Hampden-Sydney College - Hampden Sydney, Virginia

Ean L.

Hampden-Sydney College is truly a wonderful place. You can feel a little lost at first when visiting this big college, but as you continue through the campus it really becomes prevalent that it's a family. My tour guide, Marshall, is an alumni and knew so many people on campus and was constantly waving at students and faculty. It's student to teacher ratio is 10:1. So it feels like a small college while being a large school. You feel more than just a number and a face in the crowd at Hampden-Sydney. It's constantly improving and making itself better, while still keeping it's unique and beautiful history. Founded before America was a nation in 1775 and founded by Patrick Henry (Who actually put all 7 of his son's though Hampden-Sydney) who believed that if the government was to be run by the people. Then this country needed a college that would produce men who would be able to lead and serve this country to the best of their ability. The students, from what I could tell, are respectful and hardworking. Although it's an all male school, they have female teachers. This is a school that is with the times while still holding onto their values, which is making good men, good employees, good husbands, good fathers, and real gentlemen. If you are considering visiting or attending, I highly encourage you to. The staff is happy to help you with any questions and concerns you have. I've gone on long enough talking about this wonderful college, but it truly is extraordinary. Hampden-Sydney College is one of a kind.

Kermit J.

Phenomenal education for young men (and women of faculty). Somewhat painful graduation ceremony to sit through. Primarily the speaker(s).

W R.

As a mathematics major at HSC, I experienced an education that truly exceeded my expectations. The liberal arts environment, with its emphasis on interdisciplinary learning, served me well both in my academic journey and in my career as a statistician and later a data scientist. I received a partial scholarship, which was a huge help, and my time at HSC was filled with opportunities like summer research projects that shaped my analytical and problem-solving skills.

The Rhetoric program, a core element of HSC's curriculum, is something I didn't fully appreciate until I found myself deep in the world of consulting. Who knew that I’d end up writing more PowerPoint presentations and papers than I could have imagined as a math major? That training in critical thinking and communication is one of the reasons I've thrived at Booz Allen. The education I received at HSC was not just about numbers and equations, but about how to think, write, and communicate effectively.

My time teaching at HSC after grad school was special too. Though the collapse of the housing market affected the college and led to my departure, in hindsight, it was a blessing in disguise. It led me to new opportunities, but I’ll always cherish the years spent at HSC both as a student and instructor.

Memories of one-on-one classes with professors still resonate with me. There’s something uniquely powerful about that individualized attention. I still smile thinking about Dr. Tucker, who was a bit miffed that I didn’t major in Latin, but his passion was just one of the many things that made HSC such a special place. And of course, the evenings spent gaming with my roommates were unforgettable.

HSC's blend of rigorous academics and a supportive, close-knit community shaped me in ways I didn't expect. It's a place where you can grow intellectually and personally, and for that, I’ll always be grateful.

I would be honored if one of my six kids choose HSC.

Class of 04

Michael D.

I enjoyed my time at HSC – values and traditions that are hard to find anywhere else.

G R.

Excellent foundation for living a full life. The professors in many departments, including Economics, Rhetoric (writing), and Political Science are some of the best in the country. My foundation in Economics began here as did my quest for life-long learning. Since 1775 it has been going strong, fulfilling it's mission to educate boys and turn them into men. I got my start in finance from here due to working the alumni system to obtain a job on a trading floor in credit derivatives.

Carolyn C.

How is this school still in existence? Our son has been attending this place since 2016. The only positive thing I can say about this school is that the campus is beautiful.
Any time I have a question, I waste my time calling. You have to speak with five different people and four out of the five should not be employed by an institution for higher learning!
On our first visit they brain washed our son and his parents with tales of how they have small class sizes for a personal touch. The average class size resembles that of a public high school.
The school preaches about Honor etc...it is a school that publicly denounces partying, but allows to extreme. Against our advice our son pledged for a fraternity. It wasn’t long after his acceptance, we received a sad phone call that a pledge brother had died from alcohol poisoning after a fraternity party. Since our son was present, we spent the next year in court! His third year was rather uneventful, but apparently the subject matter was harder, his calculus grades dropped dramatically, he didn’t not pass , he took another class under a different professor and passed.
His fourth year, first semester ended with him not passing cal III, his gpa dropped. No letter from the school to him or his parents. He received a letter from the school two days before he was supposed to return for the second semester stating he was to start paying his federal student loans back since he was no longer enrolled as a student! He showed the letter to us. He stated he knew his grade in calculus was borderline and his Advisor ( another student, not a faculty member) told him to take a cal III class on line. He could still make it!?!?
We do fault our son for low calculus grades and poor decisions, and lack of communication directed towards us but we fault the school for keeping knowledge of his performance from us, assigning a peer as an advisor. We fault the school for not allowing him to return for the spring semester to take a full load of other required classes. When asked if our son could do this the secretary stated no, the committee feels as if a rest break would be best!!!
I asked was there any appeals process, three ladies I talked to stated no. After research we found there was an appeal process. We again called the school and once we divulged the information we had learned they transferred us to another department. We followed the appeal process to the T. The committee decided against allowing him to take the Spring Semester with the reduced load. They stated he could start a fresh in the fall and do two semesters. The only thing that this place cares about is money and a whole lot of it!
We are not putting another 48k out to this school, we would rather if he had to take two more semesters, we invest it into another institution that has the student in mind and not just money!!
Parents please don’t allow your sons to attend this school!!! Please research and take heed!!!!

Nolan W.

My experience at Hampden-Sydney has shaped many aspects of my life today, nearly twenty years after I matriculated. The College has had a tremendous impact on how I interact with people, which has resulted in many lasting friendships. It was emphasized early on that we say hello to one another in passing and look each other in the eye when speaking. These values have helped me cultivate valuable communication skills in both my personal and professional life. HSC also instilled in me a work ethic that has been instrumental to my professional development. The greatest strength of the College is that it provides the tools necessary for young men to grow remarkably between matriculation and graduation. The transformation is evident in the men who decide to take advantage of the enormous opportunity provided them.

Body &. S. A.

I truly enjoyed having my son matriculate at this college. They took some excellent raw material and turned him into something great.

Caveat: their financial aide office is terrible. They fail to communicate (letters sent to wrong address), it’s difficult to determine who to make payments to and sometimes payments made are not credited, then late fees are assessed). Don’t expect them to have any compassion or make a reasonable payment plan if you get behind. Never accept a Booker-Stebbins loan from these people.

All in all, I’d never recommend attending. My son graduated in 2016 and has not had an interview or job offer in his field. HSC has made no attempt to help him find a job (so much for the alumni network). Yet they expect him to make almost $800 in student loan payments every month.

Kyle was so proud of this school while he attended. And he was a proud alumni until this. Now, he truly regrets ever attending. 4 years of college, decent grades, $150,000 in debt, and no job. No job offers. No prospects of a job. 😢😢😢😢