Campus: It's beautiful. We have every type of tree and flower that can grow in the northeast, and it's truly gorgeous in the spring. There are two sides to campus: north and south. North is where the you'll find most dining services, all the residence halls, and the gym. South side is home to all the academic buildings and a few food options. The two sides of campus are separated by three unispans, which are bridges that go over the main road that separates the two sides of campus. Both sides are compact, and you'll never have a far walk for class or to get back to your dorm.Classes: There's a great variety of classes here. There's really not much you won't be able to find. I've taken a wide variety of classes, ranging from medieval english history to an entire class on John Milton's Paradise Lost. The class size is also very nice. Your biggest class will probably be Psych 1 or Bio 1, which run about 65 students. Everything else will be 35 or smaller. My french 3 class is about 15 students, while my english class last semester was only 7.
Professors: The professors here are absolutely wonderful. They really care about their students, and go out of their way to help you. The professors really know their subject matter, and class discussions can become very in-depth and exciting. There are plenty of office hours, and if you can't make it, most professors will be happy to make a separate appointment. Professors here are very involved with their students. Last semester, I became used to my english professor texting me to discuss a paper I was writing. You are definitely not a number to them. Just be careful, of course. Check ratemyprofessor before you choose your classes. It is a very helpful website.
People: You'll find a very wide variety of students here. There will be people in your classes that make you wonder why they're even in college, and there will also be your best friends. With such a diverse population, you can't really expect anything else, though.
Activities: The Office of Student Leadership and Activities really goes out of its way to give students something to do. Whether it's a free trip into the city to see a show or a ballgame, or a "build a bear" event in the student center, they really make you feel welcome. There are also some very nice shows to see on campus. There's a yearly Shakespeare festival, and this year, I attended a very wonderful production of Antony and Cleopatra, and a wonderful 1 hour version of Romeo and Juliet. There's also a few musicals and dance shows each year, which usually don't disappoint.
Clubs: This is one thing that Hofstra really excels in. From your typical academic clubs to club sports to performance clubs to things like Humans vs Zombies and quidditch, everyone will be able to find a place where they will fit in.
Quidditch: This is by far the best part of Hofstra for me. The team is currently 9th in the world out of a couple hundred teams. I've met my closest friends here through quidditch. From spaghetti dinners to traveling to Maryland for a tournament, we have a lot of good times. If you're interested in playing quidditch, Hofstra really is the place to be.
Surrounding Area: Hempstead is not the best college town. It's actually a bit dangerous. There are some very interesting cultural restaurants, though. I was taken to one by the Dean of Students, where I ate a variety of food: liver, ox tail, and pig's feet. If you and your friends want to try something different, you won't be disappointed. If you're not up for such strange cuisines, there's a few great pizza places and chain restaurants. The Blue Beetle, the Hofstra bus, also makes rounds on the weekends to a very nice mall, along with a few other general stores and grocery stores. And of course, for around $20, you can take the train into the city, which has endless possibilities. If it's a nice summer day, you can also go to Jones' Beach, which is a 30 minute drive from campus, and is very nice, albeit usually crowded.
Dorms: The dorms are very average. I live in one of the towers, and I really can't complain. I have a single, and it's a bit small, but still plenty of room for one person and his/her belongings. Every room is fully equipped with heating and AC, but it can be a bit wonky. The showers really aren't that bad. Just be sure to wear flip flops!
Food: This is my biggest complaint. Hofstra uses a "dining dollars" system. Everything costs actual money, there's no buffet style. The student center food is very iffy. Sometimes it's great, other times it's barely edible. The restaurant on south campus, Bits N' Bytes, is the best food on campus. From pasta to make your own salad to burgers and fries to even a Red Mango, it's definitely the most delicious food you'll eat. There's a very overpriced 24/7 convenience store, but it has very good sandwiches. There's also a "sit down" style restaurant, HofUSA (pronounced hoffoosa), which is also very expensive, but quite tasty.
Cost: While Hofstra looks very expensive, it's actually not. Most people receive very generous scholarships and grants, which make it very affordable. Don't discount the school until you've received your financial aid package.
Honors College: The honors college here is definitely one of the best aspects of the school. If you're not accepted as an incoming freshman, don't fret, you can still get in with a 3.4 GPA after any semester. For your first two semesters, you'll be taking a class called Culture and Expression, which is a survey of ancient literature in the fall semester to more recent literature in the spring. While the class is very work intensive, you learn a lot, and every other class at Hofstra will seem easy after you're done with it. The honors college provides endless opportunities. You can get exclusive internships, job offers, go on great trips, and even live in an exclusive honors dorm. You can also take honors seminar classes, which are wonderful. The topics are extremely interesting, and change every semester. For a little taste, next semester, they're offering a class about alien life, and last semester, an entire class on the city of Pompeii. If that's not for you, you can also do an "honors option" for regular classes. This means that you meet one on one with your professor, where you go more in-depth in the class and learn a lot more.
Study Abroad: Hofstra is very lacking with study abroad. They do not offer any semester/year long programs, so you'll have to go through a different school or company if you want to do this. They do, however, offer summer abroad programs in a variety of countries. So if you want to travel but only for a few weeks, this may be for you. You also get to keep your scholarship, so studying abroad doesn't cost more than staying on campus.
Sports: The teams here really aren't that great. There's a lack of school spirit here. That being said, I've been to a few of the women's basketball games, and while they'll never win March Madness, it's still very fun, and the players really appreciate you being there. You can also get plenty of free t shirts.
Advisement: The advisors here aren't all that great. They've been known to make mistakes and not really know what classes you should be taking. However, there's a very nice way to check yourself what you need to take to graduate, so it's not a big deal as long as you check your facts. If you want advice on what you should take, you're better off talking to your professors.
Weather: The weather here is very iffy. It will be beautiful and warm one day, and then snow 3 inches the next. It also rains a lot, but it's not that big of a deal, really.
Parking: As Hofstra is mostly a commuter school, they are quite good about parking. Getting a parking pass is free for everyone. It is notoriously hard to find parking on the academic side of campus, but there's more than plenty of spaces on the north side of campus.
Overall: I would definitely recommend Hofstra. It has its flaws, but so does every school. Definitely consider coming here. Come in with an open mind and a friendly attitude, and you'll probably really enjoy it.
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