<p>My son has been accepted to Hillsdale <em>and</em> Grove City.
Both are <em>excellent</em> conservative schools, both subject to grade deflation.</p>
<p>Does anyone here have arguments for or against either one?
Comments from current / former students welcome.</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>Hi minnphd. Love the moniker-- I lived in Anoka for three years growing up.</p>
<p>I’m an '06 Hillsdale alum, and I have two cousins who went to Grove City. We all had excellent experiences. </p>
<p>I have never visited Grove City. If your son has not already and you have the means, have him go for an overnight visit to both schools. (Hillsdale offers these, I don’t know about Grove City.) He’ll attend classes, do social stuff, pretty much experience everything Hillsdale has to offer w/o his parents around (which is, after all, college). I always recommend this because it’s what sold me 100% on Hillsdale: I knew I’d found my college. </p>
<p>From what I know, however, I would say the greatest difference is the prominence of religion in campus life. Hillsdale has Intervarsity, etc., and by and large the student population is religious (predominantly Christian). That said, religious studies are purely academic in Heritage and English courses, and Intro to Relgion is still an elective within the core curriculum (when I was there, one could take either that class or Intro to Philosophy). There is a movement to add a theology course to the required core-- it’s getting good discussion in the Hillsdale Collegian (hillsdalecollegian.com), and I think by and large it’s being opposed. I don’t know about their curriculm, but Grove City is very religious in daily life, and almost entirely Christian.Aside from this, well… I didn’t attend much church when I was at Hillsdale, nor did quite a few of my friends, and we never heard a word of concern about it from anyone. Anyway, it’s the difference in religious environment that led both my cousins to go to Grove City instead of Hillsdale. </p>
<p>Tied to this, Hillsdale has strict rules compared to the average university/college, but I think they’re rather lenient compared to Grove City (and, far stricter, Patrick Henry, Liberty, etc.). I was one student who liked to have a good time, and when I go back to Homecoming I tend to end up puttering around campus with an open beer chatting up students. Setting aside the “Give it up, old man” thoughts this might inspire, it’s otherwise just how things are at Homecoming. I don’t think I’d be as well received doing that at Grove City. Though there are fines for students drinking in the dorm and repeated offenses can lead to more serious discipline, it’s largely nominal-- again, the dorms are tame compared to other schools, but they’re hardly uptight.</p>
<p>Finally, I would say reputation. I’m not particularly happy about the Limbaugh, etc. radio ads, but the results do speak for themselves-- super-qualified students who may come from Dittohead households, but will now be challenged on all their beliefs and molded into wise human beings. It really helps that I can meet with people in various policy circles and that my Hillsdale credential gives me instant credit. As mentioned in other threads, grads are now going on to some of the most prestigious institutions in the world for graduate studies-- I think the word is out that, though some may paint the school as some Republican Club, it produces sharp minds.</p>
<p>Congrats to your son!</p>
<p>LMAO at the “Dittohead households” :D</p>
<p>Dalealumnus, I am actually a student at Coon Rapids High School who is going to Hillsdale next year. I didn’t know anyone else from around here went there recently!</p>
<p>There is a very significant difference between these institutions that ties to qualitative issues. It is the dramatic differences in endowment policies. While Hillsdale and GCC tend to be tied together because of their long-ago stance on governmental grants, Hillsdale has become a major player in seeking and finding grants and gifts. While GCC has recently entered this game, by history and edict of the founding fathers, notably the Pews, GCC is disallowed from garnering any signficant endowment funds. It is deemed, understandably, un-Christian. </p>
<p>While it can and should be argued that endowments make institutions lazy … and tied to their providers … conversely it can be argued that when they are not available to provide significant supplemental funding, one of two things MUST, by the law of supply and demand/revenue and expenses, occur. Either the operational specifics of delivering an education must greatly differ, or tuition must accommodate the shortfalls. </p>
<p>Well, it’s clear, with GCC tuition trumping to the low side, Hillsdale’s tuition, that GCC MUST deliver a vastly different educational model. Specifically that means 2 things: Lesser facilities and vastly lower per student instructional costs. So, facilites must be built and maintained on the cheap. But far more significant in the revenue picture, investment in professoriate has to be dramatically lower. For it is in salaries and benefits where the bulk of higher ed expense lies. </p>
<p>So, what’s it mean? Fewer classes and programs teaching and advising much vaster numbers of students receiving little or no additional financial aid. And professors are expected and required to do far more work for far less remuneration. It is that simple. Qualitative issues. </p>
<p>One final caveat …unlike Hillsdale which has a vast and huge outreach with PR and its centers, GCC can not generate such activities. </p>
<p>So, for those thinking this is comparing apples to apples, I’d differ in analysis and conclusion. They are nothing alike beyond some philosophy of freedom, one of which is rooted in the notion and promotion that freedom is a God-given gift, while the 2nd approaches the concept of freedom as being a function of government and specifically the Constitution.</p>
<p>In either case, no matter what the beer-slugging alumni hanger-on suggests, if you find Hannity and Rush objectionable or preaching ideas and ideals contrary to your worldview of the current culture, neither place will nurture your noggin. These’d not be for you. </p>
<p>P.S. There are plenty of beer-chuggers who frequent the Harrisville Fire Hall outside GCC, in fact, riding the semi-college sponsored bus to and fro. But the cheap brew might be Iron City in lieu of Blue Ribbon @ Hillsdale. ;)</p>
<p>“Hanger-on”? Why I oughta… no, no, on reflection, I resemble that. Though please, “alumnus”–despite the beer calories, I’m not quite pural.</p>
<p>Excellent post, WP!</p>
<p>btw, I’ve got great friends who’ve attended both GCC and Hillsdale. While I often debate both re: issues, I can tell you this w/o a doubt … I’d not hesitate one moment to have mine attend either of these places.</p>
<p>And I’ll be happy to buy you and wildwoodscott a yuengling or straubs lager or dark anytime! We’d have a great evening!</p>
<p>I can answer this question quite aptly, I think–I attend Hillsdale College, but as an infant I set foot the first of MANY times on the grounds of Grove City, where three of my siblings (and an in-law) have since attended. So just take it from me to keep a few things in mind:</p>
<p>The educational quality–classical–and the social life from each are roughly the same; Hillsdale students are slightly more studious (and well-dressed), but the faculty between both schools know each other well, and the colleges collaborate on many things despite being 275 miles apart. In fact, Grove City and Hillsdale will be sharing some sort of Honors-exchange program starting this year.</p>
<p>The clearest margin of victory in a single category, though it won’t matter to most, is that Grove City’s buildings and a good percentage of its campus–despite being the younger and slightly less-wealthy school–are bigger, longer-standing, and far more beautiful (even Ivy-esque!) than those at Hillsdale. Even the dormitories. And even the NAMES of the buildings sound more pleasant! Again, it would be shallow to let nicer buildings affect your college decision. But me being an architecture nut, Grove City’s edge has always bothered me a little…</p>
<p>But to conclude, Hillsdale College attracts brighter minds for visiting fellows, has a greater national & political presence, and the Hillsdale education–being more liberty-, history-, and free market-based than it is Christianity-based–is a bit more well-rounded than that of Grove City. I personally consider this crucial because if Hillsdale were a Christian school (by affiliation, of course) in this day and age, its impressive academic rigor would be–much like that of Patrick Henry, Liberty, Pepperdine, Wheaton, and BYU–brushed off by the preconceived notions of liberal education snobs as simple, religious indoctrination. So considering what a rapidly-rising star that Hillsdale College is, I think said snobs find this distinction frustrating–particularly, getting beaten in their own collegiate game. Excellent! Hillsdale College for the win.</p>
<p>Happy hunting.</p>
<p>Grove City College - Pennsylvania</p>
<p>2,600 undergrad students; Campus looks and feels like Princeton (a good thing!)</p>
<p>I will start with my negative. I found Grove to be more politically conservative than Christian in their applications and practices. But “wow” what a school! The cost is half most Christian Colleges and attracts some of the brightest students only slightly behind Wheaton in profile. The students are active and engaged in the world and in learning. The school has an intense core curriculum and prides itself in not providing grade inflation. Their job placement process starts with their freshman in helping them see their strengths and match them with their interests with great results. They have a wide degree of majors including engineering and keep their student boy/girl ratio at 50/50. Because of the low financial cost and having a great school they are hard to gain acceptance. If you have the brains to get in, it is hard to top this school for having all you need to prepare for careers and/or graduate studies.</p>
<p>Hillsdale College – Michigan
1,300 undergraduates</p>
<p>Hillsdale is not a Christian College though Christianity is well accepted and even embraced. They are more aligned with fighting for religious freedom for all types of beliefs but are predominately protestant and catholic. Hillsdale is very conservative politically and teach a classical liberal arts model. They are well disciplined and like Grove City College do not accept any government funding. They have managed to accumulate one of the largest endowments of any college in America their size and as a result attract a top quality student and faculty. They teach and preach free market economics which is sorely needed on the college campus in this day and age.</p>
<p>When we visited they had an engaging student panel of five students that talked of the joys and challenges of a Hillsdale education. Also like Grove City, they too pride themselves on no grade inflation. At the end of the presentation the students being seniors were asked where they were heading in the next year – two were off to Harvard Law School. (HLS shows their feeder schools and I recently looked against all the schools that I have referenced – Hillsdale had 3; Wheaton 2; Grove City, Northwestern, and Vanderbilt each had 1.) Hillsdale, like Wheaton, expects more than 2/3’s of their students to go on to graduate school in less than 10 years after graduation.</p>
<p>Hillsdale in many respects is a late bloomer as their college rankings over the last 5 or 6 years have soared. They are very competitive to get into and their graduates do well in all walks of life. And their financial aid in all respects is excellent.</p>