For Three Quick Questions, I send the same three questions to admissions representatives at colleges all over the country (the subject line of the e-mail is “Three quick questions”), and then I hope to hear back from them. When I do, I post them on Apply with Sanity. It’s that simple.

The three questions are meant to probe some of the things that make a school unique but that aren’t easily captured as a stat to go in a book or web search.

This response is from Whitney Puckett, Assistant Director of Communication & International Admission at Hollins University in Roanoke, Virginia.

What is a course, tradition, program or event that is unique to Hollins University?

Hollins University is a private, all-women’s, liberal arts school. We have many traditions that we celebrate, some going back almost to our 1842 founding. One very old tradition that continues to be a favorite of all alumnae is Tinker Day. Each fall, students are surprised with a sudden cancellation of classes. They gather together in fun costumes and hike nearby Tinker Mountain. At the top, they enjoy a picnic of fried chicken and “Tinker cake,” followed by a day of games, class skits, and fellowship.

Naturally every college wants to recruit the perfect student--high grades, high test scores, involved in their community, leadership...everything. But what kinds of imperfect students tend to flourish at Hollins?

Hollins University was again awarded the US News Best Colleges, “A+ School for B Students” Among National Liberal Arts Colleges for 2021. We are a campus of students with a wide variety of interests, backgrounds, and future plans, but if there is one thing that marks a Hollins student, it is that they are deeply passionate people who are invested in the betterment of their communities. This is also why The Princeton Review awarded us #6 in the category Most Politically Active Students for their 2021 “Best 386 Colleges” guide.

When people come to visit Roanoke, what's a place off campus that you recommend they check out while they're there?

No visit to Roanoke would be complete without a scenic drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway, a hike in the Jefferson National Forest or Smith Mountain Lake State Park, and a visit to Roanoke City Market area where you can enjoy a variety of excellent local restaurants as well as boutique shopping and art venues.

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Photo by Angela Elisabeth. [The banner photo is not of Hollins. I use the same photo for all Meet the Class posts so you can spot them easily.]