrollment Credit. Does MHC accept all dual enrollment credit even a Math or English?   gk27 joined. MHCAbby hi GK welcome! gk27 Hi Kay if they are catch you, you know? I want to study in a place that makes everything Im learning really fun MHCCatarina Faith, what do you mean by dual enrollment? Do you mean college credits taken during high school? Kay sorry, if they catch you* Faith yes MHCDarcy Well the geology department here is wonderful; all the professors are great! Was there a particular field you were interested in focusing on? MHCAlly Do you have an question GK? Kay what do you mean? MHCCatarina Yes, some of our applicants have taken college credits during high school and they are qualified for transfer credit. The Registrar will determine whether or not we will take them. It depends on the department. MHCDarcy Were you interested in studying abroad? Faith ooo gk27 What is the academic support like at MHC? I have a slight learning disablity and a strong support system is definitely something I want in a school. MHCDarcy Oh and I'm an italian minor, too Kay ohh yes... My father has a granite company and has a lot of clients in Italy, so I was thinking of maybe spending some time there and I also want to minor in italian   Yingxue_Wang joined.   Yingxue_Wang left.   Yanan joined.   Yingxue_Wang joined. MHCAbby Hi Yingxue! MHCDarcy Oooh Kay you may be my Brazilian counterpart! MHCAlly I have a friend who has a learning diasbility and they're very helpful here. MHCDarcy You could even double-major in Italian and Geology, depending on your interest level MHCCatarina gk27, academic support is excellent at MHC. We have a strong advising system and Student Services office. Kay ok! what is that?   MHCAnne joined. MHCAlly And your advisors and professors will do whatever's necessary to help you. Kay oh my interest level is pretty high MHCAlly Welcome Yanan! MHCCatarina Hi Yanan and Yingxue_Wang! Yanan Hello,Ally! gk27 now i have a 504 plan, could some of those services carry over at MHC? extended time on tests for example MHCAbby Students with learning disabilites have a strong support network, there is a specific advisor that works with students and gives them the support they need. Yingxue_Wang I am confused about the graded paper you require in you application.What is a 'graded paper'?What is the content of it? MHCDarcy A double major is when you have two focuses as opposed to one, so you would take more courses in Italian (for example) than just a minor would MHCAlly Hi! Do you have any questions? Yanan Can you tell me in what aspect does MHC influence you the most? Kay oh, that would be very good MHCAlly Extended time for tests is available GK MHCCatarina gk27...yes, that would carry over. You would sit down with someone who could assess your needs. Professors are extremely understanding too. Kay why didnt you double major?   ana_rom joined.   Villz joined. MHCAlly Hello ana! MHCAbby Yanan- I have been greatly influenced by the atmosphere at MHC. The students are very passionate about learning, the professors are very interested in students and helping them succeed and it's a beautiful campus... :-) Yingxue_Wang Oh!There must be something wrong with my computer.I can't see anything you write. MHCAlly and hello villz   Yingxue_Wang left. MHCAnne The graded paper that is required within the application gives us a greater knowledge of your writing style. ana_rom hello! MHCDarcy I'm a transfer student, so to graduate with my class (2009) I didn't have time to take my distribution requirements as well as the courses necessary for an Italian major - although I wanted to Kay ohh MHCAbby Welcome Vilz! MHCDarcy I transferred from a baking and pastry arts college, so naturally not all of my credits transferred into the academic arena MHCAbby hi Ana-rom! MHCAlly do you have any questions ana? Yanan Abby: yes, I do admire this characteristics of MHC, but they are also what other colleges can provide. ana_rom about the graded paper, is it ok if I submit a paper written for Cambridge Advanced Examination? Kay So about the double major   Villz left. MHCAbby Yanan- are you asking me why I think MHC stands out? Or something else, I want to answer your question. Yanan Yes, and I replied you answer Kay how does it work, I mean, I only one major takes 4 years and a lot of time, how do we balance two majors? MHCAlly ana - it needs to be graded. the important part is that it has teacher's comments. we want to see how you've taken them into account and grown as a writer. Kay Is it like going to colllege twice? Yanan Abby: yes, I do admire this characteristics of MHC, but they are also what other colleges can provide.   triffidsgirl joined. MHCAnne It needs to be graded with comments. It really is best to submit a graded paper were there are more comments because we are able to see your writing critiqued ana_rom oh I got the point. tks MHCAlly no prob MHCAlly other questions? MHCDarcy One major (geology, for example) it's required that you have 36 credits (which means 9 classes), and to graduate a student needs a minimum of 128 to graduate. Yanan I want to know more on her leadership ability emphazis, Abby please?   Yingxue_Wang joined. MHCAlly hello triffdsgirl MHCAnne Any other questions? ana_rom how strong are the scince departments at MHC? MHCAbby Yanan- MHC has a strong academic legacy, and has educated women since 1837. I feel that the college nurtures and allows students to explore their academic potential. MHCAbby Oh ok I can answer that :-) MHCDarcy So, by doing the math you can see that it's entirely possible to do two majors (approximately 76 credits, depending on the department in question) triffidsgirl Er, re:the graded paper...what if you have been out of school for 4 years? I think I have a critique from my Media Diploma tutor...would that do? triffidsgirl Hi Ally! MHCDarcy A lot of students double-major Kay thats true MHCCatarina Science is big at MHC - we have top of the line facilities, exciting research opportunities, and rigorous academics. MHCAlly Science departments are amazing here! They really cater to you. Kay Have you studied abroad? MHCAlly almost all my friends are involved in the sciences gk27 I'm still a junior in High school, what can I do to strengthen my application before senior year? ana_rom can you do research or internships since your freshman year? MHCDarcy I have not studied abroad although I've been to Italy a couple times, but MHCAbby has MHCAnne Anything that is graded and commented on will do. We are just looking to get a varied group of writing samples from you. MHCAbby Leadership is greatly emphasised at MHC. Students are encourages to demonstrate leadership skills inside and outside of the class room. We also have the Weissman Center for Leadership that holds workshops, lectures and host speakers on campus. Kay My dad is going to italy tomorrow to close a deal MHCCatarina gk27, take the most rigorous courses your school offers, and seek out leadership opportunities in the area(s) that you are passionate about outside of class. MHCDarcy Very cool! Kay yeah! MHCAlly Ana - you can! there's lot of research available on campus and often first years are involved. triffidsgirl Oh, that's ok then. I just called my Mom and she said all my old English is still in the attic. It'll be a little mouldy...but will it do?! Yanan Weissman Center, yeah I'm very interested in it, could you please tell me more about it? MHCCatarina triffidsgirl -yes, it will do. triffidsgirl Yey!! Thanks Catarina! Yanan Also, what is the on-class atmosphere like? MHCAnne It just needs to be the most recent that you can get. We understand if you haven't taken courses in a while so the samples are old etc. MHCAlly And internships - I see no reason as to why you couldn't. There are so many resources on campus to help you find an internship. MHCAlly I'm actually working on internships right now, Ana ana_rom are internships available for intls as well? I know at some schools there aren't MHCAlly Yes they are Kay so darcy, my high school curriculum is like this: freshman and sophomore years were a disaster, i was very irresponsible back then when it came to school, but I didnt have a dream. In junior year i found out what my dream is and my junior year was very good, and I am entering senior year next year, ana_rom phew ::smile triffidsgirl Yeah, I kept all my most recent stuff. Thank you, Anne. What is the GLBT Atmosphere like at MHC? Are they active and how remote is the school? Yanan Catarina:what is the on-class atmosphere like? Yingxue_Wang You said SAT is optional.But if I submit the score,will it put me in an disadvantaged position? MHCAlly any other questions ana? MHCAbby The Weissman center holds the S.A.W center which stands for: Speaking Arguing and Writing center.... students can bring in their class essays and have them edited, or if you have a presentation you can have it videotaped and critiqued. It's very helpful. MHCDarcy The director who will read your application will be happy to see that you're on an upward trend, so keep that up Kay I am also taking the sat in june and toefl in may ana_rom is it better to submit a low SAT score or not submit it? Yanan I see, yeah I agree this method is very helpful. MHCDarcy The SAT's are not required, so don't feel obligated to submit them. TOEFL's are required, however MHCAbby The atmosphere in class depends on the lecture and the course. But for the most part they are divided into either speaking intensive or writing intensive MHCAlly it really depends on you and how you feel about your scores. Mt. Holyoke really takes into account the fact that its one day of testing. Mine were awful and I submitted MHCAbby professors really like students to be active in class and participate in discussion MHCAbby does that answer your quest Yanan? Yanan then,are they? ana_rom can I ask you yours ally? ::smile Kay but by doing what is not required, and doing it good, that will give me some point. I think ::unsure Yanan Active and ready to debate? MHCDarcy You should submit your SAT's if you feel they support what you've done in high school - that your grades reflect your SAT score MHCAnne Tiffdsgirl- The campus is one big diverse community- we do have a LGBT cultural house for students and the community is strong and supported throughout campus. MHCAbby yes students are very active in class MHCDarcy The director who reads your app. won't judge you if you do not submit your SAT scores - see how well you do, and if you feel it doesn't augment your application, don't feel pressured to submit them Yingxue_Wang Could I give you more than 2 essays or writing samples? Kay what do you mean? MHCAlly That's personal, but I can assure you that there's no judgement if you block your scores. triffidsgirl That sounds great, Anne. I've been to college before and was the only girl in our LGBT soc...Things are very different across the pond, I guess! Yanan Oh that's great, thank you Abby, it must have cost you a lot og time MHCAlly Does that help? MHCDarcy What is it that you don't understand? I'd like to answer your question as best I can. MHCAbby Yanan- not a problem my pleasure.Where are you from? Yanan China Yanan What about you? MHCAbby fantastic! I was in Hong Kong for a year studying abroad MHCAbby I love China! Kay you mean that if I dont do good it is best not to send my scores? Yanan Really! MHCAbby yes! MHCAbby I can't wait to go back MHCCatarina kay, if you feel your scores are not in line with your other submissions (transcript, etc), then you have the choice to block them. MHCAbby We have a lot of students from China ( I don't know the exact number) but you wont be alone MHCDarcy If you don't do as well as you expected, feel free to block your scores. The director will not assume anything concerning why you blocked them. Yanan What interesting things have you done in HK? Kay ohhh Kay noted Yanan ahh, I want to know more! MHCAbby Also we just had a cultural event on campus called: Varisaians. Which is a cultural showcase of Asian culture. It is very popular and a lot of the campus attends Kay can you tell me about south hadley? MHCAnne Any other questions? Kay What is it like living there MHCAbby Hong Kong was wonderful. I had the opportunity to travel to Beijing, and some southern proviences. MHCDarcy South Hadley is pretty rural (a.k.a. small) but we're 15 minutes away from Amherst and 25 minutes from Northampton, two larger areas that have loads of activities to do. Yingxue_Wang Could I send you 3 essays or writing samples? Yanan Does it provide Asia food? If I were admited, I will bring to the campus my professional disshes:) Kay i like rural places, I think they are more homey, you know? MHCDarcy South Hadley is not lacking in the 'homey' department triffidsgirl Regarding the essay, I have so much I want to reveal in my personal statement as I didn't have the typical post-high school experience. What is the maximum length my essay should be? Yanan How did this HK experience affected you, Abby? MHCCatarina Yingxue - 1 will suffice, but we welcome additional information, if you feel it give us a greater sense of your writing abilities.   Amy joined.   ProspectiveTransfer joined. Amy hello! MHCAlly Hello Amy a MHCCatarina Hi Amy   ProspectiveTransfer left. Kay not looking for a big place where I don't know where im going or who im talking too Kay thats good! MHCDarcy You definitely can't get lost in the cracks here Kay lol Amy being completely honest, what would you say you like and dislike about MHC? Kay excellent! =) MHCAbby We could love that. Most students eat in the dining hall- which does make Asian dishes. We also have four full kitchens, so you could cook dishes! Please share! haha Yanan especially the effects to your values of life? ana_rom are you at a disadvantege if your writing skills are not the best? Kay so do the students have a lot of extracurricular options? Yanan No problem! Kay i lovee nature Kay and movies Kay and shopping MHCDarcy Extracurricular options is like a double-edged sword: there's lots to do, but there is not enough time to do it all! MHCAlly I love the people. They are amazing. Everyone is so down to earth and everyone has so many different interests. That's what brought me here. MHCDarcy There is a movie theater located within walking distance from campus and a large shopping mall about 15 minutes away in nearby Holyoke MHCAbby My time in HK affected me tremendiously! I Value other perspectives more and think that having an open mind about culture and politics is very important. I learned a lot. MHCAlly I dislike silly things. Like the bike rack situation (I have a bike and there's never anywhere to put it) MHCDarcy And there are plenty of trails for hiking and nature to explore if you're interested in the great outdoors! triffidsgirl What is the night life like?? MHCAnne There is no limit, however a 20 page personal statement won't receive the same amoutn of attention as a 5 page one. I would encourage you to send in what you feel is a proper length. MHCAlly I know it sounds cheesy and fake but there's nothing that I truly dislike Yanan To everybody at Mount Holyoke: what are your dreams? Amy haha, that's good to hear!   Molly joined. MHCAlly Other questions Amy? MHCDarcy Mine is to work for National Geographic in Italy, or maybe to be a geology teacher to middle school students. MHCAlly And hello Molly ana_rom how is MHC involved in the battle against pollution? triffidsgirl Oh, so, it can be more than 500 words? MHCAbby I want to go to graduate school and become a professor   mroark923 joined. Molly hi MHCAbby Welcome Mroark! mroark923 thanks! Kay you want to work there too? Amy oh yeah, for the application, if i send in either the common application of the supplement first, i'll then get a password and id to check my application status? MHCDarcy Certo! Kay Hey! maybe we will see eachother Kay Cero! Kay certo! MHCAbby Hey all- please feel free to jump in and ask a question :-)   Jyotsna joined. MHCDarcy Have you been studying Italian for long, Kay? Faith Does MHC have an Honors Program? MHCAlly Ana- I'm so glad you asked. I'm secretary of the environmental action coalition! We run huge campaigns around campus, not just to reduce pollution, but also for reducing use of energy, and getting people to recycle MHCAnne Depending on your interests there are many options in the area, both Amherst and Northampton have are larger towns so have more a of a typical nightlife. However, the campus if rarely without action. Molly so its ok to sent things one at a time for the application? mroark923 whats the community service like on campus? MHCCatarina Ana, MHC is very environmentally aware. All of our new building are LEEDS certified (made with as many sustainable materials as possible); we're continually working on bringing things up to speed, in terms of energy use, recycling, etc. MHCAnne Amy- yes you will be able to check your application online.   ana_rom left.   Cracker joined. triffidsgirl Oh, Anne, seriously. I'm 22, Irish and will need to know the longitude and latitude of the nearest bar!   ana_rom joined. Jyotsna the rep at our school said that students are very involved in community service Amy thank you! MHCDarcy hahaha! Cracker Are there any writting courses in mhc? MHCAbby Faith- students can write an honors thesis and recieve honors that way Kay not for long, I lived in Miami for 5 years then I moved back to Brazil 2 years ago. My italian is not very good, most of it I learned by hearing my dad talk on the phone and by readding( at least trying) contracts Faith oh MHCAnne there are plenty of bars in amherst, about 10 munites away triffidsgirl Thank you! MHCAlly cracker- there are many writing courses. creative writing, verse, journalism   gk27 left. Yanan Are there a lot of opportunities of community services out side the college? MHCAnne Hello! MHCDarcy Depending on your level, you can opt to take a placement test when you enter Cracker Which do you think that can improve writting skills best? Amy is the workload at MHC manageable? mroark923 is drinking opular on campus but is it more like if you want to drink you can and if you dont there are a lot of other activities to take part it? Faith what kind of extracurricular activities are you (MHC ppl) involved in? mroark923 popular** Yanan I mean, like opportunities really involve you in the cociety? Kay ok Yanan society Kay And what about this graded paper? ana_rom are SATs considered instead of placement tests? MHCAlly I think that really depends on what type of writing you're interested in. However, I've taken a few writing courses on campus and I think they all help you grow as a writer Kay I have to write a paper in english and have my teacher grade it? MHCAnne mroark-the social life here really is what you make of it. mroark923 ok sweet Molly how would you discribe the dorms? MHCDarcy The graded paper should be 2 to 3 pages long, but it can be longer if you don't have one that length; yes it either needs to originally be in English, or you can have it translated MHCAbby Faith- I'm a member of the international club, and I work with the Center for Global initiatives mroark923 and what would be your advice on how to prepare your self during senior year for mhc's curriculum? Cracker Hey How can I get into a international club? MHCAbby Faith- we have over 150 student organizations, so there are lots of options MHCAnne Amy-the workload is definitly manageable, however I would encourage you take classes that you are passionate about, so the work doesn't seem like work! MHCAbby anything specific you are interested in? Jyotsna can we fax the graded paper? or should it be sent through the mail?   Molly left. MHCAbby Jyotsna - yes you can MHCAbby the number is on the admissions website   triffidsgirl left. Jyotsna thanks MHCAbby sure Faith Oo! International Club! That sounds interesting. What exactly do you do? Kay Do I have to write one especially for the application or those it have to be a paper I wrote on a school assingment MHCCatarina Mroark923 - I would encourage you to take as challenging classes as possible Yanan what is the on-class atmosphere like? Yeah, I have the same question, since "dorms like palaces" is a little bit abstract. MHCDarcy Generally students submit papers they've already written for class, although I don't see a problem in writing a special paper and then having a teacher edit it: the most important part is the teacher comments MHCCatarina ...but ultimately, continue to be involved in what you are passionate about and do what you love. Kay noted ana_rom what if the papers we write for class are 1 page length? mroark923 ok Jyotsna do you focus more on individual work or group projects? MHCAlly the dorms here are really nice. Each has its own style. They feel very homey. Kay can you tell me what MHC offers for international students? Do you know any brazilian students?   Yingxue_Wang left. MHCCatarina ana, if that is all you have, send that in. It will be fine. mroark923 how is the food? Yanan Darcy: How is teacher comments important? MHCAbby yeah it's a lot of fun. We do a lot of community service activities but our main event is the Festival of Diversity. It's a huge about 2 1/2 hour long showcase of student tallent that relates to culture. So for example we can have west african drumming, or classical indian dance, tonz of acts. It's MHCAbby It's a huge about 2 1/2 hour long showcase of student tallent that relates to culture. So for example we can have west african drumming, or classical indian dance, tonz of acts. It's lots of fun and there is great food! Jyotsna you have an indian classical dance club? MHCDarcy Kay, I don't know the exact figures on Brazilian students, but a staff member here (MHCCatarina) does speak Portuguese MHCAlly The food is amazing! It's one of my favorite thing on campus! I'm always at the dining halls. I spend hours enjoying our Sunday brunches, our themed dinners, etc MHCDarcy MHC offers a lot of programs and support for International students Cracker Great food? What kinds? Yanan Darcy: How is teacher comments important,please? Jyotsna wow that is so cool Faith what if we submitted a graded paper, but we want to send another paper that was graded recently as well..can we do that? MHCCatarina Yanan - the teacher comments are important in that they give us a glimpse into the kind of feedback you are receiving and the way teachers approach grading at your school. Some teachers write more than others, etc.   chat-admin joined. Kay you have orientation? MHCAlly Food- there's a little bit of everything. You can grab some sushi.There's pizza. There's mashed potatoes, ceral, chicken, pasta, and anything else you can think of. Amy can i send in a graded spanish essay instead of an english one? MHCAbby Faith- sure you can send it. MHCAlly I particularly enjoy the ice cream available in ham/mcgregor dorms Kay catarina- how did you learn portuguese? MHCDarcy Yes, we have a special orientation for international students, I believe it starts a few days before domestic students arrive (two days before) Yanan Yeah but in China they usually write some very limited words because of the workload-- about 50 papers to grade in 2 hours Cracker sounds great? Kay thas good ana_rom ice cream?in winter? cool! MHCAnne Any other questions?   contragal joined. mroark923 Would you say it is pretty easy meet guys and interact with them and it is supposedly true that an all girls school makes it easier to say what you want in class and push your self in a positive manner, do you think this is true? Faith MHC-Abby, What does International Club do? MHCAbby Welcome Contragirl Cracker Does any one know something about study abroad program? MHCCatarina Yanan - that is okay. It is outside of your control and we understand that. Send what you have. MHCAbby Oh faith, I just answered that, scroll up ::smile contragal Thanks, Abby! MHCAbby But if you have specific questions I'd love to answer them Yanan I have already. An essay on spring. My teacher wrote about 2 lines Jyotsna I go to an all girls school now after transferring from a public school. It is definately a different environment in a good way. MHCCatarina Kay, I was born in the Azores islands. MHCAlly mroark - I'd say it depends on the person. I have no problem meeting guys. But I don't go out looking for them. I meet them in classes or at events.   ProspectiveTransfer joined. Yanan Then is the teacher comment more important than the essay? Kay catarina- oh.. I've been there Jyotsna there is a lot more class discussion and people act more like themselves. mroark923 ok thanks Cracker May I ask how girl school envroment differ from public. Kay - catarina: lindo lugar   Villz joined.   Brandi joined. MHCAbby Hello Villz and Brandi Brandi Hello :) Villz hi MHCCatarina Yanan - not necessarily. We take both into consideration. We want to learn about your academic writing (versus your personal essay) and to learn about your school, if possible. MHCCatarina Kay - which island did you visit? ana_rom I have to go to slepep. it's 2 am here and I have school in the morning. Thanks for answering my questions and maybe we'll see next year on campus! Jyotsna class sizes are really small Kay darcy: is the acceptance there in MHC too hard? I mean, is the high school transcript the most important? MHCAbby Hi Prospective Transfer, do you have a question, please jump in mroark923 well thanks for everything, I have to go do my homework MHCAlly good luck ProspectiveTransfer I need to leave right now. Thanks for all your help in answering questions. Hopefully I'll mark myself as a member of the MHC community in a year or two, with any luck. Bye! Jyotsna girls aren't always focused on impressing boys MHCAnne Thansk for joining us!   ProspectiveTransfer left.   mroark923 left. Jyotsna trying to act dumb just to get attention ana_rom everybody leaves now lol! Brandi How are the lab sizes at MHC? Is it hard to get hands on experience as a freshman? Yanan What if the teachers can not fully represent my high school rigor? But it's only an asumption. MHCDarcy Your transcript is definitely the most important part of your application Villz i am a high school freshman and i was wondering if there are any classes that MHC looks favorably upon??   ana_rom left. MHCCatarina Villz, we like to see rigor - so take challenging courses (Honors or AP) if available to you. MHCDarcy Brandi - lab sizes are generally 12 to 15 students and research opportunities are available to you starting your first year Villz thanks Brandi Alright, thank you contragal wondering about how many ap classes have most successful applicants taken? Kay catarina- I went to ponta delgada Cracker Darcy, transcript the most important????/ Then how about SAT, how about my essay? MHCAbby Contragal- we do not compare students to one another Kay catarina- I think it was on sao miguel island MHCDarcy SAT's are required - only submit them if you feel the scores support the rest of your application. The essay is the second most important aspect - it allows us to get to know you better as an individual MHCAbby the admissions staff is looking to see that you are taking the most rigorous courses avaliable to you...not how you stand compared to tothers MHCDarcy *SAT's are NOT required, sorry MHCCatarina Contragal, it depends on what is available to you. We don't have a set number as student come from different schools. We like to see that a student has taken advantage of what is available to them. MHCCatarina Kay - Ponta Delgada is where I was born. Cracker Then Are interview required??? Jyotsna are there any hospitals near Mount Holyoke? MHCDarcy No, but interviews are strongly recommended if you can get here Jyotsna can studentss intern with the doctors and researchers there? contragal thanks, Catarina MHCAnne There is a hospital about 10 minutes away from campus MHCAbby Cracler- Nope its not, but recommended Cracker I afraid I don't have any schooler near em. Yanan Oh, can I ask how do Mount Holyoke decide form so many applicants which ones to admit? Are we graded according to academic/activity perfromance, and then have a rank? Cracker SO GREAT!!! Kay catarina- really? it is a beatiful place. I loved the museums and the boats   contragal left. Jyotsna if a school doesn't rank students how do you evalute the applicant? MHCAbby Cracker you can call the admissions office (during the day) and they will tell you if there is an alum that is nearby- alums also give interviews Cracker How is the campus?? ::huh MHCAnne All kinds of interships are available on this campus. MHCCatarina Yanan, applications are each read twice - and rated based on academics, writing, involvement, leadership, and other components if submitted (test score, interview, etc). Brandi Is there anything that you disliked about MHC at first? Amy ok i have to go right now but i may log back in! thank you everyone! MHCDarcy Can you ask a specific question about campus that you're interested in? Cracker Anne, how can I get a job in Library?? MHCAnne Thanks Amy! MHCAlly bye amy Cracker How is the library here?   Amy left. Villz i really enjoy music and i have been in chorus since elementary school and i am thinking of pursuing it all 4 years of highschool. does MHC look at it as an easy class or a student's passion/interest? MHCAnne The jobs in the library are chosen through an application process. MHCDarcy The library is visually beautiful! If you can visit it, you should certainly consider it. We have 7 floors of stacks and about 715,000 volumes, we have 2500 periodicals delivered MHCCatarina Villz, sounds like music is your passion! so we would regard it as such. MHCAlly Villz - MHC loves the arts and will look at that as a passion Cracker Library Library, the Library in my school now are not really good... Kay darcy- my school system of grades and extracurricular is very different from the Usa, will the admissions staff understand everything, the limitations i had and etc Yanan Catarina: And then? Admit the top ones? Villz thanks MHCAlly no problem   Martha joined. MHCAbby Welcome Martha! MHCAnne Hi Martha! Cracker Sound so great ::rolleyes Martha Hi! MHCDarcy We here at the Admission Office have what we call Foreign Fellows, international students who help us read international applications, and the directors are very understanding that international applications and curriculum are different from the USA MHCDarcy If you feel you should submit something to explain your application or anything extra, feel free to do so: everything you submit is taken into consideration MHCAbby Martha do you have a question, please jump in Yanan Is someone majored in biology here? Cracker How often does mhc hold a debate?? ::blush MHCAbby Cracker we have a debate team Brandi Oh yes, is there a bio major in here? Cracker REALLY.... MHCDarcy I'm a geology major - not bio, but science nonetheless MHCAbby Our team goes off campus for most weekends, and we hold one debate each semester on campus MHCAbby we debate with schools in New England MHCCatarina we have someone in Room 1 that was a bio major: MHCKate...if you have specific questions for her. Brandi oh, alright Yanan Thank you! Cracker Then How to choose the topic???   Yanan left. Kay yes, but my school in particular, I live in espirito santo, a place where we don't have many opportunities and we actually have to pay to be in a lot of extracurricular. It is not like in SAO PAULO and in RIO DE JANEIRO where they systems that really help students who want to study abroad Villz if i want to pursue a career in elementary education, what would be the course of study for me at MHC?   Brandi left. Villz does MHC have an education major? MHCAbby Cralker- our debate team is parlimentary style...so the topics are chosen by the teams. MHCDarcy Directors are very understanding of your circumstances, so if you write a letter explaining your situation, I'm sure they will understand Kay actually, I am the first student in my school ever to want to study abroad, so you must imagine how hard it is whrn they cant help you Kay ok Kay thats good Cracker ::laugh are there any music club in mhc??? MHCDarcy Yes Villz, we have a psych and education major MHCDarcy You can become certified to teach K-8th grade Martha are teachers accommodating to athletes as far as missing classes or rescheduling assignments? MHCCatarina Yes, Darcy is right. You should include some of that information in your application (the "additional information" section"). Villz thanks darcy MHCAnne Cracker-We have a Glee club chorus and a bunch of Acapella groups on campus. Cracker And, IFｉknow nothing about an instrument, can I go there as well??? Kay catarina- are you talking to me? ::smile MHCAlly Martha, professors understand if you're busy and need to reschedule an assignment. They're available to see you outside of class if you need help MHCCatarina Yes you can! Many people try new things at MHC, including playing an instrument, a new sport, etc. Faith How does the Alum interview work? I am planning to do that b/c I cannot come to the campus at this time. Do I just call the Alumna and meet her for the interview? And after the interview does the almuna tell the the admission staff how it went? Martha thanks MHCCatarina Kay, I was replying to you, yes. MHCAbby Martha- our athletes are scholar athletes- so that means school comes first. But yes, profs. are understanding. MHCAnne Cracker- If you don't have experience playing instruments you can take music lessons. The vocal clubs also have lessions if you are interested. Cracker BRILLIANT!!!!!!! ::laugh MHCDarcy You can call the admission office (413-538-2023) to get an alum's information Kay thank you.... So I can explain my situation and they will understand it   Amelia joined. MHCAbby HI Amelia- welcome! Cracker bYE Everyone, i got to do my homework! ::blush   Cracker left. MHCAlly bye MHCAbby Best wishes MHCCatarina Yes, Kay. We receive applications from all over the world so we are accomodating to the different systems. MHCAbby bye MHCDarcy The way alum interviews goes is that you either meet at their hom or in a common area (perhaps a coffee shop) and they conduct the interview - it carries just as much weight as though you came to the office yourself Amelia hi Abby MHCDarcy *home MHCCatarina Faith, Yes, the alumna will submit an interview report to the admission office. Villz i posted this question in chat 1 as well, i am from the southwestern suburbs of chicago and MHC has no school visits around our area. are you planning any visits in the near future???? MHCAbby If you have any questions, please jump in Kay Im am sorry to ask you this, but how do they know Im being honest? If some one just says that to make them consider the application more, how do you know? Faith what type of questions are asked in interviews? Kay sorry about the question Kay im just curius MHCCatarina Villz, what high school do you go to? I can tell our Director who now travels to the Chicago area. Villz Neuqua Valley High School in Naperville, Illinois MHCDarcy Kay, we operate on the honor code - we assume you are telilng us the truth about your circumstances MHCCatarina I will tell Cherry Cachero, our Admission Counselor to travels the area. Jyotsna hey I interviewed with her Kay ok Jyotsna she was really nice Villz thanks! that would be great. ::biggrin Kay do you have any one coming to brazil? MHCAbby Faith- we ask all sorts of questions in interviews. During my interviews (and I think most) I like to get a sense of the students academics, their outside activities and of course their passions. It's a good way to see if students are a match for MHC. Faith ok! MHCDarcy No, but you can call the admission office if you'd like to see if there is an alum representative in your area MHCAbby Are you nervous about your interview? Kay ok MHCAbby Don't be i'm sure you'll do fine, just be yourself... haha MHCAbby We try not to be scary MHCAbby a hint: smile and be friendly   RosieL joined. MHCDarcy Hi Rosie! MHCAnne Hi RosieL! RosieL hI RosieL this is my first chat room RosieL =) MHCDarcy Mine too! MHCAlly dido Kay does anyone know if there are brazilian students in MHC?   Jyotsna left. MHCDarcy Hang on Kay, I'll find out Faith are any of you involved in Student government?   Christina_Sampson joined. Kay thank you MHCAlly hi christina! Villz what percentage of students apply from illinois???? MHCAnne I have been invovled in Student Government since I arrived. Any questions? MHCAbby Hi Christina- welcome MHCCatarina Hi Christina - good to have you Christina_Sampson Hi!   Mandukhai joined. MHCDarcy Kay, right now we have two students from Brazil Christina_Sampson Thank you I am happy to be here MHCAlly hi mandukhai! MHCCatarina Villz, I don't know, but you may want to contact Cherry, who manages that territory. Her email is on our website - admission staff. Faith Yes! How do you get invovled esp. when you are a freshman? Mandukhai hi all RosieL i am wondering if you know anything about the psychology major. Kay two? ohh I would really reaaally like to talk to them? Martha do most of the students stay on campus friday and sat. nights or do they go to other schools? Kay Is there any way I can contact them? MHCDarcy I'm sorry kay, I can't give out any of their information Kay okay Kay thank you anyway MHCAnne There are alot of opportunites to get involved in SGa right when you get on campus. You can run to be a Senator in your dorm, or join a committee! MHCAbby Hi Mandukhai- do you have a question? MHCDarcy Martha, a student's social life is entirely in her own hands MHCDarcy some students go off campus fri and sat. nights, and some stay on MHCDarcy it depends what's going on here and what's going on elsewhere Martha ok, thanks RosieL how often do students take classes at the other "five colleges"? Faith what kind of committees? And can you run for Senator and join a committee? MHCDarcy last night there was west-african drumming on campus and a lot of students from the five-college area came Kay ohhh MHCAbby Rosie- 75% of students take a course off campus Kay tell me about the 5 colleges Kay I can take any classes I want in any of the 5 Kay ?   LizzieyJ joined. LizzieyJ Hey Christina_Sampson I would first like to thank Mount. Holyoke for having me during the Focus on Diversity weekend. I had an amazing time but I do have a question? MHCAlly Hi Lizziey Mandukhai yes, i'm interested in your biology programs at Mount holyoke, and i am doing pre-med right now, do you guys have a lot of pre-med students out there? MHCAbby Kay- yes you can, after your first year you can go off campus. MHCCatarina It was nice to have you on campus, Christina! MHCAbby Do you have a specific question about the 5 colleges LizzieyJ I really want to transfer to Mount Holyoke MHCAlly Do you have any questions Lizziey? MHCDarcy I'm a transfer student! LizzieyJ really?! Kay that sounds so exciting! MHCDarcy Yup! MHCAnne You can definitely do both, there are alot of options for committes from the Student conference committee which complies a survey every year to present ot the board or trustess or the Dining services commitee that works with dining services. RosieL do most students live on campus through out her years at mhc? Mandukhai can you take classes at those other 4 schools? LizzieyJ I just wanted to know how easy it is to transfer..i.e is it difficult ot transfer credits? Will I still be able to find groups to join, ect.? MHCAlly There are lots of pre-med students on campus MHCAnne SGA is a multi-faceted organization on campus that offers many ways to get invovled! LizzieyJ Darcy, what was the hardest part about transfering for you? MHCDarcy Hmmm Christina_Sampson I would love to know Ms. Costa, if the school could send out holiday deliveries for the Chef Jeff cookies? MHCAlly Mandukhai you can take classes at the other schools. It is encouraged. MHCAbby Rosie- 98% of students live on campus. But you can also choose off campus housing Faith so does the student really get involved and make important decisions for the MHC campus? Is it really active? MHCDarcy Probably the mos