Re having a spring short term, from Bates’ site, “Short Term at Bates — four weeks at the height of Maine’s spring, from late April through May — is a time for intense, focused work. You’ll live and breathe one class, and one class only. It’s an immersive experience, often off campus, and you’ll be a better student at the end of it.” When we toured, our guide mentioned that many short term classes have an outdoor component, which appealed to my D. I’m sure @Lindagaf can give a more detailed and helpful description.
1 Like
I don’t want to derail this thread, which is about Colby. I can say that Bates’ May short term is very popular and students enjoy being in Maine in nice weather, hanging out and not wanting to escape. The short term classes tend to be a little less serious and often have interesting or quirky subject matter. There are also short study abroad courses, which appeal to students who might not otherwise get to do that. Bates kids always wonder why anyone would want to do a short term in the depths of winter, haha. @gotham_mom
2 Likes
The data (parent $$, drinking, % athletes) show that both Colby is very similar to most LACs. So I know we are mostly talking about small differences. Colby seemed to be on the extreme end of this (e.g., athletes “run” campus, Niche shows higher % of respondents believe you will struggle on campus socially if you don’t drink [in line with documentary], lots of BMWs in the parking lots). As the parent of a kid that won’t play varsity sports (I wish there were climbing teams at top LACs), comes from public school, and isn’t at this point a drinker (who knows in the future), a school like Bates that strongly brands around the nice, quirky, inclusive nature of the school is appealing to a 17 year old. So my goal in starting this was simply to understand whether the Colby reputation was (a) actually true and (b) potentially changing in recent years.
To the discussion on January vs. April/May, I’ll just note that as a former winter sports athlete, I would have LOVED an April/May term. I never got to study abroad in college.
1 Like
Both schools have a rationale for their short term timing and for most, it’s not going to make a huge difference. The students who are meaningful impacted by that timing tend to be athletes. Pretty sure Colby’s Ski Team and Bates’ crew team would both argue that their school got it right.
2 Likes
Yep.
I agree with what @gardenstategal said upthread about the increased diversity at Colby. I would not try to dissuade any student from attending Colby based on drinking culture, sports culture, or affluent students. Frankly, these issues are applicable to all NESCAC schools and I think it’s splitting hairs to think it’s noticeably more prevalent at Colby than elsewhere. I do think all the NESCAC schools have their own vibe, but really, they have much in common. Colby has made notable efforts to be more inclusive and it’s pretty evident that their strategies have paid off.
I do think it’s fair for a student to wonder if the location is a little too remote, and I would say the same for Williams, Hamilton and Middlebury. However, the retention rates at all these schools, including Colby, is very high. Bottom line, kids stick around because they are happy.
I think Fiske gives a very good feel for the vibe at Colby. I also suggest checking out Niche. Look at their facebook and instagram pages too.
3 Likes
I have watched the “Coby Life” documentary and think it is so general and generic that can literally insert the title “_____ Life” to most LACs, or even most colleges. Students put on masks, duck phenomenon, inclusive/exclusive, party/drinking scenes, those are not exclusive at Colby but everywhere.
1 Like
Your son might try connecting with students in the Colby Mountaineering Club (and the Outing Club)… They share an interest he might want to pursue at school and this might give him a read on what they’re like and what they do for fun. Bates probably has the same.
Kids at both schools, ime, are friendly so perhaps making that connection could help get a read.
1 Like
Regarding Diversity at Colby. Of the USA residents/citizens, 67% are White, 9% are Asian, 9% are Hispanic, 6% are Black, 6% are “mixed”, and 3% didn’t say. fewer than 1% are Native American, Hawaiian, or Alaskan. There are also 10% international students. So, while it is not close to representing the general population, it is more diverse than many other “elite” LACs.
In 2016, 69% of its USA residents were White, fewer than 1% were Asian, 7% Hispanic, 3% Black, 6% “mixed”, and fewer than 1% were Native American, Hawaiian, or Alaskan. There were 11% international students.
So they improved substantially since 2016, but have a way to go.
It is also a big improvement from 2001, when 91% of USA residents/citizens who attended Colby were White, 4% were Asian, 2% were Hispanic, 2% were Black, less than 1% are Native American, Hawaiian, or Alaskan. Only 5% of the students were international. Colby didn’t report mixed race then and everybody provided this information.
Data from NCES’s College Navigator and Colby’s CDS.
4 Likes
My response is a little late but I just wanted to add my two cents as the parent of a student who is not sporty and does not participate in the drinking culture at Colby. Based on what my daughter has shared, that culture certainly exists (as it does it many other colleges) but there are many, many clubs and opportunities that exist alongside it. My daughter talks about game nights, movie nights, humans v zombies, and other social activities that do not involve drinking. One important thing to note is Colby does offer sub-free housing. At first I thought that was a little strange - shouldn’t all housing for first year college students be sub-free? But my daughter is definitely glad she opted for it this year and will opt for it next year as well. From my distanced observations, I do think Colby is making an effort to broaden the social and cultural environment that it has historically been known for. My daughter’s friends include LGBTQ students, first-gen college students, URMs, international students, and smart and thoughtful prep school students. This school year has been far from “normal” for anyone, but she has definitely found a place for herself at Colby and I think others looking for similar opportunities will as well.
10 Likes
Hi @jpeggers . my D is at Colby. The definition of Colby above in your parentheses is really false today - Niche unfortunately is backward looking given dated responses. In fact it is more of what you describe bates to be - nice, quirky, inclusive. I will also add fun to that mix, as well as focused. The kids are incredibly smart and independent and hard working. School spirit (especially now with Greene and the investments and how they handled Covid) is off the charts. The school is simply on fire and the kids know it and love it.
9 Likes
Colby has become more diverse in the past several years, but I would love to see data broken out on how this was achieved. It’s quite possible that the admissions pie increased for certain groups at the expense of other groups. Being a middle class or lower middle class non-hooked applicant may have become even more of a long shot in recent years. If you’re not included in one of the categories that get advantaged, you are disadvantaged relative to other candidates.
This is a very helpful thread. Our D22 is seriously considering Colby and we have some of the same questions / thoughts that were originally raised, along with the sense that there have been many positive changes in recent years. Any updates or new insights would be appreciated. Thanks!
1 Like
S is first year at Colby. Had same worries. Generally unfounded based on current culture. Yes there are a lot of athletes, and yes there is drinking, but those are true of nearly all small colleges. And neither seems to dominate social life at all. S doesn’t party really, but went out with friends for Halloween and Doghead (e.g.) without any issue. Movie nights, boards games club, campus concerts, etc. He’s found his people, has a pretty active social life, and is very happy.
I will note that it isn’t a hardcore activist culture. So those seeking major social justice environment may not find it at scale. Those issues are discussed all the time intellectually. Pretty open culture.
5 Likes
Thank you! We’re excited to visit on the 18th for the admitted students day.
2 Likes
My daughter has been accepted to Colby and it is one of her best options but very different from the other school that is top on her list, which is larger urban university. As I mention Colby to friends, I continue to hear about current students who are unhappy and looking to transfer. They are saying that campus is still very shutdown due to covid and there is not much of a party culture as a result. (It’s possible that they would feel this way at any college over the last 2 years.) My daughter has not been a party girl in high school but I also want her to have a chance to have some fun in college. We will be visiting next weekend to get a feel for the campus but it’s really helpful to hear from parents of current students. And it’s nice to know that the kids are happy from what you have seen and heard! Quick question-what would the experience be like for non-athletes? My daughter is more interested in the arts and is excited about the Theatre arts building that is in the works.
I’m surprised to hear this. Colby has put their students through lots of testing and masking but they took the stance early on in the pandemic that their community needed to be together with in person classes and safe socialization. They really have done an excellent job managing life during the pandemic. This year , life was very much normal with the exception of testing and masks in class. S20 (an introvert) has attended countless parties and events on campus this year. Waterville itself doesn’t have much going on (although that is changing), but lack of parties on campus is not a complaint that I have heard about Colby. Although it is easier for athletes to find their people, they don’t dominate the social life on campus. I would not worry at all about not being an athlete. It is an exciting time for students interested in the arts at Colby. If your D wants to be in an urban environment or does not like cold weather, Colby won’t fit the bill, but I would not worry about socializing on campus. That is certainly happening at Colby among all types of students. Congratulations to your D! Enjoy your campus visit and let us know how it goes.
3 Likes
+1 on this comment. I’ve not heard anything about people wanting to transfer, or complaints about inability to party. Yes annoyance about masks sometimes and frequent testing (both being scaled back now), but none of this seems to have affected social life, at least 2021-22 (I think social life sucked everywhere 2020-21).
Athletics gives a built in community, and community helps people feel comfortable, but there are TONS of communities on campus. S is into music and board games, and has made friends through both. Definitely excited about the arts center, plus spaces in town as well.
3 Likes
Thank you and also thank you to @nyreader for these replies! It’s so helpful to hear this. Applying to schools during covid has made it much harder to visit or get a sense of a school and so you rely more on word of mouth. I think because we live in a suburb of a large city, kids from around here are accustomed to having a lot of access to the city life and that may be an adjustment for them going to college in Maine/NH/Vermont. But I can see my daughter liking the tight knit community that a college that’s a bit more isolated would offer. She’s looking at both schools next weekend with an open mind which i’m happy about!
2 Likes
+1+1. To the replies as well. Choice will be between urban and rural. In the rural category Colby and the vibe is as good as it gets. (Btw - parties will not be a problem! Google DogHead😀. No masks or gathering restrictions since late Feb. never went remote, not even during the height of the pandemic.)
Your D will need to mentally embrace Maine and it’s location (both or which are stunning and the kids who embrace it take full advantage of it and just settle into it). If she goes to school there and then pushes back on the location wishing for big city life. it will be a long winter 
.
My D is not an athlete. She stayed on campus last summer and had an internship in the museum. This summer she is running the art program at a Camp in Maine on the Belgrade lakes. While rural, Colby is actually pretty centrally located. She’s been skiing, taken day trips to the lakes, to Portland, Augusta and rented a cabin on a random weekend with friends in Acadia National park. A car helps to explore and get off campus, but plenty of kids have cars if you don’t. And she likes Waterville. It’s come a long way. Kinda grows on you.
2 Likes
My frosh daughter loves Colby. We were worried about how rural the setting is, but it’s not an issue-- perfect in fact if you love the outdoors and winter sports in particular. My daughter skied all winter. She is also a varsity athlete, which is the center of some kids’ social lives, so just know that that will be more true than at a place like Skidmore or maybe Bates. She doesn’t drink for medical reasons and it hasn’t been an issue. There are lots of ways to be social without alcohol. The academics are top notch and the campus is the prettiest liberal arts college we’ve seen (even prettier than Williams.) The students are smart and hard-working and practical-- the kind of students employers want to hire. They are happy and have fun, when they are not working hard. Great career center and caring faculty. Not very social justice-oriented compared to other schools but it also means that different view points are accepted, which is refreshing. Good luck.
7 Likes