And whether any new students receive substantial scholarship awards as incentive to attend in light of the risk that the college may not survive.
It is worth noting that many colleges & universities allow students to design their own majors, and that most have superior resources to offer their students. For example, although I am not sure if still true, within the past decade Middlebury College permitted students to design their own major.
This raises the question as to whether Hampshire College is really unique with respect to its academic structure.
Hampshire’s Divisional System sets it apart from other schools in my opinion.
D22 is on their email list, and she started getting emails again this summer after a long period of not hearing anything. I see that they also redesigned their website.
I am also optimistic about Hampshire and know two young scholars who might be good matches. I’m encouraging them to consider Hampshire.
I will echo the discussion upstream that the Hampshire student is no “excellent sheep” as so many of the students at other top institutions seem to be in recent years: figuring out the efficient “formula” for “success” and then doing that. “Do I have enough ECs” that I’m not actually interested in?
None of that empty exercise happens at Hampshire!
It’s the person who goes off track, who does the unexpected, who dares to be proudly different, who asks the impertinent questions, who says no when other say yes and yes when others say no, the “different” people are the ones that make the daring changes in the world.
That process is rarely efficient but it is creative and generative and it’s rewarding.
Besides all of the Hampshire grads that I know–and I know a lot of them–make plenty of money. They’re doing just fine, thank you very much.
Attempting to distill Hampshire College’s academic model to, “design your own major” is woefully simplistic. There is a huge distinction between a college that demands that it’s students take charge of their own education plan, versus one where you could ‘minor’ in other subjects beyond your ‘major’. The use of academic Divisions, instead of years of attendance (Freshman, Sophomore, etc.) represents one important difference from traditional college models. The experiential, inclusive and collaborative teaching and learning techniques that are implemented across all course offerings is another. The use of detailed evaluative narratives, in contrast to letter grades cannot be minimized. Nor can the conscious emphasis on written and oral communication of work, or the faculty committee that oversees each student’s academic plan.
Sure, other colleges implement aspects of Hampshire’s academic model. However, precious few integrate all of these aspects into a coherent system.
Hampshire’s academic model is not necessarily the best for all students, but it offers an educational experience that can be superior for many. So, I was saddened when it encountered the same financial challenges that other small ‘niche’ liberal arts colleges are facing today, and I remain hopeful and encouraged that Hampshire can continue to survive and flourish.
Finally, I find myself continuously amazed and puzzled by individuals who celebrate Hampshire’s travails and seem to root for its demise. America is blessed with a wide spectrum of higher education offerings that will clearly allow a strong fit for any student’s qualities and abilities. I should think that we all would value that diversity, instead of advocating for fewer departures from the typical college experience.
Hampshire College’s academic model has not brought this small college success.
Dismissing the option of creating one’s own major as a “woefully simplistic” distillation of Hampshire College’s academic model misses the point. We live in a free market economy. If there was sufficient demand for Hampshire College’s academic model, it wouldn’t be facing the possibility of closure. Simple as that.
However, UCSB CCS students still choose (from a limited set of) more traditional majors: https://ccs.ucsb.edu/majors , so it is not like a self-designed curriculum in the Hampshire model.
@ucbalumnus : You might find ALFs recent comment on another Hampshire College thread enlightening. Suggests that Hampshire College is moving to an interdisciplinary approach in the near future.
Interesting article on Hampshire College’s financial struggles in last Sunday’s Washington Post:
“If the economic troubles of elite liberal arts institutions have you mock-playing an air violin, consider the consequences. For one, there’ll be fiercer competition for spots at the most prestigious schools… or another, there will be fewer opportunities for low-income students who rely on generous financial aid packages at small liberal arts colleges as one of the few tickets into the upper class. It may also mean the retreat of the only part of higher education that is uniquely American. Residential liberal arts colleges are rare in other parts of the world. For more than 200 years, they’ve made American higher education an exceptional laboratory for fostering empathy, creativity and innovation. We’ve gotten so used to them, we may not notice what we’ve lost until it’s gone.”
@ALF: Thank you for posting the link to this article.
In addition to Hampshire College, the article briefly discusses concerns at #35 US News ranked Bucknell University, #27 ranked College of the Holy Cross & #33 ranked Oberlin College.
The shortage of college aged students needs to be addressed by, in my opinion, attracting full pay students from China or elsewhere. Problem is that Chinese students may not be interested in a non-STEM, liberal arts education.
Article also notes that only 4% of the enrolled students paid full tuition at Hampshire College while 34% paid full tuition at nearby Amherst College.
I’m thrilled that Hampshire is reshaping itself for the new world it faces. As someone whose known several Hampshire grads, and who still has one child who is eying Hampshire for the future, we are delighted that it’s still financially viable and accredited.
Literally when I look at other schools I feel depressed–they all seem to adhere to the standard models of education. Do this, get a grade, get a job, be safe. Ho-hum.
I get it: after the recession parents hunkered down and pushed for STEM and STEM alone with a narrow focus that seems to have been built on fear. STEM is safe! Do STEM!
The Hampshire grads that I’ve known over the decades face the world FEARLESSly. They are fearless to take on their own education and fearless at challenging the world over and over again. They ask: why do it that way? Just because it’s “always” been done that way is no reason not to challenge it. Why not try this new thing and new way of thinking?
As a result every one of them has done something not just successfully in their field but has remade their fields in significant ways. The fields are varied. These are people who challenge how things have been done in the past. Hampshire uniquely attracts people who are not afraid to say “boo” to the establishment and who create new ways of thinking. The “excellent sheep” students are free to go to the other schools. Bucking the status quo is by its very nature not popular right away. Saying boo is considered rude, or unpatriotic, or weird, or declasse, or whatever. But true innovation comes from brave thinkers and adventurous people who bring courage to bear in their life choices.
Show me a life, lived no matter how safely, that doesn’t involve failure and re-invention. At least Hampshire teaches how to be inventive. And self-assured that you can do it.
Hooray for Hampshire. I’m so happy that my child still searching for the right school can keep Hampshire on the list.