<p>My guess would be that Hillsdale students tend to significantly more focused in the general field of business than students at most other LACs. </p>
<p>For example, [url=<a href="http://www.kzoo.edu/programs/%5DKalamazoo%5B/url">http://www.kzoo.edu/programs/]Kalamazoo[/url</a>] and [url=<a href="http://www.hillsdale.edu/academics/majors.asp%5DHillsdale%5B/url">http://www.hillsdale.edu/academics/majors.asp]Hillsdale[/url</a>] are both similar in size, and offer about the same total number of degree programs.</p>
<p>Kalamazoo has exactly one business-oriented degree program:
"Economics and Business".</p>
<p>Hillsdale, on the other hand, offers a variety of choices, including:<br>
"Accounting"
"Economics"
"Financial Management"
"Marketing/Management"
"Political Economy" (interdisciplinary), and
"Business Administration" (a minor)</p>
<p>Nothing wrong with that, but it's something that prospective applicants should be aware of.</p>
<p>Another way in which Hillsdale departs from usual LAC standards is with respect to intercollegiate sports.</p>
<p>The vast majority of LACs play in NCAA Division III. This represents the lowest level of competition: athletic scholarships are not allowed, and the quality of play is not high. However, DIII programs are relatively inexpensive, and so LACs commonly sponsor lots of them. For example, Michigan LACs like Kzoo, Calvin, Alma, Hope, and Albion each offer 16-20 varsity sports. </p>
<p>Since LACs usually offer lots of sports, and since the talent requirements are usually low, the opportunities to be a student-athlete at a LAC are generally very good. Athletic participation rates tend to be high.</p>
<p>Hillsdale, on the other hand, plays in NCAA Division II (it wouldn't surprise me if they are the smallest DII school in the country). The quality of play in DII is higher; talented athletes routinely receive athletic scholarships. But this also means that DII programs are more expensive. This is probably why Hillsdale sponsors fewer varsity sports -- only 11 -- than other Michigan LACs.</p>
<p>A superior athlete could receive an athletic scholarship at Hillsdale, which would not be an option at other LACs. On the other hand, there are probably fewer opportunities for average students to participate in intercollegiate sports at Hillsdale: fewer sports are offered, and many of the available spots will go to scholarship athletes.</p>