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Voice

The Hope College voice

Our voice is part of our brand. When we talk about our voice, we’re talking about Hope’s personality or character. These attributes do not change and should be recognizably present in everything we say and write.

Hope’s voice is human. We don’t speak or write as if we’re some disembodied, impersonal entity, because you can’t have a conversation with a disembodied, impersonal entity. Hope isn’t an “it” or a thing; we’re a “we” — a group of individuals with a shared set of values who actually care about actual people.

Hope College is:

Confident
Enthusiastic
Encouraging
Inviting
Straightforward

Confident

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Ranked 4th in the U.S. for research and creative activity, Hope College receives more National Science Foundation grants for undergraduate research than any other liberal arts college in the country.
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When it comes to research, we’re one of the very best colleges in the country, right up there with MIT and Stanford.
Why?

Hope College is proud of who are, but we're never cocky or arrogant. We let the facts speak for themselves and are not driven by insecurity to over-explain, hide our shortcomings or exaggerate our strenths. We're steady and self-assured, and our confidence inspires us.

Enthusiastic

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Students at Hope are unusually happy with their education, and Holland ranks as one of the happiest cities in the U.S. All in all, Hope is a great place to be.

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Surveys and polls consistently rank the satisfaction of Hope students and Holland residents as higher than the national average.

Why?
Hope is fully alive and everything we do flows from our desire for students to experience that same life. We not only care about what we do — we enjoy doing it. We approach things with interest, energy and a positive attitude that’s irresistible to others.

Encouraging

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If you’re already proficient in one of the subject areas below, you may be able to test out of certain classes and earn college credit.

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Students who have had excellent preparation in one of the subject areas below may wish to register for the exam. Students who score at or above the cut-off level indicated on the chart will be granted credit toward their degree.

Why?
We’re here for others, not ourselves, so we naturally lean in to build others up and help them develop. We emphasize the good in every situation and look to the future with optimism.

Inviting

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As a student of biology, you’ll get to apply what you learn through labs and research. This gives you the hands-on experience you need to thrive in grad school and later in your career.

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The biology department combines lectures, labs and research opportunities to give students a comprehensive education that prepares them for graduate school and careers related to their chosen field.

Why?
Hope College is friendly, welcoming and likable. We speak directly to and with our audience, not about them, and draw them in to an experience we believe they’ll truly enjoy.

Straightforward

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If you’re an international student, here’s how to apply for admission:

Complete the Common Application
Pay the $35 application fee
...

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In order to apply for admission as an international student, you must provide the following items:

Completed Common Application
$35 application fee
...

Why?

Hope is sincere, honest and to the point. We’re educators, so we seek to make things clear, uncomplicated, accessible and easy to understand. If we can explain ourselves clearly in one sentence, we never use two.