Like most potential students, I was blown away by the pristine campus and professional atmosphere High Point projected. I went to a private college prep school my entire life, and I was looking to continue that kind of education. So I narrowed my choices down to Furman, Elon, High Point, and American University. I chose High Point because they offered me a Presidential Scholarship, but unfortunately, it was nothing that I had hoped it would be.
After my first semester at High Point, I have chosen to transfer elsewhere. Some reviews on this site might talk about the stuck up kids, the drama, the party scene, or lack of sports as a reason to transfer. The main reason I left High Point was the poor academics. Now, for some students HP’s less the rigors academic environment might be a great fit. Every class I took was easier than any class I took in high school. I know I am not alone in this conclusion because the other person from my high school, who attended HPU, has also transferred after first semester for the same reason. All of my teachers were fresh out of grad school and willing to extend deadlines and accommodate to students in order to get good evaluations from students.
I was blown away by the kind of students that surrounded me. Student’s barely getting by in class, with no drive or determination. Teachers were nice, very accommodating, but short of inspiring. I don’t want readers to think I am generalizing all the students here. I am just talking about the small number I encountered. I found myself constantly explaining things because those around me didn’t have the same academic foundation I did. After my first semester I was bored, unhappy, unchallenged, and ready to leave.
This is NOT the place to get a higher education. I considered adding a fifth academic, but didn’t want to have to pay extra money for the credit hours. I thought about applying to the honors program, but was so miserable that I couldn’t wait until my sophomore year to begin the program. My career advisor even indicated that perhaps I should have gone to a more rigorous school. High Point is a great school if you want a mediocre education with a lot of amenities.
Please reply if you have any question or want clarification. I posted this in the hopes that someone won’t make the same expensive mistake I did.
Wow, that is pretty harsh. Can I ask what your High School grades and SATs were, and whether you got into the other schools you mentioned? My S is seriously considering HPU and also comes from a private college prep HS with a rigorous program.
I am a parent of a student who is in their second year at HPU. I feel that the rigor of academics can vary between different majors. Not sure MRJ1717’s major was, but some are more difficult than others. That would stand true at any school. My child has certainly been challenged at HPU. You need to keep in mind that HPU’s acceptance rate is fairly high, which means that you are going to get a variety of students–not just the “top of the class” kids. The school must adjust to the overall demographics. I know for a fact that not all professors “are fresh out of grad school.” I personally met with one when my child was struggling in a very difficult gen ed Biology class. She was not the only “seasoned” professor in the school. I found that the professors were very hands on, and willing to help! For my child, HPU is a great environment. I have encountered the most positive, caring professionals during the past two years.
I graduated high school with a 3.9 gpa and got a 1280 on my SAT. I did get into all the other school mention and really regret not going to one of them. Attending HPU really made me cherish the academics my college prep HS offered. I do understand that what you major in can change one’s experience. As a communication major, some of my peers also felt they weren’t getting a “college” education. I’m glad that others are having positive academic experiences at HPU. I’m sorry if my post came across as blunt. I just wish I had done more research on review websites such as this before making my decision.
MRJ1717, thanks so much for your input. I wish you the best of luck wherever you end up. I think with your grades and SATs, yes, it should have been clear that you would not really be challenged at a school like HPU. But I think their academics are improving year upon year, as it gets more competitive to be admitted and so the student body contains more high-achievers. I think perhaps you were unlucky with your professors, since I have heard so many good things about how caring they are, and of course HPU is ranked #1 in undergraduate teaching by US News, which should have some basis in fact. I hope you find a place to settle in and be challenged – kudos to you for wanting to achieve more, since a lot of kids would just have coasted and partied. Well done!
charliedog…I have heard the narrative about the improving academics at HPU from alums and from parents of current students (for many years), but the statistics on the average GPA and test scores of the incoming students don’t back that up. Plus, with an 80.2% acceptance percentage last year, it isn’t getting more difficult to get in—just the opposite. In terms of the average GPA and test scores of the incoming students, HPU ranks behind a lot of the schools in the UNC system, including UNC Asheville, Appalachian State, UNC Charlotte and UNC Wilmington (and UNC and NC State, of course). It is also light years behind the selective private colleges and universities in the state. I know the school encourages the perception that the academics are improving and I am sure that people make assumptions about the school based on its appearance and its growth in recent years, but the reality is somewhat different. HPU is much more fancy and much more expensive than it was 10 years ago, but it is pretty much admitting the same type of students as it was before.
@MRJ1717 I think although “blunt” your information is honest and accurate. I have two kids in college and one went extensively through the HPU process right down to the last minute. I think the bulk of the trouble HPU has in terms of getting slammed is when people come on here and make it sound like " little Harvard" when it’s not the case. This school is a fine place for kids with average grades and motivation to find themselves and push to their potential. There’s nothing wrong with that if you just call it that from the beginning. It’s not to say that these kids can’t find jobs or be successful, IF they work for it they CAN! For my oldest who was the most interested in the school she wanted more. My D had a few friends that attended her freshman year of college… 2 transferred out for this very reason. We have a very competitive high school, often ranked top 10-25 in the nation on school reports. They were not challengedd at all. The 3rd stayed and loves it but he’s a party boy and can pretty much maintain his high school lifestyle and not get kicked out of school all while studying for a business degree. This year one kid attended that graduated with my son and she is getting out at the end of freshman year and transferring to our local state college. Chaddsford gets it. I can tell you my son would have benefited from a school with easier rigor like HPU… He is at a competitive state university (OOS for us) and he is working his tail off for low B’s and C’s. All the schools we selected were on par with HPU but he got this one admission and wanted to go. Mrj1717 I wish you the best of luck finding a new school and good for you for wanting more for yourself!
Good luck MRJ, and sorry for the misstep. I’m sure a number of the other colleges that you were initially accepted into would be very happy to have you for sophomore year. I’ve heard really great things about the academics at Furman, for example.
Thank you for the positive and encouraging feedback! I have decided to transfer to Clemson University this fall. I was initially waitlisted there, so didn’t heavily consider it my senior year. They have great academic resources, a positive community, and an abundance of school spirit. My classmate who also withdrew from High Point will be attending the University of Kansas. Hope this helps!
@mrj1717, Great School! My D has a few friends that attend there… one is business and the other is engineering… they are both over the top beyond happy! Plus you get football there!!! Great opportunities at that school and a school’s that academic reputation surpasses it’s region. Best of luck to you!
I have never known of a college that would allow a parent to meet with faculty over their child’s poor grades. That seems very odd to me. What about FERPA? And what about adulthood?
Actually, I had a friend whose son applied there, and OP’s comment about HPU being a “mediocre college with lots of amenities” is EXACTLY what they were looking for in a school. The kid ended up at a different school, and isn’t doing very well there either.
@deborahb I thought that was very odd too but I was not surprised by it. After having gone through the process of admitted students, presidential scholarship weekends, etc… and hearing the President speak there very much is an encompassing vibe much like a boarding high school that is given. The president says he likes all kids to live on campus so as a parent we can “relax” and know they are safe. There is a higher than usual communication here with the parents. A friend of mine told me she got emails and text messages after a small snow storm telling them that all kids were safe on campus and the university had hot cocoa delivered to each dorm. For them it was great because their child needed that pampering and it gave them “peace of mind” but I do feel like there is a bit of a bubble IMHO and not the independence my kids are experiencing. Nothing wrong with it but not necessarily a traditional college experience.
I am the parent who wrote about meeting with my daughter’s professor. This is NOT a usual practice for me. She was 1 month into freshman year at the time. The school allowed a small window on the Friday afternoon of parent’s weekend for meetings if necessary. I wouldn’t have made a special 8 hour trip to do this. She was really struggling in a very difficult biology class. Sometimes when kids are right out of high school, they are lacking the maturity to self advocate. You are fortunate if your child excels in everything from the beginning. We were able to get her situated with the necessary tools and she managed to succeed in the class. deborahb: As for FERPA, my daughter had given me permission to access her records. As for adulthood, sometimes it comes later than we hope. I am proud to report that she is a sophomore now, and very independent!! That was the first and last of meeting with a professor. I think it is wonderful that a university not only has great opportunities for high achievers, but also has great opportunities for the kid who might have struggled a bit in high school. lefty1, I feel as far as independence goes, she is living off campus (still in campus housing) but it feels very independent to me. I think there is a bit of protective feel to the freshman housing. Yes, I remember getting an e-mail last winter. It was during a very bad ice storm (which they had several). I don’t remember the hot chocolate however! As I said in my last post, I think the students considering HPU really need to look at the statistics. The high acceptance rate would indicate that you are getting a mix of students and the academics are adjusted to fit the demographics. Also, your major has a lot to do with rigor.
@jbayley16 USC wasn’t really on my radar when I initially toured schools. However, I know some alumni who have nothing but great things to say about USC and the city of Columbia. One alumni in particularly was a student athlete taking some 18 credit hours a semester because she loved the academic environment so much. Hope that helps!