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College of the Holy Cross

One College Street, Worcester, MA 01610

http://www.holycross.edu/

Photos:

225 px|O'Kane Hall and clock tower, view from northern end of campus.
225 px|O'Kane Hall and clock tower, view from northern end of campus.
[source]

School Description

Provided by College of the Holy Cross

The College of the Holy Cross is, by tradition and choice, a Jesuit liberal arts college serving the Catholic community, American society, and the wider world. To participate in the life of Holy Cross is to accept an invitation to join in dialogue about basic human questions: What is the moral character of learning and teaching? How do we find meaning in life and history? What are our obligations to one another? What is our special responsibility to the world's poor and powerless?

As a liberal arts college, Holy Cross pursues excellence in teaching, learning, and research. All who share its life are challenged to be open to new ideas, to be patient with ambiguity and uncertainty, to combine a passion for truth with respect for the views of others. Informed by the presence of diverse interpretations of the human experience, Holy Cross seeks to build a community marked by freedom, mutual respect, and civility. Because the search for meaning and value is at the heart of the intellectual life, critical examination of fundamental religious and philosophical questions is integral to liberal arts education. Dialogue about these questions among people from diverse academic disciplines and religious traditions requires everyone to acknowledge and respect differences. Dialogue also requires us to remain open to that sense of the whole which calls us to transcend ourselves and challenges us to seek that which might constitute our common humanity.

The faculty and staff of Holy Cross, now primarily lay and religiously and culturally diverse, also affirm the mission of Holy Cross as a Jesuit college. As such, Holy Cross seeks to exemplify the longstanding dedication of the Society of Jesus to the intellectual life and its commitment to the service of faith and promotion of justice. The College is dedicated to forming a community which supports the intellectual growth of all its members while offering them opportunities for spiritual and moral development. In a special way, the College must enable all who choose to do so to encounter the intellectual heritage of Catholicism, to form an active worshipping community, and to become engaged in the life and work of the contemporary church.

Since 1843, Holy Cross has sought to educate students who, as leaders in business, professional, and civic life, would live by the highest intellectual and ethical standards. In service of this ideal, Holy Cross endeavors to create an environment in which integrated learning is a shared responsibility, pursued in classroom and laboratory, studio and theater, residence and chapel. Shared responsibility for the life and governance of the College should lead all its members to make the best of their own talents, to work together, to be sensitive to one another, to serve others, and to seek justice within and beyond the Holy Cross community.

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College of the Holy Cross

From Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia

The College of the Holy Cross (also known as simply Holy Cross) is an undergraduate Roman Catholic liberal arts college located in Worcester, Massachusetts, USA. Holy Cross is the oldest Roman Catholic college in New England and one of the oldest in the United States.

Opened as a school for boys under the auspices of the Society of Jesus, it was the first Jesuit college in New England. Today, Holy Cross is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities and is part of a consortium with other Worcester colleges, including Worcester Polytechnic Institute and Clark University. On July 1, 2000, Rev. Michael C. McFarland, S.J. became the current president of the college. As of June 2007, the Holy Cross endowment was valued at $660 million.

History

Beginnings

Holy Cross was founded by Benedict Joseph Fenwick, SJ, second Bishop of Boston, after his efforts to found a Catholic college in Boston were thwarted by the city's Protestant civic leaders. From the beginning of his tenure as the second Bishop of Boston, Benedict Joseph Fenwick of the Society of Jesus aimed to establish a Catholic College within the boundaries of his diocese.

Relations with Boston's civic leaders worsened such that, when a Jesuit faculty was finally secured in 1843, Fenwick decided to leave the Boston school and instead opened the College of the Holy Cross west of the city in central Massachusetts where he felt the Jesuits could operate with greater autonomy. The site of the college, Mount Saint James, was originally occupied by a Roman Catholic boarding school, run by the Rev. James Fitton, with his lay collaborator, Joseph Brigden, since 1832. On February 2, 1843, Fr. Fitton sold the land to Bishop Fenwick and the Diocese of Boston to be used to found the Roman Catholic college that the bishop had wanted in Boston. Fenwick gave the College the name of his cathedral church, the Cathedral of the Holy Cross. The Bishop’s letters record his enthusiasm for the project as well as its location:

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Read the full entry on Wikipedia

Quick Facts

Chance of Admission:
Check With School
Location:
Northeast
Setting:
Mid-size City Setting
Type:
Private
Affiliation:
Roman Catholic
Size:
Medium (2,000 to 5,000 Undergrad)
Mascot:
Crusaders

Students & Campus Life

Undergraduate Enrollment:
2,773
On Campus Housing:
Available
Full Time Students:
100%
Athletic Programs:
Available
> More Students & Campus Life

Expenses

Average Tuition:
$ 31,444
Students Receiving Aid:
57%
> More Expenses & Financial Aid

Admissions

Application Fee:
$ 50
Selectivity:
Highly Selective
> More Admissions

Degree Programs at College of the Holy Cross

Bachelor's Level Programs

  • Arts & Humanities

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    • English Language and Literature See more schools with programs in English Language and Literature
      • English Language and Literature
        A general program that focuses on the English language, including its history, structure and related communications skills; and the literature and culture of English-speaking peoples.
        See more schools with programs in English Language and Literature
    • Film and Theater See more schools with programs in Film and Theater
      • Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts
        A program that focuses on the general study of dramatic works and their performance. Includes instruction in major works of dramatic literature, dramatic styles and types, and the principles of organizing and producing full live or filmed productions.
        See more schools with programs in Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts
    • Foreign Languages See more schools with programs in Foreign Languages
      • Classics and Languages, Literatures and Linguistics
        This general program focuses on the literary culture of the ancient Graeco-Roman world and the Greek and Latin languages and literatures and their development prior to the fall of the Roman Empire.
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      • French Language and Literature
        A program that focuses on the French language and related dialects and creoles. Includes instruction in French philology, Metropolitan French, Canadian French, African and Caribbean Creoles, French regional dialects, and applications in business, science/technology, and other settings.
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      • German Language and Literature
        A program that focuses on the German language and related dialects as used in Austria, Germany, Switzerland, neighboring European countries containing German-speaking minorities, and elsewhere. Includes instruction in German philology; Old, Middle, and High German; Plattdeutsch and other regional dialects; and applications to business, science/technology, and other settings.
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      • Italian Language and Literature
        A program that focuses on the Italian language and related dialects. Includes instruction in Italian philology, Modern Italian, Italian regional dialects, and applications in business, science/technology, and other settings.
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      • Russian Language and Literature
        A program that focuses on the Russian language. Includes instruction in Russian philology, Old Russian, Modern Russian and dialects, literature, and applications to business, science/technology, and other settings.
        See more schools with programs in Russian Language and Literature
      • Spanish Language and Literature
        A program that focuses on the Spanish language and related dialects. Includes instruction in Spanish philology, Modern Castillan, various Latin American dialects, regional Spanish dialects, and applications in business, science/technology, and other settings.
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    • History See more schools with programs in History
      • History
        A program that focuses on the general study and interpretation of the past, including the gathering, recording, synthesizing and criticizing of evidence and theories about past events. Includes instruction in historiography; historical research methods; studies of specific periods, issues and cultures; and applications to areas such as historic preservation, public policy, and records administration.
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    • Music See more schools with programs in Music
      • General Music
        A general program that focuses on the introductory study and appreciation of music and the performing arts. Includes instruction in music, dance, and other performing arts media.
        See more schools with programs in General Music
    • Philosophy See more schools with programs in Philosophy
      • General Philosophy
        A program that focuses on ideas and their logical structure, including arguments and investigations about abstract and real phenomena. Includes instruction in logic, ethics, aesthetics, epistemology, metaphysics, symbolism, and history of philosophy, and applications to the theoretical foundations and methods of other disciplines.
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    • Religion/Religious Studies See more schools with programs in Religion/Religious Studies
      • General Religion/Religious Studies
        A program that focuses on the nature of religious belief and specific religious and quasi-religious systems. Includes instruction in phenomenology; the sociology, psychology, philosophy, anthropology, literature and art of religion; mythology; scriptural and textual studies; religious history and politics; and specific studies of particular faith communities and their behavior.
        See more schools with programs in General Religion/Religious Studies
    • Visual and Performing Arts See more schools with programs in Visual and Performing Arts
      • Visual and Performing Arts
        A general, undifferentiated program that focuses on the visual and performing arts and that may prepare individuals in any of the visual artistic media or performing disciplines.
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  • Interdisciplinary Studies

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    • Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies
      Any instructional program that is derived from two or more distinct programs to provide a cross-cutting focus on a subject concentration that is not subsumed under a single discipline or occupational field.
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  • Life Science

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    • Biology See more schools with programs in Biology
      • Biology/Biological Sciences
        Students in this program study general biology at an introductory level. This major provides students with a broad overview of biology and includes instruction in general biology and programs covering a variety of biological specializations.
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  • Mathematics and Statistics

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    • General Mathematics
      A general program that focuses on the analysis of quantities, magnitudes, forms, and their relationships, using symbolic logic and language. Includes instruction in algebra, calculus, functional analysis, geometry, number theory, logic, topology and other mathematical specializations.
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  • Natural Sciences

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    • Chemistry See more schools with programs in Chemistry
      • General Chemistry
        A general program that focuses on the scientific study of the composition and behavior of matter, including its micro- and macro-structure, the processes of chemical change, and the theoretical description and laboratory simulation of these phenomena.
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    • Physics See more schools with programs in Physics
      • General Physics
        A general program that focuses on the scientific study of matter and energy, and the formulation and testing of the laws governing the behavior of the matter-energy continuum. Includes instruction in classical and modern physics, electricity and magnetism, thermodynamics, mechanics, wave properties, nuclear processes, relativity and quantum theory, quantitative methods, and laboratory methods.
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  • Social Sciences

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    • Economics See more schools with programs in Economics
      • General Economics
        A general program that focuses on the systematic study of the production, conservation and allocation of resources in conditions of scarcity, together with the organizational frameworks related to these processes. Includes instruction in economic theory, micro- and macroeconomics, comparative economic systems, money and banking systems, international economics, quantitative analytical methods, and applications to specific industries and public policy issues.
        See more schools with programs in General Economics
    • International Relations and Affairs See more schools with programs in International Relations and Affairs
      • General Political Science and Government
        A general program that focuses on the systematic study of political institutions and behavior. Includes instruction in political philosophy, political theory, comparative government and politics, political parties and interest groups, public opinion, political research methods, studies of the government and politics of specific countries, and studies 0f specific political institutions and processes.
        See more schools with programs in General Political Science and Government
    • Psychology See more schools with programs in Psychology
      • General Psychology
        A general program that focuses on the scientific study of individual and collective behavior, the physical and environmental bases of behavior, and the analysis and treatment of behavior problems and disorders. Includes instruction in the principles of the various subfields of psychology, research methods, and psychological assessment and testing methods.
        See more schools with programs in General Psychology
    • Sociology See more schools with programs in Sociology
      • Sociology
        A program that focuses on the systematic study of human social institutions and social relationships. Includes instruction in social theory, sociological research methods, social organization and structure, social stratification and hierarchies, dynamics of social change, family structures, social deviance and control, and applications to the study of specific social groups, social institutions, and social problems.
        See more schools with programs in Sociology

Students

General

Full-Time vs. Part-Time
Full-Time 100%
Part-Time 0%
Men vs. Women
Women 56%
Men 44%
Race/Ethnicity
Caucasian 76%
Other 13%
Hispanic 4%
Asian 4%
African-American 3%

Geography

In State vs. Out-of-State
Out-of-State 61%
In-State 39%
Top States for Incoming Freshman
Massachusetts 39%
New York 15%
Connecticut 12%
New Jersey 7%
Pennsylvania 4%
Percent of Students International: 0%

Housing

On-Campus Housing Available: Yes
Percent of Students Living On-Campus: 84%
Freshman Students Required to Live on Campus: Yes

Athletics

Member of: NAA, NCAA
Sports Include: Football (Patriot League)
Basketball (Patriot League)
Baseball (Patriot League)
Track (Patriot League)
Tuition & Fees (undergraduate) Expenses  
Published Tuition and Fees:
 $ 31,444    
Average Tuition for Full-Time Undergrads:
 $ 30,960    
Required Fees for Full-Time Undergrads:
 $ 484    
Financial Aid Avg. Amount Received % of Students Receiving Aid  
Federal Grants:
 $ 5,475 10%  
State and Local Grants:
 $ 3,327 8%  
Institutional Grants:
 $ 16,670 50%  
Student Loans:
 $ 4,811 50%  
Any Aid:
   57%  

Selectivity (Undergraduate Only)

Acceptance Rate: 48% (Highly Selective)

Application Requirements (Undergraduate Only)

Application Fee: $ 50.00
Formal Demonstration of Competencies: Not Required
High School Diploma or Equivalent: Recommended
High School GPA: Recommended
High School Rank: Recommended
High School Record: Required
Recommendations: Required
TOEFL: Required
Test Scores: Not Required

College Advice

Yahoo
troutpig62
troutpig62

Question: Which college is academically better, Providence College or Holy Cross?

33 months ago
matt
matt

Best Answer

Both of these schools are highly respected, but they are both kind of second level schools behind their more famous cousin schools like Boston College, Georgetown or Notre Dame. You will get a good education at either one of these schools. I personally would tend to favor PC over Holy Cross because PC is in a nicer city with more going on (in Providence there are six other colleges full of students to meet including Ivy League Brown), but there is really little to choose between them. Try to visit them before you decide.

Photos

  • 225 px|O'Kane Hall and clock tower, view from northern end of campus.
    225 px|O'Kane Hall and clock tower, view from northern end of campus. [source]
  • Aerial view of Worcester, Massachusetts and the surrounding area
    Aerial view of Worcester, Massachusetts and the surrounding area [source]
  • 150 px|Clarence Thomas, an alumnus of Holy Cross and Supreme Court Justice
    150 px|Clarence Thomas, an alumnus of Holy Cross and Supreme Court Justice [source]
  • Alumni Hall, Holy Cross
    Alumni Hall, Holy Cross [source]
  • 225 px|View of St. Joseph's Chapel
    225 px|View of St. Joseph's Chapel [source]
  • 200 px|College Seal of Holy Cross
    200 px|College Seal of Holy Cross [source]
  • 275 px|Holy Cross football team playing Brown on October 7, 2006
    275 px|Holy Cross football team playing Brown on October 7, 2006 [source]
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College of the Holy Cross
Worcester, MA 01610
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