<p>Does anyone know anything about Hartwick? D noticed (they sent her a brochure) that they have a museum studies minor and was curious. Seems like it's in a nice area . . .</p>
<p>We visited in the spring and Hartwick will definitely go on the list. I remember art and museum studies, because my daughter commented that a friend of hers would be interested, but we didn’t focus on that, so I can’t really provide details. </p>
<p>Environment seems very nice, activities on weekends, pretty campus, cute little town within walking distance, another campus about 20 minutes away where environmental programs happen and students can opt to live in small cabins…really rustic and right up my daughter’s alley. We have seen other schools since then, so it is kind of a blur. But I can say that we left with a good feeling.</p>
<p>(only the other campus is rustic–Pine Lake, I think it’s called. The main campus is regular campus-y)</p>
<p>We visited. Be prepared, as someone else on CC said, to be able to keep with a mountain goat! It is very hilly. The campus is nice. SUNY Oneonta is across the street. At one time they were talking about selling some of their land, some of their artwork, and I believe that they did cut some sports teams. At the same time they constructing and expanding their campus. I think a new communications building went up a couple of years ago, if my memory is correct. I also think that they offer a 3 week term and that you can study abroad (again, it is been a while so I would double check that).</p>
<p>yes, NEM, another plus for us is the January term, interesting short term study abroad options then. And yes, very hilly, but so nicely situated on the side of the hill.</p>
<p>GCmom, thanks, for refreshing my memory, that’s it, the “J” term.</p>
<p>That’s great information. Thank you!</p>
<p>My daughter is not the rustic/natural type! Is the campus super-rustic?</p>
<p>no, the main campus is a regular campus, brick buildings, architecturally attractive (to us). Only the Pine Lake campus is rustic. It’s called the Pine Lake Environmental Campus. The Pine Lake Institute for Environmental and Sustainability Studies is there, as well as cabins for living in.</p>
<p>Oneonta has been tagged as one of the best college towns in the country. Hartwick is very rural, very pretty, and offers a lot in terms of majors, activities, and study abroad. Check out their web site:</p>
<p>Hartwick - Home</p>
<p>One negative thing I heard is there’s a lot of drinking and it’s pretty fratty. That might not differentiate it from any other school you’re looking at, and that might not affect your daughter. I also do not have first-hand evidence of this — it’s just what I’ve heard.</p>
<p>If you can overlook that, it looks like a very nice place.</p>
<p>My daughter is not into the crowd/party thing. She’s very independent and would have no interest in a school that has a seriously fratty culture. So back to the drawing board. She mostly has a set list, but she’s not in love with it, so . . .</p>
<p>hmmm…bad news about the fratty reputation. I hadn’t heard that.</p>
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<p>LOL, I took a major double take on this as there is a womens prison here in Georgia named Hardwick! Was glad to see this wasn’t a chance thread for there!</p>
<p>We looked at Hartwick twice - once in 2001 for D and in 2006 for S. It was second on D’s list until she did an overnight. She had a wonderful host, but I think it was in the middle of the Greek life rushing, and I think that probably hurt the school in her eyes. It dropped to third (and last) on her list. Although they did offer her a very nice financial aid package, but all her schools did that and all would have ended up costing us the same amount.</p>
<p>S visited twice. The first time when we took the tour we found the campus kind of tired, dated and in need of paint and repairs. However, we met several faculty who were very warm, welcoming and willing to talk with us. We went back a second time to meet with one particular faculty member. I thought S would really enjoy his major here, but for whatever reason (didn’t put it in words) he was not taken with it, did not want to do an overnight and did not choose to apply. We also didn’t have a great experience with the admissions department when we got there, but that is another story. That may have affected S’s view whereas I just discounted it.</p>
<p>We did like the town of Oneonta - very cute, lots of little stores. We ate at a little Greek restaurant that was terrific.</p>
<p>I hadn’t read about the frats either…my girls don’t want that, it tends to have a different drinking culture and “clique” feeling. If a student wouldn’t mind, it sounds like a nice college.</p>
<p>Not noted for financial aid, if that is a big factor for your family, and for many people these days it does matter!</p>
<p>One of my favorite teenage employees attended Hartwick for a year. She did not have a good experience – probably related to drinking culture – and transferred out. She recently graduated from Hobart which she loved and is in graduate school.</p>
<p>Ugh! This is all so disheartening. We thought it seemed like a great place for my D. I guess overnights are enlightening. D has an acquaintance who will be a freshman there this fall, so maybe we’ll get some info from her.</p>
<p>GCmom – This is a quote from a FAQ about campus life from the Hartwick website:</p>
<p>“There are three fraternities and three sororities here, and about twelve percent of our students are involved in Greek Life.” </p>
<p>I’m not saying that 12% of the kids on a given campus cannot raise a lot of hell, but when only 180 students out of 1500 are members of Greek organizations it is hard to justify the argument that Greek life is king (and queen) at Hartwick. On the flip side, I’m sure there is drinking going on at Hartwick, as there is at Hobart, Union, U. Name It. But you don’t have to have Greel letters on the front of your tee shirt to party.</p>
<p>D attended a summer music festival years ago that was housed on that campus.Its a SMALL campus(building,enrollment wise) perched on the side of hilly terrain ( if you are from NY State, think Catskill summer camp type terrain, thats exactly what it remnded me of).It must be beautiful in the autumn.
I believe I’ve heard in the past few years they have had endowment/budget/facility maintenance issues…
Oneonta is “cute” but its the type of town I think kids might get tired of after a year or two,especially if they are carless.
They did have nice dorms there which either been recently refurbished or were undergoing the process,but this was abt 10 years ago…
If a kid was interested in museum studies, i might be inclined to look for a program housed in a bigger venue…a city perhaps? D attended ASU as an undergrad, and had a friend who did museum studies there…with an excellent museum on campus and access to all of Phoenix’s resources.</p>
<p>Oneonta is also home to the US Soccer Hall of Fame!</p>
<p>thanks for putting it in perspective, Hudsonvalley…</p>
<p>Hartwick is probably not a first choice for my D, but seemed like someplace she could get into and enjoy. We need schools like that!</p>