HARVEY MUDD COLLEGE – CLAREMONT – CALIFORNIA – USA

  • Small private liberal arts college of engineering, science and mathematics
  • Founded in 1955
  • The highest quality technical education but with a liberal arts approach – how STEM can be applied to society
  • Residential campus
  • Around 900 undergraduates
  • 92% graduation rate in 4 years
  • Retention rate 98%
  • Very selective – around 14%
  • 9:1 students to faculty ratio
  • 50:50 male/female
  • 9% international
  • Amongst highest earning graduates in the US

Location

  • Southern California – only 35 miles east of LA
  • 20 minute drive to go hiking and mountain biking
  • 1 hour from the ocean
  • Very pleasant year round climate – outdoor lifestyle

The Claremont Colleges

  • 7 colleges based in close proximity to one another in the town of Claremont – a ‘family’ of universities
  • 5 cater to undergraduate students: Harvey Mudd, Scripps, Pitzer, Claremont McKenna and Pomona
  • 6,000+ students in total
  • Considered amongst the best undergrad colleges in the US
  • Each has an individual identify and academic focus, but many resources are shared
  • Students can take classes across all of the colleges – enrolment takes place through a central system
  • 100% of HMC students take classes in other colleges
  • Students can eat meals and participate in activities at the other colleges
  • Shared libraries, campus safety, and health and wellness services
  • Ensures students get to benefit from the diverse range of academic and non-academic opportunities offered by larger institutions

Academic

  • Only 10 majors: Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Engineering, Maths, Physics, Biology and Chemistry, Computer Science and maths, Maths and Physics, Mathematical and Computational Biology
  • Very broad based majors – eg. only a single engineering programme
  • Cannot select a major in the first year.
  • All students gain a broad understanding across the sciences through the core curriculum
  • HM Curriculum = ⅓ major + ⅓ core curriculum + ⅓ HSA (Humanities, Social Sciences, Arts)
  • Students are required to take 10 courses in HSA – many of these can be taken across the five undergraduate Claremont colleges
  • Lots of interdisciplinary teaching
  • Very collaborative approach – teamwork from day one. No competition for grades – each student has a responsibility to help others learn and grow. 1st semester = pass/fail only.
  • Paired programming in computer science is an example of this focus on collaboration
  • Writing and communication skills are also very important – 8:1 student to faculty ratio in compulsory writing classes
  • 100% of students do research – can start from their freshman year and there are paid summer and school year options
  • A research project is required to graduate – either a senior thesis or the Clinic Program
  • One of the leading US colleges in terms of % that go on to PhD study.
  • Graduates are highly sought after and are some of the highest earning in all of the US
  • Top 3 employers (2021 graduating class): Facebook, Microsoft, and Amazon

Application

  • Early Decision 1 – 15th November
  • Early Decision 2 – 5th January
  • Regular Decision – 5th January
  • Application fee – $70
  • Do not track demonstrated interest
  • Admissions is focused on finding the right people for HMC. They get excited about people and process – they don’t want to see a long list of things that an applicant engages in, but rather that they get the spirit of what HMC is about. Emphasis on how applicants answer the ‘Why are you applying to HM?’ question.
  • Apply via Common App or Coalition
  • Application: HMC short answer questions, counsellor recommendation, one maths/science teacher recommendation + one HSA teacher recommendation (must have both), transcript – should include one year of Physics, Chemistry and Calculus prior to enrolment
  • SAT/ACT optional

Finances

  • One of the most expensive colleges in the US, but also one of the leading in terms of return on investment
  • 2022 TCOA = $82,236
  • Need aware for international students / need-blind for domestic
  • Very small budget for international students who will require aid
  • In 2022 22% of international students received aid. Average = $30,373
  • Automatic consideration for most merit awards – but three additional scholarships that require an additional application

Accommodation

  • Residential university – almost all students live on campus for all 4 years
  • 9 residence halls – all co-ed and mixed year group
  • No Greek life

Activities

  • 61 HMC clubs + over 360 Claremont College clubs
  • NCAA Div III athletics + extensive club and intramural sporting opportunities
  • Students are big foodies – one of the most popular clubs is the Cheese Club
  • Many events taking place on and off campus – the Committee for Activities Planning arranges lots of fun activities and promotes school spirit
  • Opportunities to mingle socially with faculty – to get to know each other as human beings
  • Extensive academic and pastoral support. Eg. Academic Excellence & Writing Centre, Careers Services, Peer Academic Liaisons, mentoring, faculty office hours and open door policy
  • Peer-Led Honour Code

Other

  • Good fit HMC students really love maths and science – but don’t want to sacrifice their interest in the HSA. Want to be part of a close knit, collaborative community.

Visit the Harvey Mudd College website

Start typing and press Enter to search