I was remiss in forgetting the newest Colby initiative. A $25 million donation to ensure every Colby student has the opportunity to study abroad. Apparently the donation is used for students to plan out both internships, fellowships and study abroad. I only point this out to show that many of Colby’s new programs are intended to directly benefit students, not to increase the profile of the school.
Colby’s Pres is doing for Colby what he did for Chicago. We all forget that a few years ago Chicago’s admit rate was 40% (largely self selecting). Chicago gained a polish that broadened the type of student that wanted to attend. The same thing is happening in a very short period of time at Colby.
@Sue22 - yes, that’s an alternative trope and, of course, it’s impossible to control for the number of married versus non-married thirty-four year olds in the Times survey. Nevertheless, a summary examination of the schools on each end of the spectrum seems to correlate with certain characteristics. For example, the colleges with the highest rates of marriage (i.e., >65%) tend to be outside the northeast, are members of DI athletic conferences, and have far fewer students from poor families than colleges where <50% of their graduates are married by age thirty-four. One huge exception is Rose-Hulman which at 69% not only had the highest rate of marriage among a cohort of 64 elite colleges, but, also one of the lowest “poorhouse indexes” (<2:1) which is essentially the percentage of graduates making less than $20,000 a year divided by the percentage of kids from families making that same amount presently attending the college (in almost every case, the result is a disproportionate ratio.)
Not surprisingly, schools with a technical or engineering component attached to them tend to do a better job of both recruiting and retaining poor kids. Cooper Union has one of the lowest marriage rates of the 64 colleges surveyed (46% by age 34), but, like Rose-Hulman had a very low PI ratio. The same is true for Carnegie-Mellon at 54% married, and RPI at 58% married by age 34.
I also think it’s worth noting that three of the colleges with the lowest marriage rates were former Seven Sister colleges (Bryn Mawr, Wellesley and Vassar) and all had very low PI ratios.
So, while that lowest economic quintile of graduates may be some amalgam of stay at home parents (cough, moms) and taxi-cab drivers with college degrees, it is the marriage percent which may be the most significant statistic of all. For, it seems to be a proxy for low socio-economic diversity and mobility. All protestations to the contrary aside, if you want to multiply your chances for meeting a future spouse, what better way to do that than to go to a college where everyone is from your own background?
Thanks for all of the input. DD is still undecided but can’t be for much longer.
I think the biggest appeal of Hamilton is the open curriculum, and at Colby she was selected as a presidential scholar which has some perks.
Any thoughts would still be appreciated!
@redhead13, at this point it’s all about fit as they are both great choices - which one does she most see herself having the best four years of her life learning and making live long friends at?
My DD’s were also accepted at both (one also a presidential scholar and recruited athlete), and while they love Maine and also were admitted at Bates, they only visited Colby once and they visited Hamilton several times - they knew that Hamilton was In the basket of right fit schools the first time they walked on campus.
@redhead13, well our xc/track DD is definitely attending Hamilton and excited to be competing for the Continentals in the Fall, and her twin is also attending pending the outcome of her waitlist spot at Middlebury.
Has your DD made a final decision as to which one feels like the best spot for her?
Presidential scholar is a great opportunity. Colby students seem to enjoy the requirements they have. Great reason to sample… Some students benefit from that extra encouragement that requirements provide. That is personal.
By their entering academic preparation, as measured by statistical factors, Hamilton students tend to be among the strongest in the country, should this factor be of importance to you:
Thanks to all! My DD made the decision last night to attend Hamilton. I think it is a great choice for her. @Chembiodad - I’m sure our kids will meet in the fall @merc81- Thanks for all the data- it just makes me feel that much better about her choice. She’ll be surrounded by lots of smart kids (would have been true at either school)