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Hi, I’m currently waitlisted to Bryn Mawr and Bates, but want to have insight as to what to pick in case I get off one.
For college references, I like to be near big cities, I don’t like forests, I find the HWC idea exciting, I want to be an English major, and I’d like for the college to have a strong music program. I also really like the beach. I like the small LAC vibe, which you can see from my choices. Bates and Bryn Mawr both have better financial aid (from net price calculators) than Mount Holyoke.
Bates Pros: Near the beach! Seems very tight-knit. Strong acapella program
Bates Cons: Maine, but still near Boston
Bryn Mawr Pros: Loved Bryn Mawr when I toured I have friends there that I’d love to go to college with Strong writing program Near Philly Cute traditions
Bryn Mawr Cons: I actually can’t think of any, I love BMC
Mount Holyoke Pros: Generous financial aid Cute campus Dining hall is good Tight-knit History! Strong writing program. Pangy day!
Mount Holyoke Cons: I don’t like the forest, like am scared of it Rural Massachusetts Closing down some departments I’m interested in Mountain Day
The lack of info on the two waitlist schools could just be because MHC is the one I’m admitted to and have researched more 🤷♀️ Please let me know your thoughts! Thanks!
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How is Mountain Day on your cons list? It's just a previously unannounced day off to do whatever you want with. You don't have to do the hike if you don't want to, but with the entire college doing it, it's barely even going to feel like forest. I am pretty sure you can totally pass on it if you really don't think you'd enjoy it.
BMC sounds like the right choice for you if you get in but I think you will also do very well at MoHo too. Congrats and good luck!
It was mostly the hike and like outdoorsy vibe in general for Mountain Day, like I feel like it’s a school culture mismatch
Thank you, I agree that BMC seems like the right choice for me. Hoping for waitlist movement 🤞🏻
Bryn Mawr was quite obvious given your stated criteria.
Have you visited Mount Holyoke? I ask because it is not really what I would consider very rural. It is like 20 minutes outside Springfield, a decent-sized city, and then Hartford is about 45 minutes away, Worcester 1 hour, Boston like 1:30ish depending on traffic. There are trees in the immediate area around Mount Holyoke, including a chunk of woods they own between the main campus and the equestrian center with various trails (Prospect Hill), but "forest" is a bit generous. But if you really don't want to walk in the woods, you will not have to.
Thanks!
I’ve visited twice! The drive there genuinely made me feel uncomfortable because it’s very wooded and that’s something I don’t like, yk. I find it to be really rural, but I’m also from a small town and like somewhere where woods aren’t common, so it makes me nervous.
Yes, I guess since I grew up in a state with lots of real deep woods, the sorts of patches of trees immediately near Mount Holyoke are hard for me to take seriously. But if you are truly woods-phobic that could be an issue I suppose. I suspect you would get used to it, but it is hard to be 100% sure.