<p>So, I finally looked at these videos… I guess I should view things before I post them here. Fortunately, these videos are mostly accurate. Just some points though…</p>
<p>1) If they wanted to be 100% true, they would put more clips of students studying… studying in dorm rooms, on park benches, by the duck pond, in the basement of the library, under a tree, writing papers, writing papers… to be true, they should just have a 2 minute montage of students studying and with no narrative of any kind other than the occasional sound of typing and pen on paper. </p>
<p>2) What was said about the honor code is true. While it works the vast majority of times, for me, I learned the most from the honor code the rare times when the community didn’t live up to its standards as formally expressed in the code. The most formative experiences I have from college are when my trust in HC’s community was tested but ultimately verified each and every time. If the code were perfect, it wouldn’t be a good learning tool for students.</p>
<p>3) HC is very small which is both a pro and a very significant con. However, it is only as small as you make it to be. If you are active with meeting the diversity of students on campus, take the time to know the staff, make an effort to have BMC friends, go into Philly from time to time, the experience isn’t small at all.</p>
<p>4) The visual arts at HC are very good but the performing arts (theater) are just OK (by contrast, the sciences and some other departments are truly outstanding and many other departments are excellent but made outstanding with BMC). They will become very good when the new black box theater is constructed this summer and BMC’s Goodheart theater is renovated to a modern space next year but it won’t be excellent until HC gets its own modern theater facilities. This is planned but will not occur for at least another 5 years or so. The arts are much much better than when I was there but, then, I’d only consider them “adequate”. With initiatives like “dialogues on art”, James house, the humanities center bringing in more visiting artists/workshops, greater funding for student led arts initiatives, we’re heading in the right direction…</p>