I can't in good conscience rate Huntington with five stars, simply because it has a lot of things that could be improved. The classes tend to be hit or miss, depending on the department. Programs that are weaker in this school (based on the experience of majors, as well as myself): music, english (again, very hit or miss with this one), broadcasting (not because this is a bad program, but because this program is probably going to go under soon due to poor financial support), spanish (you can only get a minor now because so few people were in the major). There are other weak programs, but these tend to be main ones.
Programs that are very strong according to students: religious studies, social work, missionary work, history (I have never heard anything bad about any of our history professors), philosophy, psychology.
Huntington also offers some majors that are harder to find in a liberal college which may be of interest: Film, animation, nursing, space science.
The thing that this school has going for it is the professors. Most of them are very knowledgeable about their topics of interest and very excited about teaching it. Regardless of their teaching ability, every one of them is easy to get along with. Although it is sometimes difficult to contact professors, most of them post office hours and respond quickly to emails if you have questions or comments. And because the classes are small (the largest class I have had thus far was a lecture class of maybe 50 people, many classes have less than 30 students in attendance), the professors know their students on an individual basis, something you won't get at larger schools.
Do you enjoy the experience at your school?
I have some issues with the organizational skills of this school, so I can't give it a five rating in enjoyment. I can't tell you how many times I have had to resolve an issue with tuition payments or loans, or really a number of other things. The administration seems to have a hard time communicating amongst itself, and so many students experience the frustrations of trying to fix errors because two administrative offices have poor communication with each other.
However, I do enjoy the people. Many of them are genuinely kind and want to help you out. Members of the dining commons staff, as well as secretaries in various buildings, are known for being incredibly nice. They often give you a cheery hello when they see you, and they take the time to remember your name. Most of my favorite moments at this school involves the people that I see on a daily basis.
Do you feel you’re getting value for the money you’re spending on college?
Make no mistakes, this school is very expensive. I recommend visiting the school to meet with the professors in your department before signing up. That way you can get a feel for how your department is going to be. I came to this school because I liked the professors in my department.
If you want to major in music studies, I really recommend that you go elsewhere. That is the department that I hear the most complaints about from people who have come here with some history in music.
For those of you interested in a technical field, your money will probably be well worth it. This school has a very nice science facility, several available computer labs, a fitness/sports center, theater, and a lot of film/animation equipment. I can only assume that the Nursing and fitness majors also have a pretty well-equipped area for themselves as well.
Do you have any tips for prospective students?
If you can, visit the school beforehand. It helps on the decision making process. I also hear that staying the night is very helpful to quite a few people, because it gives you an idea about what dorm life and the Huntington community is like.
Unless you need a cheap textbook which is easier to grab from the school bookstore, almost anywhere else is cheaper for textbooks. Although they are starting to do rental books now, so if you can, try to get a rental if you must get books from the bookstore. Otherwise, amazon, chegg, half price, and a number of other book places are much cheaper.
Check in with your roommate ahead of time, so that you guys don't both bring TVs and refrigerators. It helps save space for everything else you probably want to bring.
If you like decorating, go ahead and bring decorations. Fun decorations are always enjoyed by people in dorms, especially the girl dorms.
Always check to make sure your financial aid awards have been applied. Some scholarships require your school to send a letter proving that you are a student before the school can receive the money. Our school doesn't send out this letter automatically, you have to request for them to send it. Sometimes more than once. Make sure your funds are in order.
While laptops are nice, you don't necessarily NEED to have a computer, so if you can't afford one don't fret too much. This campus has several available computer labs (with printers and scanners).
Which types of students will excel at your college?
Though this school may offer something for you if you aren't Christian, this school does have a very religious atmosphere. Some people might not enjoy that if they don't share Christian beliefs.
I can't in good conscience rate Huntington with five stars, simply because it has a lot of things that could be improved. The classes tend to be hit or miss, depending on the department. Programs that are weaker in this school (based on the experience of majors, as well as myself): music, english (again, very hit or miss with this one), broadcasting (not because this is a bad program, but because this program is probably going to go under soon due to poor financial support), spanish (you can only get a minor now because so few people were in the major). There are other weak programs, but these tend to be main ones. Programs that are very strong according to students: religious studies, social work, missionary work, history (I have never heard anything bad about any of our history professors), philosophy, psychology. Huntington also offers some majors that are harder to find in a liberal college which may be of interest: Film, animation, nursing, space science. The thing that this school has going for it is the professors. Most of them are very knowledgeable about their topics of interest and very excited about teaching it. Regardless of their teaching ability, every one of them is easy to get along with. Although it is sometimes difficult to contact professors, most of them post office hours and respond quickly to emails if you have questions or comments. And because the classes are small (the largest class I have had thus far was a lecture class of maybe 50 people, many classes have less than 30 students in attendance), the professors know their students on an individual basis, something you won't get at larger schools.
I have some issues with the organizational skills of this school, so I can't give it a five rating in enjoyment. I can't tell you how many times I have had to resolve an issue with tuition payments or loans, or really a number of other things. The administration seems to have a hard time communicating amongst itself, and so many students experience the frustrations of trying to fix errors because two administrative offices have poor communication with each other. However, I do enjoy the people. Many of them are genuinely kind and want to help you out. Members of the dining commons staff, as well as secretaries in various buildings, are known for being incredibly nice. They often give you a cheery hello when they see you, and they take the time to remember your name. Most of my favorite moments at this school involves the people that I see on a daily basis.
Make no mistakes, this school is very expensive. I recommend visiting the school to meet with the professors in your department before signing up. That way you can get a feel for how your department is going to be. I came to this school because I liked the professors in my department. If you want to major in music studies, I really recommend that you go elsewhere. That is the department that I hear the most complaints about from people who have come here with some history in music. For those of you interested in a technical field, your money will probably be well worth it. This school has a very nice science facility, several available computer labs, a fitness/sports center, theater, and a lot of film/animation equipment. I can only assume that the Nursing and fitness majors also have a pretty well-equipped area for themselves as well.
If you can, visit the school beforehand. It helps on the decision making process. I also hear that staying the night is very helpful to quite a few people, because it gives you an idea about what dorm life and the Huntington community is like. Unless you need a cheap textbook which is easier to grab from the school bookstore, almost anywhere else is cheaper for textbooks. Although they are starting to do rental books now, so if you can, try to get a rental if you must get books from the bookstore. Otherwise, amazon, chegg, half price, and a number of other book places are much cheaper. Check in with your roommate ahead of time, so that you guys don't both bring TVs and refrigerators. It helps save space for everything else you probably want to bring. If you like decorating, go ahead and bring decorations. Fun decorations are always enjoyed by people in dorms, especially the girl dorms. Always check to make sure your financial aid awards have been applied. Some scholarships require your school to send a letter proving that you are a student before the school can receive the money. Our school doesn't send out this letter automatically, you have to request for them to send it. Sometimes more than once. Make sure your funds are in order. While laptops are nice, you don't necessarily NEED to have a computer, so if you can't afford one don't fret too much. This campus has several available computer labs (with printers and scanners).
Though this school may offer something for you if you aren't Christian, this school does have a very religious atmosphere. Some people might not enjoy that if they don't share Christian beliefs.