By Allison Trzop

Mount Holyoke College sent me a flyer just before my junior year of high school. Before that, I had never even heard of women’s colleges. A whole series of coincidences began with that flyer: I heard Mount Holyoke mentioned in Dirty Dancing, I read about its founder in a magazine, and my hometown newspaper in Kentucky discussed its liberal arts curriculum. I visited the Web site just to figure out what the place was all about.

Through my interest in the Equestrian Team, one of the best in the nation, I was linked up with student athletes via e-mail. I also visited Mount Holyoke’s Daily Jolt page and read limitless postings. I couldn’t get over how positive all of these women were about their school. Every voice I heard praised the unique dynamic found only at a women’s college. Eventually, I conned my parents into a campus visit.

I stood on that gorgeous 800-acre campus in Western Massachusetts, and the “vibe” hit me hard. I wanted to join the ranks of Emily Dickinson, Susan-Lori Parks and Frances Perkins, all Mount Holyoke women. Without hesitation, I applied Early Decision; the fat envelope came on Christmas.

The rest of my senior year I spent trying to reconcile the fact that I was a huge tomboy and spent most of my time around guys with the certainty that I wouldn’t be seeing many for the next four years. More than anything else, I was scared that I didn’t know how to be friends with girls. Truthfully, I missed my buddies from home all through college. Luckily, I joined up with a gregarious team, Ice Hockey, and made some all-new rowdy friends.

I found something invaluable at Mount Holyoke: my voice. I learned what it meant to be a woman in a community of women. I cultivated a network of close friends, professors and administrators who pushed me academically and supported me personally.

Although I was an excellent student, I remember my senior-year high school English professor laughing at my college ambitions. He told me to forget Mount Holyoke because I’d never get in there. At Mount Holyoke, I was surrounded by peers and mentors, all of whom seemed intent on helping me achieve my next goal, whatever it might be. Thanks to them, I’m in graduate school and on a career track I relish.

To be candid, women’s colleges aren’t for everyone (for example, they’re not for men). Spend some time on-campus and chat up some students to gauge whether the climate is right. Mount Holyoke has a lot of labels: crunchy, liberal, gay, nerdy, etc. Most of the stereotypes about Mount Holyoke women spring from the fact that their community values tolerance above all else. If you’re looking for a campus full of people who look just like you, keep looking. If, like me, you find yourself seeking a space for personal development at a first-tier college, consider Mount Holyoke.

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