Do you remember the moment you first heard about HMI? I was sitting in Hamden Hall Country Day School’s auditorium, thumbing through my chemistry notes as I waited for the required presentation to be over so I could go back to studying. HMI cofounder Molly Barnes walked on stage and I looked up. By the time she got to her presentation slide showcasing quigloos, my notes were forgotten in my lap; by 7 pm, I was in the car, dragging my parents to a stranger’s home an hour away so they could understand why I needed to go to school in Colorado. I still have the postcard Molly sent me afterwards sitting by my desk.
These days, in my role as HMI’s recruiter-in-chief, I spend a great deal of time thinking about how to spark similar enthusiasm in today’s 15-year olds. We know about 75% of our students find us in one of two ways: through school presentations and/or conversations with HMI alumni and families. The remaining students tend to find HMI on their own, such as through an internet search, social media post or ad, or even a ChatGPT query. My favorite recent story is a mom who found us when she was researching age-appropriate technology for adolescents and came across a video of one of our alumni describing his phone-free semester at HMI.
Alumni tend to remember the moment they found out about HMI fondly. But here’s the thing: one moment of connection is no longer enough. In the attention economy, it feels increasingly difficult to hold a teenager’s focus long enough to convey the value of an off-the-beaten-path, four-month program grounded in intentional academics, backpacking, and community-building. While we still have breakthrough cases like mine where one touchpoint transforms a disinterested student into an enthusiastic applicant, it usually takes at least three touchpoints for a student to start seeing themselves at HMI. Can you be one of those touchpoints?
How you can help HMI Admissions:
- Recommend HMI to a Teenager: Think about your network. Do you know any high school sophomores who would benefit from a semester at HMI, or seniors who should consider an HMI gap semester? Encourage them to attend one of our upcoming in-person or virtual admissions events! A personalized social media post or conversation at a family event can be especially impactful. Keep in mind that more than a third of our students receive financial aid, and the average award covers more than 75% of tuition.
- Attend or Promote an Evening Event: Between October and January, the admissions team partners with alumni families to host webinars and in-person events across the county. We’d love to have you join an in-person event to offer testimonials about HMI. Even if you can’t attend an event, you can help us spread the word about online sessions and events in your area. More details on the back page of this newsletter or hminet.org/infosessions
- Independent School Relationships: Since private schools typically lose tuition revenue when a student comes to HMI, school leadership needs to understand the long-term benefits of the experience. As alumni, parents, trustees, and community members, your advocacy with independent schools is crucial. Please reach out to us if you are connected to an independent school, even if you think the school is an active HMI supporter. Leadership turnover and changing school priorities means we are constantly working to maintain strong ties to the approximately 95 independent schools we visit each year.
- Public School Relationships: In recent years, roughly 30% of HMI students have come from public schools. We are constantly working to increase this number and build relationships with new public schools. If you work at a public school, serve on the PTA, or have connections with school leadership, please reach out to us and let’s get the ball rolling!
- Donate to HMI: Our financial aid budget derives from tuition revenue and donations. Your support directly impacts our ability to get students to HMI, irrespective of other revenue. Thank you for helping us open our doors even wider.
How to contact the admissions office:
By email: admissions@hminet.org
By phone: (719) 486-8200 ext. 1
Our current marketing strategy:
- School Relationships: We visit about 110 schools for recruiting and we are partnering with an increasing number of schools to offer custom wilderness programming (e.g. a spring break backpacking trip in Utah).
- Admissions Events: We offer a number of in-person and virtual admissions events each fall, creating friendly spaces for prospective families to learn about HMI
- Alumni Engagement: We are empowering alumni to (1) connect with each other and (2) find ways to authentically share their HMI experiences to different audiences
- Sharing HMI on Social Media: We prioritize creating high-quality digital content to communicate the magic of HMI that is (1) easily shareable and (2) competitive in digital spaces
2025-26 Admissions Events
Alumni families have graciously offered to host admissions events in the following regions. HMI alumni, families, and former staff–we hope you’ll join an upcoming event near you. Please help us spread the word!
- Washington D.C. – November 18
- Boston, MA – November 19
- Sharon, VT – December 2
- Seattle, WA – December 3
- New York, NY – December 4
- Los Angeles, CA – December 4
- Berkeley, CA – December 11
- Brooklyn, NY – January 7
Or join one of our regularly-scheduled live webinars
To learn more and RSVP, visit hminet.org/infosessions
This article first appeared in the Fall 2025 Newsletter.