Harvey Mudd College (HMC)

Even among elite institutions, Harvey Mudd College stands out, a liberal arts school with a firm STEM focus for a small cadre of like-minded students. The school's "broad core curriculum at Harvey Mudd," requires all students to take classes in computer science, biology, engineering, math, physics, chemistry, writing, and critical inquiry. In turn, this demanding curriculum "produces scientists who can rise to meet interdisciplinary challenges within the sciences" and facilitates "great post-grad opportunities." As one student explains, "The brutal work fosters an extremely collaborative environment where people focus not on the grade they get but the learning behind it." Of course, this is also spurred by the school's honor code, which requires undergrads "to conduct themselves with honesty and integrity both personally and academically." Additionally, students benefit from unique educational opportunities like the Clinic Program wherein undergrads have the opportunity to solve real-world problems for companies, such as monitoring LA's air quality and developing more effective treatments for sleep apnea. Enrollees also have access to the other six Claremont Colleges (including Pomona, Pitzer, and Claremont McKenna), at which they can cross-register to be "more well-rounded than most in the sciences and get to pursue their passions outside of the STEM fields." They also "have had the best support system," with "incredible" professors that are "truly dedicated to undergraduate teaching," and "always willing to spend hours outside of class answering questions." Ultimately, students graduate "with a clear understanding of the impact of their work on society."

Those who achieve admissions to Harvey Mudd are welcomed into "a strong community of talented students that build each other up." Indeed, the student body is "tight-knit" and "everyone looks after one another." Of course, it's easy for undergrads to find common ground with their peers given that most "everyone at the school is extremely enthusiastic about learning." The rigorous academics help in this regard, too, in that "Mudd humbles you really quickly," doing away with any residual cockiness from high school. The "typical student is friendly, outgoing, and passionate about their (sometimes slightly weird) interests." Many also report that their fellow undergrads are "respectful, smart, aware, supportive, and unique." Ultimately, Harvey Mudd is a place where "it's really easy to form close friendships" and you can always find someone "eager to help."

At Harvey Mudd, there's a lot to enjoy and experience beyond the classroom. Between both Mudd-specific clubs and events and the opportunities at the other Claremont schools, students dismiss the idea of ever being bored. Students can join everything from the Barbecue Club and Chocolate Society to the Mudd Amateur Rocketry Club and Mudd Mixed Martial Arts. Students frequently carry these passions into their everyday interactions. Indeed, they acknowledge how their "conversations at dinner" might sound to an outsider, but maintain that they care about "lots of other serious issues along with more frivolous ones." Many appreciate that "campus-wide parties are funded by the college, ensuring that they are safe." These include "a foam party, where a dorm courtyard is filled with soap foam," and "a holiday party where (literally) tons of snow are trucked in." And while plenty of students do drink, "there is honestly never any pressure. I don't drink at all and I have never felt any pressure to do anything I wasn't comfortable with." When undergrads need a break from campus life, they can easily head into Claremont Village which is "within a 20-minute walk." For those feeling a little more ambitious, "it takes about an hour and a half to get to LA's Union Station from Mudd, and downtown LA and Little Tokyo are both accessible from there."