Horizon Admissions

Application Deadlines
The Horizon Program benefits women returning to college by offering an admissions policy that focuses on overall credentials, not just on GPA or test scores. Completed application deadlines for Horizon students are as follows:

Fall Term: August 2*
Spring Term: December 20*
*Priority deadlines

Application Checklist
Please submit each of the following items by the application deadline. A completed application consists of:

1. application
2. $35 application fee (application fee waived if you submit your completed application while on campus)
3. required essay (Click here to review essay questions.)
4. two letters of recommendation from persons familiar with your academic ability or potential
5. official high school transcript or proof of GED completion (provide full name listed on transcript)
6. official college transcript for all college or universities attended (a catalog or course descriptions are required for colleges or universities not in Virginia)
7. informational interview
8. on-campus writing exercise

The Hollins registrar will perform a transcript analysis to determine which classes Hollins will transfer for credit. Academic advising is conducted after you have been admitted to the program.

Fees
The 2008-09 fee is $830 per credit hour or $3,320 for each four-credit course. Note that most undergraduate courses at Hollins earn four credits, not three.
    The Horizon program offers the following benefits:

• product quality: As a national liberal arts university, Hollins has a widely recognized reputation for the quality of its programs. The creative writing program is considered among the best in the country and contributes significantly to the creative atmosphere that pervades the campus community.
• access to Hollins’ facilities: Horizon students can study and relax between classes in the Horizon and Local Student Lounge in Eastnor.  The lounge has computer workstations as well. Horizon students also have access to fitness and athletic facilities, and to the dining room and snack bar.  Dana Science Building is open 24 hours a day and features two open-access computer labs.
• The Wyndham Robertson Library, with its extensive online and print resources, knowledgeable staff, and new automated library system, is an additional advantage to students enrolled in Hollins’ Horizon program. In addition to being a state-of-the art academic library, the building has been designated Virginia’s first National Literary Landmark.
• advising: Horizon graduates laud the availability and support they get from their advisors -- full-time faculty, not teaching adjuncts -- in planning courses of study.
• the pervasive sense of community: At Hollins you will find your own space and voice in a supportive community. Since 1842, Hollins has supported women in their quest for self-definition and expression, and the results are evident. Nearly 95% of Hollins graduates say their education prepared them for the lives they are leading. The national data is clear as well: women who attend women’s colleges tend to achieve greater success than their coed counterparts.
• the quality of the faculty: At Hollins you have the opportunity to study with and learn from nationally recognized scholars, of whom 99% hold the Ph.D. or highest degree in their field.
• career resources: Hollins’ career development center is considered one of the best in the region. All resources are available to Horizon students. Here you will find the latest tips for searching for a job, writing your resume, and interviewing successfully.
• alumnae network: There are more than 14,000 Hollins alumnae worldwide who know that "Women who are going places start at Hollins."
  

Financial Aid
Horizon students who are enrolled full-time are eligible for the Tuition Assistance Grant, estimated at $2,500, regardless of financial need. This grant is provided by the state of Virginia to all full-time Virginia residents as an incentive to attend private institutions. In addition, Pell grants, ranging from $400 to $4,050, are available to full-time Horizon students who qualify for need-based financial aid. Low-interest loans are also available.
    Three named scholarship funds have been specifically set up to assist Horizon students with their Hollins education:

• Hearst Foundation Scholarship is for first-year Horizon students with merit and need.
• Betty Francis Trinkle Freeman ’52 Scholarship honors Horizon students for their academic achievement and is awarded according to financial need.
• Lucy Levis Hazlegrove ’79 Scholarship honors Horizon students for their academic achievement and is awarded according to financial need.

Click here to learn more about scholarships and financial planning. To be considered for these scholarships, you must apply for financial assistance at Hollins and complete the Horizon Scholarship application. These forms are available in the Office of Scholarships and Financial Assistance at Hollins, sfa@hollins.edu, (540) 362-6332.

New Tax Credits
Horizon students who are enrolled at least half time are eligible (as long as they are not claimed as dependents on tax returns) for educational tax credits.
    The Hope Scholarship of $1,500 is for students in their first two years of undergraduate study. This tax credit is equal to all of the first $1,000 of tuition and eligible fees (less scholarships and tax-free tuition benefits) and half of the next $1,000 of tuition and fees, for a maximum benefit of $1,500.
    The Lifetime Learning Credit also applies to tuition and fees for Horizon students after their first or second years of study. A family can claim on its tax return a credit equal to 20% of $5,000 of educational expenses, for a maximum benefit of $1,000 each tax year.
    To be eligible, married taxpayers filing jointly must have an AGI of $80,000 or less; single taxpayers, an AGI of $40,000 or less. There can be no record of drug felonies.

Informational Interviews
We require an informational interview for all applicants. It is an opportunity to discuss your goals and the program in more detail. To schedule an appointment with the director of the Horizon Program, call (540) 362-6609.

On-Campus Writing Exercises
The ability to write clearly and to analyze written material is essential for success at Hollins. To assess an applicant's ability to write and analyze, we require that each applicant complete an on-campus writing exercise. To prepare for this exercise, please read this excerpt (in PDF format) from Lee Smith, Annie Dillard, and the Hollins Group, by clicking here. For dates and times, call (540) 362-6609.

Admissions Decisions
Admissions decisions are based upon the interview, on-campus writing exercise, essay, recommendations, and academic record. An admissions decision will be made once the prospective student file is complete. Each student will be notified by phone and then a corresponding letter will be mailed.
   All admitted students are asked to complete and return the Statement of Decision postcard mailed with the acceptance letter of her intent to enroll along with a $200 reservation deposit. Once officially enrolled, the student will receive information from the Horizon Program director regarding orientation, advising, scheduling, and registration.

Advising
Once officially enrolled, each student receives information regarding advising, scheduling, and registration. Students are encouraged to meet with their advisors in August for fall term and in January for spring term. There is a Horizon orientation for new students.