Hofstra University: The Place to Be

Many factors play into the search for a perfect college. Some people wish to move far away and try something new; others yearn for comfort and to stay close to home. If you belong in the latter category, Hofstra is one of your many choices. In Hempstead, New York, it is only 15 minutes away from North High School.  

Hofstra University was created from the estate of businessman William Hofstra. The university started as an extension of New York University under the name Nassau College – Hofstra Memorial of New York University and held its first classes in 1935. It changed its name to Hofstra College in 1937 and according to Wikipedia became independent in 1939. From then on, it steadily grew and became a university in 1963. Today, Hofstra reports it has over 10,000 students, with over 6,000 of them being undergraduates. 

Hofstra is situated on 244 acres, or 0.38mi2, of land split in two by Hempstead Turnpike. It has 117 buildings, including seven distinctive towers, three stadiums, and an exhibition center. Much of the land is used by other sporting facilities, including tennis courts, a swim center, a rugby field, and a baseball field. In total, they house 21 varsity sports, 10 for men and 11 for women. The buildings on the rest of the campus house fourteen different separate schools of study, with around 175 study areas available at them. 

Hofstra also has 35 residence halls, including six high-rises – the seventh is a library. It has a vibrant student life, with six theaters, 220 student clubs, and an art museum according to their website. It has its very own radio station – WRHU, 88.7 FM – and a television studio.  

Of course, these are all factors that make Hofstra a great school, but statistics alone do not tell us the whole story about the school. I know, because I went there. Hofstra has programs such as Saturday gifted and summer classes for elementary and high school students to learn on campus. From there, I was able to do all kinds of activities. I was able to participate in mock trials, learn sign language, play Minecraft, drop eggs with protective contraptions from roofs, launch toy rockets, and even talk on the school radio about the latest sports matches. It was a fantastic series of experiences for me and the many others who participated in them.  

I was always mesmerized by the seven towers when I approached campus, and I vividly remember sitting on a basketball court waiting for my mom to pick me up. Walking around campus, I always looked at the maps posted in various locations. Even as I am writing this article, I enjoy panning around Google Maps and the satellite images it provides of the university.  

All of this does not mean that Hofstra will be the right fit for you; translating those special classes into real college life will result in discrepancies. However, to me, Hofstra should be a choice for you to research more if you want to stay local for college. 

Sources: 

www.Hofstra.edu/about/glance.html 

www.google.com/maps