Hillsdale College

The College

Hillsdale College is a private, independent, nonsectarian, accredited, Christian institution of higher learning. It was founded in 1844 by men and women who described themselves as “grateful to God for the inestimable blessings” resulting from civil and religious liberty and as “believing that the diffusion of sound learning is essential to the perpetuity of those blessings.” The College has maintained institutional independence since its founding by refusing to accept aid from federal authorities. Private support from a national constituency has enabled Hillsdale to continue safeguarding the intellectual and spiritual inheritance tracing back to the Judeo-Christian heritage, a heritage finding its clearest expression in the American experiment of self-government under law.

The undergraduate enrollment for fall 2018 was 1,468—52 percent men and 48 percent women, from fifty states and twelve foreign countries. The incoming freshman class in 2018 had mid-range scores as follows: high school grade-point average of 3.86-4.0, ACT of 29-32, and SAT of 1300-1450. Every Hillsdale student signs an Honor Code challenging self-government and committing them to honesty, duty, and respect.

Location

Hillsdale College is located in the town of Hillsdale (population 10,000) in south-central Michigan near the Ohio and Indiana borders. Stores, churches, restaurants, and coffee shops are within walking distance of campus.

Majors and Degrees

Hillsdale awards Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees in accounting, applied mathematics, art, biochemistry, biology, chemistry, classics, economics, English, exercise science, financial management, French, German, Greek, history, Latin, marketing/management, mathematics, music, philosophy, physical education, physics, politics, psychology, religion, rhetoric and public address, Spanish, sport management, sport psychology, and theater. Interdisciplinary majors are available in American studies, Christian studies, comparative literature, European studies, international studies in business and foreign language, political economy, and sociology and social thought. Preprofessional programs are offered in allied health sciences (including optometry, pharmacy, and physical therapy), dentistry, education, engineering, environmental sciences, journalism, law, medicine and osteopathy, theology, and veterinary medicine. The Van Andel Graduate School of Statesmanship offers a Doctor of Philosophy in politics and a Master of Arts in politics.

The Academic Program

Hillsdale operates on a two-semester schedule. Additionally, two 3-week summer sessions are offered.

The College believes that a sound liberal arts education includes study in the humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences. Each student will complete courses in these areas. To graduate, students must complete a minimum 124 hours of course work and fulfill requirements for at least one major field. The B.A. program includes a foreign language proficiency requirement. The B.S. program requires additional studies in mathematics and the natural sciences.

The Center for Constructive Alternatives conducts four seminar series during the academic year. Themes range from historical events to political controversies, as well as finance, science, and the fine arts, with speeches by distinguished scholars and public figures. All students must enroll in at least one seminar for credit during their time at Hillsdale.

The Collegiate Scholars Program enriches the academic experience of high-performing students through seminars, campus lectures and discussions, retreats, subsidized foreign travel, and the completion of an interdisciplinary senior thesis.

Off-Campus Programs

For forty years, the Washington-Hillsdale Internship Program (WHIP) has provided students the opportunity to participate in full-time, academically intensive internships in Washington, D.C. Past interns and fellows have been placed in locations such as the U.S. Senate, the White House, think tanks, news and media outlets, and national security agencies. Students complement their internships with classes at the College’s Allan P. Kirby, Jr. Center for Constitutional Studies and Citizenship.

Hillsdale students have opportunities to study abroad for a summer or a year at one of the more than thirty colleges of Oxford University. Study-abroad programs are available in Argentina, France, Germany, Spain, and at the University of St. Andrews in St. Andrews, Scotland. Hillsdale also offers a summer business program in cooperation with Regent’s College in London, England. Science students benefit from Hillsdale’s 685-acre field research laboratory in northern Michigan, a marine biology program in the Florida Keys, and internships with the Omaha Zoo.

Academic Facilities

The Hillsdale College Mossey Library features a collection of more than 2.9 million volumes (print and electronic), including rare and special holdings such as the Ludwig von Mises and Russell Kirk collections.

Lane and Kendall Halls contain classrooms and faculty offices for the humanities and social sciences, and Kendall Hall features an experimental psychology laboratory. Strosacker Science Center and the Herbert Henry Dow Science Building house classrooms and laboratories for the natural sciences. The Joseph H. Moss Family Laboratory Wing includes specialized laboratories and a greenhouse. Slayton Arboretum is a 48-acre campus garden and bird sanctuary used by students to conduct research. Students interested in teaching careers have classroom observation opportunities at the on-campus Mary Randall Preschool and Hillsdale Academy, a K–12 private school.

The Roche Sports Complex features a student fitness center and basketball/volleyball courts, a pool, an exercise physiology and sports medicine facility, four racquetball courts, and a weight/fitness room. Adjacent to the sports complex is the Frank “Muddy” Waters Stadium, which features an artificial surface football field; an all-weather, Olympic-quality, eight-lane running track; and fields for soccer, baseball, and women’s softball. The Margot V. Biermann Athletic Center houses four acrylic tennis courts and a six-lane, 200-meter NCAA regulation Mondo surface track.

The Fine Arts Building, home to the art and ­theater departments, features Daughtrey Gallery and Markel Auditorium. Howard Music Hall features the McNamara Rehearsal Hall, Conrad Recital Hall, studio space for percussion and jazz studies, offices, and student practice rooms.

The Grewcock Student Union holds the cafeteria, bookstore, student mail center, offices for student activities and publications, a lounge and game area, and AJ’s Café. In addition to serving as a course for Hillsdale’s cross-country teams, Hayden Park provides a place for club and intramural sports, mountain biking, cross-country skiing, and general outdoor recreation. The 27,000-square-foot Christ Chapel will open in 2019, serving as a center for spiritual life on campus and as a symbol of Hillsdale’s Christian roots and identity.

Faculty

The faculty consists of 143 full-time members with a 9:1 student-teacher ratio and average class sizes of 13. Hillsdale students benefit from personal attention and faculty mentorship inside and outside of the classroom. Each student works with a faculty advisor for core and major coursework.

Athletics

Hillsdale’s Charger athletes compete in 14 intercollegiate NCAA Division II varsity sports as part of the Great Midwest Athletic Conference. Hillsdale College sponsors varsity basketball, cross-country, swimming, softball, tennis, indoor and outdoor track and field, and volleyball for women, and varsity baseball, basketball, cross-country, golf, football, tennis, and indoor and outdoor track and field for men. Sixteen club sports and eleven intramural sports are also available to students.

Student Life

Four national fraternities, three national sororities, a newspaper and radio station, and more than 100 social, academic, spiritual, and service organizations provide Hillsdale students with a diverse array of cocurricular opportunities. Performing arts organizations include a drama troupe, dance company, a concert choir, chamber chorale, various instrumental ensembles, bands, and a symphony orchestra. The Student Activities Board hosts campus-wide social functions throughout the year, including events like Garden Party, Homecoming, President’s Ball, and Centralhallapalooza.

Hillsdale students are housed in single-sex dormitories, fraternity and sorority houses, and various off-campus houses. Each College-owned residence hall is supervised by a resident director and resident advisers.

Special services for students include career planning and placement counseling; academic advising and tutoring; and a health service staffed by a physician, a resident nurse, and counselors.

Costs

Annual tuition for the 2018–19 academic year was $26,300, room was $5,440, board was $5,560, and mandatory fees were $1,278. Books, supplies, and personal expenses (including travel, recreation, and clothing) are estimated at $3,200 per year.

Financial Aid

Academic scholarships are awarded on a competitive basis, regardless of financial need. The priority application deadline for academic scholarship consideration is January 1. The application for admission also serves as the application for merit-based aid. Athletic scholarships are awarded on a competitive basis in men’s baseball, football, and golf; women’s swimming, softball, and volleyball; and men’s and women’s basketball, tennis, track, and cross-country. The departments of art and music also award a select number of scholarships based on strength of portfolio/audition. To apply for aid on the basis of financial need, students are required to file Hillsdale’s Confidential Family Financial Statement (CFFS). Because Hillsdale does not accept government funds, either directly for its operations or indirectly in the form of student aid, the FAFSA is not applicable; government funds are replaced with private dollars. Grants and loans are available from the College.

Admission Requirements

A formal application to Hillsdale College includes: 1) a completed application form; 2) the scores from either the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), the American College Test (ACT), or the Classic Learning Test (CLT); 3) an official transcript of high school grades (and post-secondary grades, if available); 4) thoughtful essay and short answer responses; 5) two academic letters of recommendation; and 6) a résumé of extracurricular activities, volunteerism, leadership, and work experience. An interview is recommended, but not required. Transfer students must include a Dean of Students Transfer Form and official college transcript(s). International students must submit all required documents in English; the ACT, SAT, or CLT is required, and the TOEFL is optional.

Application and Information

Students may apply to Hillsdale College any time after the completion of the junior year of high school. A formal application includes a completed application form accompanied by a nonrefundable fee of $35 (free if submitted online) and all required credentials. Application plans include early decision (November 1), spring admission (December 1), priority scholarship (January 1), and regular decision (April 1). Hillsdale College has been distinguished since its founding in 1844 by voluntarily adhering to a nondiscriminatory policy regarding race, religion, sex, and national or ethnic origin. All records and forms should be mailed to:

Admissions Office

Hillsdale College

33 East College Street

Hillsdale, Michigan 49242-1298

Phone: 517-607-2327

Fax: 517-607-2223

E-mail: admissions@hillsdale.edu

Website: http://www.hillsdale.edu