Colgate or Syracuse?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Colgate University
1

<p>I got accepted into both. </p>

<p>I know Colgate is an amazing school, and they gave me lots and lots of money, but it's so small! And so white, no diversity. And it's so preppy. I would love to go there if it wasn't for the abovesaid factors. I am a hard working student and I want to focus only on my studies but I fear that Colgate will be just like my high school. And it's a party school. I don't know. Honestly, I don't know that much about Colgate. All I know is that it's a good school.</p>

<p>Now, as for Syracuse, it's in a bigger city. A bigger campus. Some have told me that it's not worth $51,000 dollars. What I like about Syracuse is the fact that it's very diverse. I would be exposed to the world more, learn more, see different things and not be confined in a small area.</p>

<p>Which one would be a better choice. I like both but at the same time I don't like any of them. Which choice would be better?</p>

<p>P.S. I plan on becoming a lawyer.</p>

2

<p>Oh really? Have you been to Colgate yet? Judging from your posts, it sounds like you haven’t visit either. You’ll be very surprised.</p>

<p>All those “White, preppy, rich” stereotypes are long, long gone. A fair amount of Colgate kids are actually on financial aid. A fair amount are not in Greek life. A fair amount do a lot of things on campus. Look through Colgate’s course offerings and events schedule. You’ll be amazed how many different issues and topics are discussed on campus that it’s hard to believe that one can live in a Colgate bubble and be so knowledgeable about the world outside of Colgate. I don’t think I have heard a lot of ignorant comments as opposed to here at Michigan (I’m a grad student there now). Colgate kids are very open-minded and want to be exposed to a lot of things… so they take advantage of many opportunities on campus offered by faculty members, administration, and student groups. Colgate kids literally jump at chances to work with a faculty member or a student organization that take them off campus may it be to volunteer at a low-income elementary school 30 minutes away or travel to Africa for a research project.</p>

<p>But yeah, they party and stuff… but that’s college life! How much more of a party school can Colgate be than Syracuse?! Really. When you only have 6 frats and 3 sororities for 3,000 students as opposed to 30+ Greek organizations for 20,000+ students?</p>

<p>Syracuse, of course, is a MAJOR university. Of COURSE, it’s going to have more opportunities. I currently go to Michigan for graduate school and I can understand now why going to a big university like Syracuse can be appealing. But underneath all these opportunities, there’s no real difference in terms of college life and academics. A fair number of Colgate students go through Syracuse for their study abroad programs. Occasionally, taking a course there can be done (very rarely though because you need a car and it’s a 45 min drive).</p>

<p>A good proportion of Colgate alumni go to law school because Colgate really trains you to think, analyze, and write critically. You’ll be in good company of people wanting to go into law (Read: Plenty of opportunities to form a LSAT study group). Colgate has a LOT of opportunities as well… quite stunning for a SLAC actually. Well, when you figure it, you can sort of guess what kind of jobs/careers Colgate alumni must have to be so generous in their alumni giving… (one of the tops in this country among LACs).</p>

<p>Go and visit. You’ll see that you might be better off going to Colgate. Your wallet will thank you later.</p>

3

<p>What ticklemepink said.</p>

<p>Also, keep in mind that at a major university you’re much more likely to be in lecture classes with a huge number of students. The average class size at Syracuse is 27 (via google) and at Colgate, 19 (student-faculty ration is 15-1 and 10-1 respectively). You’re much more likely to get a professor for the lecture and then grad student TAs for the sessions, whereas at Colgate, all classes are taught by professors and there are no TAs. There are no lecture/session setups because every class is small and taught directly by the prof, usually discussion-based. I had 2 lecture classes in 4 years at Colgate, all the rest were class-discussion oriented. </p>

<p>You’ll be a valuable member of the community rather than a number. Your professor will know your name after 2 weeks and remember you years after. You will get an absolutely amazing hands-on, personalized education with direct access to top-notch faculty. Colgate may not have the same funds for research, but that’s because they’re focused on educating undergrads, not getting their professors published to get grant money. That being said, there is a surprising amount of ground-breaking research going on at Colgate all the time in departments all across campus - and because you know your professors first-hand, you get to participate in it.</p>

<p>Pre-law is also very popular and well-supported with advising.</p>

4

<p>lolzxjb2, come to Colgate, I am Asian attending Colgate in the Fall, and I feared the same thing. But from what I heard from my friends, diversity in Colgate isn’t too bad. The “lack of diversity” stereotype just drove many non-white away.
I am also hard working, and I think Colgate gives a lot better education if you want to focus on study!!!</p>

5

<p>It’s true that visiting both Colgate and Syracuse will give you a good idea about which one is more appropriate to you. Your concerns about Colgate are well-founded; it is a small, largely homogenous, party school. Still, students are smart and hard working and the university is making a noted effort to diversify the student body.</p>

<p>If your deciding factor is the quality of academic education you will receive, Colgate is the clear choice.
Good luck!</p>

6

<p>Thank you all for replying. I guess my cynicism comes from the fact that all this time, I dreaded the idea of attending a small college. I thought that I needed to go to a big school in order to get the best education. I got rejected from my top choice, which was a big university. I didn’t even have a chance to look at Colgate, but I have been offered an opportunity of a lifetime really, and I don’t want to make a mistake. I do plan on visiting campus real soon.</p>

7

<p>You’re really comparing apples and oranges. Kind of like deciding whether to attend the state university a few hours away or go to a top small liberal arts college a few hours the other way. I know what I’d do, but you have to decide what you want. </p>

<p>If you really want large, go to Syracuse. The city of Syracuse is not what I’d call one of the more attractive urban areas, so it’s the campus you’ll be dealing with. Syracuse University is very nice, but it’s also a bit large and anonymous for some people’s taste. </p>

<p>If you want small classes and a top academic education, go to Colgate. Syracuse provides a very good education, too, but it does it with a lot of large lecture classes along with smaller classes, too, but that’s not the way Colgate does it. Colgate has a core curriculum made up of a few requirements (with choices for each) which guarantees a Colgate degree actually means something. </p>

<p>I’m not sure if Syracuse does that, but at many top universities there are really no academic requirements, so graduating means you took a certain number of some kind of courses, but whatever they were nobody much cares. That makes the diploma a kind of “attendance certificate,” in my opinion. Even a couple of the Ivies do it that way which is why I’m not hot for the Ivies like so many are. </p>

<p>Colgate is ranked well above Syracuse in academic quality (You know that), and in reputation. Colgate plays Division I sports, but not nearly at the level as Syracuse (though they both used to play each other in football, if you can even believe that. David and Goliath. And they still play basketball, and Syracuse always wins. But, hey, never say die, Colgate!) </p>

<p>Visit both, talk to people, and choose. There’s no other good way. If you like one more, that’s where you go.</p>

8

<p>That’s so funny. I posted up a forum not so long ago with the same question.
(not so long ago, being a week ago)</p>

<p>Colgate is a much stronger school (ranked#19 by US News and World Report) and also has a much smaller student to teacher/staff ratio (10:1). Furthermore, student have also ranked it in “best classroom experience” and “easy accessibility to teachers” (Princeton Review).</p>

<p>I chose Colgate.</p>