PrivateSuburban

Mount Holyoke College

MHC

South Hadley, Massachusetts 01075-1489

Campus Vibe

Sciences-focusedSuburbanInternational

Known for biology

Mount Holyoke College is a private institution in South Hadley with particular strength in biology and psychology. With an average SAT of 1422, the school attracts a broad applicant pool.

A mid-sized campus of 2.2K undergraduates with a 9:1 student-faculty ratio. The suburban location offers a balance of campus life and nearby amenities.

85% of students graduate within four years, and graduates earn a median of $58,418 a decade after enrollment. Net price after aid averages $29,562.

Established

1837

Motto

That our daughters may be as corner stones, polished after the similitude of a palace — Psalms 144:12

Mascot

Paws the Lion (Official)

Type

Private women's liberal arts college

Conference

National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III and the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) as well as the New England Rowing Conference (NERC)

Division

Division III

Campus Visits

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38%Acceptance

1422SAT Avg

2,198Students

9:1Student:Faculty

85%Grad Rate

$58,418Earnings 10yr

$29,562Net Price

News & Alerts

program2026-03-15

Mount Holyoke College Launches New Data Science Minor

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tuition2026-02-28

Tuition Increase Announced for 2026-27

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Admissions

Acceptance Rate38.3%

SAT Score Ranges

Average: 1422

Reading & WritingMid: 705

690750

MathMid: 700

660750

ACT Score Range

CompositeMid: 33

3133

Admissions

Test-OptionalNo Demonstrated InterestHolistic ReviewOn-Campus Interviews

Application Platforms

Common AppCoalition (Scoir)QuestBridge

Early Decision (Binding)

November 15

Decision by January 1

Aid deadline: November 15

Early Decision II (Binding)

January 1

Decision by February 1

Regular Decision

January 15

Decision by April 1

Reply by May 1

SAT/ACT scores are optional. Students may submit scores if they believe they reflect their academic abilities.

Mount Holyoke-specific supplemental essay required.

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Admissions Intel

Acceptance Rate

38.3%

Trend

SAT Avg

1422

Yield Rate

35.0%

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Cost & Financial Aid

Sticker Price

Tuition$64,142

Room & Board$18,838

Books & Supplies$1,000

Total Cost of Attendance$77,545

Average Net Price$29,562

Median Debt at Graduation$22,902

Monthly Payment (10yr)$243

Net Price by Family Income

$0–30K$17,365

$30–48K$17,670

$48–75K$21,565

$75–110K$31,425

$110K+$42,389

Financial Intel

Avg Net Price

$29,562

Tuition Trend

Graduate w/ Zero Debt

5700.0%

Avg Tuition Increase

3.2%/yr

Median Debt at Grad

$18,258

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Campus Safety

Total Incidents (2024)

15

Peer Average

13

3-Year Trend

Emergency System

Campus police, emergency alert system, blue-light phones

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Academics

Core/Distribution RequirementsSemesterPhi Beta KappaFirst-Year SeminarCustom MajorsDouble Major OK

Majors

50

Avg class size

17

Classes < 30 students

80%

Student-faculty ratio

10:1

Study abroad

50%

Distribution requirements across the humanities, sciences, social sciences, and mathematics.

Research: Summer research fellowships and Lynk funding support student-faculty collaborative research.

Thesis: Senior thesis or capstone project available in most departments.

View all 41 majors›

AnthropologyArt HistoryArt StudioAstronomyBiochemistryBiologyChemistryClassical StudiesComputer ScienceCritical Social ThoughtDanceData ScienceEconomicsEducationEnglishEnvironmental StudiesFilm StudiesFrenchGender StudiesGeographyGeologyGerman StudiesHistoryInternational RelationsItalianLatin American StudiesMathematicsMedieval StudiesMusicNeuroscience and BehaviorPhilosophyPhysicsPoliticsPsychologyReligionRomance LanguagesRussian and Eurasian StudiesSociologySpanishStatisticsTheatre Arts

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Programs (45)

Student Life

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Student Body

Undergrads

2,198

Gender Split

100% / 0%

Women / Men

First Generation

19%

Pell Grant Recipients

20%

Race & Ethnicity

White 50%

Black 5%

Hispanic 9%

Asian 7%

Two+ 5%

Int'l 22%

Outcomes

4-Year Graduation Rate85.0%

Freshman Retention89.7%

Median Earnings After Graduation

6 Years$48,590

8 Years$55,754

10 Years$58,418

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Notable Alumni

•

Frances Perkins, Class of 1902

First female U.S. Cabinet member, Secretary of Labor under FDR, architect of Social Security

•

Emily Dickinson

Iconic American poet, attended Mount Holyoke Seminary (1847-1848)

•

Suzan-Lori Parks '85

Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright (Topdog/Underdog)

•

Elaine Chao '75

U.S. Secretary of Transportation and Secretary of Labor

•

Virginia Apgar '29

Physician who created the Apgar Score for evaluating newborn health

•

Wendy Wasserstein '71

Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright (The Heidi Chronicles)

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Rankings

U.S. News

#34

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Forbes

#244

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Wall Street Journal

#29

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Washington Monthly

#16

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More About This School

Varsity Sports — Lyons

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Rankings

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History & Fun Facts

•History Mary Lyon ivory miniature Mount Holyoke Female Seminary in 1837 Mount Holyoke was founded in 1837 by Mary Lyon as "Mount Holyoke Female Seminary".
•By 1837 she had convinced multiple sponsors to support her ideals and the nation's first real college for women.
•Mount Holyoke Female Seminary opened on November 8, 1837, in South Hadley, Massachusetts.
•Mount Holyoke in 1887 Mount Holyoke Female Seminary was one of several Christian institutions of higher education for young women established during the first half of the 19th century.
•She was also involved in the creation of Wheaton Female Seminary (now Wheaton College) in 1834.

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Source: Wikipedia

Location & Lifestyle

Cost of Living

136Very High

Estimated from MA state average + suburban adjustment

Climate (School Year)

Snowfall: 60"Sunny days: 200Rainy days: 125

Nearest Cities

Bostonpop. 675K

78 mi(135 min)

New Yorkpop. 8.3M

130 mi(225 min)

Philadelphiapop. 1.6M

209 mi(362 min)

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Getting There

Nearest Airports

BDL Hartford Bradley23 mi

PVD Providence TF Green69 mi

ALB Albany71 mi

Distance to Cities

Boston, MA78 mi · ~2h 15m drive

New York, NY130 mi · ~3h 45m drive

Hartford, CT34 mi · ~59 min drive

Providence, RI67 mi · ~1h 56m drive

Albany, NY66 mi · ~1h 54m drive

Syracuse, NY190 mi · ~5h 29m drive

Rochester, NY263 mi · ~7h 36m drive

Buffalo, NY324 mi · ~9h 22m drive

Philadelphia, PA209 mi · ~6h 2m drive

Pittsburgh, PA405 mi · ~11h 42m drive

Harrisburg, PA262 mi · ~7h 34m drive

Newark, NJ134 mi · ~3h 52m drive

Trenton, NJ180 mi · ~5h 12m drive

Central (cold winters, warm summers)

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Visit Planning

Suggested Itinerary

9:00 AMArrive & park

Visitor parking lot

Free parking with visitor pass

9:30 AMCheck in at Admissions

Admissions Office

10:00 AMInformation session

Welcome Center

45 minutes

11:00 AMCampus tour

Starts at Welcome Center

75 minutes, student-led

12:30 PMLunch

Main Dining Hall

Visitor meal passes available

1:30 PMDepartment visit

Academic buildings

Schedule with department directly

2:30 PMExplore campus independently

Library, student center, residence halls

Nearby Hotels

Mid-Range

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Airport Transit

Hartford Bradley (BDL)23 miles

Rental car

35 min$40-60/day

Shuttle/rideshare

46 min$28-46

Providence TF Green (PVD)69 miles

Rental car

104 min$40-60/day

Shuttle/rideshare

138 min$83-138

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Nearby Attractions

•

The Village Commonswalkable

Shopping center in South Hadley with restaurants, shops, and a cinema.

•

Skinner State Park & Summit House

Scenic views from Mount Holyoke summit, popular hiking destination.

•

Hadley Farm Museum

Local history museum with farm artifacts and seasonal events.

•

Downtown Amherst

Vibrant college town with restaurants, bookstores, and cultural venues (10-minute drive or free bus).

•

Odyssey Bookshopwalkable

Independent bookstore in South Hadley Village Commons with author events.

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Deadline Calendar

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Mount Holyoke College Application Checklist

0/9 items complete

Common Application or Coalition Application

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Official High School Transcript

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School Report + Counselor Recommendation

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Two Teacher Recommendations

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SAT or ACT Scores (test-optional)Optional

Check current test policy

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Mount Holyoke College Supplemental EssaysNon-standard

1-3 supplemental essays required

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CSS Profile / FAFSA

Required for financial aid consideration

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Arts Portfolio (if applicable)Non-standardOptional

Required for arts programs

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Interview (recommended)Optional

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Decision Notifications

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