<p>Hi all. Just wondering if any of you have first hand experience with Hamilton College. It reappeared on my daughters list and would love to hear pro/con re: student body, academic pressure and location. Thanks in advance.</p>
<p>My very laid-back nephew is a sophmore there (having entered a year after HS graduation). He loves loves loves it. Smart kid, works hard, but not academically competitive in the least. Loves his major (Environmental Studies), loves his friends. Loves playing Ultimate. Thinks it's pretty. Is making more money from his work-study job than he made working full time in his gap year. Wishes it were maybe a little less isolated (and closer to Boston, where his girlfriend is), but he has a car now, and he comes from a similar rural area so he's more or less used to that kind of life (and to wishing he were somewhere a little more happening sometimes). Enough pressure to be challenging and exciting, but not enough to turn him off (i.e., not very much pressure).</p>
<p>For reference, he was disappointed not to get into his first choice, Cornell, for which he was qualified (but not super-qualified) on the basis of GPA/scores from a good small-town regional public high school. He was basically a science student/gymnast who also took a lot of woodworking classes, and had a computer-services business on the side with a friend. He is quiet and sweet.</p>
<p>We visited Hamilton this summer and I was very impressed. Although the town of Clinton is small, it is quite charming, and Utica is very close. That may not be a huge plus, but at least it has the malls, etc., students might want. We also visited Colgate on the same trip, and I thought Hamilton seemed much, much less isolated, and had a more impressive campus.</p>
<p>My friend goes there, and he says it's heavy, heavy drinking on weekends. That may just be his crowd though. I visited - it's pretty there!</p>
<p>Thank you for posting, all of you. I do hear that it is yet another "work hard-play hard" school, but that doesn't concern me for my D. Has anyone heard of a kid drowning under academic pressure? Also, anyone live or have a child living on the "dark side" of campus, otherwise known as the Kirkland side?</p>
<p>I've heard positives; the only negative I've heard is the "rich kid" thing, as in, "You're from Vermont? Where are your other homes?". I don't know how representative that is.</p>
<p>My D is a freshman at Hamilton. She lives on the Dark Side in one of the sub-free dorms and she's pretty happy. She likes being able to go to parties on the weekend, yet come home to a quiet dorm. Her experience seems to be that there are lots of things to do on the weekends besides drink, and the sub-free dorms are filled with like minded kids.</p>
<p>D likes the small classes and interaction with her professors. She's working hard, but is does not find the workload overwhelming. The professors are always available and really seem interested in the students.</p>
<p>My son was very interested in Hamilton. We visited and spent the night in Clinton which is indeed a charming small town (village really). </p>
<p>Hamilton has recently put a lot of emphasis on its curriculum and I think has come up with some intellectually interesting classes and programs. I didn't get the impression that the academic pressure would be overwhelmingly intense, just appropriately challenging with an seemed engaged and supportive faculty.</p>
<p>The kids seemed bright, friendly and extroverted. The surrounding countryside is breathtakingly beautiful, with especial appeal to outdoorsy types.</p>
<p>My son is interested in art and art studio and felt that Kirkland offered a creative emphasis that isn't found in too many LACs that are still "regular guy" kind of places. He was looking for a balance between a focus on the arts and physically active, outgoing kids which Hamilton seemed at ease with.</p>
<p>On the downside they've had some disruption at the top due to odd circumstances which may have affected the administration of the college. </p>
<p>We didn't walk it but it seemed that it would be a rough slog from campus to Clinton -- it's about a mile -- and that would make it even more isolated than many remotely located schools. Like most rural LACs they have to work hard getting qualified URMs to matriculate which affects their diversity figures.</p>
<p>I'd say this about any college located in the snow belt: it helps to have something you like to do in the snow. Otherwise it will be a long, cold winter.</p>
<p>My cousin (Class of '96) grew up in Manhatten and absolutely LOVED Hamilton. He was able to get decent internships and get that crucial beginning job on Wall Street through the Career Center. Rural didn't bother him, he said it was a nice change of pace.</p>
<p>Did any of you have children who applied ED?</p>
<p>No, my D applied regular decision.</p>
<p>Op, my D and I visited Hamilton last spring and were very impressed. Although she was accepted RD with a very generous scholarship and additional need based aid, she chose to attend another school BUT</p>
<p>We were left with wonderful impressions of the campus and the student body. Seems like a heckuva good school that is academically the equal of the Middlebury's . It clearly deserves its Top Twenty position. D especially thought that there was a nice blend of preps and arty kids, moreso than at Colgate or Grinnell for examples.</p>
<p>That new science center is really nice. Better food than most, also.</p>
<p>My nephew is at Hamilton and he (and his parents) give it very high marks in all three areas you ask about:
students -- tilts heavily towards the preppy, but friendly students and enough of a mix to find who you want
academic pressure-- interesting classes, interested faculty, challenging but not overly intense
location -- a bit isolated, but enough to do (and this from a city kid)</p>
<p>For what it's worth, my nephew there is not affluent at all. It doesn't seem to affect his love of the place.</p>
<p>Thank you ALL for your informative posts! We are going back soon for visit #3. I love the new science and fitness centers. D loved the different dining options, the town (not sure why!), and liked the vibe of the kids. Also, there was a field hockey and soccer game going on when we were last there, and the school spirit was infectious! Worried about my D's test scores though.....</p>
<p>Doesn't Hamilton have some version of SAT-optional? You can ask that different scores be considered in lieu of SAT's?</p>
<p>Yes, but my D only took SAT I and ACT. Actually, not true. Took Ap exams but scores aren't worth reporting :(</p>
<p>Does anyone know about the music dept . at Hamilton ??? If it has full-time professors teaching the instrumental classes ???</p>
<p>Also where does an extremely vegetarian , rugby -playing boy eat there ?? We did not stay long enough to see the eating options . </p>
<p>Also ( please forgive me but this IS a Hamilton inquiry ) - where is the nearest Greyhound/Amtrak station ? He does not have a car .</p>
<p>I can answer your third question - both Greyhound and Amtrak stations at Utica, very close to Hamilton.</p>
<p>My daughter graduated from Hamilton in 2005 - she wasn't a drinker and found plenty to do on (and off) campus. The drinking scene is no different than that found at other colleges - you choose your activities, friends, and living situation according to your own standards.</p>
<p>As a chemistry major, she loved the new science building. She spent two summers on campus doing research and enjoyed studying abroad. She wasn't bothered by the supposed "rich kid" syndrome - we've heard that description about almost every private school.</p>