Harvey Mudd College
Claremont, CA, USA

Reviews

Harvey Mudd College

Thousand Oaks, CA

a current student here
18 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
Am learning a lot
Mudd is extremely well known for its approach to learning, and for good reason. Each professor loves what they teach, and love to spread their knowledge and love for their subject. They are very open and willing to teach, and each class offers something new to students, regardless of their previous knowledge.
Am enjoying being here
Even though Mudd is really small, it offers a lot to all students. There are tons of clubs and activities to partake in, and there is definitely a social scene. There is never really a dull moment, and one of the best things about Mudd is the fact that it is part of the 5-Cs.
Bang for the buck
Because we are paying so much, Mudd offers a great amount of resources. The labs and equipment are all relatively new and there are many cool toys to experiment with and experience. The faculty and staff at Mudd truly care about you, too; they will go out of their way to help you understand material, and they are concerned for your welfare as well.
Tips for prospective students
Prospective students need to maintain a good GPA in school, but they need to be well-rounded as well. Leadership positions, and excelling in things other than school (sports, the arts, etc) are all taken into account at Mudd. Mudders are unique and dedicated to all that they do, and they have many interests.
Great for these types of students
Mudd is great for traditional geeks and nerds but they are special and interesting. Mudders are social, talented, smart, and interested in combining all of the above to help the world. If you want one on one attention, research opportunities, and a community of students and faculty, Mudd is great for you.

A Mudder

a current student here
8 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
In three sentences
Attending Mudd is like having a full-time job: you study hard and you are paid in knowledge! The classes and professors encourage you to be curious and hardworking all year long. Fellow students are both nerdy and brilliant, awkward and friendly.
Tips for prospective students
You will hear from everyone how challenging the curriculum at Harvey Mudd is. It is probably more challenging than you currently imagine it. But the material you learn, and the intelligent and enthusiastic people you work with every day, makes all the tough studying worthwhile.
Academic Rigor
One of the most difficult colleges in the nation, at least in terms of homework and academic expectations.
Dorm Life
Freshmen and upperclassmen live together, so you get to meet many different people of all ages and majors. Dorms have their own parties, activities, and study groups. Many of the dorms have their own personality types, which aren't really stereotypes but differ from year to year, and you really bond with your dorm. While the buildings look old on the outside, there are plenty of amenities and excellent janitorial services every week.
Food and Dining
The Hoch Shanahan dining hall is always clean and has a positive atmosphere, with good, edible food. If you get tired of the Hoch, there are nearby dining halls on the other college campuses within walking distance, which are also good.
What to do for fun
Play board games, go to parties, play rec sports on your dorm's team, go on cross-country runs all over the town of Claremont, take ballroom dancing lessons, do homework (really, it's fun!) and drive an hour to Los Angeles for city life if you get really bored.
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus
History of pranking, dorm rivalries, and unicycling! Harvey Mudd even does a unicycling circus every year.
Great for these types of students
Someone who . . .
Likes doing their homework.
Likes math and science more than they do humanities.
Likes math and science, and likes being better at humanities than all the engineers are.
Needs approachable professors.
Wants to form close bonds with professors and students over four years.
Won't ever lose their passion for learning no matter how tough it gets.
Clubs and Activities
Some activities are planned specifically for the freshman experience, so it's a lot of fun at first, but the college as a whole has less club involvement than most places.
Greek Life
None! It's great because although your dorm culture substitutes for greek culture, it's less exclusive than a fraternity or sorority, so every student can be friends, study, and party with all the other students and no one is excluded.

Callie

accepted here and planning to attend soon
6 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
In three sentences
Harvey Mudd allows a lot of freedom to learn your major as well as experience other areas. It's huge on research and that's something I love. The people are fantastic and you can almost always instantly connect with at least a couple.
Tips for prospective students
When you go to visit, don't just look specifically at Harvey Mudd. It's part of the 5 Claremont Colleges and that contributes to the school's culture, so learn a little about how the colleges are all connected, not only academically but socially as well.
Academic Rigor
With the Common Core as 1/3 of the freshman requirements, as well as HSA (Humanities, Social Sciences and Arts) as another 1/3 and your intended major as the last 1/3, Harvey Mudd truly allows for a well-rounded education. The honor code is a major factor in the teachings of the school, and you can always travel to one of the other 5 Cs if Harvey Mudd doesn't offer a certain class.
Dorm Life
There are multiple dorms that all have a different culture to them. Over the summer, you get a housing packet, and the more accurately it's filled out, the better chance you have of being matched with people and in a dorm to your liking or similar to your culture.
Food and Dining
There are multiple different options at Harvey Mudd, and you can always go off campus to one of the other dining halls at the other Claremont Colleges.
What to do for fun
During ASP (the Admitted Students Program) there were so many activities to choose from, that all sounded fun and I didn't even get the time to go to all of them. You can learn to free line, hike, ski or snowboard, play sports, etc. There are so many things to choose from.
Clubs and Activities
There are clubs all over Harvey Mudd, and you can also participate in other clubs that are a part of the 5 Claremont Colleges.
Greek Life
Non-existent.
Campus Safety
It's really safe. There's lights everywhere and almost all of campus is for pedestrians only. There's a couple of main roads that separate the 5 Claremont Colleges from each other, and within certain campuses as well, but Harvey Mudd is basically one straight pedestrian road that is surrounded by the buildings and dorms.

Xi from China

a current student here
5 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
In three sentences
A small, cozy place where everyone follows the Honor Code which definitely made life so much better.
Professors are super-nice and they really mean what they say and take you seriously.
Best dining hall and dorms among 5C.
Tips for prospective students
Harvey Mudd College is indeed the most hard-working college in the US. I, for example, never get to go to bed before 1:00 during workdays.
First year is pass/fail which means you get to enjoy your freshman year.
Profs are really nice and they are waiting to answer your questions, work may be hard, but it's even harder to fail.
Academic Rigor
I LOVE this school! We get to examine real nano-materials during freshman year, (if you take that elective) and get to build real circuits that use solar panel to charge our phones. Profs here are really nice and are right there waiting to answer questions.
Dorm Life
I live in the best dorm among the five colleges!!! I share a suite with three upper class man and I share a room with a frosh. There's a kitchen in our suite, an individual bathroom and a huge living room. Just a few days ago, my other suitemates literally decorated our room a huge gift box.
Food and Dining
Everyone knows Hoch, our dining hall, is the best among 5C.
What to do for fun
Go Linde Activity Center, hang out with friends or with all kinds of organizations or dorms, watching movies etc.
Great for these types of students
Willing to accept challenge.
Able to follow the Honor Code.
Have the courage to accept you are not the best.
Clubs and Activities
Hang out nearly every week with these lovely people.
Greek Life
You mean geek life? :)
Campus Safety
Extremely safe, don't even need to lock my bike.

Lauren from Kailua, HI

a current student here
4 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
In three sentences
Mudd is hard. Be prepared for caffeine and disappointment.
Tips for prospective students
Think carefully before coming here if you have learning disabilities. You are overworked and will not have the time you need to compensate for it.
Academic Rigor
It's not that each individual class is super hard - just the fact that we have to take so many of them at once.
Dorm Life
Dorm culture is great - especially in the inner dorms
What to do for fun
Eating and sleeping are the highlights of my days
Great for these types of students
Great if you're a morning person and NEVER get sick. If you can function 150% at your worst, you'll be fine.

Isabell from Thousand Oaks, CA

a current student here
4 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
In three sentences
Harvey Mudd College, a member of the Claremont Colleges Consortium, is a small college of only about 800 students; however, you will find yourself lacking in friends or intelligent peers. From tough academics to quirky traditions, we believe in quality over quantity. At Mudd, we are more than just classmates and schoolmates, we are family.
Academic Rigor
It's tough! No boring and simple but tediously long problem sets here; instead we've got (tediously hard) homework with a few questions that will make you delve deep into the subject.
Dorm Life
There are no fraternities or sororities at HMC, but each dorm has their own culture and party style. Harvey Mudd dorm parties are considered some of the best in all the of the 5 Claremont Colleges.
Food and Dining
Mudd food is reputed to be the best tasting. It may not be the most healthy, but there is a lot of good comfort foods.
What to do for fun
You can go explore The Village, hang out with friends, or venture into the LA area!
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus
West Dorm is a bit fire obsessed and there are great dorm parties with awesome themes!
Great for these types of students
Be prepared to work yourself to the bone! Mudd is a great place for students who love science and math.
Greek Life
NONE.
Campus Safety
We get campus safety reports of suspicious activities on the other four campus in 5C but generally only bike and skateboard thefts happen on Mudd campus. Make sure to keep your stuff locked!

A Student, Claremont, CA

a current student here
4 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
In three sentences
The best STEM school out there. Harvey Mudd has a small, dedicated group of students that are all here to learn. Mudd offers fantastic programs across the board, for CS to Engineering to Biology.
Tips for prospective students
Apply!
Academic Rigor
Definitely the most challenging school you are likely to find. It will push you to your limits.
Dorm Life
Small dorms, great atmosphere.
Food and Dining
Fantastic dining halls and excellent, caring staff.
What to do for fun
Hang out with friends, party, prank, play games (board and video), watch movies, etc. Especially pranking.
Bang for the buck
Average starting salaries out of Mudd, particularly in CS and Engineering degrees, are above almost every other college out there. It is expensive tuition, but you are paying for the best.
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus
Case Dorm's construction stakes were moved exactly 1 inch North when the construction team was starting to build it -- the Mudd Engineers did so well that the construction workers didn't notice until they had already laid the foundation and were trying to line up the pipes. Mudd is a great place for jokes, pranks, and having fun.
Great for these types of students
Leaders, tech-savvy students, intelligent, go-getters, and just in general students who have a drive to learn.
Clubs and Activities
Lots of robotics clubs and over 300 other registered clubs.
Greek Life
? What is Greek Life ?
Campus Safety
24/7 Campus Safety that patrol campus at all times.