Hollins University is one of the “more than 300 of the country’s best and most interesting colleges and universities,” according to the Fiske Guide to Colleges 2020. Created by former New York Times education editor Edward B. Fiske, the guide selects colleges for inclusion “with several broad principles in mind, beginning with academic quality.”
The Fiske Guide calls Hollins “one of the South’s leading women’s colleges” and includes the school among the nation’s small colleges and universities that are “Strong in Art or Design,” “Strong in Dance,” and “Strong in Film/Television.” Undergraduates quoted in the university’s profile praise their fellow students as “independent, ambitious, and passionate” while also citing the residence halls (“Most of the dorms are beautiful historic buildings full of character and comfort.”), the coursework (“I have been challenged by most of my classes here, but the workload has been manageable enough that I have been able to do a bunch of extracurriculars, too.”), and the professors (“Faculty members are typically accessible and often work hard to make sure they can help any students having trouble.”).
One senior concludes, “A student should only attend Hollins if they want to be a part of a close-knit community that fosters creative minds and ambitious spirits.”
The introduction to the Fiske Guide‘s 2020 edition notes that it is “a revised and updated version of a book that has been a bestseller since it first appeared over three decades ago. [It] is universally regarded as the definitive college guide of its type. If you are wondering whether to consider a particular college, it is logical to seek out friends or acquaintances who go there and ask them to tell you about their experiences. We have done exactly that – but on a far broader and more systematic basis than any individual or family could do alone.”
