Student Profile
J
- Class: Junior
- Major: Psychology
- Gender: F
- High School: B.N. Cardozo High School
- Transfer Student: Y
Big Picture
Lately, Hofstra has improved some of it's classrooms. It is less like an NYC public school and more like a University that I pay to attend. If I could change anything, I would change alot of things. But one thing I would change is school spirit and participation. There is very little and students should take advantage of programs and events and attend them. But, it is nice to have small groups sometimes and b/c nobody attends, you could take advantage of it. The school is too small for people who want a big school that you can get lost easily in and not know names but just right for those who like smaller classes and more intimate groups. People for the most part don't know Hofstra unless it's Hofstra law or business or grad school. Hofstra is a nothing school, it's not NYU, it's not an ivy league, it's not a big deal. But you knew that when you came. There is no "college town". You need a car to get anywhere off campus. There are no nearby places to go (for the most part). I think Hofstra's administration is ...trying. I have no real opinion about it. There seems to be a strange "pride" about hofstra. People walk around wearing sweatshirts, sweatpants, etc. but that might just be b/c the "pride" are the sports teams and it's included in slogans and e-mail accounts... Hofstra is not very diverse but it could be worse. The food is unremarkable and overpriced, the campus can be very dirty, it can be pretty, it can be nice or noisy, it can surprise you or not. The dorms are not very nice, but they do have air conditioning in summer and heating in the winter time. There are excellent professors but then there are also "bad" professors. The school is more like a community college that anything else. A large portion of students commute, which probably contributes to the lack of school spirit and participation in clubs, events, etc. The same as anywhere, you will meet good people and/or people you hate. Students frequently complain about security on campus, parking, schoolwork and other students. Hofstra actually has very good advising and resources if you take advantage of them and use them. There is a good counseling center and you can use the hofstra wellness center although studens complain about it also.
Academic Life
Professors may know your name, alot of the classes are small. The larger classes don't really go over 100 students. Conversations around campus are usually not very intellectual. Students can be competitive but it depends on where you are. The psychology department is very good at Hofstra, but in my opinion, the hard sciences are weaker. The labs are not nicely equipped. I used better, more expensive and reliable equipment in regular lab at other schools and at Hofstra, had crappy pipette pumps, alot of missing tops and odds and ends, things that didn't work. Academic requirements are pretty much the same as anywhere. Hofstra encourages students to go for higher education (atleast in my major). Hofstra gives more than some schools with things like AP credits and credits for classes from other schools. The psychology department is very good and supportive for the most part. There is also a good graduate program at Hofstra, unfortunately they rarely accept their own students and they tell you so. It's kind of depressing. There is tutoring available but it takes a very long time to set up. Sometimes they also defer you to "group" tutoring saying, there are hours for homework help. Forget individual tutoring, just go to those. That isn't so helpful if you need the individual attention.
Student Body
Many of the students at Hofstra are from well to do families and backgrounds. People who are from lower SES backgrounds may feel out of place. There isn't alot of diversity. Mostly white, some black. Smattering of asians, etc. Many Jewish students and an active Jewish community (I don't know, but it looks like). Hofstra Hillell does alot, or seems to have alot of activities. Alot of students wear sweatpants and leisure suits, alot of flip flops and uggs, girls carry designer bags. Some students hardly dress for school (show up in pajamas) and others dress up. Often you will see people wearing jackets with their greek sorority/fraternity names on them. Alot of the students are from NY, in and around. Alot of students are from Long Island. People don't seem to be so politically aware or active. Students do seem concerned with making money. Strange thing at Hofstra are parents at the bookstore buying their children's books. I never saw that until I came to Hofstra.
