Photo: Hartwick College. Retrieved from: www.wikipedia.org
Near the Catskill Mountains, Hartwick College is a private liberal arts school. Located in Oneonta, New York, the administrators at Hartwick College pride themselves on their unorthodox methods of teaching. They believe it is this type of teaching that prepares their students for the rest of their lives.
Among the unconventional approaches the college takes is their unique January Term. Students can stay on campus and study courses in or outside their major. Alternatively, they can travel in the United States, or spend their term traveling internationally. According to their website, administrators hope their students will reconsider how they think, meet new people, and start questioning themselves and what they stand for.
Another unique aspect of the Hartwick experience is the option to graduate college in three years. By participating in the Three-Year Bachelor’s Degree Program, students can save over 25% of their financial costs. Furthermore, students don’t have to labor over summer courses while their friends are at the beach, nor do they have to take online courses. Each student who wants to graduate within three years takes a longer course load each semester. The only exception to this rule is nursing, where students may have to take summer courses in order to graduate.
History
In his will, Lutheran Minister John Christopher Hartwick felt it was important to establish an institute of higher education. The following year, in 1797, the Hartwick Seminary opened, becoming the first Lutheran seminary in America. It was a classical academic and theological seminary, and was located in Hartwick, New York. The college later moved to Oneonta, New York in 1928 where it stands today. It was then that the college became a four-year institution. Although it was affiliated with the Lutheran Church for close to two hundred years, it no longer affiliates with any religion.
Campus Life
Located on over 425 acres, Hartwick College is just 78 miles from Albany. The 1,500 students that attend Hartwick can participate in numerous clubs and organizations on campus such as Word of Mouth, the school’s literary magazine.
On any given day students can explore the Yager Museum of Art and Culture, a museum on campus that houses over 20,000 items. Or, students can attend “The Cardboard Alley Players,” a student-run theatre group that puts on two major productions each year.
The students at Hartwick College are active in their community bringing major events to the town each year. In the past, musical artists such as Howie Day and Phantom Planet as well as comedians such as Dave Coulier and Martin Short have performed live on campus. Another exciting event that Hartwick College along with other colleges in the area put together is OH Fest. Established in 2006, OH Fest is a community wide festival that has featured the likes of The Ataris and Eve 6
Financial Aid
Hartwick College makes it easy for students to get a solid education without being in debt for the rest of their lives. As previously mentioned, Hartwick offers a “Three-Year Bachelor’s Degree Program” where students can get their degree in three years. In this way, students don’t have to pay for the fourth year, saving themselves 25% of the overall cost. Since the cost of a Hartwick Education is close to $50,000 a year, this program helps students who would not have otherwise been able to afford an education. Along with this program, the school offers an aggressive amount of scholarships, loans, and grants for students.
