Just curious about Hamilton. Though I read lots about Hamilton’s academical quality, I was looking to get a Hamilton student’s (or recent graduate’s) input on these following questions…
How is the diversity on campus?
I heard the social scene revolves mostly around using cars and is dominated by fraternities and sororities?
Does the weekend ever get monotonous?
What you’ve heard about the social scene is really inaccurate-- pretty much all of the social life takes place on campus, it is a rarity that people leave to do other things on the weekend. In regards to greek life, it is a very small presence on campus, with only about 30% of men and 20% of women joining. With that said, frats and sororities do host parties, but since greek life here is non-residential, they are held in all-campus social spaces, meaning the parties are open to everyone on campus regardless of greek affiliation or not. The weekends are never really monotonous, there’s something going on all the time and everyone is very inclusive. I’m only a freshman, but in my time here I have never once felt that the social/party scene was lacking at all, in fact, it’s the opposite. Our motto here at Hammy is “work hard, play hard”, if that answers your question.
I second what hammygirl posted. My child is now a junior and does not have a car. A few friends do and the bus take you off campus for sushi or target runs, but most of the socializing is on campus. Many of the activity groups get really tight and have parties along with the campus- wide parties. She is never lacking in the social department! Hamilton is also well aware that they are geographically isolated and bring entertainment and events to campus.
Is the social ‘feel’ of Hamilton more akin to Haverford/Swarthmore/Vassar or to Colgate/Dartmouth/Bucknell?
Somewhere in between. There is a definite party presence, probably more so than Haverford/Swat/Vassar, but the greek life presence is nothing of the magnitude felt at Colgate/Dartmouth/Bucknell.
Hamilton has its own feel, but might be somewhere between Colby and Wesleyan if you are trying to place it. (I wouldn’t say that Vassar necessarily belongs with Haverford and Swarthmore.) I’m not sure what, “work hard, play hard,” (1) really implies to most. Maybe, “work towards your potential, play according to your value system,” lacks transmissibility.
Consider as well that colleges have elements as well as overall feels. Hamilton’s elements may range across woodsy, intellectual, preppy, athletic, conservative, progressive, iconoclastic, etc. However, often it’s only the most visible elements that become associated with a college, even though many may be represented, and not uncommonly even within one individual.