Hendrix College Top Questions

My opinion may be skewed because through my time here, I've discovered that Hendrix really isn't that great of a fit for me (alas, it's too late for me to transfer, as I'll be a senior next year - thank goodness for study abroad!). For one, it's WAY too small. The student body numbers around 1200-1300 and everyone is at least acquainted with everyone. You are literally never alone. If that's your cup of tea, then great, but it isn't mine - I value solitude and I don't like feeling like everyone knows my business. The smallness brings out another problem - lack of diversity. I feel like everyone is cut from the same classic white southern progressive liberal misfit cloth. There was more racial and religious diversity at my private southern prep school than there is at Hendrix. Academically, Hendrix is definitely challenging, however for me, my first two years felt a little like 13th and 14th grade (then again, my high school is one of the top private schools in the country, so I came in with a ton of preparation), but still, challenging. It has a high acceptance rate, but don't let that fool you - most of the kids who don't want to work hard drop out after their first semester, so I'd say that Hendrix is more self-selecting than anything (something that I do like). The majority of the professors are really kind people who are passionate about their subject, care about their students (I've personally never had a bad experience with a professor, but I'm sure there are some bad ones out there - nothing's perfect) and are really easy to get in touch with if you have any questions. Most people ask me "where" when I say that I go to Hendrix, though my mother (and others) swear to me that it's a nationally known school. However, I do still get a lot of Arkansas-centric vibes from it. And last but not least, Conway is nothing to write home about. The best two things about Conway are ZaZas (amazing, albeit pricey, pizzas, salads and gelato) and Panera Bread, both of which are located conveniently close to campus. Other than that, it's just your standard suburban sprawl town in the mid-south. Most students would say that 99{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of the socializing at Hendrix is on-campus.

I am in love with my school, and I have a hard time imagining myself feeling better at any other institution. The school is just the right size for me, and I love the atmosphere that is promoted by our student body. The warmth and friendliness that is synonymous with Hendrix doesn't stop with the students, though - it is something you feel immediately upon stepping foot on campus, and that you continue to experience beyond graduation (from what I hear, at least). This school is a family, and you can experience it through the "hello" you get from the grounds crew when you walk to class, the dining hall staff who know your nephew's name, and the professor who invites you over for dinner. Hendrix is small, so you can't expect everyone to recognize the name when you tell them where you are studying, but those who are familiar with the school get excited when they find out that you go there. It is generally recognized as an academically strong and selective school with a unique student body. Conway, Arkansas is certainly not a metropolis, but it has everything you need plus a little entertainment for the weekends. Little Rock is only about a thirty minute drive away, and it offers restaurants, museums, and shopping. That being said, I spend most of my time on campus. There are always fun things to do on nights and weekends that I worry I'll miss if I decide to have a night out on the town. There are walk-in movies in the brick pit in the center of campus, a plethora of costume theme parties, not to mention choir concerts, guest speakers, film viewings, and charity fundraisers.

Hendrix is my dream school. Being from the north, I wouldn't deal with all the hassles of travelling to Arkansas if I didn't want to be here. It's small, so don't come here if you're looking to hide out in the back of your classrooms and sleep, or if you don't want people to know your name (and when I say people, I mean everyone from the people in your dorm, to your profs, to the cafeteria ladies). It's a half hour outside of Little Rock, so, suffice to say, the town we're in doesn't exactly offer a cosmopolitan experience. If being in a small town in Middle-of-Nowhere, Arkansas doesn't work for you, re-think it. But seriously, there's so much going on here that I don't like to leave campus; you miss things if you leave. Example: Girl Talk came my sophomore year. Sweet? I think so. Most frequent student complaint is that the cafeteria only serves Honolulu Chicken (BEST. MEAL.) on specialty days. Luckily we have those every three weeks or so.

Hendrix is my dream school. Being from the north, I wouldn't deal with all the hassles of travelling to Arkansas if I didn't want to be here. It's small, so don't come here if you're looking to hide out in the back of your classrooms and sleep, or if you don't want people to know your name (and when I say people, I mean everyone from the people in your dorm, to your profs, to the cafeteria ladies). It's a half hour outside of Little Rock, so, suffice to say, the town we're in doesn't exactly offer a cosmopolitan experience. If being in a small town in Middle-of-Nowhere, Arkansas doesn't work for you, re-think it. But seriously, there's so much going on here that I don't like to leave campus; you miss things if you leave. Example: Girl Talk came my sophomore year. Sweet? I think so. Most frequent student complaint is that the cafeteria only serves Honolulu Chicken (BEST. MEAL.) on specialty days. Luckily we have those every three weeks or so.

This is a pretty intense question to answer here in such a small space. I would have to start off by saying the best thing about Hendrix is the sense of community. We are a small school, yes, but we love that! Well, sometimes you may hate this because you have that one kid that is obnoxious and is in almost everyone of your classes, but for the most part the size of our school is one thing we do not want to change. The Hendrix community is so open, welcoming, friendly, accepting, tolerant, supportive, I mean the list of great adjectives goes on and on! Coming from the North, people are often very confused when I tell them that I go to Hendrix because they are not even sure that Arkansas is a real state--sad, I know. People mostly think that it is weird that I go to school in the South, but once I explain how liberal and New England-esque it is, people can see why I chose to go here. I spend most of my time on campus because let's face it, Conway, Arkansas is not the most bumpin' place. Yet, my friends and I will walk downtown on a nice evening for some yummy food, go to WalMart to get that one thing that you always seem to need, or to get some ingredients at Kroger to make that meal you've been craving all week that the cafe just did not seem to want to serve you. If I could change anything about Hendrix I say that I would move it outside of Arkansas, because sometimes I feel really far from home and get a little homesick. But then I would realize that I would not want to change this because being in Arkansas is one of Hendrix's quirks in my opinion. It makes us stand out even more. Oh! I know what I definitely would change though, and that would be to make Friday night dinners more vegetarian friendly. The school is veg-head friendly every other day of the week, but on Friday when the cafe is not fully open but just serves limited options my only options are meat or starch and that does not jibe well with me.

Hendrix is my dream school. Being from the north, I wouldn't deal with all the hassles of travelling down here if I didn't want to be here. It's small, so don't come here if you're looking to hide out in the back of your classrooms and sleep, or if you don't want people to know your name (and when I say people, I mean everyone from the people in your dorm, to your profs, to the cafeteria ladies). It's a half hour outside of Little Rock, so, suffice to say, the town we're in doesn't exactly offer a cosmopolitan experience. If being in a small town in Middle-of-Nowhere, Arkansas doesn't work for you, re-think it. But seriously, there's so much going on here that I don't like to leave campus; you miss things if you leave. Example: this weekend is winter formal. Girl Talk is coming. Sweet? I think so. Most frequent student complaint is that the cafeteria only serves Honolulu Chicken (BEST. MEAL.) on specialty days. Luckily we have those about once a month.

When I first started attending Hendrix, the student body barely contained 1,000 students. At times, it almost seemed TOO small. There would be whole empty rooms in a row in some of the dorms. I think the size that Hendrix is now (around 1,400) is perfect, because it's not too crowded in the residence halls/apartments, but the size affords a lot more on-campus opportunities (the new Student Life and Technology Center, the WAC, the Village, etc.) than there were when I first started attending Hendrix. Conway has grown so much from 2004, my freshman year. You can find pretty much anything you need in the Conway city limits. If you want to eat organic food, there are local grocery stores within walking distance of campus. If you're looking for big box stores, Conway is home to 2 Wal Marts, Target, Best Buy, etc. Within 25 minutes, you can get to an airport, a mall, and at least two parks with beautiful hiking trails and waterfalls. That's some pretty amazing accessibility.

The best thing about Hendrix is the sense of community. I love that I go back to school after breaks and feel as though I'm going home. The only thing I'd change about Hendrix is its location. The Hendrix campus is beautiful, but the surrounding town (Conway) has few activities for college students. If I could transport Hendrix to New York City that would be perfect. When I tell people I go to Hendrix they usually look confused - this is not where you want to go if you're looking for a school with a lot of name recognition. This is changing though, as Hendrix is increasingly on the national radar as an up-and-coming liberal arts school.

First of all, I have found Hendrix to be unlike any other place I have ever experienced. Students at Hendrix enjoy a welcoming atmosphere of friendliness and tolerance from the moment they arrive on campus. I have felt truly lucky to benefit from the genuine commitment to both personal and academic growth that exists here.

Hendrix is a small liberal arts college in Conway, AR. Hendrix is dedicated to educating its students in all aspects of life, not just in academics. Our moto is "Unto the Whole Person." No other statement could describe the atmospher at Hendrix more accurately. Students here strive for success in every area of their life and it shows.