Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Can I have a car on campus?
Yes. All students can have cars on campus.

Is alcohol permitted on campus?
No. Alcohol consumption is prohibited on campus.

Are scholarships available?
Yes. In order to determine your eligibility for academic scholarships, contact the Admissions Office by phone at 1-866-MHC-4-YOU (866-642-4968) or by sending an email. Mars Hill College also offers scholarships through 16 NCAA Division II athletic teams. Music, theater, and clogging scholarships are also available.

Are freshmen required to bring computers?
No. If you do not have a computer, Mars Hill College has plenty for you to use. Our computer-to-student ratio is 1:6. All dorm rooms are internet accessible.

What if I do not have a roommate?
If you do not have a friend attending Mars Hill College, the Office of Residential Living will assign a roommate to you. The Residential Living Staff will make every attempt to assign you a roommate who shares similar interests, activities, and major. Or you can encourage a friend to attend Mars Hill College with you.

How much does it cost to attend Mars Hill College?
For detailed information on the cost of attending MHC, visit the Business Office webpage. For scholarship and financial aid information, contact the Admissions Office at 1-866-MHC-4-YOU (866-642-4968) or by sending an email.

What are the admissions requirements for Mars Hill College?
Freshmen
Students interested in applying for admission to Mars Hill College must submit an official high school transcript, SAT or ACT score(s), a completed application for admission, and $25 application fee. High School coursework must include 4 English courses, Algebra I, Algebra II, and Geometry, 2 History courses, 2 Natural Science. Two units in Foreign Language and 1 unit in Computer Science are recommended. Freshman applicants will be notified of an admissions decision within one week of a completed admissions file. The Admissions Office encourages all interested applicants to schedule a campus visit and check out Mars Hill College first hand. To schedule your visit, contact the Admissions Office at 1-866-MHC-4-YOU (866-642-4968) or by sending an email to admissions.

Transfers
Students interested in applying for admission to Mars Hill College must submit an official high school transcript, SAT or ACT score(s), a completed application for admission, $25 application fee (waived for those who apply online by 20 February), and official transcript(s) from all colleges attended. Transfer applicants will be notified of an admissions decision with one week of a completed admissions file. The Admissions Office encourages all interested applicants to schedule a campus visit and check out Mars Hill College first hand. To schedule your visit, contact the Admissions Office at 1-866-MHC-4-YOU (866-642-4968) or by sending an email.

How can I schedule a campus visit?
If you would like to visit Mars Hill College, please contact Susan Bryson, Campus Visit Coordinator, at 1-866-MHC-4-YOU (866-642-4968) or email Susan Bryson. Mrs. Bryson can arrange for you to meet coaches, students, and faculty, take a campus tour, attend a class or sporting event, and dine in the campus café. Visits are scheduled to fit your needs and interests. You can visit the campus Monday through Friday from 8:00 to 5:00. Saturday visits are scheduled as needed.

What sports are offered at Mars Hill College?
Mars Hill College competes at the NCAA Division II level and is a member of the South Atlantic Conference. Below is a list of intercollegiate teams:

Intramural and club sports are also available and include floor hockey, flag football, ultimate frisbee, softball, basketball, water polo, volleyball, road cycling, mountain biking, whitewater (rafting, canoeing, and kayaking), dodgeball, and disc golf.

How did Mars Hill College get its name?
Mars Hill College derives its name from the site in Athens, mentioned in Acts 17: 16-34, where Paul engaged in reasoned conversation with the people of Athens, including some who worshiped the gods of the city of Athens and some who were philosophically-minded Epicureans and Stoics. The Greek term is ho areou pagos, usually rendered as "Areopagus." Most scholars agree that this term refers to a small, rocky hill (pagos) west of the Acropolis named for the Greek god of war, Ares, whose Latin name is Mars. The King James Version translates this as "Mars Hill." The Areopagus refers both to a court in ancient Athens and also a place for debate and conversation about ideas. In the entire New Testament, Paul's speech at the Areopagus is the only one directed towards an exclusively gentile audience. Luke, the author of Acts, tells of Paul presenting reasoned arguments concerning his message of "the good news about Jesus and the resurrection" (NRSV) to the philosophically sophisticated Athenians.

Paul argues that God as revealed in Christ is the "unknown god" to which there is an altar erected in Athens. This story is a place where Athens (representing reason) and Jerusalem (representing faith) meet. Luke writes it with Paul (representing Jerusalem) engaging in rational dialogue with these skeptics, seekers, and thinkers, and acknowledging the "religious" nature of the Athenians, in a nice irony. Paul, who was well-educated in Platonic philosophy and the Stoics, even quotes the Stoic philosopher Aratus: "For in him we live and move and have our being," indicating that the Logos, which is the Stoic cosmic principle, and the God revealed in Jesus Christ, about which Paul is preaching, are the same. Some people scoffed at Paul's ideas; some responded by saying, "We'll talk some more about this;" and some responded by becoming Christians. Luke's gospel and accounts of the acts of the apostles continues by describing the works of the followers of Christ in feeding hungry people, teaching, preaching, and healing.

At Mars Hill College, as at the ancient Mars Hill in Athens, faith and reason meet. We encourage conversation, informed dialogue, about questions of faith and philosophy, about truth as discerned in the sciences, in the arts, on the sports field, in the humanities, indeed, in every human endeavor. We try to meet the world with creativity, compassion, and respect. At Mars Hill College, questions are encouraged, faith is affirmed, and reason is sharpened.

What is there to do at Mars Hill College?
Mars Hill College is surrounded by cultural and outdoor activities. When you're not "hitting the books," you can be involved in over 40 campus clubs and organizations, including the Student Activities Board, Student Government Association, Christian Student Movement, New Beginning Singers, Bailey Mountain Cloggers, ten Greek organizations, and numerous varsity, intramural, and club sports teams. The Mars Hill College Wind Symphony or Jazz Band can also entertain you. Mars Hill College also offers an outstanding theatre arts program that performs throughout the school year. Bands, dances, and other activities such as "Monday Night Football" in the Loft, "Movie Night" in the "Timberline" room, and roommate games keep students busy as well. Asheville, NC, just 18 miles south of Mars Hill, also offers vast cultural and outdoor activities along with two malls, five movie theatres, and an exceptional variety of restaurants. Pisgah National Forrest is just a short drive away and offers mountain biking, hiking, camping, hunting, fishing, canoeing, and rock climbing. The Appalachian Trail also offers hiking opportunities. If you like to ski or snowboard, Wolf Laurel Ski resort is just a 15-minute drive from campus. Whatever your interests, we're sure to have something just right for you!