Hollins University is a Great Place for Women

I am starting my fourth and final year at Hollins Univeristy, a small women's college in southern Virginia. I'm glad I chose to attend Hollins, because it is a great school. I've learned a lot, both in and out of the classroom. I've learned to be more confident and more outgoing. It is a school that empowers women in a way that you probably can't get at most co-ed schools.

During my junior year in high school, I thought I knew where I wanted to go to college - Mary Washington in Fredricksburg. It was about three hours away from home, but when I visited campus, I fell in love. However, that summer, my mom convinced me to look at other schools, just to see what else was available. In Virginia we have something called Virginia Private College Week, a week in the summer for high school students to check out the private colleges in Virginia. If you visit four of them, you can have the application fee for those colleges waivered.

But not only did my mom want me to see other schools... she wanted me to look at women's colleges. I was firm in replying her, saying "I'm not going to a girl's school! I want to go to college with boys!" But she was firm in having me look at them, just to see what the atmosphere was like and how it compared to other colleges.

During Virginia Private College Week, I visited five colleges, three of them women's colleges. Hollins was the last one I saw, and both myself and my parents were impressed. The campus was gorgeous, and it had a great creative writing program. They had fun traditions, and it was a small, close community. After the visit, I changed my mind and knew that Hollins was the school for me.

While it is true that we lack members of the male species, I don't mind it so much. It helps me to focus more on my studies, hang out with my friends, and feel better about speaking up (I've always been pretty shy). My largest class had about 30 people, while I've had ones with only 7 or 8 people (and then everything in between). The professors are really encouraging and are good at responding to emails or meeting during office hours. The traditions, like Tinker Day and Ring Night, help bring this community of 800 undergrads closer together.

I've had so many great experiences in my years here. I studied in London last fall for a semester. I've taken classes about philosophy in Star Trek, and a Short Term class on how to play bridge. I've met great people who have become my best friends and will always be a part of my life. I've become a better writer and speaker, and I've learned what my strengths and weaknesses are. I've learned a lot about myself, and I don't think I would've learned as much at a different school.

Looking ahead to the future, I'm kind of nervous about graduation in May 2007. But Hollins has had many successful alumnae: Ann Compton from ABC News and Margaret Wise Brown, author of "Goodnight Moon," are just a couple examples. Most women who graduate from Hollins attend grad school or get a job within one year of graduating. According to the Hollins website, "71% of Hollins graduates are employed and 26% attend graduate their first year out." That's a pretty good success rate!

I'm glad my mom encouraged me to look at different schools, or I wouldn't be the person I am today. As Hollins' slogan says, "Women Who Are Going Places Start at Hollins!"