Welcome Everyone!
Hello, I’m Hunter Gutt. I am a first year student here at Holy Cross. Being part of the blogging program is a tremendous honor and opportunity to hopefully create a unique source of insight to everyday life here on Mt. St. James. Over the course of this academic year I will be sharing with you my various experiences both in and out of the classroom, with the intentions of painting a comprehensive view of campus culture and all the extraordinary opportunities available.
So, how did a kid from rural Northern Michigan end up at Holy Cross? Well, it began with a simple tradition. I would travel to New England to visit family and friends every summer, and during those trips we would always stop at a few college campuses along the way. This routine started around eighth grade, and ended the summer before my senior year. As you can imagine, we covered a lot of ground, visiting somewhere around 21 or more colleges.
These visits allowed me to see what I liked and didn’t like in campuses. From Cornell to the University of Michigan, each one brought a unique prospective and refined what I was looking for in a school. Eventually, I concluded that my three main concerns with a college or university was its student-to-teacher ratio, alumni network, and focus on developing a well-rounded student.
I found the school that fit all three my sophomore year. I instantly felt at home at Holy Cross, while I walked by towering buildings covered in ivy. Everyone was polite and insightful. There was not a single negative experience was to be found. After an unofficial visit, I went to an Advisory Days session, which gave me greater insight to the admissions process and a more formal tour of the campus. Then, I decided to partake in an admissions interview the summer after my junior year. It was at this point I had decided that Holy Cross was the right fit for me.
My positive experiences, research, and overall gut feeling led me to an Early Decision application. Two days before Thanksgiving I received a phone call from a 508 number while I was at dinner with friends. I stepped outside away from all the noise into the early winter blizzard to find out I had been accepted. Needless to say, the fact that I was personally called by Holy Cross to be informed of their decision and the moment I went back inside to be congratulated by my friends made an unforgettable memory.
There were so many aspects that helped me reach a decision and this eventual moment of euphoria. One of the most influential components was the student blogs on the Holy Cross website. I would constantly read through them and see what insight I could gain about campus culture, academic rigor, and more. These students truly helped me make one of the largest decisions in my life so far. And that is exactly the reason why I have joined the Holy Cross blogging program.
It is my utmost wish to be able to provide the same solace and certainty those past blogs gave me in my application process. I will do my best to share as much information about daily campus life as possible and hopefully I can encourage a prospective student to take a leap of faith and choose the College of the Holy Cross. I can’t wait to share my experiences on Mt. St. James with you throughout the year!
Go Crusaders!