Holy Cross is truly an academically rigorous liberal arts school that was ranked by Forbes #27 in best colleges and universities in 2011 and #41 in 2012. Our motto at Holy Cross is men and women for others because all students strive to help people through community service. Also you will have lasting lifelong friendships among your classmates because the students are so fun, kind, and friendly.
Do you have any tips for prospective students?
For prospective students make sure you ask about career services when you attend the school for a visit for internships and job opportunities in the year and summer. Also, when you're a freshman, your dean throws so many different services, clubs, and activities at you that you become a little confused and overwhelmed. Take a breath, relax, and figure out what interests you. Research and ask questions about the school from other students walking around campus because everyone is honest.
Do you find there’s enough academic rigor at your school?
Holy Cross was fifth in the nation for Return on Investment, and came in at number 22 on the Most Rigorous list according to the 2011 college rankings of Newsweek magazine. I can't even begin to tell you how academically difficult and challenged Holy Cross is. All Holy Cross students no matter how much they may party, are all smart because Holy Cross is a hard school. The professors grade so harshly and if you get a B, B+, or even B- that is essentially in the ranks of an A because it is very difficult to get an A at Holy Cross. There is also only A- and A, no A+ in the Holy Cross grading system which is really weird. Alot of students are not above a 3.1 or 3.2 in gpa at Holy Cross. Really think about Holy Cross if you've been accepted or are applying. Once you are at Holy Cross, academically, it is very hard. There are other schools like BC, Brown, Harvard, etc. were it is not as difficult as Holy Cross and the professors don't grade as hard. However professors are always around for office hours and they want to see you work hard. If you don't understand something, they will be there to help you.
Describe the dorm life at your college.
Dorm life gets better throughout the four years. Freshman are in doubles or unluckily triples with 2 communal bathrooms for each floor. Also the dorm is co-ed but the floors are same sex. Sophomores have the same set up except no triples and you may potentially be able to be in a junior dorm room with another roommate with your own bathroom. Juniors can live in suites without a bathroom, 2 communal bathrooms on each floor (rooming 4) or with a bathroom (rooming 4-6). You can also have a room housing 3 with a bathroom. Also juniors can live off campus with their own house, with the number of roommates ranging from 3-7. Lastly seniors can live in suite like apartments, the nicest dorms on campus, rooming 4 students with a bathroom and kitchen.
Describe the food and dining at your college.
The Food is alright, nothing that is really spectacular. The thing is that when your parents or hometown friends come visit you they will be amazed because the main dining hall, Kimball, is like buffet style with salads, vegetables, dairy, meat/chicken, pasta, rice, pizza, bread/bagels, breakfast services, burger lunches, etc. However as students, after a few months of freshman year, we get tired of the food and it becomes very boring. This summer Holy Cross Dining received top honors in this year's national Loyal E. Horton Dining Awards contest, receiving Gold and the Grand Prize for the newly constructed Science Cafe. The contest, sponsored by the National Association of College and University Food Services (NACUFS), chose the Science Cafe out a pool of 140 different projects from colleges and universities across the country. This with other food service areas on the Holy Cross campus, Crossroads, Cool Beans, and Cool Beans 2 are usually what students like over our main dining hall Kimball.
What’s there to do for fun at your college?
We have a club called CAB (Campus Activities Board), that creates the fun stuff that students can be part of for the year. From six flag trips, movie nights, comedian nights, the pub on campus, our Spring Concert and Spring Weekend (By the way insane and awesome weekend!) [although in the past two years police have been annoying and cracking down on off campus parties, the ones at houses because other people live in the neighborhood too and the houses have been so loud in recent years]. Also there is a nightlife in Worcester where alot of student go out on Thursdays and Fridays usually. The dorm parties are fun and depending on preference, the house parties off campus can be more fun but the police have been very serious about stopping it which really sucks. One saying at Holy Cross is that we students work hard during the week, and party even harder during the weekends.
Do you feel you’re getting value for the money you’re spending on college?
This is interesting because Holy Cross is just so expensive that it is just unbelievable. Other schools are less expensive and just as good with academic ranking. A College should not cost the amount Holy Cross costs. The 2009-2010 tuition was about $50,400 and now its about $55,200. However, the school does give families financial aid which is great. Holy Cross does try to help families that are in need. Newsweek magazine ranked Holy Cross 5th in Return on Investment among colleges and universities in America in 2011. So basically, you can end up getting a good job or going to a good graduate school, etc. after graduation or down the road.
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus
The campus is small but really beautiful. Its nickname is The Hill or Hogwarts because when looking at it from Worcester it seriously looks like Hogwarts no joke at all. St. Pat's Day is very big at Holy Cross because Worcester (2nd largest city in New England after Boston) had Irish Influences too just like Boston. It is a crazy day when the students come drunk to class and even skip class. The professors even know that students do that on that day which is pretty funny. In addition, the quad, newly rebuilt in 2011, is an area outside to lounge and chill which is pretty awesome. It's kinda the center of campus.
Which types of students will excel at your college?
Students that come to Holy Cross are already smart and hardworking. If you are these things than this could be the school for you. It's a good ranked school but the school finds it ok to grade students really hard which students don't agree with. If you're willing to get mostly B's, even though you try your very hardest, those will mostly be your grades at Holy Cross. Of course you can get an A- or even A, but it is extremely difficult and hard.
Are you involved in any clubs or activities?
There is a range of so many clubs and activities at Holy Cross (over 100). Your life at Holy Cross within the next 4 years will be multidimensional because of the different things you can be part of. Anything from sports, community service, theatre, student government, music groups, art, can balance out your academics.
Are you involved in any clubs or activities?
We are a Jesuit liberal arts institute with no affiliations with Greek life. Some students like that we don't have it and some students wish we did have it.
How would you describe campus safety? Do you feel safe on campus?
Some parts of Worcester are dangerous but within the campus grounds, public safety does an amazing job keeping our campus safe.
Holy Cross is truly an academically rigorous liberal arts school that was ranked by Forbes #27 in best colleges and universities in 2011 and #41 in 2012. Our motto at Holy Cross is men and women for others because all students strive to help people through community service. Also you will have lasting lifelong friendships among your classmates because the students are so fun, kind, and friendly.
For prospective students make sure you ask about career services when you attend the school for a visit for internships and job opportunities in the year and summer. Also, when you're a freshman, your dean throws so many different services, clubs, and activities at you that you become a little confused and overwhelmed. Take a breath, relax, and figure out what interests you. Research and ask questions about the school from other students walking around campus because everyone is honest.
Holy Cross was fifth in the nation for Return on Investment, and came in at number 22 on the Most Rigorous list according to the 2011 college rankings of Newsweek magazine. I can't even begin to tell you how academically difficult and challenged Holy Cross is. All Holy Cross students no matter how much they may party, are all smart because Holy Cross is a hard school. The professors grade so harshly and if you get a B, B+, or even B- that is essentially in the ranks of an A because it is very difficult to get an A at Holy Cross. There is also only A- and A, no A+ in the Holy Cross grading system which is really weird. Alot of students are not above a 3.1 or 3.2 in gpa at Holy Cross. Really think about Holy Cross if you've been accepted or are applying. Once you are at Holy Cross, academically, it is very hard. There are other schools like BC, Brown, Harvard, etc. were it is not as difficult as Holy Cross and the professors don't grade as hard. However professors are always around for office hours and they want to see you work hard. If you don't understand something, they will be there to help you.
Dorm life gets better throughout the four years. Freshman are in doubles or unluckily triples with 2 communal bathrooms for each floor. Also the dorm is co-ed but the floors are same sex. Sophomores have the same set up except no triples and you may potentially be able to be in a junior dorm room with another roommate with your own bathroom. Juniors can live in suites without a bathroom, 2 communal bathrooms on each floor (rooming 4) or with a bathroom (rooming 4-6). You can also have a room housing 3 with a bathroom. Also juniors can live off campus with their own house, with the number of roommates ranging from 3-7. Lastly seniors can live in suite like apartments, the nicest dorms on campus, rooming 4 students with a bathroom and kitchen.
The Food is alright, nothing that is really spectacular. The thing is that when your parents or hometown friends come visit you they will be amazed because the main dining hall, Kimball, is like buffet style with salads, vegetables, dairy, meat/chicken, pasta, rice, pizza, bread/bagels, breakfast services, burger lunches, etc. However as students, after a few months of freshman year, we get tired of the food and it becomes very boring. This summer Holy Cross Dining received top honors in this year's national Loyal E. Horton Dining Awards contest, receiving Gold and the Grand Prize for the newly constructed Science Cafe. The contest, sponsored by the National Association of College and University Food Services (NACUFS), chose the Science Cafe out a pool of 140 different projects from colleges and universities across the country. This with other food service areas on the Holy Cross campus, Crossroads, Cool Beans, and Cool Beans 2 are usually what students like over our main dining hall Kimball.
We have a club called CAB (Campus Activities Board), that creates the fun stuff that students can be part of for the year. From six flag trips, movie nights, comedian nights, the pub on campus, our Spring Concert and Spring Weekend (By the way insane and awesome weekend!) [although in the past two years police have been annoying and cracking down on off campus parties, the ones at houses because other people live in the neighborhood too and the houses have been so loud in recent years]. Also there is a nightlife in Worcester where alot of student go out on Thursdays and Fridays usually. The dorm parties are fun and depending on preference, the house parties off campus can be more fun but the police have been very serious about stopping it which really sucks. One saying at Holy Cross is that we students work hard during the week, and party even harder during the weekends.
This is interesting because Holy Cross is just so expensive that it is just unbelievable. Other schools are less expensive and just as good with academic ranking. A College should not cost the amount Holy Cross costs. The 2009-2010 tuition was about $50,400 and now its about $55,200. However, the school does give families financial aid which is great. Holy Cross does try to help families that are in need. Newsweek magazine ranked Holy Cross 5th in Return on Investment among colleges and universities in America in 2011. So basically, you can end up getting a good job or going to a good graduate school, etc. after graduation or down the road.
The campus is small but really beautiful. Its nickname is The Hill or Hogwarts because when looking at it from Worcester it seriously looks like Hogwarts no joke at all. St. Pat's Day is very big at Holy Cross because Worcester (2nd largest city in New England after Boston) had Irish Influences too just like Boston. It is a crazy day when the students come drunk to class and even skip class. The professors even know that students do that on that day which is pretty funny. In addition, the quad, newly rebuilt in 2011, is an area outside to lounge and chill which is pretty awesome. It's kinda the center of campus.
Students that come to Holy Cross are already smart and hardworking. If you are these things than this could be the school for you. It's a good ranked school but the school finds it ok to grade students really hard which students don't agree with. If you're willing to get mostly B's, even though you try your very hardest, those will mostly be your grades at Holy Cross. Of course you can get an A- or even A, but it is extremely difficult and hard.
There is a range of so many clubs and activities at Holy Cross (over 100). Your life at Holy Cross within the next 4 years will be multidimensional because of the different things you can be part of. Anything from sports, community service, theatre, student government, music groups, art, can balance out your academics.
We are a Jesuit liberal arts institute with no affiliations with Greek life. Some students like that we don't have it and some students wish we did have it.
Some parts of Worcester are dangerous but within the campus grounds, public safety does an amazing job keeping our campus safe.