FAQ

Students attend HMI for just one semester of their junior or senior year and then return to to their home high school. 100% of students live on-campus during the four-month HMI Semester.

HMI is not a wilderness therapy program. Our school has no therapeutic focus or program components to help students deal with addiction, mental health issues, or unresolved traumas. See below for information about mental health support at HMI.

Yes. HMI is accredited by the Association of Colorado Independent Schools, an approved accrediting body of the National Association of Independent Schools. As such, our credits will transfer to any public or private school and are accepted by colleges and universities. In addition, HMI is accredited by the Association for Experiential Education.

Usually not. Almost all of the independent schools we work with regularly remit most or all of the home semester tuition when a student studies away at HMI. We encourage you to reach out to your sending school for more information about tuition remission.

Students apply to the HMI Semester as high school sophomores or juniors in order to attend HMI the following year. Our youngest juniors arrive for the fall semester at age 15 and our oldest seniors arrive for the spring semester at age 18.

We have 48 students each semester. 

You may view our current dates and tuition on our Tuition & Affordability page. 

No. Many of our students have never backpacked, hiked, or skied before. We teach all our students what they need to know to survive and thrive in the wilderness. All necessary outdoor gear can be rented at HMI and financial aid awards include reduced-price or free gear rental.

There are no formal extracurriculars at HMI apart from our wilderness expeditions. There are informal opportunities for students to participate in music and team sports (such as during morning exercise). Students are encouraged to bring portable musical instruments with them to HMI; all students have access to a piano in the main hall.

We can easily accommodate vegetarians and students with mild dietary restrictions and food allergies. Students with severe food allergy or dietary restriction should know that, while we do our best to use clean kitchen utensils and cookware to prepare food, we cannot guarantee zero cross-contamination. Our gluten-free options are made and cooked in the same facility and ovens as our regular, gluten-containing food items. We cannot guarantee (without fundamentally changing the nature of our program) that food items prepared at HMI are 100% free of gluten (or other allergens) as there is always a possibility of trace amounts crossing over from other kitchen areas. Before applying, please be in touch with the HMI Admissions office to discuss any severe allergies or dietary restrictions.

HMI supports students with learning differences, such as ADD, ADHD, dyslexia, etc. We are a small school with a high faculty-to-student ratio (4:1) allowing us to provide differentiated instruction and individualized attention to our students. Our classes are active and student-centered; they rely heavily on reading, writing, and group projects rather than tests and exams. This type of academic environment tends to privilege a variety of learners. We also offer extra time on in-class assignments for students who need it. We do not, however, have a Learning Support Specialist on our staff. The students who are most successful at HMI are those who have learned to manage their learning differences with a high degree of independence, as students are expected to be relatively self-sufficient in completing their workload. Students with an individualized education plan (IEP) or documented learning difference are asked to share related documentation with HMI during the enrollment process. Additionally, families are asked to contact us regarding any special test-taking requirements and, if applicable, submit a letter from The College Board so we may provide proper accommodations during the PSAT, SAT, and AP exams administered at HMI, or at a nearby testing site.

Students facing mental health challenges at HMI can turn to their advisor, our dean of students, and our part-time licensed psychologist. Additionally, some students continue sessions with a mental health professional at home through video chat. While on backpacking expeditions, students have limited-to-no access to outside mental health professionals. Our rural location means mental health supports beyond those listed above is very limited.

While some students with mental health challenges have thrived at HMI, others–particularly those with moderate to severe mental health issues–have struggled significantly on our wilderness expeditions and on campus because of the intensity of living in remote areas, exposure to situations outside of our control (such as weather), and the lack of private time and space. Many students who struggle in similar situations at home have not found intensive wilderness and residential settings easier to navigate.

Please contact us to talk about how we could best serve your student. In addition, we are happy to share our knowledge of the many excellent wilderness therapy programs in the United States.

HMI has a zero-tolerance policy around drug and alcohol use. Students enjoy significant independence on our campus but are expected to make all decisions with community safety and trust in mind. The presence or use of illegal substances on our campus represents a breakdown of this trust and and we cannot support students who engage in such behaviors.

Yes, HMI welcomes and accepts international students. HMI is approved by the U.S. State Department to obtain temporary F1 student visas for international students. International financial aid may be available on a case-by-case basis. For specific questions about the international student application process, please contact the Admissions Office at admissions@hminet.org or (719) 486-8200, x1.

Yes. HMI is partnered with nine other semester schools in the Semester School Network.