Hood College (HC)

Hood College is a small, private liberal arts school near Baltimore, Maryland where students feel like "part of a family and not just a number." Hood's "tradition-rich atmosphere" binds students together in an "academically-driven and cohesive community that encourages the pursuit of individual interests with direct support from the faculty." "Students [. . .] are always the number one priority," one student explains. This "extremely friendly and supportive atmosphere" is due, in part, to the low student-to-faculty ratio, which allows "you get to know your professors one-on-one." "My professors know my name, what I'm involved in outside of class, and who I am as an individual person," one student explains. Student's praise the "many resources" Hood makes available to students, including the Center for Academic Achievement and Retention, "a great program that helps students with writing and math." One student even says, "The library has become my second home." Some say that "the standards are a little high and the workload can be very demanding," but overall students agree that academic resources are available and most professors "are happy to meet with you outside of class or provide extra support if you're having trouble with an assignment."

Hood's student body is very diverse in terms of interests, students agree. "Everyone works well together, and we have a very cohesive community." The "clearly-defined groups" on campus aren't exclusionary: Hood College "is not clique-y at all," and "there is never a feeling that you can't or shouldn't interact with people in other social, athletic, or academic groups." Many students "come from the Washington D.C. or Baltimore area," and they are "friendly, positive and enthusiastic." According to some, the typical student is interested in athletics, while others say Hood has "a colorful smattering of people from all walks of life, each with a different perspective on the world." Most agree that it is "easy to form tight friendships," and they have "never had trouble making friends or gathering classmates for study groups."

The Hood College campus is right next to downtown Frederick, where students can find "so many good restaurants," "lots of local shops and entertainment," "a beautiful park, movie theaters, a good mall, and….for those of legal drinking age, the downtown bar scene is excellent." "On weekends, there are often off-campus trips to places like Ski Liberty, Baltimore, and Washington D.C," which are each only about an hour away. Every week "a club or the campus activity board will try to have an event planned." "Wednesday nights are Whitaker Wednesdays," when the school hosts a fun activity on campus like trivia or game night. "May Madness and Homecoming Weekend are full of activities on the quad," one student explains, "which bring together not just students but the community." And commuter students are made to feel "included in the campus life and activities because they have a commuter club and a commuter lounge."