<p>what's so bad about antidepressants; maybe you think alcohol is better, like at so many other schools? I never heard of a kid flipping their car and killing 5 people because they were on zoloft.</p>
<p>If it's true, then it's a huge mark against the social setting of Hamilton. I was seriously considering the college because I know an alumni who referred to me his college. Now I'm having second thoughts...</p>
<p>me too....i had an alum pushing me to go there and when i visited it i loved it, my parents did too, this is a huge letdown...</p>
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me too....i had an alum pushing me to go there and when i visited it i loved it, my parents did too, this is a huge letdown...
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Sounds like you should consider Prozac if you are so let down</p>
<p>Unlike you, mensa160, I care about the type of college I will spend my four years in. Anti-depressants might not bother you, but for me and many others, it speaks of the quality of a college.</p>
<p>I'm sorry, somebody mentioned if anyone had a positive account of Hamilton College and it seems no one who attends Hamilton has given one. I'll give my own account then:</p>
<p>Some positive aspects about Hamilton College are its academics and small classes. The academics here are top notch; they rival and are on a par with those of the IVY league. You will get a fantastic education here if you really do work hard and are motivated. I do, however, see some students slacking off and think the professor will not notice. In one of my classes the professor called on a student and you could tell from the students answer that he did not know what he was talking about. The professor, annoyed that the student did not do the reading, said, "No! You're done!" He then went on to ask another student about the reading. Be that as it may, make sure you come to class prepared! </p>
<p>Hamilton even goes out of its way to get other people who are not professors, but are experts in their field to teach several classes. Don't be alarmed, they're just as smart and some even smarter than your average professor. The professors here are so smart and driven. There are a few who will not care about you if you do not engage in the classroom and just want to slide by. </p>
<p>The small classroom sizes are a good thing. Trust me, all of your professors will remember your name if you are a good student. Even if you're not, they will know your name, but more if you're a good student (lol). Some of them even give you accounts of their lives and families, but I'll let you decide if that's a postive or negative thing. Trust me, the professors here all know their stuff expertly well. There are some professors who are really demanding with your writing. Oh, sorry about that, if you do not know already, Hamilton is big on writing and persuasive speaking. Trust me, even if you're a writer or were on the debate team, your writing and speech will improve here. In some classes, the professor might have you guys do peer review for one paper. The professors are very relaxed when it comes to handing in papers. Most of them at least. Some are very strict. </p>
<p>You will notice that EVERYONE is smart here. Or else they would not be here. However, you will not find out until an exam comes. Those students you see in class who are quiet are brilliant but shy. The average grades here are Bs. A lot of students pull off As by studying the week before finals. </p>
<p>Occassionally, you will find your professors in the little pub having a drink or two. If you're 21 you can join them. It's pretty cool. </p>
<p>There are a lot of parties here during the weekend involving alcohol. This does not mean you have to get drunk, only that a good majority of the students do it here. Trust me, it can be a bit disturbing if you're not used to it. However, chances are if you're weak to peer pressure, you too will become a heavy drinker once you come to Hamilton. Trust me on this one, I see it all the time here. </p>
<p>There are four places where one can eat on campus: Howard Diner, Commons, McEwen, and the little Pub. Take your pick and go. However during the weekends some might be closed. There is also Cafe Opus where students can buy moca's and hot chocolate. They're pretty expensive though, but the cookies there are phenomenal. Trust me, once you have one you will find yourself going back for more. </p>
<p>Oh, I almost forgot: The campus is beautiful...during the summer. From late October through late March, the campus is full of snow, mud, etc. It can be disgusting and a lot of people tend to slip and fall. Get used to it. I would say everyone would agree the light side of campus is more beautiful than the dark side. The dark side used to be Kirkland College and the light side was originally only Hamilton College (back when it was exclusively white males only). There are some dorms that are pretty remote from everything else, but those are usually reserved for upperclassmen. However, this can be a good thing, according the personal preference. One cannot have a car here freshman year, however a few exceptions have been made. You are going to really have to make a good case against the administration and campus safety here to allow you (a freshman) to have a car on campus. Just a little heads up. But then again, some cars have been broken into and the glass broken.</p>
<p>The administration here seems pretty friendly. There are a lot of nice people on campus, but the many bad apples kinda make it hard to find them. A lot of students are open to meeting new people, but some are deterred because they think everyone here is the same: cold and ignorant. Hamilton has its ups and downs.</p>
<p>A very good thing about Hamilton College is connections. Hamilton has so many connections, the odds of you being well off once you graduate from here are very high (if you're a good student who takes advantage of all these opportunities). Remember, connections might get you the job, but it is your education, skills (occupational and social), drive and personality that will help you keep your job. A lot of my friends who have graduated are very well off. But then again, Hamilton has a very low percentage of students who go to graduate school once they graduate. Compared to most schools it's embarrassing. Most students choose not to go to graduate school because they get sick of school from spending four years here. What does that tell you about the academics here? </p>
<p>Enjoy your college search and hopefully you will choose the best one for you. By the way, ED II are notified of acceptances/rejections this coming week. At least that was the case for me last year.</p>
<p>I was urprised that the average SATs are not that high compared to similarly great schools. Are SATs deemphasized in admissions.</p>
<p>minorityman, I think alot of people know the academic quality of Hamilton. It's just the social aspects of the college you've mentioned are serious marks against it, at least for me. Can you give me more indepth information about the college's student body?</p>
<p>Are they all preppy and WASPy? Are there any writers, artists, and intellectuals at Hamilton? How are extracurricular activities and social/cultural events at Hamilton, are they very well attended and active on campus?</p>
<p>I can understand the heavy drinking because the campus is pretty isolated, and yet, reasons for the prevalent use of anti-depressants are ones that I cann't fathom why. </p>
<p>Anyways, thank you for your account of Hamilton. It helped me alot.</p>
<p>.
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I can understand the heavy drinking because the campus is pretty isolated, and yet, reasons for the prevalent use of anti-depressants are ones that I cann't fathom why
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Antidepressants, which are legal, trouble you, but under-age drinking, which is illegal, doesn't? You have a phobia, probably from the scientologist disinformation campaign. I suggest 20mg Prozac, twice daily to address this phobia. No drinking...</p>
<p>I'm not looking at it in the perspective of what's legal or not. Drinking on a college campus is very popular, it does not reflect negatively towards a college since it is so prevalent. However, if a majority of the student body takes anti-depressants, common sense will make you understand the implications.</p>
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However, if a majority of the student body takes anti-depressants, common sense will make you understand the implications.
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Well, that's a big if. I'd be surprised if antidepressants were any more common t Hamilton than anywhere else because it's a pshycjological condition that is not caused by the place you live in/go to school.</p>
<p>That is not a big "if". First of all, Hamilton's student body is not that large, if a majority of the student body is taking anti-depressants, then it's most likely to think it's not just a psychological condition not normally caused by the place you go to school.</p>
<p>Quote: Sounds like you should consider Prozac if you are so let down</p>
<p>Mensa...yet another lame attempt at a joke. Please dont be insulting to those who actually care about the environment they will be living in for the next four years of their lives.</p>
<p>Minorityman, thanks for the info.</p>
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Mensa...yet another lame attempt at a joke. Please dont be insulting to those who actually care about the environment they will be living in for the next four years of their lives.
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Ok, but I think the person is making a mistake judging Hamilton by that criteria, and will deprive themselves of what might be a perfect school for them as a result. Also, I think that person is not that well informed about depression and the treatments that doctors have for this illness. It is not caused by the place outside, but inside yr head. Going to Hamilton might be boring, or "depressing" in casual language, but it does not cause depression. Since many college students might get depressed for whatever reason, they should not think that people will not want to go to school with them, which would only add to their problems. So I wanted to try to get through to this person who has a misundersatnding in my opinion.</p>
<p>I'm not judging Hamilton by that criteria, I'm simply taking this into consideration when making decisions on where to go come april. This is not the only complaint Ive heard about Hamilton, and trust me I still personally love the place and will most likely go if accepted. But, I will just take into consideration the environment that I will be living in if and when I attend. I def wouldnt decide not to go to Hamilton based on one persons account of the place. The academics are what I'm going there for, and I know they are excellent. Mensa, im not trying to be rude to you, but Im sure you would want to know if a school had some sort of issue with it; and you have to admit your jokes are baddddddd. :)</p>
<p>true, my jokes could be improved significantly....
Regards//</p>
<p>Mensa160, Sara306, and White Materia: Please stop arguing over whether or not one made a good judgment about Hamilton College. Clearly no one can make a good judgment for anyone else (I can not do it for you). Everyone knows what's best for themselves. Like I said before, I am merely giving an account from my personal experience of living here on campus. Trust me you guys, I'm not the only one who will tell you what I've told you. As I walk around campus, I hear people having conversations about how many people here are on antidepressants, how many people are GLBT, there being too much work, who did what or who last night, etc.; the same things we are discussing here in this forum. Of course you will hear about these things in other colleges. Do not let it surprise you. If Hamilton College is the right college for one student, do not get angry at the other for saying it is probably not the best school for them. Everyone is different with different needs. If Hamilton College is your cup of tea, great, fantastic! God be with you. If not, I'm sure there is another college that will better fulfill your needs. But please, please visit the college first before making your decision. </p>
<p>Ok, now let us talk briefly the way an economist would: Four years out of your life in college is an investment. What is the opportunity cost of attending college? Well, you could be working in a job that pays $30K or whatever. You could be doing a ton of other things besides college, right? But instead you choose to make an investment in your life by going to college in the hopes of (1) getting more education, (2) increasing labor productivity, (3) connections, (4) fun=social aspects, or (5) whatever other reason you have for attending college. Ladies and gentlemen, those four years are an INVESTMENT. Invest it some place where you will be happy. </p>
<p>Briefly on the social life: There are about 100 student activities here that one can engage in. Actually there are more, you just have to come up with something and engage in it. But truthfully, I believe there are about 100 student run activities here such as Model UN, Parliamentary Debate, The Streak Team (we're number 1), BSU (Black student union), The Brothers (a club composed chiefly, but not limited to, students of color who want to portray a positive image of themselves), several fraternities and sororities, HAVOC (whose main purpose is to do volunteer work; very popular on campus), Project SHINE (students helping in the naturalization of elders; what I am involved in), Free Agnostics, Atheists, and Philosophers (or something like that; you guys discuss philosophy, theology, and current global issues), Division III sports (Row, Basketball, Hockey, Softball, Swimming, Equestrian Team, etc.) and intramural sports, The Spectator (student who write the school magazine), etc. There is a plethora of things for one to do and engage in on campus. It can be very fun too, so take your pick and have a blast. You might even meet that special boy/girl...ok now I'm just getting lame. Back on the social life: it is what you make of it. Social life is a huge factor in college life or any life. From what I've seen on campus, HAVOC and sports are the two biggest things going on. But don't you worry, Project SHINE is growing strong. </p>
<p>Again, good luck with college and maybe I might see a couple of you on campus next semester.</p>
<p>Are they all preppy and WASPy? Are there any writers, artists, and intellectuals at Hamilton? </p>
<p>I would really appreciate it if you could answer these two questions for me, minorityman. As always, thank you so much for the insights.</p>
<p>White Materia, the majority of the student body here are WASP and preppy. There are a few who do not fit the NORM and thus have their own style. Usually preppy and WASP is what you will find at SLAC. The majority of students's parents here are rich. Everyone's parent here is either a lawyer, doctor, professor, or CEO.</p>
<p>Hamilton has its share of artists and writers. Actually my next door neighbor is a fantastic artists. Students have their art work on display in the second floor of the Schambach and List Center (the dark side of campus). There are a lot of good writers here. A lot of them work for the writing center, which I hear is a very good job to have on campus. If you can manage to get a job working at the Writing Center not only will your writing improve, but you will meet a lot of people. A good majority of the campus uses the resources found at the Writing Center. I strongly advice everyone to even if you think you're a great writer.</p>
<p>I guess you would have to define what you mean by intellectuals. If you mean smart people, I guess that would include everyone here at Hamilton College, although there are a few lazy people. If by intellectuals you mean people who actually pursue knowledge for the sake of knowledge, I guess I would say there are a lot of them here. Like I said before, this is my first year here at Hamilton College and there are a lot of people I have not met yet. But from what I've seen, the intellectuals are always in groups or clubs such as Philsophers, Agnostics, Freethinkers or writers for the Spectator. There are of course those on the Model UN, although I'm not too sure about the debate team here. I hear they do not work as hard as other schools and are always ranked in last place. I also heard from a friend of mine who was on the debate team for a short time that they all like to get wasted at tournaments and think highly of themselves despite always ranking in last place. </p>
<p>There are a lot of smart people here, but a lot of students, here, as well as in any other place, would rather do the minimum to get by than do the most and really engage in their work. Procrastination is the norm here. Do not let yourself fall into that viscious cycle. </p>
<p>The library is almost always full of people on the weekdays. It is Friday and Saturday night when the library will be completely empty. Everyone will be out partying and getting wasted. Sunday morning until the evening the library will be packed. I think you get the picture. </p>
<p>Please let me know if there are any more questions I can answer for you. Cheers.</p>
<p>Thank you, minorityman. :D</p>