Posted by Anonymous on 2013/03/08 under Uncategorized Hampshire offers a curriculum based around the concept that interests do shift and evolve, and provides endless options for specific areas of study.
I am currently studying ballet, and while I do want to continue to study dance I have no interest in pursuing a professional dance career straight out of high school. Instead, I want to study dance from an objective perspective, using my own experiences as insight but focusing on the effects of intense physical training as a child on emotional and behavioral health later in life. I want to explore the way values of various societies are expressed through dance as an art form, and the shifting prominence of dance as opposed to other forms of art.
Enrollment at Hampshire would give me access to a large and diverse dance program, as well as the ability to incorporate this into a larger area of study instead of being forced to choose between an absolute focus on dance training and academic study.
My schooling so far has consisted of non-traditional education systems, and I cannot imagine attending any other sort of institution. The eradication of set letter grades will be a relief, and the individual attention and assistance gained from written feedback from professors is exponentially more valuable. That being said, having the opportunity to take courses throughout the consortium will create a lovely variety of class structures so students can figure out their ideal curriculums themselves.
I expect that at Hampshire, I would become immediately engaged in “real life” projects, actively going out into the community to promote genuine communication and sustainable solutions. As much as I value education, I would have a hard time spending years studying something fascinating but not immediately applicable to fixing problems I recognize in my community.
Though I have never been formally trained, I am also incredibly interested in the circus arts and have amassed throughout my life quite the selection of cirque equipment. My house is as much a grown-up playground as it is a place of permanent residence. Ordinarily, when I mention this interest to colleges, I am met with a polite smile and a vague “oh, how interesting…we have a dance program if you’re looking to major in that area…”. It was a wonderful surprise to come across a school that has an active cirque club, and memorable alumni that have incorporated cirque performance into academic studies.
Essentially, Hampshire exudes the perfect balance between freedom and personalized attention from staff. It allows students to choose their own focus from personal experience and interest, creating new areas of study instead of handing everyone the same cookie cutter education. And yet the professors are constantly available to help plan class schedules and projects, so that the burden of freedom doesn’t become overwhelming. This incredible coexistence of independence and support is hard to come by.
When I look at other schools, I feel as though I’m looking to buy a house. I need something sturdy, but practical. A solid investment. Something I have to seriously commit to with a straight face, and know what I’m getting into before I even think about buying.
Hampshire is the whimsical tree house I drew when I was eight years old, after reading “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland”.