Thank you guys for the advice!
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Hey Marlie! Congrats on your son getting in! I applied as a transfer student for the spring semester and got waitlisted, but then didn’t receive a spot. My fall application was submitted on January 4th of this year. When did your son apply and how long did it take for him to hear back? Waiting is nearly killing me since I can’t stand the school I attend now!
I did an interview in 2019 and I agree with everything above! I would also just say don’t be afraid to be yourself! Yes they want good students but they also want people who are going to fit in well at the school! I heard them say a few times something to the effect of “we want this to be a good fit for us as well as for you”. Don’t be afraid to be yourself and show your true colors! Good luck!
My son applied for spring as well and got denied. He then reapplied for Fall and got in. Since you were wait listed and now applying for Fall I would think you have a good shot at getting in. My son applied Dec 15 and heard on January 15. They say about a month. I feel your pain …the wait was really hard! Stay positive and please share your news!
I actually heard back the same night I asked my question and I got in!! I’m so thankful and relieved to finally have heard back! Mine took almost 3 weeks so not that bad! What year is your coming in as? Curious! I’ll be coming in as a sophomore.
Congratulations!! My son will be a sophomore too! His major is political science. How bout yours?
Thanks! 
I’m going to be a politics major too!!
hello everyone! expecting an admission decision back within the next week, but i switch homes every few days so postal mail is not an ideal decision format. will the portal be updated with an admission decision as well? thank you!
Our portal never changed. @emi788 but I am sure you could call Hillsdale and let them know and they will likely tell you verbally.
thank you so much for your response! i was not aware that they may release decisions over the phone but i will give it a shot for sure!
To be clear, it is not normal to do it that way, but I am sure if you wait the 4 weeks and then call or email your counselor and explain the situation, they will be kind enough to get you your decision.
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thank you for your help. i reached out to my admissions counselor and they are providing a decision by email.
admitted
- rank 1/521
- 35 act (taken once) - 33 math, 36 science, 36 reading, 36 english
- 9 ap exams (united states history (4), physics 1 (5), chemistry (5), biology (5), environmental science (5), french (5), lang and composition (5), world history (5), human geography (5)) plus government, macroeconomics, physics c mechanics, physics c emag, bc calculus, english lit and composition, and statistics this year
- 2 dual-enrollment math courses with UT Austin (A+ in discovery precalculus and algebra 2)
- main extracurriculars/leadership: varsity swim captain, senior mentor for freshman students, student-athlete leadership team, lots of online french language exchange and english tutoring, national honor society, math tutor
- worked for a technology company for the past several years as manager of quality assurance
Congratulations!! 
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Denied. I was offered a spot on the waitlist, but I’ll likely pass because I would have needed a lot of $ aid to make Hillsdale happen.
4.0 UW GPA, 34 ACT, top 3% in class of 350+, what I thought were decent ECs (varsity sports captain, regional leadership awards, chorus, volunteer work, academic competition teams, etc.).
I’m not sure what else I could have done. It’s crazy competitive out there, so if anyone else is denied please don’t be discouraged. I was admitted to Georgia Tech, so a denial at one selective school doesn’t mean you won’t get in elsewhere. Congrats to all who got in.
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facepalmwarrior - you have worked so hard, and congrats on GT. good luck where ever you land.
I have a sophomore daughter interested in hillsdale. I am shocked at this thread - had no idea how competitive it is. I am so curious as to why they accept, and don’t. essays? references? i’ll keep reading for more thoughts on this.
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@bgbg4us Hillsdale has been highly selective for some time with a 35% acceptance rate for years. This year, the rumor is their applications doubled, so expect an acceptance rate in the teens. Transferring there seems to be even tougher right now, but possible.
Different than many schools, an interview and showing interest is VERY important to Hillsdale. Make sure your daughter does the interview and also visits if she can. If not, she should connect with her counselor as much as possible and do whatever else she can to show interest. The school atmosphere is different than most in the nation and they also want a good fit. It is an exceptional institution. Their medical and law school acceptance rates are among the best in the entire nation.
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thanks, L.mama. I appreciate hearing this. For some reason, there’s a 75% tuition scholarship for kids from our state; that’s how it got on the radar. Then, we started noticing it for other reasons. but until i read this forum, i didnt know how selective it was. Things can change in the next 1.5 yrs, but Ill mention to her about the showing interest. I think a hillsdale rep was at an open house night at our school this past fall; i’ll make sure she knows to stop by and ask more if the rep is there again. Your kid have plans elsewhere now?
hello all! does anyone happen to have information on how common purely merit scholarships are at hillsdale and average amounts awarded?
Hillsdale has very generous packages, especially considering they are one of the least expensive schools in the country. Top students can get up to a full-ride tuition. I have seen several get 75% of tuition covered. Much to my dismay, my son did not attend, even though accepted. It would have cost us $16K/year all in, which is insanely cheap, especially for a private school. I think his scholarship was for 100K total. He had very high ACTs and a solid GPA and incredible resume. If you have the stats, they are a very affordable option. Those numbers, BTW, were with no FAFSA. I know they also give need based funds if you qualify, so that would make it even cheaper. Regardless, it is one of the best education option in the nation.
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