By Samantha Nwaoshai
When you hear the words “Hofstra University” what do you think of? Crazy Long Islanders and their snappy attire is what usually comes to mind. What do you think of when you hear the words “College Prowler”?
“College Prowler sounds like the rapist outside my bedroom window,” Jessica Lemire, a freshman art major at the University, said.
Actually, College Prowler is the publisher of the new book about the University entitled Hofstra University: Off the Record. The book is basically an answer to the stuffy Princeton Review. Its intentions were to show the University not only from an academic standpoint but from a student stand point as well.
“In all my research, there were only two ways to get the information I wanted [about colleges]. The first was by physically visiting the campus and seeing if things were really how the brochures described them, but this was quite expensive and not always feasible. The second was the missing ingredient, the students. Talking to real students who actually attended the schools that I was interested in gave me the information that I needed so badly,” Luke Skurman, the CEO and co-founder of College Prowler on the company Web site, said, “My dream in creating College Prowler was to create a resource that students would feel confident using.”
The College Prowler guides are the Spark Notes of college research. As of 2005, there will be 231 colleges covered. Each college has its own 5″ x 8″ book, unlike the massive books that would cover all schools and will be found in a high school guidance counselor’s office. The company sees the fact that the students are the ones supplying the information as a plus. Skurman states “…the best way to find out about anything is to ask people who actually have done it or are experiencing it currently.”
Students and recent alumni from the school are the ones doing everything. Students that are surveying, editing, fact checking and whatever else it takes to turn it into a book. There is no one on the College Prowler staff that is over the age of 25. The quotes are from students are meant to showcase the student body as a whole. Not all the quotes will be positive, but the book isn’t full of angry cynics either like the person who spoke on their overall experience of the University, “Eat me Hofstra!” They try to remain as objective as they can to paint an honest picture of the school.
The book covers several subjects from the usual academics, athletics and admission statistics to the ones that matter like “Nightlife” and “Drug Scene.” The rest include, Campus Dining, Campus Housing, Campus Strictness, Computers, Diversity, Facilities, Girls, Greek Life, Guys, Local Atmosphere, Off-Campus Dining, Off-Campus Housing, Parking, Safety & Security, Transportation and Weather.
There are 20 categories in total, but no surprise that the category in focus have very little to do with actual academics. Each category has quotes from students, a summary from the author who was or is a student of that school, statistics and information where applicable, and a final grade. Yes, just as in school, everything gets a letter grade. For the most part, the grades are qualitative. Grading is based on quotes and statistical facts and numbers which determine student happiness, prominence and satisfaction. The higher the grade the happier, the more prominent and the more satisfied the students are in a particular area. Even though several schools can receive the same grade, each school is looked at individually.
While the company’s intentions are good and their methods are certainly different, what everyone wants to know “if the book true to the University or is the University true to the book?”
The answer is it’s true for both situations. In some cases the book hits the bull’s eye, in other areas however, its misses. Sometimes it is not even on the same dart board.
Overall, the University didn’t score below a C- in any one category. However the marks that the University did receive makes you wonder. For example, in “Drug Scene,” the school got a C-. This is the only section that had reversed grading, meaning the higher the grade the less prominent on campus. Which means that drugs, especially alcohol are definitely prevalent on campus, but there are some who can argue the university deserves a lower grade. There is a least a friend of a friend in your circle who would be very willing to argue this.
The only person who this does not apply to is the one who uttered this quote, “Drugs, I don’t know what you are talking about. I thought Hofstra was drug-free.”
According to the book the most popular drugs on campus are alcohol, marijuana and prescription pills anything from Xanex to Vicodin to Ritalin. After speaking with several students they were disappointed that there was no mention of the huge cocaine scene. At the end of the section they did have contact numbers for those who may indulge in the drug scene a little too much.
Another section where the book seems a little off is “Safety & Security.” In the “College Prowler’s Take On…Safety & Security,” they state things that are blatantly obvious. For instance, “West Hempstead is the town just west of the school and it’s not a safe place to be at night.”
Students are advised to carry a cell phone on their person at all times. The section also mentioned the addition to call boxes on campus, and they mention that they are “spread out.” The guide advises not to cross the intramural field alone at night as it has been a scene of sexual abuse and rape or “forced intimacy” in the past.
“Who crosses the intramural field at night,” Lemire said. “And who needs to go through there?”
Speaking of the intramural fields, in another section of the book entitled “Guys & Girls” they list the “Top Three Places to Find ‘Hotties.'” The intramural fields made it to number two, which is second to the Courtyards.
Another place that seemed, way off base is where they discuss on-campus housing. They name as the best dorms; C-Square, The Netherlands and New Complex. This seems about right, since after several interviews most agreed with that listing. What are the worst dorms on campus? According to the book, Liberty/Republic and all six towers (Bill of Rights, Alliance, Constitution, Estabrook, Enterprise and Vander Poel). This is where the debate draws in.
“I completely disagree with them. I live and Liberty/Republic and I like my room. We have lights,” Lemire said. People who live in the towers are not complaining either. They place PHED students and International students in towers, they can’t be all bad. When the University students were asked what would be the worst dorms, the answer was unanimous, Nassau/Suffolk. In on-campus housing, the University received a C.
The section entitled “Diversity,” has the least quotes and would probably be the shortest next to “By the Numbers.” The reason was because no one really knew anything about the organizations unless they were members or friends of members. The author himself didn’t know about any of the organizations until he researched them. Then there are the quotes themselves. Some of them seem very closed-minded like “It’s mostly just a lot of rich, white Jewish people” or “I see a few minority students here or there, but I feel like they mostly stick to their own, and don’t get involved on campus.” Yet there are many minority groups (both social, political and pre-professional) that are available. The way the section sounded, if the school had a chapter of the Black Panthers existing today, no one would probably notice. Despite this, the University received a B.
Another section which qualifies for “sad but true,” would be within “Guy and Girls.” Besides naming the intramural fields as a place to meet “hotties,” they also described the “typical Long Island look” to a T. The “typical Long Island look” is defined as: girls with high-heels, short skirts, and prada bags; guys with tight white T-shirts that cost more than one should and expensive pants and shoes.
Then again, the clothing makes sense considering that it is no secret that Long Island has a very active nightlife. It was rated as the fourth best thing about the University. They gave detailed descriptions of ten different clubs and bars. The descriptions were definitely accurate. The only thing that a University student might find upsetting is that there was no detailed description for McHebes’ and Bogart’s, which are arguably the two most popular bars on campus. There was no shortage of quotes for this section, so it’s no surprise that the University received an A.
But what about where it really matters, at least to parents, academics? How did the University rank? Overall we received a B-, which pales in comparison to the A we received for nightlife. They do have mostly positive quotes from students, but people were more enthusiastic about the nightlife.
A part of the book some readers might like the most has nothing to do with the basic 20 sections at all. It was the “Words to Know” that caught readers’ attention. It’s the part of the book that works like a dictionary and tries to introduce you to college-terminology. A lot of it is common sense, but they are speaking to the stupid. Some readers might like where they have definitions to things like “Beer Pong/ Beirut.” Especially the drug definitions, such as, “Cocaine: an illegal drug. Also known as ‘coke’ or ‘blow,’ cocaine often resembles a white crystalline or powdery substance. It is highly addictive and very dangerous.”
Students have mixed feelings toward the book. In some places it’s painfully accurate, in others, not so much. However, no reader can claim that Hofstra University: Off the Record is dull.
University students Nancy Camacho, Maggie Kaminski and Dominique Finocchio find similarities and differences between the characteristics of what they know about the University and what College Prowler´s ´Hofstra University´s Off The Record´ states. (Paul Palazzolo/The Chronicle)