Certainly. I have learned not just about my chosen fields, but about myself and what I have to contribute to the world--and also how I need to continue to grow in order to make that contribution. The one thing I would change is the way some professors seem to assume all students come in with certain knowledge and so they don't cover it in class, even in introductory classes. For instance, my professor for freshman English was a wonderful lecturer, but he asked us to write college-level literary analysis papers without actually explaining what literary analysis is. Not every high school teaches this, and unless you're taking AP courses or something, certainly doesn't teach it at the college level. Perhaps with the transition into the revised core curriculum over the next few years, this problem will be minimized.
Do you enjoy the experience at your school?
Absolutely! I would only wish for less winter and more sunlight.
Do you feel you’re getting value for the money you’re spending on college?
Overall it's been a great experience and one I wouldn't trade for any other college or degree plan. No college is perfect, and Hillsdale is no exception; but as they say, It's the people. Throughout the ups and downs of academic and emotional life, I have found friends at Hillsdale who will stick by me for life--and that's the best part.
Do you have any tips for prospective students?
Visit campus if at all possible. I knew I wanted to attend Hillsdale, but setting foot on campus and breathing the atmosphere, so to speak, was what convinced me I could not be happy anywhere else.
Which types of students will excel at your college?
Bookworms who are willing to be pushed out of their comfort zone. If you love learning and came to college for that purpose, you will find plenty of professors and peers here who will encourage you in it; but don't make learning a burden--for instance, by cloistering yourself away to study ALL the time. Trust me. College is a formative experience for the whole you, not just your mind, and forming friendships with likeminded folks will shape you in ways that books never can. Also, you have no excuse not to learn new, non-bookish skills--swing dancing, knitting, juggling, you name it. There's a club for just about every activity, or you can start one yourself. Some of my friends freshman year did just that. What started as a cadre of Jane Austen fans grew into a full-scale Regency Era club, the Cravats and Bluestockings, which hosts a weekly student-professor tea as well as a Regency Ball each spring.
Certainly. I have learned not just about my chosen fields, but about myself and what I have to contribute to the world--and also how I need to continue to grow in order to make that contribution. The one thing I would change is the way some professors seem to assume all students come in with certain knowledge and so they don't cover it in class, even in introductory classes. For instance, my professor for freshman English was a wonderful lecturer, but he asked us to write college-level literary analysis papers without actually explaining what literary analysis is. Not every high school teaches this, and unless you're taking AP courses or something, certainly doesn't teach it at the college level. Perhaps with the transition into the revised core curriculum over the next few years, this problem will be minimized.
Absolutely! I would only wish for less winter and more sunlight.
Overall it's been a great experience and one I wouldn't trade for any other college or degree plan. No college is perfect, and Hillsdale is no exception; but as they say, It's the people. Throughout the ups and downs of academic and emotional life, I have found friends at Hillsdale who will stick by me for life--and that's the best part.
Visit campus if at all possible. I knew I wanted to attend Hillsdale, but setting foot on campus and breathing the atmosphere, so to speak, was what convinced me I could not be happy anywhere else.
Bookworms who are willing to be pushed out of their comfort zone. If you love learning and came to college for that purpose, you will find plenty of professors and peers here who will encourage you in it; but don't make learning a burden--for instance, by cloistering yourself away to study ALL the time. Trust me. College is a formative experience for the whole you, not just your mind, and forming friendships with likeminded folks will shape you in ways that books never can. Also, you have no excuse not to learn new, non-bookish skills--swing dancing, knitting, juggling, you name it. There's a club for just about every activity, or you can start one yourself. Some of my friends freshman year did just that. What started as a cadre of Jane Austen fans grew into a full-scale Regency Era club, the Cravats and Bluestockings, which hosts a weekly student-professor tea as well as a Regency Ball each spring.