College of the Holy Cross

Excellent school academically. Very challenging yet rewarding. There is a great balance between partying and studying. Would definitly recommend it to anyone.

2nd Year Male -- Class 2007

Scholastic Success: A+, Surrounding City: B-

Holy Cross is a very hard school. You work very hard and learn a lot. The professors are incredible. Every Professor I had was challenging, interesting, helpful and friendly. Political Science, History, Classics and Pre-med are very strong majors on campus. Many people complain about the "quality" of Worcester, but I think it is a decent college town. The poor quality of the area allows the local bars to disregard laws in general. Unfortunately, this means that most of the Holy Cross social life revolves around the bar. So if you don't have a poor quality fake id or are 21 plan on drinking yourself into a coma in your dorm room or in an off campus appartment doing a keg stand. Although some people complain about the alcohol policy at HC I think it is rather laid back. I have been to dozens of other schools and HC ranks about average in terms of what you can get away with. Socially, Holy Cross is not the easiest school for freshmen, but life gets better as you progress. Since there are no frats join a sports team or a sports club and the social scene will follow. The campus is beautiful, but the hills get to be a pain in the ass. The study abroad program is great. Two big problems with the place is the food and the athletic facilities. The food makes you feel like you have been sent up the hudson river, and the athletic facilities are just poor. Church is big here for some people and others just totally disregard it. A large percentage of the students here are into public welfare. Overall, it is a great academic school, with a above average social life (if by social life you mean partying), in a pardise (campus) surrounded by a bar town. The students are friendly, hard working (Sunday through Thursday), smart, and rich.

3rd Year Male -- Class 2006

Education Quality: A+, Social Life: B-

Holy Cross is having difficulty finding a balance between its strong Catholic history and the new multiculturalism. We are the best Catholic national liberal arts college, and also somewhere between the very multicultural Georgetown and the very Catholic Notre Dame. Currently, we still have a fairly homogenous student body. The college was originally created to educate Irish-Catholics and they still dominate the college in numbers. On one hand, this is a good sign, because the college accepts students based on merit, not affirmative action. I have experienced a great deal of diversity here still, even though the campus may seem homogenous.

Outside of this, the campus is absolutely gorgeous. The grounds crew does an amazing job and we win awards every year. We are one of the few colleges with an all year full time grounds crew. From the Hart center at the top of Mt. St. James (the hill on which we sit), you can see all of Worcester and beyond. It is an amazing view.

Our academics are still top-notch, with a nationally well-regarded Classics department and other excellent departments. Holy Cross requires a lot of coursework, but it teaches you a great deal. I have liked all of the professor that I have had so far. Some of them are not great lecturers, but other professors at the college are simply amazing. The issue of availability for help is never a problem, since they give out office hours and will meet students other times by appointment.

Our athletic programs are moving up, as we started basketball scholarships and reached the NCAA Final Four Tournament last year. Our football team placed second in the Patriot League.

There is a strong feeling towards social justice on campus with a large number of students in our volunteer organization, SPUD (Students Participating in Urban Development) and other programs. Our campus ministry is the second largest organization on campus with many involved as lectors, greeters, and eucharistic ministers. We have academic clubs in many areas, including a competitive and amazing Mock Trial team.

The size of Holy Cross is about perfect, since there is still a strong sense of community, but not too small or not well known. The campus all pulled together when we had our NCAA Final Four Tournament opening game against Kentucky. Most people have a very strong sense of pride in Holy Cross and you will certainly find this in alumni.

As far as the religious element on campus, we have about a 83% Catholic population. We have the highest proportion of those going to mass in the country, though many choose not to. Daily mass at noon or in the late evening is wonderful. If you do wish to get involved in the religious area, there are a number of clubs, such as Pax Christi, Students for Life, campus ministry, and others.

Holy Cross just completed a new building, the Park B. Smith Hall for Religion, Ethics, and Life Issues. It houses the Religious Studies and Philosophy departments and will have a number of events throughout the year. Overall, the buildings at Holy Cross have a great design and are well-kept.

Holy Cross has no fraternities or sororities, but there is great comradery and friendship through the residence halls and sports teams.For more information on the history of Holy Cross and a sense of its mission, read "Thy Honored Name" by Father Anthony Kuzniewski of the history department. It follows the college from the beginning up to 1994 at the end of the Brooks administration.

1st Year Male -- Class 2004

Education Quality: A+, Surrounding City: B-