I am a current student at Colgate University (CO 2025), I spent a lot of time on College Confidential researching schools and wanted to make sure I chose the right one. As a current student, I am telling you to not attend this institution or to let your kids attend this institution. This is because despite the flowery marketing, Colgate is a cruel and inhospitable campus that will not provide any aid or assistance when things go sideways… Examples of this are wide-ranging, but I have seen and heard stories of the following: Students with legitimate reports of violence feeling unsafe to report it through the proper channels due to administrative incompetence. Facilities (dormitories) having exposed asbestos and toxic mold in common areas, for example my room this year has a leaky window and the sheet rock is falling off. More commonly, students of minority affiliation experience racism from members of faculty and their peers. Jewish students have experienced direct threats of violence on numerous occasions, the University has failed to do anything but send out an email. African-American students have had slurs hurled at them in classes and in the hallways between classes. Furthermore, as a freshman student you will have access to the dining halls. On multiple occasions, the food there has been inedible (mold/rotting) and there is no alternative. If you complain to administration they will apologize and fail to follow up. Colgate is dropping the ball and trying milk this cow while they can… I intend to transfer out of this place as soon as I can. The dean is potentially the most inept administrator on campus and deserves to experience the consequences of his actions.
Based on your post, you appear to be a current junior at Colgate. Have you arrived at a solid plan for transferring at this latter stage of your undergraduate education?
Good luck to you.
Ps if students have concerns and they fail to report, I’m not sure you can blame the administration.
But best of luck as you look to your future and hopefully other Colgate kids/parents can share their experiences as well.
I’m sorry you don’t like Colgate. If it’s too late to transfer, maybe you can study abroad. I know a Colgate student who studied in Switzerland and travelled a lot in Europe. Good luck.
Yes I intend to create a website where students/parents/faculty can share concerns.
also students fail to report because they have received penalties for reporting/not been taken seriously despite a preponderance of evidence existing
Yes, I do have a plan at this time, we will see what happens though. I have applied to other schools, mostly in Coastal New England - similar in stature to Colgate.
Hopefully they just post here so figure applicants can read everyone’s experiences along with yours vs finding a new one. In fact there might be a Colgate applicant thread for next year already.
What sort of penalties?
Usually like being talked down to/threats to eliminate financial aid… in one case a student was made to relive a bad experience while talking to campus security - for no good reason.
Closing after review with the moderating team.