How HPU ensures to deliver quality education by focusing on holistic development, explains Jim Smith

Jim Smith is the Director of International Admissions at High Point University, USA. Having worked in the different verticals of education he joined HPU in 2016. During his stay till now, he explains why the university is the best place to opt for higher education. He shares the thinking process and explains the selection process. The university makes sure to research thoroughly before choosing the right candidate for their programs. Also, the university has a broad-mindset. They believe in diversity and that it brings more learning opportunities and broadens the mind-set of the people. Moving forward, he explains his roles and responsibilities towards the institution. He ensures that all enrolling students are qualified to attend High Point University. On the similar lines, he adds that the university aims to provide an ambient environment for the holistic development of the students. In the later segment he focuses on getting admissions for undergraduate programs. HPU’s graduate school is strong but small, our main focus is on undergraduate programs. Talking about the pandemic and the adversities caused by it, he mentions that they have taken precautionary measures to ensure smooth functioning of the classes and safety of the professors and students.

I witnessed and went through a plethora of verticals before I joined High Point University

I began working in private boarding school admissions and leadership administration in 1985. That continued until 2007 when I started my own educational consulting business working with enrolling high school and college students. In 2016 I joined High Point University as their Director of International Admissions. 

We make sure to research thoroughly before travelling to a specific market segment for our recruitment

Each summer I spend several weeks drafting a Strategic Plan to be used as a guide to our marketing and recruitment planning for the entire admissions season. That plan provides our office with direction as to which geographic segments we want to market. Before traveling to a specific market segment, we research the schools, agents, and alumni in that region. We then contact each school, agent, and alumni setting up appointments for our eventual visit.

The Strategic Plan breaks down the number of inquiries, applications, and eventual enrollments we have received in the past three years. We also look at local economies, political mood, and potential of a segment in making a staffing and financial commitment to visit.

The four pivotal aspects; Academic excellence, experiential learning, life skills , and character development are given the utmost importance in our institution

I believe there are several advantages to studying at HPU. Specifically, four areas we call our pillars.

1. Academic Excellence – all of our students receive an extraordinary education in an inspiring environment with caring people. Classes average 17 students; we have a 15:1 student to professor ratio. All of our classes are taught by professors; we do not use teaching assistants nor graduate students to teach any of our classes.
2. Experiential learning – all students, beginning their freshman year are required to participate in experiential or hands-on learning. We do not wait until they are juniors or seniors but begin their very first year. Students become engaged in conducting research and/or internships. When they graduate from HPU they will have not only four years for an extraordinary education, but they will also have four years of practical experience in their career field.
3. Life Skills – a few years ago HPU along with several other prominent universities conducted surveys with Fortune 500 corporations. These surveys were done to determine how successful college graduates were once they were working. We learned that students were struggling in such areas as oral and written communication, budgeting, and time management. All characteristics are necessary regardless of your career field. HPU President Dr. Nido Qubein teaches a mandatory seminar for all students in Life Skills. No other USA university president teaches a mandatory course.
4. Character development – it is important that all of our students understand that we believe them to be extraordinary individuals and as such much is required of them. Our HPU students give back to the High Point community as well as their communities in their home country. Giving and helping others bring strength to our students and enhances their well-being. 

These four pillars are the cornerstones to the achievement of High Point University students and why they are so successful after graduating.

We believe that diversity bring in more learning opportunities and broadens the mind-set of the people

Every institution needs to be more aware of the necessity for racial and ethnic diversity. Here at HPU we continue to be leading the way to providing all of our students regardless of race, color, religion, or creed the most welcoming environment that we can. HPU welcomes students from all cultures and backgrounds. Throughout the year there are diversity and inclusion courses available to all students. 

I make sure that all enrolling students are qualified to attend High Point University

My role as the director is to make sure that all enrolling students are qualified to attend High Point University. We approach each student application, regardless of where their home is, from a holistic point of view. We are not just interested in grades and test scores but in what has the student done outside of the classroom or in their community.

Several years ago HPU established Project Discovery. Project Discovery supports all HPU students such as tutoring, peer counseling, international coordinator assistance, faculty advisor, Success Coaches, and the Center for Career and Professional Development assistance. We continue to develop new social media markets, visit schools and counselors, and work closely with reputable agents.

We make sure to provide an ambient environment for the holistic development of the students

High Point University never changes its top priority, to provide each student with an extraordinary education in an inspiring environment with caring people. To accomplish that mission HPU strives to improve all aspects of our university courses, programs, facilities, and personnel. In the past three years, we have added several new majors and will continue to enhance current and develop new majors. HPU is always looking at the needs of the students, the shifting of career emphasis, and then adjusting accordingly. HPU will be enlarging our engineering majors shortly. The technology majors will be enhanced. Enlarging the business school offerings, medical field majors, and others as necessary.

I was awed by the incredible facilities and academic programs and by the devotion of professors and staff towards students’ success.

After working for so many years on a variety of campuses I felt I had experienced excellence in education, I was wrong, HPU is truly one of the most extraordinary universities in the USA. I was awed not by just the incredible facilities and academic programs, but the professors and staff were so devoted to their students and their success.

Each day I learn something new about HPU, maybe a student was involved with a project that saved lives, a professor who has been recognized as the best in his/her field, or a student whose research was published in a medical journal.

Each year our vision for the international student population has exceeded expectations. Our international students have gone above and beyond what we expected. The program has grown and is becoming well known throughout the world. US News and World Report for the past 8 years have ranked HPU as the #1 college in the south. Princeton Review has ranked HPU in its top 384 universities in the USA. Our academic programs are as strong as any in the USA.

Education takes place when you can discuss ideas and concepts that began in the textbook

The major benefit of HPU is class size. HPU averages 17 students per class that allow for interaction between students and professors. Education takes place when you can discuss ideas and concepts that began in the textbook but grew with the discussion between students and with the professor.

The Success Coaches, who are full-time adults with masters and PhDs are available to all incoming freshmen to assist them with finding what it is they have a passion for and combine that passion with their skills and abilities to discover the best career path to follow.

HPU’s graduate school is strong but small, our main focus is on undergraduate programs

Our number of Indian students has dropped due to a variety of reasons. We stopped visiting because nearly 90% of the students we talked with were interested in graduate school. HPU’s graduate school is strong but small, our main focus is on undergraduate programs. Also, the agents that made these placement guarantees never produced and so we are now going back and finding only those agent partners that will truly assist HPU in finding qualified candidates.

Most of our international students either go back home or enroll in graduate school

All international students have the opportunity to work on campus, we do not guarantee any job placement upon completion of course work. No university can guarantee such a thing. Currently, most of our international students either go back home or enroll in graduate school. 97% of our graduating students who want to go on to graduate school get either their first or second choice for graduate school and of those 87% get their first choice.

We have taken precautions to make certain that all students and professors are safe

At High Point University, we are opening the school as normal with face to face courses but we have taken precautions to make certain that all students and professors are safe. Also, Intakes are as planned with established safety protocols. Following all the guidelines as set forth by the HPU safety task force, CDC, and local government we feel confident that if students will follow the protocol set forth they will be as safe as possible.

We have brought in necessary safety measures amid the pandemic for scheduling the classes for the students

Currently, our students who can get to campus will be able to take in-person classes. Those that are unable to get to campus due to no fault of their own will be able to take online courses. If in the future, there is a problem we are prepared to handle it as necessary.