Hood College, located in Frederick, Maryland, is a small liberal arts college with a deep commitment to experiential learning. Unlike some liberal arts colleges which focus solely on the life of the mind, Hood is dedicated to developing students who are both well educated and experienced in their fields upon graduation. Their statement of purpose sums it up: Hood College prepares graduates for lives of responsibility, leadership, and service by offering an educational experience that integrates liberal and professional learning in a student-centered environment.
With over 33 major fields of study, 10 post baccalaureate certificate programs, and three different 5 year BA/MA programs, Hood has a lot to offer academically. Major in Art and Archaeology, Nursing, Business, Law and Criminal Justice, Computer Science, or Mathematics, or complete a certificate in Accounting, Cybersecurity, Bioinformatics, Secondary Education Chemistry, Organizational Leadership, or GIS. Do a 5 year program and leave with a BA and MS in Environmental Studies, a BA and MBA in Business, or a BA and MS in Psychology and Counseling. Take advantage of Hood’s unique Global Studies Program, where you can focus on three paths, Global Business and Economics, Global Politics, or Global Cultures. Hood’s Center for Coastal and Watershed Studies allows students in their Environmental Sciences programs to do hands on research and engage in monitoring of our of crucial resources.
Hood is also home to an Honors Program. This is a highly selective program which ensures a diverse group of students has access to a variety of academic, social, and co-curricular activities during their four years at Hood. Students in this program have access to honors level curriculum and are given opportunities to challenge themselves within the curriculum. In addition, there is a special seminar for honors students, internship opportunities, and conferences for students to participate in. Many honors students are invited to write honors theses and to present them as well. Honors students ear special elective credits for study abroad and are encouraged to engage in these programs. In addition, various outings including a trip to a Broadway show (every year), to museums, performances, Civil War sites, hospitals, concerts, and more are included. Banquets are given regularly and honors students are treated to dinners out as well. Enjoy the home base, the Marx Center on Monday mornings for bagels and doughnuts or to barbeque in the fire pit, take advantage of the engagement with other passionate students. Oh and the best part? This comes with some big money too!
Here’s some awesome news! Hood is Testing Optional! So that means you can submit your scores, but you don’t have to. For them, the most important parts of you application are your GPA and the rigor of your school record. Then come essay, extracurricular activities, interview (they do this over Skype if need be and I can help you with it), and your recommendations. This is great folks, because it means they are interested in who you are as people, not in numbers and figures and widgets. Any school that only cares about numbers is looking for widgets for the most part. Hood is not. They want humans. Because that’s who they teach. Fifty-six percent of the students they admit have a 3.5 GPA (not weighted) or higher, and that’s because they are actual people who do actual things. It’s absolutely fine with them if people have Bs on their record, especially in the earlier years of high school. They are more interested in a trend towards improvement, rather than a focus on perfection from day one. That’s actually how people learn – by getting better with time.
So what is there to do at Hood? They are a DIII school and their teams are the Blazers, and while there is no Greek Life, students do have plenty of fun any way. Men’s and Women’s basketball, cross country, lacrosse, golf, tennis, indoor and outdoor track, are all popular. Women’s field hockey plays against Notre Dame. This is a good school to come to as a walk on. As for clubs, there is an endless variety. With business as the top major, the Enactus Club is popular because it hosts professional business and management folks to come and talk to students, but theater is also active, and the school has a lot of music performance going on as well. There’s Model UN, Blazer Radio, Habitat for Humanity, Black Student Union, Student Government, Film Club, League of Legends, Young Life, and Ping Pong. With over 60 clubs and organizations (not including intramural and club sports) there will be something for everyone.
Is Hood for you? It’s not a heavy sciences school like some liberal arts schools really are. You can’t major in physics here like you can at other liberal arts colleges. If you’re dead set on Greek Life and DI sports it’s not a great pick either. But its Honors Program is a great option for those who want a terrific experience, tailor made to their interests and for little to no cost. If you want to do experiential learning and connect the classroom to the real world, Hood is a good place to do it.
Pros:
Cons:
With over 33 major fields of study, 10 post baccalaureate certificate programs, and three different 5 year BA/MA programs, Hood has a lot to offer academically. Major in Art and Archaeology, Nursing, Business, Law and Criminal Justice, Computer Science, or Mathematics, or complete a certificate in Accounting, Cybersecurity, Bioinformatics, Secondary Education Chemistry, Organizational Leadership, or GIS. Do a 5 year program and leave with a BA and MS in Environmental Studies, a BA and MBA in Business, or a BA and MS in Psychology and Counseling. Take advantage of Hood’s unique Global Studies Program, where you can focus on three paths, Global Business and Economics, Global Politics, or Global Cultures. Hood’s Center for Coastal and Watershed Studies allows students in their Environmental Sciences programs to do hands on research and engage in monitoring of our of crucial resources.
Hood is also home to an Honors Program. This is a highly selective program which ensures a diverse group of students has access to a variety of academic, social, and co-curricular activities during their four years at Hood. Students in this program have access to honors level curriculum and are given opportunities to challenge themselves within the curriculum. In addition, there is a special seminar for honors students, internship opportunities, and conferences for students to participate in. Many honors students are invited to write honors theses and to present them as well. Honors students ear special elective credits for study abroad and are encouraged to engage in these programs. In addition, various outings including a trip to a Broadway show (every year), to museums, performances, Civil War sites, hospitals, concerts, and more are included. Banquets are given regularly and honors students are treated to dinners out as well. Enjoy the home base, the Marx Center on Monday mornings for bagels and doughnuts or to barbeque in the fire pit, take advantage of the engagement with other passionate students. Oh and the best part? This comes with some big money too!
Here’s some awesome news! Hood is Testing Optional! So that means you can submit your scores, but you don’t have to. For them, the most important parts of you application are your GPA and the rigor of your school record. Then come essay, extracurricular activities, interview (they do this over Skype if need be and I can help you with it), and your recommendations. This is great folks, because it means they are interested in who you are as people, not in numbers and figures and widgets. Any school that only cares about numbers is looking for widgets for the most part. Hood is not. They want humans. Because that’s who they teach. Fifty-six percent of the students they admit have a 3.5 GPA (not weighted) or higher, and that’s because they are actual people who do actual things. It’s absolutely fine with them if people have Bs on their record, especially in the earlier years of high school. They are more interested in a trend towards improvement, rather than a focus on perfection from day one. That’s actually how people learn – by getting better with time.
So what is there to do at Hood? They are a DIII school and their teams are the Blazers, and while there is no Greek Life, students do have plenty of fun any way. Men’s and Women’s basketball, cross country, lacrosse, golf, tennis, indoor and outdoor track, are all popular. Women’s field hockey plays against Notre Dame. This is a good school to come to as a walk on. As for clubs, there is an endless variety. With business as the top major, the Enactus Club is popular because it hosts professional business and management folks to come and talk to students, but theater is also active, and the school has a lot of music performance going on as well. There’s Model UN, Blazer Radio, Habitat for Humanity, Black Student Union, Student Government, Film Club, League of Legends, Young Life, and Ping Pong. With over 60 clubs and organizations (not including intramural and club sports) there will be something for everyone.
Is Hood for you? It’s not a heavy sciences school like some liberal arts schools really are. You can’t major in physics here like you can at other liberal arts colleges. If you’re dead set on Greek Life and DI sports it’s not a great pick either. But its Honors Program is a great option for those who want a terrific experience, tailor made to their interests and for little to no cost. If you want to do experiential learning and connect the classroom to the real world, Hood is a good place to do it.
Pros:
- Close by but still out of state
- Amazing Honors Program
- Great opportunities for certificates programs
- Global Studies is cutting edge
Cons:
- Small and specialized
- No Greek Life
- Private college so tuition is higher than a state school’s
- Location is still a bit far from Baltimore for those wanting to be in a city