Hi, I’m an international considering Colgate or Hamilton for ED2 and haven’t known which one suits me better. May you guys give me some advice on how the two schools are?
If you are a truly competitive golfer, you should speak to the golf coach at Colgate about recruitment. They have a lovely course near/basically on campus.
I suspect that academically, both will meet your needs. My sense from students who have attended each is that there is a wider mix of students at Hamilton. The core “type” at both is probably interchangeable and would be very happy at the other, but if you are outside that core group, Hamilton may feel more welcoming.
Both are excellent schools, so there isn’t a bad choice to be made, and while they have their differences, you aren’t choosing between two diametrically different schools.
It looks like you were applying to schools last year, are you currently in college? Doing a gap year? Are you talking about applying ED2 next year to one of these schools?
Both Colgate and Hamilton are pretty remote, with just a few restaurants/shops to walk to (a pretty far walk in Hamilton case, but there is a shuttle). Beautiful campuses and area for both. Colgate is larger, more pre-professional, more sporty and has more school spirit, but is cliquey and social life options limited for those not in Greek life. Hamilton is friendly with a higher proportion of artsy students. Colgate only has men’s golf and is D1, Hamilton has men’s and women’s golf and is D3. Have you spoken to any golf coaches about recruiting?
Something doesn’t make sense:
last April you had an offer from DePauw that you felt you couldn’t afford and were hoping for more. Are you in college now, or are you on a gap year? It sounds like a gap year, because you are talking about where to apply ED2, and ED is for incoming first years.
But if you are on a gap year, what are you doing, and why wouldn’t you be asking about where to apply ED1 in the autumn?
But then you mention joining the golf club as a Junior which begs the question why would you wait until you are Junior- why not join when you start? unless you are already enrolled someplace and will be transferring in as a Junior?
But then, you say you don’t know what you want to study, and want to explore- but by Junior year you need to have chosen a major at any school, which brings us back around to the idea that you are on a gap year and planning to try again for a better result. A little more info would be helpful.
ps, in another post you asked about what info you would have to provide for financial aid and mentioned that your family has a business- be aware that can skew the financial aid package from any school. DePauw gave you about 2/3 of the COA, slightly above their average scholarship. I don’t know how much better it would be at (say) Colgate, which does meet full need- as they define it.
Have you applied to these schools RD for this year with the option to convert to ED II?
yes, I’m considering converting to edII
This post includes subjective comments on Colgate and Hamilton in the context of comments on other liberal arts colleges: Struggling with D21’s List. ED & ED2: Amherst, Hamilton, Wellesley, Vassar - #7 by merc81 .
Hi, thank you so much for your feedback.
I applied last year but my finance didn’t allow me to go last year and partly because of my mental toughness as well. So yes, I’m on a gap year, and I’m applying for a better result as well as better me.
I have done applying this year and considering converting Colgate or Hamilton to EDII.
For now, I’m playing golf on amateur level and not qualified for the team. Thus, I would like to work on my swing, sharpening my mental game before having a talk with the coach and making a debut.
My main goal is to be an entrepreneur and golfer, yet I also feel the need to work on myself as a wel-rounded person for those two roles which match my wide-range interest as well.
Business. I’m currently working on opening my own shop at home. I got a chance to show the products to the people last year and got good feedbacks from the customers. Yet due to some issues with my family, I had to freeze it till now.
Documentation. I’m also working a documentation project. I want to learn more about this and do a documentation about my life.
As I said, I am interested in golf. Now I’m not qualified yet, but I am working on my swing and hope that I will be in my junior year.
Also, I’m interested in art, theater, communication (Story telling).
Hi, yes I applied last year, but took a gap year. I have done applying this year and considering converting my application to ed2 for hamilton or colgate.
About my golf, I’m not qualified for the golf team yet and would need some time to refine my swing. It may take me 1 to 2 year till I’m fully ready to present myself to the coach.
Did you apply to either of these schools last year? Have you applied anywhere else in the US, your home country, or elsewhere?
Regarding golf, I wouldn’t count on that being an option. If you are a male, Hamilton team will be easier to make than Colgate, but still not easy if you are not at their level yet.
Because you can pursue a business career from either school, the fact that that you are interested ‘in art, theater, communication (Story telling)’, feels more like Hamilton to me.
Hasn’t the ED 2 deadline passed for Colgate? I thought it was 1/15?
Hamilton’s deadline is tomorrow.
I agree with gardenstategal that these two schools are more alike than different.
Hamilton’s ED II date was 4 Jan:
and the date to convert RD to EDII is indeed tomorrow (29 Jan)
If the OP has already applied RD to Colgate s/he can convert it to EDII until Feb 1, otherwise the EDII date was 15 Jan:
Thank you for clarifying!
For Colgate, it’s Feb 1.
Yes, I have done some research and saw that they are pretty similar. And honestly, I couldn’t decide which one I should convert to ED2 or maybe not at all.
For golf, Colgate only has men’s golf (#250 D1), Hamilton has both (#32 D3). This one tears me apart as I don’t know which one is better for my golf.
For people, and the connection in each school, I’m not so sure. Niche’s reviews are very subjective and the experience seems to vary depending on people.
Honestly I would take golf out of the equation since you don’t know if walking on is even possible.
I haven’t heard this from students who know these schools well.
Given that Colgate golf is D1, it’s not likely you’ll be able to walk on. Correct me if I am wrong. Maybe they have club golf though.
Colgate has a more sporty vibe and Hamilton is a bit more intellectual. Colgate is overall easier to get into, though I am not sure about their ED rate of acceptance.
With respect to men’s golf, while Hamilton is the current NESCAC champion and can (and does) play with D I teams, it maintains a roster twice the size of Colgate’s. This might allow an opportunity for you to participate and progress at Hamilton.
The only one that can tell OP they would have the opportunity is the coach. If OP isn’t currently competing now, walking on to either of these teams is unlikely.
Those who know D III golf programs generally know them to maintain larger rosters with more flexibility at the margin. With respect to these schools specifically, a smaller school with 20 roster spaces (Hamilton) would be more likely to accommodate a potentially ascendant player than a larger school with 10 roster spaces (Colgate).