<p>Hillsdale alumni, and I believe the student body, are getting a good amount of debate out of the wisdom behind the advertisements during Hannity, Limbaugh, etc. I tend to think Hillsdale is better off avoiding what some would call partisan affiliation, but on the other hand the philosophies I learned at Hillsdale need to get attention beyond Hillsdale’s borders in cow country. Glenn Beck and Limbaugh are obnoxious, but speaking loudly doesn’t amount to “hate radio.” Beck, especially, has learned a great deal from Friedrich Hayek, Ludwig von Mises, and other theorists over the last two years. Beck just says the name “Hayek,” and his books shoot to the top of the Amazon bestseller list. This is important, and I’m glad Hillsdale is playing a part in it.</p>
<p>Now is definitely the time. Just last week, Nancy Pelosi, with a straight face, called unemployment benefits a “stimulus” to the economy. Rather than call her on it, Paul Krugman (Nobel-prize winning, Princeton-tenured NYT columnist)'s only complaint is that the government isn’t spending even more (i.e., the stimulus wasn’t big enough). The President’s spending sobers drunken sailors.</p>
<p>Are these agents of evil? Probably not. </p>
<p>Agents of idiocy? Agents of national bankruptcy? Agents of socialism? Absolutely.</p>
<p>Mark Levin’s radio show is often what I would call “Hate Radio” and Hillsdale actively chooses to support his show with their advertising. Obviously Hillsdale has chosen to represent itself by supporting hate. How sad…</p>
<p>“Hate radio” or “thin-skinned listener”? “Spirited (nay, boisterous) disagreement” or “hateful vitriol”? Not exactly hard to tell apart, but let me give you an example anyway: Hate is the Black Panthers and the KKK. Hate is not spirited disagreement with someone, even if directed at everything that person stands for.</p>
<p>After your post, ncmentor, I’m coming around more and more. Yay Hillsdale.</p>
<p>If you don’t like Limbaugh, Levin, and the like…don’t listen. Turn on NPR (which makes my skin crawl with its smarmy tone and oh-so-PC liberal bias). You will have to look far and wide, though, to find a more deeply knowledgeable and astute Constitutional expert on radio than Mark Levin.</p>
<p>I don’t consider these shows hate radio at all…for the most part I find them smart, insightful, informative, and refreshing. Of course I prefer some hosts’ styles over others, but that’s true of all forms of media. I see nothing wrong with Hillsdale, a defender of core American founding principles, aligning itself with radio programs that share like concerns and viewpoints.</p>
<p>ncmentor: You seem to have missed the entire point of a Hillsdale education. This college is not educating sheep who will toe the line and just regurgitate the professor’s rhetoric. This institution’s mission statement is something you might want to take a look at, while you are at it. It is one of the few colleges which actually lives by the words it prints.</p>
<p>So what if they advertise on Mark Levin, or other talk-radio. My local university advertises (wait for it) AT McDONALD’S.</p>
<p>I’d be interested to know if Hillsdale grads get into good grad schools and/or jobs in numbers greater than the “competition”–we’re thinking of sending our son there, but he might be interested in engineering. Any thoughts? Thanks!</p>
<p>Re your first post, Illinoismom, I don’t have the stats, but I believe Hillsdale has better grad school placement than most liberal arts colleges, and far better than the liberal arts colleges with its price tag. </p>
<p>Unless your son is okay with waiting until grad school for engineering and would be excited to do a math or science BS at Hillsdale (and I have friends who did this and are doing very well), I would not recommend Hillsdale. My best friend (since second grade) held out two years at Hillsdale, then transferred with very low grades and a lot of resentment: he wanted to be in engineering courses but was stuck with the basics. When one is not pumped about the core curriculum and being educated for liberty, Hillsdale can (somehow) be a very miserable place.</p>
<p>Hillsdale College is in the process of adding a Marine ROTC detachment to the campus. At the present time, there is a program in place for Marine OCS (which includes up to two six-week stints at Marine Basic, paid, and with no obligation). I just talked to the dean of men’s office today and the Navy was on campus today with the hopes of having a program up and running soon. </p>
<p>My son’s good friend finished his degree in Political Economy at Hillsdale in three years and is now an engineering student at his state’s flagship U. All told, both degrees took a total of 5-1/2 years, but he’ll be getting a master’s in Engineering. He’ll graduate this December and already has a six-figure job offer from a major pharmaceutical company.</p>
<p>BTW, I ran these options by a knowledgable military man and his advice was Hillsdale over VMI or the Citadel (assuming West Point or Annapolis are not options). Interesting. I will pick his brain further. I would hope the Army would start something up at Hillsdale, too. But in any event, fencersmother and dale, I appreciate your input.</p>
<p>I neglected to say that the dean of men’s office told me they were working things out with Army, but since nothing was nailed down yet, they didn’t want to go into specifics.</p>
<p>I know kids who have gone through both VMI (ugly compared to H.C.) and the Citadel (never been there), and depending on major chosen, I would always choose Hillsdale College over either of those, particularly if you are out of state. </p>
<p>Hillsdale: there’s just no other place like it.</p>
<p>There are several (full payer) international students at Hillsdale. I know personally of a young man from Bulgaria.</p>
<p>If you are interested in Hillsdale College and are an international, I would contact their admissions office early to discuss enrollment and other issues early in your search.</p>
<p>I’m also in Illinois. Both fencersmother and I have children at service academies and Hillsdale College. There is a huge difference in lifestyle and academics. I actually think the grounding in liberal arts is stronger at Hillsdale. Visits to both environments and honest discussions with students at both would be very important. pm me if you’d like more info.</p>
<p>Very helpful advice as we go forward and I thank you all. I will post later about the outcome of our visits to help other folks in our position. By the way, does anyone know anything about the availability of financial aid at Hillsdale?</p>
<p>Take a look at the Hillsdale catalog (I believe it is available online as well as in book form from the college admit office). Just look at all those hundreds of privately endowed scholarships. My son had an excellent FA package from Hillsdale. My D, not as good, still manageable.</p>