Hillsdale College. Hillsdale, MI Counselor Visit, January Overview

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1 Hillsdale College Hillsdale, MI Counselor Visit, January 2014 Overview Hillsdale College is a liberal arts college in rural Michigan enrolling 1,400 students. It has achieved prominence for both its classical curriculum, dedication to those principles allowing for the extension of liberty and preservation of self-government, and its independence from bureaucratic oversight borne out of its refusal to accept federal or state financial assistance (including federally administered student loans). Hillsdale is recognized as one of the nation s most exceptional small colleges and has long been a featured institution in the Colleges That Change Lives guidebook. Rigor and high-mindedness pervade the academic and student life program. A focus on the Western heritage, Greco-Roman civilization, and the Judeo-Christian tradition encountered mainly through study of primary sources and classic masterworks should place Hillsdale on the radar of any Providence Academy student who seeks a continuation and deepening of the core knowledge curriculum taught at PA. Hillsdale students are distinguished by their intellectual seriousness, religiosity, and conservative political leanings. Popular areas of study include History, Philosophy, Politics, English, and Economics, with areas such as the sciences, music, and visual art also receiving emphasis. Campus Setting Hillsdale is situated on an idyllic, small campus. The downtown area is about a ten minute walk from campus. All major academic and student life buildings are located in a compact section of campus. Some residence halls and the athletic facilities are on the periphery of the campus, but students do not have to traverse long distances in their day-to-day activities.

2 While the town of Hillsdale s small size and remoteness may not be for everyone, students who prefer city schools by default may overlook the benefits of a campus community in a rural college town. A PA alumna notes that Hillsdale s location makes the experience more about people than about places or things. Campus events are well-attended and the environment is conducive to making your own fun. Long drives with friends to dinner in nearby towns and extended intellectual discussions are a common aspect of the Hillsdale experience. Notable Academic Programs and Opportunities The core curriculum at Hillsdale is very robust and completion takes up about half of the credit hours towards a degree. Courses are reading and writing-intensive. Many students shared a story about earning a very poor grade on their first paper, which was a precursor to significant growth in their analytical thinking and writing skills. English composition courses are heritage courses, based on learning the great literature of the West and the English-speaking world. The idea is that close reading of the text must proceed to public rhetoric about the close reading, and then to exacting arguments to be written about the texts (research papers). The Political Economy major, unique to Hillsdale, combines economics with politics and history. More humanistic in its approach than the math-focused Economics major, the Political Economy program frequently launches students into the public policy world. The Education department is focused on classical education. There is no Education major offered, but there are two education minors - early childhood education minor (K-3) and classical education minor (teaching in the classical trivium and the quadrivium arithmetic, geometry, music, and astronomy - is a focus). Liberal Arts teacher apprenticeships allow students to observe classroom teaching at a reputable classical school. Classics majors include a Latin major, Greek major, and a Classical Studies major. History is a thriving academic program at Hillsdale, among largest majors on campus. With an impressive 18 faculty, small class sizes are the rule. A faculty member shared that Hillsdale likely graduates more History majors each year than much larger private universities such as Stanford. Hillsdale supports a more extensive music program than is often found at small colleges. About 30 percent of the student body participates in music programs at some level. The Visual Arts program includes a focus in Graphic Design. While best known for its humanities and social sciences programs, Hillsdale is at pains to highlight the presence and significance of the sciences and its students success on the MCAT exam and in medical school admissions. As one of the few predominantly right-of-center colleges, Hillsdale is able to connect its students with internship opportunities with a host of right-leaning think tanks, journals, and conservative legislators in Washington, D.C. The Washington-Hillsdale Internship Program (WHIP) offers intensive academic internships in Washington and includes classes taken at the Hillsdale-run Kirby Center for Constitutional Studies and Citizenship and student housing at Hillsdale House.

3 Student Life Highlights Hillsdale manages student life through a Dean of Men and Dean of Women. These professionals view it as their job to motive men and women to live lives of purpose, taking care of the social, academic, emotional, and spiritual well-being of students on campus. Hillsdale sponsors varsity athletics competition at the NCAA s Division II level. Football, baseball, M/W basketball, M/W hockey, women s tennis, men s golf and running sports are the options that align best with PA s athletics program. Athletic events appear to attract strong student support. A basketball game played during the visit program had an energetic crowd of over 500. The football stadium seats 7,000. Men s golf and women s tennis were both added within the last couple of years following significant donations. Hillsdale s Student Recreation Center is in the midst of significant renovation and will be a very high quality facility when completed. While conventional partying and Greek-letter organizations are present at Hillsdale, PA graduates have not encountered an atmosphere of drunken masses. Generally, a chivalric code pervades the campus and many students are distinctly old fashioned and wholesome. Students generally dress up for class, out of respect for peers and faculty and as an indicator of seriousness. Town and Accessibility Hillsdale, Mich. is a rural community of just over 8,000 people. It is 75 minutes from both Ann Arbor and Lansing. The Detroit/Wayne Co. International Airport (DTW) is 90 minutes away and is a Delta hub. Another option for air travel from MSP is to fly Sun Country Airlines to the Lansing aiport (LAN). The drive time to Hillsdale from the Twin Cities is approximately 10 hours. The College offers shuttle service to students needing rides to or from the airport. The cost is approximately $50 each way. Students also use of an online ride board to help with travel. Religious Life

4 Hillsdale College is a non-sectarian institution, meaning there is no formal affiliation with any church or denomination. That said, religious belief is pervasive among students and faculty and all College programming, both academic and co-curricular, serves to promote engagement with Judeo-Christian principles and belief. Nearly all students consider religion to be an important dimension of their lives. In the words of a Providence Academy alumna, Students here know why they are religious. Catholic students walk to St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church in downtown Hillsdale for weekend Mass (a Thursday Mass is offered on campus). The College has a significant population of Catholic students and many of the most popular professors on campus are known to be serious Catholics and are active in the local parish. Hillsdale s Dean of Men, Aaron Peterson, is an ordained Catholic deacon, adding another element of Catholic presence to student life at the College. While on campus, I saw signs advertising a nightly praying of the rosary in the student center chapel. Admission Notes Recent applicant pools have numbered around 2,200, with 900 admitted (41% admit rate) to yield an entering class of 360 (40% yield) Extracurricular accomplishment (in terms of depth, breadth, and impact) and quality of essays are important differentiators in Hillsdale s pool. Engagement with Hillsdale admissions staff and demonstrated understanding of its distinct intellectual mission is a vital aspect to an admissions candidacy. The best thing is to visit campus, and the second best thing is to interview locally with the admissions representative or an alumnus/ae. Most common cross applications: Hope College (MI), U. of Michigan, Wheaton College, Grove City College, Notre Dame The average ACT for admitted students is 29. All students are drawn from the top half of their high school class. Under 40% of students are from Michigan, meaning Hillsdale has considerable national reach relative to a typical small Midwestern college.

5 Financial Aid and Scholarship Notes Hillsdale is committed to finding creative ways to support students without state or federal assistance. No state funded grants or loan programs can be brought to Hillsdale. The College s pricing runs well below the private college norm, with total direct costs for coming in under $32,000. Hillsdale offers its own financing (loans) comparable with federal loan rates The Hillsdale FAFSA" is the Confidential Family Financial Statement (CFFS), and an online early estimator is also available. Because Hillsdale accepts no federal financial aid, it does not accept the FAFSA % of students receive some kind of need-based aid. The average debt at graduation is $25,000. Students are automatically considered for merit scholarships on the basis of strong admission applications and demonstrated interest in Hillsdale. Other Observations Similar Carnegie Classification to Hillsdale: Amherst College, Carleton College, Beloit College, Davidson College, Kenyon College, Lawrence University, Macalester College, University of Minnesota-Morris (and others).