Located in Hempstead, New York (on Long Island), Hofstra University is a medium-sized comprehensive university with about 7,000 undergraduate students. About half the students are from in-state, and 10% are international. Hofstra has academic offerings for students interested in engineering; business; humanities; health sciences; public policy and international affairs; education; communication and the fine and performing arts. Hofstra also has a graduate level law school and medical school.
Because of its proximity to New York City (about 45 minutes by car, and about an hour 45 minutes by public transit), Hofstra University students can take advantage of internship opportunities in many of the academic disciplines. Students in the Herbert School of Communication, for example, can participate in Hofstra’s award-winning college radio station, which is the official broadcast partner for the New York Islanders hockey team. Film and TV majors all take at least one course about the business aspect of these industries, and all students majoring in the School of Communications must choose a liberal arts minor, contributing to a well-rounded education. Students in the Zarb School of Business all get Bloomberg-certified, which helps boost their employability on nearby Wall Street. It’s easy to change majors here as the curriculum in most programs is flexible.
Because of its moderate size, Hofstra prides itself on keeping classes small. The average class size is about 21 students; our tour guide, a senior public relations major/drama minor, said her largest class ever had 29 students. Students here are accustomed to being seen and heard in class, and they’re involved outside of class. About 10% of Hofstra students are involved in the moderately small Greek system; there are 7 social sororities and 9 social fraternities, with many options for multicultural and professional organizations.
Housing is guaranteed at Hofstra for all four years. Students can bring their cars to campus, but most don’t. The “Unispan” is a large bridge that connects the residential and academic sides of campus; the academic side is fairly quiet on weekends but most students stay on campus. It’s more than a bridge, actually; there’s a dining hall and a bookstore on the residential side of the Unispan, and it’s a great hangout space.
Admission to Hofstra University
Hofstra University is somewhat selective, and admitted students have, on average, about a 3.6 unweighted GPA. Hofstra is test-optional, but the average score for those who do submit them is 1240 on the SAT, 27 on the ACT. Hofstra is very generous with merit aid, with nearly half of the admitted students being awarded the Presidential scholarship. This can cut the private school “sticker price” nearly in half. Students with a 4.0 may be offered a full scholarship.
Summary – Hofstra University
Hofstra has a beautiful suburban campus, and offers the benefit of being near a city without being right in it. All of the students we met were very accustomed to taking the Long Island Railroad right into Grand Central Terminal to enjoy being in New York, and all were very happy with their decision. We ate lunch in one of the student/faculty dining halls – the food was great and the faculty we spoke to were lovely! Hofstra University’s strong and diverse variety of academic offerings make it an excellent choice for students looking to be near a major city in a university that builds community feel.
Debbie and Evelyn visited Hofstra University in March, 2018, and you can scroll through all of their photos below.