The College of the Holy Cross provides a welcoming environment for students, rigorous coursework, and an overwhelming sense of school pride. “
If you do decide to come here, you will get one of the best possible educations," writes a freshman involved in the choir. "
Everyone who comes to Holy Cross has school pride. In fact, one of the most common lines you will hear during freshmen orientation is that by the time you graduate you will be ‘bleeding purple.’”
Holy Cross’s Jesuit education goes beyond the classroom, emphasizing the importance of service to the global community. “
The Holy Cross mission statement is ‘men and women for others,’ and I think Holy Cross really educates students to do just that,” writes a sophomore double-majoring in sociology and visual studio arts. She adds, “
I'm only a sophomore and I already have a different outlook on the world. I think the school does a great job of educating all of us about many aspects in the classroom and then challenges us to explore in the real world as well.” There are a number of service organizations on campus. “
The activity that I have been most involved in on campus is the SPUD program, which is a Holy Cross volunteer organization,” writes a junior pre-med student who participates in the most popular of the bunch, Student Programs for Urban Development.
As members of a tiny liberal arts college, students enjoy small classes and the chance to get to know their professors on a personal level. “
Not only do they know you by name, they know your strengths, weaknesses, what you got on the last exam, and probably a few things about your life outside of class," writes a junior majoring in psychology. "
Classes are generally very small—around 18 to 20 students—so you get to know your professors really well! (It makes recommendations so easy!)” Students can either pick an established major or design their own field of study within a professor’s area of expertise. No matter what students decide to focus on, they take several classes within a curriculum that ensures that they leave Holy Cross with a balanced education. “
No matter what you plan on doing after college, everyone is required to take a few core classes, which is a great foundation for anything you could possibly want to do,” writes an undeclared freshman.
Predominantly white and Catholic, most say that the Holy Cross student body rarely strays from the mainstream. “
Students feeling out of place here include hippies, indie kids, goths, emo kids, most people who don't own a Lacoste polo, and those who enjoy sliding through college with minimal effort,” writes a freshman involved in club sports. Even so, Holy Cross students have a range of viewpoints and interests and are seen as generally friendly. “
The greatest thing about Holy Cross is that students associate with anyone on campus," writes a junior history major. "
My good friends [study] all majors and come from all over the country. I talk to the players on the varsity basketball teams, and I work with many different people in the dining hall.” Furthermore, students say that they are trying to make their campus more open. “
We started the ‘Hate, Not Here’ program, which really supports people of every ethnicity, religion, or sexuality on campus,” writes a senior member of the group involved in planning activities on campus.
The social scene at Holy Cross is largely run by students involved in athletics, perhaps due to the lack of Greek life on campus. Much of the partying takes place on Caro St, where several upperclassmen live in off-campus houses and throw big, loud parties that can spill into the street. “
There aren't frats or sororities, but there's Caro St. off-campus apartments people go to, and sports houses that function kind of like frats or sororities,” writes a senior sociology major. Alcohol has a definite presence at Holy Cross, and students who like to party will go out several nights a week. “
People tend to party 3-4 times per week, and drink excessively on the weekends,” reports a junior majoring in political science.
Students who want to do something besides head to a party may have to dig for amusement, but they can definitely find it. “
I find watching movies at the school theater, shopping and eating out at Blackstone Valley, attending and working at campus plays, and seeing visiting comedians more enjoyable," writes a student of economics. "
Our school also has a movie rental service," she continues. "
It does take a while to find students who would rather do these things than drink if you are that type of student, but once you do you will enjoy college so much more.” There’s almost always something going on at Holy Cross, and when there isn’t, Providence and Boston are just a shuttle ride away.
