Hillsdale College is a private, independent, nonsectarian Christian institution of higher learning that offers a traditional, classical, liberal arts education with a rigorous core curriculum led by a dedicated teaching faculty. It was founded in 1844 by men and women who described themselves as "grateful to God for the inestimable blessings" resulting from civil and religious liberty and as "believing that the diffusion of sound learning is essential to the perpetuity of [those] blessings." The College has maintained institutional independence since its founding by refusing to accept government aid. Private support from a national constituency has enabled Hillsdale to continue its trusteeship of the intellectual and spiritual inheritance from the Western Tradition.
About
From the School
Contact & Visit
Campus Visits Contact
Contact
Margaret Braman
Individual Visit Program Coordinator
Individual Visit Program Coordinator
Address
Office of Admissions
33 East College Street
Hillsdale, MI 49242
33 East College Street
Hillsdale, MI 49242
Phone
517-607-2227
Email
admissions@hillsdale.edu
Experience College Life
Most Popular Places On Campus
Student Union
Classrooms/Labs
Sage Center for the Arts
Howard Music Hall
Sports Complex
Classrooms/Labs
Sage Center for the Arts
Howard Music Hall
Sports Complex
Most Popular Places Off Campus
Lake Baw Beese
Broad Street Market
Checker Records (coffee house)
Jilly Beans (coffee house)
Downtown Hillsdale
Broad Street Market
Checker Records (coffee house)
Jilly Beans (coffee house)
Downtown Hillsdale
Campus Tours
Campus Visiting Center
Monday-Friday
8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
517-607-2227
8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
517-607-2227
Campus Tours
Appointment Required: Yes
Dates: Year-round
Times: Varies
Average Length: 1 hour
Dates: Year-round
Times: Varies
Average Length: 1 hour
On Campus Interview
Campus Interviews
Yes
Information Sessions
Available
Times
Varies
Faculty and Coach Visits
Dates/Times Available
Year-round
Arrangements
Contact Admissions Office
Advance Notice
2 weeks
Contact Email Address for Visit
admissions@hillsdale.edu
Class Visits
Dates/Times Available
Academic Year
Arrangements
Contact Admissions Office
Overnight Dorm Stays
Overnight Dorm Stays
Available
Arrangements
Contact Admissions Office
Transportation
Types of Transportation Available to Campus
The college provides a shuttle service to and from area airports (Detroit, Toledo) and the bus and train station in Jackson, MI.
Local Accommodations
Dow Conference Center (on campus)
Hillsdale College Home Connection
Days Inn
Hillsdale Motel
Rooms at Grayfield
Munro House
America's Best Value Motel
The Rocking Horse Inn
Quigley?s Log Home Bed and Breakfast
Comfort Inn
Hampton Inn
Red Roof Inn
Super 8
Baymont Inn
Holiday Inn
Country Inn & Suites
Fairfield Inn
Ramada Inn & Suites
Save SchoolAdmissions
Admissions
Overall
From The School
A formal application to Hillsdale College includes: (1) a completed application form; (2) an official transcript of high school grades (and post-secondary grades, if available); (3) thoughtful essay and short answer responses; (4) two academic letters of recommendation; and (5) a resume of extracurricular activities, volunteerism, leadership, and work experience. An interview is recommended, but not required. Standardized test scores from the American College Test (ACT), Classic Learning Test (CLT), or Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) are optional. Transfer students must include a Dean of Students Transfer Form and official college transcript(s). Students who come from a non-English speaking country must submit all required documents in English and demonstrate English proficiency by submitting the TOEFL or an equivalent test. Students may apply to Hillsdale College any time after the completion of the junior year of high school. Application plans include early decision (November 1), spring admission (November 1), priority scholarship (December 15), and regular decision (March 15). Hillsdale College has been distinguished since its founding in 1844 by voluntarily adhering to a nondiscriminatory admissions policy regarding race, religion, sex, and national or ethnic origin.
All records and forms should be mailed to:
Admissions Office
Hillsdale College
33 East College Street
Hillsdale, Michigan 49242-1298
Phone: 517-607-2327
Fax: 517-607-2223
E-mail: admissions@hillsdale.edu
Website: http://www.hillsdale.edu
Overview
Applicants: 2,773
Acceptance Rate: 21%
Average HS GPA: 3.90
GPA Breakdown
73%
4.0
21%
3.75 - 3.99
4%
3.50 - 3.74
2%
3.25 - 3.49
Need to boost your grades? We can help.
Learn MoreSAT & ACT Test Scores
SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing
25th-75th percentile (enrolled students)
670 - 760
SAT Math
25th-75th percentile (enrolled students)
670 - 750
SAT Composite Scores
25th-75th percentile (enrolled students)
1353 - 1415
ACT Composite Scores
25th-75th percentile (enrolled students)
30 - 33
Testing Policies
Deadlines
Early Action — November 1
Regular — March 15
Other Admission Factors
Academic
Rigor of Secondary School Record
Academic GPA
Application Essay
Non-Academic
Extracurricular Activities
Character / Personal Qualities
Selectivity Rating
Get a personalized plan for a competitive application from an admissions expert.
Learn MoreAcademics
Academics
Overall
From The School
Academic Programs
Hillsdale operates on a two-semester schedule. Two three-week summer sessions are also offered. Every Hillsdale College student is required to complete a structured core of courses in the humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences. A sampling of required courses includes Western and American Heritage, U.S. Constitution, Great Books in the Western and British/American Traditions, Classical Logic and Rhetoric, Western Philosophical Tradition, and Western Theological Tradition. To graduate, students must complete a minimum 124 hours of course work and fulfill the requirements of at least one major field. The B.A. program includes a foreign language proficiency requirement. The B.S. program requires additional studies in mathematics and the natural sciences.
The Center for Constructive Alternatives conducts four-week-long symposia during the academic year, bringing distinguished scholars and public figures to the campus. All students are required to enroll in at least one seminar for credit during their time at Hillsdale.
The Collegiate Scholars Program enriches the academic experience of high-performing students through seminars, campus lectures and discussions, retreats, subsidized foreign travel, and the completion of an interdisciplinary senior thesis.
Majors and Degrees Offered
Hillsdale awards Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees in accounting, applied mathematics, art, biochemistry, biology, chemistry, classics, economics, English, exercise science, financial management, French, German, Greek, history, Latin, marketing/management, mathematics, music, philosophy, physical education, physics, politics, psychology, religion, rhetoric and public address, Spanish, sport management, sport psychology, and theater. Interdisciplinary majors are available in American studies, international studies in business and foreign language, political economy, and sociology and social thought. Preprofessional programs are offered in allied health sciences (including optometry, pharmacy, and physical therapy), dentistry, education, engineering, journalism, law, medicine and osteopathy, military history and grand strategy, theology, and veterinary medicine. Hillsdale also offers three graduate programs—in politics, government, and classical education.
Faculty and Class Information
Student/Faculty
8:1
Total Faculty
285
with Terminal Degree
182
213
Men
72
Women
Most frequent class size
10 - 19
Most frequent lab / sub section size
10 - 19
Graduation Rates
Graduate in 4 years
76%
Graduate in 5 years
86%
Graduate in 6 years
87%
Majors
-
AREA, ETHNIC, CULTURAL, GENDER, AND GROUP STUDIES.
American/United States Studies/Civilization.
-
BIOLOGICAL AND BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES.
Biochemistry.
Biology/Biological Sciences, General.
-
BUSINESS, MANAGEMENT, MARKETING, AND RELATED SUPPORT SERVICES.
Accounting.
Finance, General.
International Business/Trade/Commerce.
Marketing/Marketing Management, General.
-
ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE/LETTERS.
English Language and Literature, General.
Speech and Rhetorical Studies.
-
FOREIGN LANGUAGES, LITERATURES, AND LINGUISTICS.
Ancient/Classical Greek Language and Literature.
Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General.
French Language and Literature.
German Language and Literature.
Latin Language and Literature.
Spanish Language and Literature.
-
HISTORY.
History, General.
-
MATHEMATICS AND STATISTICS.
Applied Mathematics, General.
Mathematics, General.
-
PARKS, RECREATION, LEISURE, AND FITNESS STUDIES.
Health and Physical Education/Fitness, General.
Kinesiology and Exercise Science.
Sport and Fitness Administration/Management.
Sports Studies.
-
PHILOSOPHY AND RELIGIOUS STUDIES.
Philosophy and Religious Studies, General.
Philosophy.
Religion/Religious Studies.
-
PHYSICAL SCIENCES.
Chemistry, General.
Physics, General.
-
PSYCHOLOGY.
Psychology, General.
-
SOCIAL SCIENCES.
Economics, General.
Political Economy.
Political Science and Government, General.
Sociology.
-
VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS.
Art/Art Studies, General.
Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General.
Music, General.
Students Say
Founded by abolitionists in 1844, Hillsdale College is a private and conservative Christian college that, by catering to just under 1,500 students, emphasizes "both the classical and Christian traditions in a liberal arts education." Critical thinking and discourse are paramount in classes; by utilizing "ancient philosophers and a wide variety of literature and schools of thought," teachings employ a "think for yourself" approach: The "Socratic method is very popular here. Many professors will rearrange the room into a circle and make discussion a large part of class." Students appreciate how the extensive core curriculum "builds character and community" and "allows students to have a shared foundation [for] friendships and conversations." They also praise the guest lecturers who appear at the Center for Constructive Alternatives (Margaret Thatcher and Tom Wolfe, to name a few).
As for the faculty, they get glowing reports: "The relationship between students and professors is like nowhere else I've seen," says one, and another observes, "They make a conscious effort to engage each student," paying special attention to "teach us how to think, not what to think." Studies and relationships with faculty extend beyond the classroom; professors host dinners, musical get-togethers, and field trips, and one student describes a class that migrated to the outside amphitheater as being like "something from Dead Poets Society." All told, students suggest having found more than one professor who will "go above and beyond to help me plan for life after college."
Degrees
Bachelor's
Doctoral/Research
Master's
Doctoral/Research
Master's
Career Services
On-Campus Job Interviews Available
Yes
Career Services
Alumni Network
Alumni Services
Interest Inventory
Internships
Regional Alumni
Opportunities at School
Experiential
Internship
Notable Faculty
Prominent Alumni
Clinton Fisk, 1848
Civil War soldier and statesman, namesake of Fisk University
Phil Crane, 1952
US Congressman, IL
Howard Mudd, 1964
Three-time Pro Bowler, two-time All Pro, NFL Coach
Ellsworth Brown, 1965
Director, Carnegie Foundation
Jared Veldheer, 2010
Offensive Tackle, Green Bay Packers
Ryan Williams, 2004
President, Claremont Institute
Hans Zeiger, 2007
State Senator, Washington State
Academic Rating
91/99
Careers
Graduation Rates
Graduate in 4 years
76%
Graduate in 5 years
86%
Graduate in 6 years
87%
Career Services
On-Campus Job Interviews Available
Yes
Career Services
Alumni Network
Alumni Services
Interest Inventory
Internships
Regional Alumni
Opportunities at School
Experiential
Internship
ROI & Outcomes
Tuition & Aid
Tuition & Aid
Overview
From The School
Tuition, Room, Board and Fees
Annual tuition for the 2021–22 academic year was $28,730, room was $6,020, board was $6,120, and mandatory fees were $1,312. Books, supplies, and personal expenses (including travel, recreation, and clothing) are estimated at $3,200 per year.
Financial Aid
Academic scholarships are awarded on a competitive basis, regardless of financial need. The application for admission also serves as the application for merit-based aid. Athletic scholarships are awarded on a competitive basis in men's baseball, football, and golf; men's and women's basketball, tennis, track, and cross-country; and women's swimming, softball, and volleyball. The art, music, and theatre departments also award a select number of scholarships based on strength of portfolio/audition. To apply for aid on the basis of financial need, students are required to file Hillsdale's Confidential Family Financial Statement (CFFS). Because Hillsdale does not accept government funds, either directly for its operations or indirectly in the form of student aid, the FAFSA is not applicable; government funds are replaced with private dollars. Grants and loans are available from the College.
Dates
Application Deadlines
Notification Date
Dec 1
Required Forms
School
Financial Aid Statistics
Average Freshman Total Need-Based Gift Aid
$14,896
Average Undergraduate Total Need-Based Gift Aid
$12,125
Average Need-Based Loan
$6,660
Undergraduates who have borrowed through any loan program
35%
Average amount of loan debt per graduate
$28,069
Average amount of each freshman scholarship/grant package
$22,880
Financial aid provided to international students
Yes
Expenses per Academic Year
Tuition
$30,780
Required Fees
$1,312
Average Cost for Books and Supplies
$1,200
Tuition / Fees Vary by Year of Study
No
Board for Commuters
Transportation for Commuters
$1,000
On-Campus Room and Board
$13,180
Comprehensive Fee
Available Aid
Financial Aid Methodology
Federal and Institutional
Scholarships and Grants
Need-Based
Need-Based College/University Scholarship or Grant Aid from Institutional Funds
Need-Based Private Scholarships
Non-Need-Based
Institutional non-need-based scholarship or grant aid is available
Federal Direct Student Loan Programs
Federal Family Education Loan Programs (FFEL)
College/university loans from institutional funds
Is Institutional Employment Available (other than Federal Work Study)
No
Direct Lender
No
Financial Aid Rating
89/99
Student Body
Student Body
Overall
From The School
The undergraduate enrollment for Fall 2021 was 1,515—51 percent men and 49 percent women—from 49 states and 14 foreign countries. The freshman class entering in Fall 2021 had an average GPA of 3.93, ACT of 32, and SAT of 1420. All Hillsdale students sign an Honor Code encouraging self-government and committing them to honesty, duty, and respect. Students are housed in single-sex dormitories, fraternity and sorority houses, and off-campus houses. Each College residence hall is supervised by a resident director and resident advisers. Special student services provided by the College include career planning and placement counseling, academic advising and tutoring, and a health service staffed by a resident nurse, counselors, and visiting medical professionals.
Four national fraternities, three national sororities, a newspaper and radio station, and more than 100 other social, academic, spiritual, and service organizations provide Hillsdale students with diverse cocurricular opportunities. A resident drama troupe and dance company, a concert choir and chamber chorale, a jazz program, instrumental chamber ensembles, and a symphony orchestra and band constitute the College's performing arts organizations. The Student Activities Board hosts campus-wide social functions throughout the year, including events like Garden Party, Homecoming, President's Ball, and Centralhallapalooza.
Student Body Profile
Total Undergraduate Enrollment
1,688
Foreign Countries Represented
14
Demographics
50% female
50% male
74% are out of state
91% are full time
9% are part time
Students Say
Students call their peers "a strong community of people that I admire and am able to trust" and who form an "uplifting and character-building environment." Another affirms: "[We] are an inquisitive, active, and kind student body. We sign an honor code to participate in the goodness of this college." Due to the small size, students come to know nearly all of their peers, and rely on one another to stimulate intellectual and personal advancement. "I feel challenged to think deeply and aspire to ever improve myself in order to reach my fullest potential, but I also feel supported and encouraged when I fall short."There is "plenty of diversity of thought" from this "mostly Christian [and] conservative" body. Students place a premium on discussion and debate, finding that "disagreement...is a reason to improve a friendship, not to disintegrate it." Accordingly, they "voice their opinions on pretty much any topic...from the difference between free will and predestination to whether a brachiosaurus will wear a tie at the top or bottom of his neck." Those conversations pay off, as one student observes: "The friends I have made here and the interpersonal struggles that I have faced have formed me into a better person, because the people here are better too, or at least we're all trying together."
Campus Life
Campus Life
Overview
From The School
Location
Hillsdale College is located in Hillsdale, Michigan (population 8,000) near the Indiana and Ohio borders. Stores, churches, restaurants, and coffee shops are within walking distance of the campus.
Campus Facilities & Equipment
The Hillsdale College Mossey Library features a collection of more than 250,000 books and media volumes, including rare and special holdings such as the Ludwig von Mises and Russell Kirk collections.
Lane and Kendall Halls contain classroom space and faculty offices for the humanities and social sciences, as well as a special laboratory for experimental psychology. Strosacker Science Center and the Herbert Henry Dow Science Building provide classrooms and laboratories for the natural sciences. Slayton Arboretum is a 48-acre campus garden and bird sanctuary used by students to conduct research. At the Mary Randall Preschool, children are taught by students specializing in early childhood education and psychology. Hillsdale Academy, a K–12 private school, provides additional classroom observation opportunities.
The Roche Sports Complex houses the Dawn Tibbetts Potter Arena, with a student fitness center and basketball/volleyball courts, the John "Jack" McAvoy Natatorium for swimming and diving, an exercise physiology and sports medicine facility, four racquetball courts, and a weight/fitness room. Adjacent is the Frank "Muddy" Waters Stadium, featuring an artificial surface football field; all-weather, Olympic-quality eight-lane running track; and fields for soccer, baseball, and women's softball. The Margot V. Biermann Athletic Center houses four acrylic tennis courts and a six-lane, 200-meter NCAA regulation Mondo surface track. In addition to serving as a course for Hillsdale's cross-country teams and offering a driving range for the golf team, Hayden Park, located northeast of campus, provides a place for club and intramural sports, mountain biking, cross-country skiing, and general outdoor recreation. The 113-acre John Anthony Halter Shooting Sports Education Center, which is located five miles from the main campus and is the home of the USA Shooting National Team, features nine American trap fields, a five-stand sporting clays field, a small arms range, four skeet fields for both American and International skeet, five Olympic bunkers, an outdoor Olympic archery range, a 23-station sporting clays course, and a lodge and education center.
The Fine Arts Building contains the departments of art and theater. It features Daughtrey Gallery, a propand scene-construction shop, a sound studio, graphics lab, black box theatre, and the Markel Auditorium, a 353-seat performance hall (with orchestra pit). Howard Music Hall houses the McNamara Rehearsal Hall, Conrad Recital Hall, studio space for percussion and jazz studies, offices, and practice rooms.
The Grewcock Student Union houses the cafeteria, bookstore, student mail center, offices for student activities and publications, a lounge and game area, and AJ's Cafe. The 27,000-square-foot Christ Chapel serves as a performance venue, a center for campus spiritual life, and a symbol of Hillsdale's Christian roots and identity.
Off-Campus Opportunities
For more than forty years, the Washington-Hillsdale Internship Program (WHIP) has provided students the opportunity to pursue internships in Washington, D.C. Past interns and fellows have been placed in locations such as the U.S. Senate, the White House, news and media outlets, and the Smithsonian Institution. Students complement their internships with classes at Hillsdale's Allan P. Kirby, Jr. Center for Constitutional Studies and Citizenship. Through the College's affiliations with the Oxford Study Abroad Program, Hillsdale students can study abroad at one of the more than thirty colleges of Oxford University. Hillsdale also offers a summer business program in cooperation with Regent's College in London, England, and the opportunity to study at the University of St. Andrews in St. Andrews, Scotland. Science students benefit from Hillsdale's 685-acre field research laboratory in northern Michigan, as well as from a marine biology program in the Florida Keys and internship opportunities with the Omaha Zoo. Foreign language students frequently study abroad in Argentina, France, Germany, Spain, and Puerto Rico.
Campus Life
Undergrads living on campus
67%
Help finding off-campus housing
Yes
93/99
First-Year Students living on campus
99%
Campus Environment
Village
91/99
Housing Options
Cooperative
Dorms Female
Dorms Female
Dorms Male
Frat Sorority
Frat Sorority
Students Say
Hillsdale College students have a knack for never having an empty moment. Students are already described as "academically rigorous," apt to not only extend their studies to late-night conversations and talking "about theology and philosophy and economics at the lunch table" but also to practicing their values: "I don't know one person that doesn't volunteer." Students are equally as involved in Student Activities Board events, from casual bowling nights to the semi-formal and formal Garden Party and President's Ball, and "Homecoming week competitions bring the entire campus together." Music excites students to groove with swing dancing, listen in awe to jazz band performances, or offer their own voices: "I sing in the Chapel Choir, and that is an enormous privilege and delight." Weather permitting, "there are often students sprawled out on any patch of green, but usually with a book in hand." Others take to the outdoors for soccer matches, mountain bike trails, and Baw Beese Lake, where one can "enjoy small beaches, volleyball courts, and other water activities." On weekends, some students drive to Coldwater and Ann Arbor for a taste of the city. Students at Hillsdale strive to improve with intention: "Rarely do I feel as if my time isn't spent doing worthwhile activities or academics that are furthering me as a human."
Special Needs Admissions
College Entrance Tests Required
Yes
Interview Required
No
Documentation Required for LD
Upon admission, students may submit documentation from their physician to the Accommodations Coordinator to request assistance for any learning differences or disabilities.Documentation Required for ADHD
Upon admission, students may submit documentation from their physician to the Accommodations Coordinator to request assistance for any learning differences or disabilities.Special Need Services Offered
Calculator allowed in exams
Yes
Dictionary allowed in exams
Yes
Computer allowed in exams
Yes
Spellchecker allowed in exams
Yes
Extended test time
Yes
Scribes
No
Proctors
Yes
Oral exams
Yes
Notetakers
No
Distraction-free environment
Yes
Accommodation for students with ADHD
No
Reading machine
No
Other assistive technology
Yes
Student Activities
Registered Student Organizations
120
Number of Honor Societies
28
Number of Social Sororities
3
Number of Religious Organizations
8
17% join a fraternity
26% join a sorority
Sports
Athletic Division
Division II
21% participate in intercollegiate sports
Men's Sports (Chargers)
9 Sports
Baseball
Basketball
Cross Country
Football
Golf
Shooting Sports
Tennis
Track Field Indoor
Track Field Outdoor
Basketball
Cross Country
Football
Golf
Shooting Sports
Tennis
Track Field Indoor
Track Field Outdoor
Women's Sports (Chargers)
9 Sports
Basketball
Cross Country
Shooting Sports
Softball
Swimming
Tennis
Track Field Indoor
Track Field Outdoor
Volleyball
Cross Country
Shooting Sports
Softball
Swimming
Tennis
Track Field Indoor
Track Field Outdoor
Volleyball
Student Services
Health
Sustainability
73/99
Campus Security Report
Campus Security Report
The Jeanne Clery Act requires colleges and universities to disclose their security policies, keep a public crime log, publish an annual crime report and provide timely warnings to students and campus employees about a crime posing an immediate or ongoing threat to students and campus employees.
Please visit The Princeton Review’s page on campus safety for additional resources: http://www.princetonreview.com/safety
The Princeton Review publishes links directly to each school's Campus Security Reports where available. Applicants can also access all school-specific campus safety information using the Campus Safety and Security Data Analysis Cutting Tool provided by the Office of Postsecondary Education of the U.S. Department of Education: https://ope.ed.gov/campussafety/#/
Other Information
Campus-wide Internet Network
Yes
% of Classrooms with Wireless Internet
100
Fee for Network Use
No
Partnerships with Technology Companies
No
Personal computer included in tuition for each student
No
Discounts Available with Hardware Vendors
Yes
Description
Dell
Wellness Program/Clinical Offerings
Institution has a mental health/wellness program that makes counseling, referral, and well-being services available to all students
Not Reported
Mental Health Website
Not Reported
Education & Training
Types of training available for students and faculty/staff
Program
Availability
Not Reported
Not Reported
Not Reported
Not Reported
Not Reported
Engaging the Whole Campus
Institution has a Chief Behavioral Health Officer (and/or Chief Wellness Officer)
Not Reported
Peer-to-Peer
Institution has peer-to-peer offerings relating to mental health
Not Reported
Residential Life
Institution incorporates mental health and wellness into the residential experience
Not Reported
Student Orientation
Students who are provided an opportunity to participate in mental-health-orientation activities
First-year students
Not Reported
Incoming transfer students
Not Reported
Returning students
Not Reported
Entering graduate students
Not Reported
Mental Health in the Curriculum
The institution offers for-credit mental health/well-being education for students
Not Reported
The institution offers non-credit mental health/well-being education for students
Not Reported
Off-Campus Offerings
Institution offers referrals to off-campus counseling services
Not Reported
Health and Counseling Center Accreditation
Institution's counseling center is accredited
Not Reported
Accrediting body
Not Reported
Taking and Returning from Medical Leave
Institution has an official support program in place for students returning from mental health leave of absence
Not Reported
Counseling Demand
Number of months a year counseling center is open and fully staffed
Not Reported
