<p>I am having a hard time deciding between Bucknell and Colgate for ED. How would you compare these schools? If you go to one of these schools, what do you like about it and what don’t you like about it? How would you compare the two? Thank you.</p>
<p>Both are great schools, with beautiful campuses. Both are remote from large cities. In touring Colgate, it seemed a little too small. Also, depending on where you’re from, the thought of snow at Colgate potentially in October is not appealing.</p>
<p>Go with Bucknell…they are equally good academically but Bucknell has more school spirit and substantially better food. Many of the facilities at Bucknell like the sports facilities are dramatically better than Colgate. </p>
<p>Also depending on where you live Bucknell is easier to get to. The last part of the drive to Colgate is absolutely horrifying after you get off 81, 88 or 90.</p>
<p>Downtown Lewisburg bordering Bucknell is also much nicer than Hamilton, although Hamilton is a nice little college town. Market Street in Lewisburg is quite nice.</p>
<p>… Not sure about AgilityAce’s assertions about food, school spirit and facilities. But then they are only assertions.
You can for your own opinions, as AA did, after you visit both. And even before you get there, to Hamilton NY that is, you can judge for yourself just how “horrifying” the Chenango Valley is.</p>
<p>But what does count, in my opinion, are Colgate’s higher rankings in publications/services that try to measure such things e.g. USN&WR, including its far larger endowment-standalone and per student, number of applications/ lower acceptance rate/ higher yield. See also Princeton Review for their take on both schools where you will see how Case Library, now 7 years old, ranks nationally.</p>
<p>About school spirit one tangible is Colgate’s DI ice hockey program. The men are now no. 1 in ECAC, no. 4 in the country. None at all at Bucknell. That counts for something, doesn’t it, when old Starr Rink is packed. And on the subject of spirit and facilities, Colgate is delivering a $38.5 million new athletic center for ice hockey, soccer and lacrosse in 23 months.</p>
<p>I could go on about Colgate’s Most Beautiful Campus ranking this year which I am guessing is partly down to its emphasis on stone vs boring brick. Or the relative predominance of Greek life at Bucknell which has its good and bad points, as you would expect, with 19 houses there vs 8 now at Colgate. Or Colgate’s new arts center to be located in the heart of Hamilton, of 15,500 square feet and a $21 million cost, planned also for 2016.</p>
<p>Most importantly, of course, is the academics side of things where Colgate excels with that 9:1 student:faculty ratio, and Colgate’s relatively generous financial aid.</p>
<p>Good luck with your selection for ED!</p>
<p>Colgate’s 2014 freshman class was 731 compared to Bucknell’s 954. Their acceptance rates are nearly identical, and Greek life is just as big a part of the college environment at Colgate. </p>
<p>Chang11,</p>
<p>I beg to differ about the validity of your assertions and also question what you mean to achieve by them…</p>
<p>It matters little how many freshmen both schools have when we are talking about acceptance rates and yield.
Using rounded numbers it’s 26%/34% at Colgate vs 31%/39% at Bucknell. Nothing more to add on those numbers.</p>
<p>Then there are the total applications numbers: 8715 at Colgate vs 7864 at Bucknell. If you want to introduce the larger numbers of freshmen at Bucknell that’s ok. But to what point?</p>
<p>We can also quote the accepted students’ SATs and ACTs if you like.</p>
<p>Moving on, please explain how 19 Greek houses at Bucknell are “as big a part” of Colgate as Colgate’s 8 recognized Greek houses.</p>
<p>Hopefully, we will clarify the salient differences between the 2 schools regarding these matters using facts, not hyperbole.</p>
<p>Good luck to the ED applicant- wherever he or she chooses to apply!</p>
<p>I am basing Greek life being as big part of the Colgate culture as Bucknell from every Colgate student with whom I’ve spoken , past or current student. I assume you’re doing the same. No interest in getting into a war of words here, assume you’re not as well.</p>
<p>War? Not at all. Just questioning your beliefs which appear to be based on anecdote alone.</p>
<p>Nothing belligerent in that.</p>
<p>All I can fairly point to is that old 19:8 chestnut with the total numbers of eligible students at each school relating to them.</p>
<p>The horrifying part of the drive to Colgate is being stuck behind trucks and tractors on 2 lane roads and lots of traffic lights after you get off the highway. Colgate is a beautiful school but getting there really sucks. So depending on where you live, Bucknell is far better. On balance, Bucknell has much nicer facilities and the two are equally good academically. In terms of sports facilities, Colgate’s border on embarrassing for a school of its stature. Bucknell’s are fabulous.</p>
<p>AgilityAce,</p>
<p>Maybe I should be grateful for your clarification on your views on what’s “horrifying” since now we know you are thinking about some tractors and trucks on certain 2 lane roads from a certain highway that leads from wherever you were coming from to Hamilton. It’s an odd comment, and one I had not heard before, but you are entitled to promote it, if that’s your objective.</p>
<p>About your other opinions and the way you express them, I am now wondering if you are/were an English major and where, in the end, you are/went to college… Can’t you do better than “sucks”, “better”, “nicer”, “embarrassing” and “fabulous”. I mean with some context or insight? We are trying to portray college life clearly for those interested in particular colleges, after all.</p>
<p>For my part, I find Colgate’s athletic facilities quite satisfactory for a top 25 USN&WR ranked liberal arts college with 2,900 students, especially in terms of the fitness centers, natatorium and on-campus Robert Tret Jones golf course which I enjoy when I visit. I also like to bike in the area -which is downright magnificent - with its combination of flat and hilly roads in pristine countryside with views back to Colgate.</p>
<p>Further, I like the balance between investment in academic, student life and athletic facilities that currently exist which show where our priorities lie. But as Colgate is also building for the future, I should mention Colgate’s new $10 million career center, arts and culture center, and new athletic center (see post 4) due in 2016, which will add much to the campus and village of Hamilton. As a donor, I take pride in Colgate’s heritage and future.</p>
<p>May I recommend that those interested in reviewing some of Colgate’s athletic facilities gain some perspective and look over the information supplied at the website below until such time as they can visit Colgate, Princeton Review’s 2014 choice as “Most Beautiful Campus” in the US:</p>
<p><a href=“Facilities - Colgate University Athletics”>http://gocolgateraiders.com/sports/2005/12/13/facilities.aspx</a></p>
<p>Go 'gate!</p>
<p>My S went to Colgate and my D2 to Bucknell. </p>
<p>They are very equal on many levels. Both are small but the larger of the top LACs, are selective and have above average students, have beautiful campuses, are not very diverse but have been trying to increase diversity, are in rural areas not near a large city and are very Greek life oriented. Both are excellent schools.</p>
<p>But they differ somewhat in a few areas. Colgate is usually higher ranked (USNews) and its students have higher stats. Its acceptance rate is lower. Bucknell is larger, student number wise, and has a more diverse curriculum. Bucknell has highly ranked engineering and business majors as well as the traditional LA major. Bucknell is easier to get to if you are driving. And Lewisburg and its close surrounding area have many more shopping and eating opportunities. You can actually go to a mall in about 15 minutes vs. an hour or more for Colgate.</p>
<p>Colgate has its hockey and Bucknell has its basketball.</p>
<p>Selectivity is a fairly objective metric.</p>
<p>Selectivity rank, category</p>
<p>Colgate: 13, most selective</p>
<p>Bucknell: 28, more selective</p>
<p>(Source: USNWR Best Colleges, 2015)</p>
<p>Btw, the above post was only intended to complement the broader discussion preceding it. On CC, selectivity is very often debated when it should, more logically, be looked up. (And then perhaps debated.) Btw, @markham, you seem well aware of the actual statistics. </p>
<p>@anna38: I don’t know much about Bucknell, but Colgate (which I’ve seen but do not attend) has a beautiful campus in a nice town. The smaller student population would also be a plus for me, as would the real, upstate New York, winter snow. Wishing you success!</p>
<p>We found the NESCAC schools in New England to have the most character and nicest people. Colgate would be my choice over Bucknell. Bucknell reminds me of Villanova. Ok school but nothing like Colgate, Bates, Colby, Middlebury, Hamilton or Bowdoin. Colgate isn’t a NESCAC school but has the same feel.</p>