Over the past three decades, Hillsdale has accepted more and more students from states as distant as Texas, Colorado, and California as a result both of intentional efforts by the admissions department, and of what seems to be a more nationwide interest in the college.
Sophomore Hannah Socolofsky knew she wanted to come to a liberal arts school when she started looking for colleges. She comes from California, a state from which Hillsdale drew only 12 students in the 1990-91 school year. Now, an average of 80 Californians enroll in Hillsdale each year. Socolofsky said after looking at a couple of liberal arts schools in California, as well as Patrick Henry College, she decided to attend Hillsdale because of its organic Christian community.
There are several other reasons why more students might be coming from California, however. Former Director of West Coast Recruitment Colleen McGinness said the cost of education at several California state schools is often comparable to the cost of education at Hillsdale: more than $30,000. The average Hillsdale student, however, only pays $18,440 per year because of the financial aid many students receive through scholarships. In addition, California schools often experience difficulties with “impacted” majors — meaning that classes fill up too quickly — forcing students to wait as long as five-and-a-half or six years to get a degree, according to Director of Field Recruitment Jenny Brewer.
Another possible reason the state of California sends the third highest number of students is because Hillsdale has gotten better at tapping into the conservative and homeschool pockets in places like Orange County and San Diego, California, according to McGinness. Often, word spreads through activities like speech and debate.
“My sister came and that inspired more interest in the college, and a bunch more people came [afterward],” said sophomore Regan Lasch, who lives near Orange County, California.
While California recruitment has seen success over the past several years, the college faces more competition with other liberal arts schools in the Northeast region of the United States, according to Kathryn Bock, admissions counselor for the Northeast.
“You can blindfold someone [here], spin them around five times, and they can hit a private liberal arts school in New England,” she said.
Nevertheless, Hillsdale distinguishes itself from other schools because of its conservative values. Sophomore Abigail Trouwborst from New York looked for liberal arts schools close to home, but she said none of them seemed to give the particular type of education that Hillsdale gives.
“There are a lot of liberal arts schools in the Northeast, but not a lot of conservative ones,” she said.
Maybe things will change soon. Bock has only been living in her region for the past couple years, while California has had counselors living in and developing the West Coast region since around 2000. It also helps that the department has increased its total admissions staff from five to nine in recent years, decreasing the area each counselor has to cover, according to Brewer.
“Boots on the ground make the difference,” said Assistant Director of West Coast Admissions Kelly Scott.
Overall, the percentage of students attending Hillsdale from outside of Michigan has steadily risen in the past almost three decades. While about 40 percent of students in the 1990-1991 school year came from outside of Michigan, the current school year catalogue showed an increase to 65 percent.
Senior Director of Admissions Zach Miller said that while the admissions department is intentionally recruiting from more distant locations, there also seems to be a more nationwide interest in the college.
“We do see more of a national appeal and a national attention from students, and we want to make sure that we can meet as many students in their area as possible,” he said.
One possible reason the college is receiving more attention is that the college is directed by like-minded people, who are able to articulate a sharp vision for the college.
“The college is all on the same page,” Scott said. “People know what Hillsdale is, so they are able to communicate that.”
But the college did not always have this sharp of a focus, according to Brewer. While Hillsdale has always appreciated a classical liberal arts model, she said it seems to have begun emphasizing its mission more over the past 30 years, as evidenced by the growth of the core curriculum under President Larry Arnn’s leadership.
“I think we used to be known as challenging, and that we prepared you well for a job, but since then our focus as a classical liberal arts school has sharpened,” Brewer said. “And since it has sharpened, our message is more focused too, and so we’re able to reach students who are drawn to it. The more clear the message is, the more compelling it is.”
Whether or not the clarity of Hillsdale’s mission in recent years has helped draw more national attention, Brewer said the variety of student backgrounds and perspectives enrich campus.
“I don’t think this education is for a specific type of person and for a specific place, but the farther away we go, the easier it is to find people who both fit with this education and also recognize the beauty of the liberal arts,” Brewer said. “Getting people from different backgrounds, finding people from different perspectives … makes campus that much more vibrant and interesting.”
