Navigating the journey of living away from home

With the seemingly dark, dreary, and cold days of ‘swinter’ (spring + winter) amid this point in the semester when days feel longer, mid-winter break is over, and the heap of homework, projects, and exams seemingly competes in height with that of Mount Rushmore, feelings of homesickness inevitably creep in. Especially as a first-year student, …

How Ghana Changed my Life

Let me take you tell you why studying abroad in Ghana has been nothing short of the best trip I have taken. Buckle up, because this journey is about to unfold into a tapestry of vibrant cultures, delectable cuisines and life-altering realizations. Embracing the Culture: A Lesson in Rich Traditions From the moment I set …

Visiting Campus

When it came down to deciding what college to go to, I found visiting campus to be essential. It allowed me to truly imagine being a student here. There are many ways to visit campus, and Hope makes it easy to find a time that works for you.  The two most popular ways to visit …

My Top 5 at Hope!

Last spring, the end of my freshman year, I dedicated a page in my journal to all my favorite things about Hope College. I’d only been a part of this place for a number of months and yet I loved it deeply. Going home for the summer and catching up with high school friends, I found …

Kindness, An Innate Trait of Hope College

If I had a dollar for every time I’ve been asked “Why Hope?”, I think I would have at least 100 dollars. But for as many times as I’ve been asked, I never get tired of telling my story. It all started back in 6th grade, when I went to a summer camp in Wisconsin. …

Dear Parent of an Incoming Freshman

Dear Parent of an Incoming Freshman,  Whether you’re on your tenth college visit or you’re on your very first one, I’m confident you’re rolling through a number of emotions–the excitement for your son or daughter to undertake new adventures of their own, a slight awkwardness realizing that you feel older than you hoped to feel …

Financial Aid at Hope College

When I was applying for college, financial aid was probably one of the things that stressed me out the most. All the new information I was receiving was overwhelming. I barely knew where to begin! Now that I’m in college, there’s a lot that I’d like to go back in time and tell myself. Here …

My Wild Adventure to Hope College

“The secret to getting ahead is getting started!” – Robin Roberts So let’s get started! My admission process to Hope College was a whirlwind and very unexpected as I started my year during the COVID-19 pandemic. Though I may have never visited the campus, since I am from another country, my admissions story is something …

Admissions Advice From a Freshman

The college admissions process felt daunting as I began my senior year of high school. It was what my entire life and education had been leading up to. Plus, I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. I’m the oldest child, so nobody in my family had gone through the process since 1997. I …

FAFSA: Five things to know

What is the FAFSA and why is it so important? The FAFSA is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. It is the primary application for receiving need-based aid at American colleges and universities. If you need help paying for college, submitting your FAFSA is the first step in applying for financial aid from most colleges …