<p>D is scheduled for a visit next month. The visit will include tour, lunch, interview and she will sit in on an English class and Biology class. She is hoping to double major in those two areas. Any suggestions on preparations and/or on anyone we MUST talk to or things we MUST see or do? Any and all comments appreciated :)</p>
<p>Many students check into Hillsdale and, because they’ve never been made to fathom the concept of a college ruled by SERIOUS students (not just brainless jocks) and the ideals of our nation’s Founders…well, Hillsdale is a very sad, lonely place for them. MAKE SURE your daughter has done her research. This is no diploma mill. There are big things in store at Hillsdale, and it has no time to waste on the typical American youngster.</p>
<p>HOWEVER, I hope this is not an issue for you. To the shock of my colleagues and (most of) my family, I turned my back on the Ivy League to go to this institution. The college demands but two things: a love of all values good and American that Harvard, Yale, etc sell out for the almighty federal dollar…and a total willingness to learn these values and live them.</p>
<p>While the whole campus is beautiful (and more so once the College Chapel/Auditorium, Central Hall expansion, Historical Archives, 2 extra dorms, and Intramural Building go up within the next 3 years), I have two words for you: “Heritage Room”.</p>
<p>The Heritage Room is a beautiful place. </p>
<p>But, the best thing about Hillsdale…“It’s the People.” 
</p>
<p>While you are there, check out the looks on the faces of the kids in the Grewcock, in the classrooms, walking the campus. You’ll not find the depressed-college-student look, the drugged-out or hung-over look, the wasted-life look one might find at other campuses. These kids are engaged - all the time. Refreshing!</p>
<p>“The college demands but two things: a love of all values good and American that Harvard, Yale, etc sell out for the almighty federal dollar…and a total willingness to learn these values and live them.”</p>
<p>Harvard and Yale are great schools, and while they certainly have a good amount of bunk majors, mediocre student assistants in place of professors and a lot of relativist claptrap, they’re still among the best institutions in the world. If one goes to one of these schools w/ a head on his shoulders and maturity, they have libraries (complete with original documents) and academics that are second to none. </p>
<p>Hillsdale stands nearly alone in rejecting federal money, but under no circumstances does it isolate itself from the schools that do. As an alum, I’m particularly pleased that Hillsdale sends so many kids to Harvard and Yale (etc.) graduate programs. Obviously it’s not some divergence with “American values” that’s got the regular attention of these very selective graduate programs: it’s the discipline, intelligence, and wisdom of Hillsdale’s best and brightest.</p>
<p>Anyway, I suppose these may be the “good and American” values you speak of, but I have my doubts. </p>
<p>And Hillsdale’s a lonely place at times for everybody. It’s called winter. I venture to say it’s way more lonely for those not gathered around a nice tub of jungle juice in the ATO annex with the heater cranked up to 90, but I digress.</p>
<p>Re HomeschoolingMom:</p>
<p>My sister was an English major / bio minor. Now she’s a nurse and loves it. If she can, your daughter should meet with English prof Dr. John Sommerville. He’s not only brilliant, he’s among the toughest profs at Hillsdale and one of the kindest souls I’ve ever met. If not, Dr. Busch is very good, too. I have great respect for Dr. Belt, but she’s a bit eccentric, and if she’s still up to her old tricks you won’t find a place to sit in her office, anyway (mountains of books and paper). In bio, meet Dr. Steiner. </p>
<p>Is she there overnight? Are you going along? Hopefully she’ll have a good student ambassador who will show her around and take her to something social. Make sure she’s vocal about wanting to do stuff: when I was an SA if a prospective didn’t show interest I didn’t make too much of an effort to go beyond the schedule.</p>
<p>Okay, rant over.</p>
<p>Homeschoolingmom, my D’s (and my) visit last January was really terrific. I can’t add anything to the recommendations that have already been made; it’s a lovely campus and I expect your D will enjoy the visit very much.</p>
<p>We got a wonderful personalized tour, lunch, brief meeting with the Music Chair…everything your D will do except, because it was the first week of a new semester, it wasn’t possible to sit in on a class. My D plans to do that when she does her overnight visit early next year.</p>
<p>Hope your D enjoys her visit!</p>
<p>My son had Dr. Belt for the Rhetoric and Great Books program, and we met her at Parents Weekend. I feel like a complete imbecile - she was so so so so SMART. Tough grader, too, but son learned more from her than he’d ever learned from any instructor before.</p>
<p>On the subject of “tough grades” I want to remind you gentle readers of my favorite Hillsdale shirt: it’s got a huge red “C+” on it with the caption underneath: “Hillsdale College. Where your best hasn’t been good enough since 1844.” Always gets comments, and is so true!</p>
<p>dalealumnus: As much as I dread to be corrected --and I hear that Hillsdale’s professors are deft at curing one of that–I hope you are right about the Charger prominence in the well-known grad schools. I say this because sometimes the only thing more troubling to me than Hillsdale’s lack of really old buildings (a la 1874 fire) is its apparant lack of “google”-worthy alumni. But I’m willing to give the latter time, as long as SOMEONE wins either the Presidency or the Nobel Prize before we’re all cold in our graves. Hey, Obama made both look easy enough…</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice and comments. D did the SAT last week, finished essay for NMF on Monday, presented her experiences with AP,CLEP and Dual Enrollment at a parent workshop last night and today is starting to prepare her questions for the interview. She is REALLY looking forward to the visit next week. She is wanting to get some decisions made in the near future.</p>