<p>Does the campus seem isolated? Is the school academically challenging/ do people care about academics?</p>
<p>People definitely care about academics, and it is definitely challenging. I don't think that's anything to worry about. The campus is a bit isloated being that it's in the middle of nowhere and on top of a hill, but hey, that's what you get when you want a small liberal arts college. You're not going to find a school like Hamilton with a much better set up. Bowdoin has a great little town, but drive 5 miles and you're back in rural Maine. If you ask me, there's just no way around it if you want a NE LAC. :)</p>
<p>Yeah that's true. I've visited a few NE LAC's like Bowdoin, Bates, Colby, etc., but I never saw Hamilton. Now I am seriously considering Hamilton but just don't know that much about it. Are you a current student?</p>
<p>nope, im going to be there next year though! i've visited a few times and the location is okay with me. nothing too great but i'll deal with it, it's worth it. you should email a few current students, they're always really nice and eager to give you their perspective.</p>
<p>As a current Hamiltonian I think I can comment on the academics and social life at Hamilton College. The college does seem isolated, but Cornell, Colgate and Syracuse are no more than 45 minutes away by car. I recall vividly how isolated I felt without a car to get me off campus whenever I wanted. That eventually changed. </p>
<p>The academics are notoriously rigorious, especially the sciences. There are people who know how to get by with doing the bare minimum and getting Bs. Lots of people take easy courses to solidify an A, but I would advise against that route. There are some very outstanding professors here and their scholarship bears witness to this. The majority of students here seem to favor Economics and Government. Most students care about their academics here. You'll see once you get in class and take a look around at the students.</p>
<p>Sundays you see everyone at Burke library. It's hilarious. Hamiltonians are known for getting off on parties and drinking Thursday-Saturday. Sunday is work day. Get used to it. </p>
<p>What discipline are you guys interested in studying? </p>
<p>Any questions, please do not hesistate to ask.</p>
<p>English...</p>
<p>Rocky,</p>
<p>From what I know of the English department at Hamilton, if you do not take an English course freshman year, you will never be allowed to take one anytime after. Something I learned a little too late. Be that as it may, the English department is very good and some professors are overly harsh. You will definitely improve your writing. Watch out for Prof. Pat O'Neil, she's a bit harsh with her selection of words and grades very difficult. Not that I'm trying to deter you from taking a course from her. Do I think you can learn a lot from her? Yes, I do. She's very much into Cinema, so if that's your thing, you should be good. </p>
<p>I wish there was more I could say about the English department. For an English major, I would suggest trying to find a job with the Writing Center located in the Dark Side of campus (Kirkland College). It's in the second floor of KJ and is an invaluable resource center. Go to them ASAP and inquire about job positions. I'm pretty sure there are openings every year. As a writing tutor, you would help students improve their writing by reviewing their work. You will improve yours as well, so it's a win-win situation. If I were an English major, I would definitely try to find work with the Writing Center.</p>
<p>Hope that helps.</p>
<p>Hello, i hope to major in Biochemistry and possibly minor in creative writing. Any pointers for me.</p>
<p>Lakside,</p>
<p>Biochemistry is a very interesting major. I'm familiar with the Biology department but not so much with the Chemistry department at Hamilton. Since you will be taking courses in both disciplines, let me say a few words about the Bio faculty. First and foremost, I think Prof. Williams, Chair of the Bio department, is brilliant. He is in love with his butterflies and just recently published The Nature Handbook or something like that. He is very well read and knows a lot about ecology. I'm not sure if you will need to take a class with him, but I would strongly recommend it. </p>
<p>Williams sometimes works in conjuction with Prof. Lehman. Let me warn you about Lehman. This guy is very smart, he knows his stuff. My only complaint is that he is too spread out, highly disorganized and just keeps rambling on and on without pause. I remember sitting in his class thinking, "When is this guy ever going to pause so I can actually write something down?" Trust me, Lehman is very vocal; he loves the sound of his own voice. He is a fantastic prof. and will tell you lots of stories of his days in grad school. I would advise to stay on top of his class. Most of what is on his exams he explains thoroughly in class, just too damn fast.</p>
<p>I also heard Prof. Miller is very good. I'm not too familiar with her work, but an alum I spoke with two years ago had nothing but good things to say about her. She's also with the Bio department. </p>
<p>One prof whom I think nobody liked was Prof. Festin. From what I've heard, this guy was psycho. He thought he was the only guy with a Ph.D. All the students who ever took a class with him spoke bad about him. I don't think you'll have to put up with him as he is gone. He left behind a lot of very angry seniors.</p>
<p>As a biochemistry major, you will definitely have your work cut out for you. It's a lot of work and the textbooks are very expensive. The labs they will make you do are so damn taxing on the body. But if you like this sort of stuff, bless you. </p>
<p>The good thing is that you will have new state of the art technology and facilities to work with. Chances are you'll be in the new Science Center right next to Burke Library. It's pretty far if you live in the dark side. They even have a Cafe Opus (02) in the first floor where you can grab some coffee, mochas, muffins, etc. </p>
<p>The most difficult course I've heard people complain of in biochemistry is organic chemistry. I hear it's very tough but if you work your ass off, an A is possible. I think you will be visiting your profs a lot during office hours. You might even live in the Science Center (something I felt I was doing first semester freshman year). </p>
<p>Hope that helps. I'm sorry I don't know anymore, but good luck.</p>
<p>Cool man, i could pay you for being of help, but ....:D
Since i'll be around the New science center and Burke Library so much, which housing do you think would be convenient to live in and what campus job would also be convenient. Hopefully, they should be at close proximity....</p>
<p>P.S (can't believe i'm acqually going to hamilton! wow)</p>
<p>Lakeside,</p>
<p>Anything not on the Kirkland College campus. North Dorm...my favorite.</p>
<p>Good luck....I found all the professors to be fantastic.</p>
<p>what kind of courses would you suggest if I wanted to pursue journalism after college...is a major in journalism possible at hamilton?</p>
<p>I'm planning to major in Philosophy and go pre-law. Any insight?</p>
<p>Katuga, I think you can make up your own major if Hamilton does not offer it. I know several people who did it in the past. You just have to go through a whole bunch of BS and get signatures and authorization. It's a pain, but definitely possible. </p>
<p>AdelineLux, now you're speaking my language. As a philosophy major with a deep interest in law, I must say that the philosophy department at Hamilton is like no other. All of the professors are extremely competent. My favorites are Prof. Werner and Prof. Franklin. </p>
<p>Freshman year, definitely take contemporary moral issues with Werner. Werner is so laid back and easy-going that his own attitude makes the class worth going to. Everyone loves Werner (although there are a few select who think they know more than him and hate him because he's very much likely smarter than you). Werner is into pacificism and just war theory. The guy is as cynical as can be. Yet, despite that, everyone loves him. He really is, in my opinion, the best professor Hamilton's got. Definitely take Ancient Western Philosophy with him. You'll love it. Easy grader.</p>
<p>Franklin is a very hard grader and can be condescending in class (stressing his intellectual muscles). He is, however, a nice guy out of class and you will learn a lot from him. He's especially interested in Critical Race Theory, Nietzsche and Existentialism. Definitely take his The Black Self class. You will learn a lot from him.</p>
<p>For Pre-Law, I think you should talk to Prof. Simon ASAP. He knows a lot about the whole law school application process. For classes relating to law, definitely take Michael Bagge's Poverty, Law and the Welfare State. I'll be honest, that class is intense. Probably the most intensive class I've taken yet at Hamilton and the guy is not even a professor. He's an actual practicing attorney who teaches that one class every spring semester. It's a very popular course, but people do not realize the amount of work they're getting themselves into. He makes you read and brief cases like there's no tomorrow. He and Werner know each other very well and their intelligence is just astonishing. I would definitely take his class. It's labeled as a Sociology class. Look into it.</p>
<p>Do not and I repeat, do not take Intro to Philosophy. Philosophy is philosophy. There's no need for an introductory course to philosophy, you just do it. Instead, take contemporary moral issues and go from there. </p>
<p>I would advise to stay away from Instructor Ceballes. The guy is very smart, but has no passion for what he teaches and goes off tangents all the time. He's not officially a professor as he does not have his Ph.D., which he is still in the process of getting. I took Modern Western Philosophy with him and I hated it. His lectures are so dull and repetitive, it's horrible. Try to avoid him, or at least I would. </p>
<p>You will notice that the Philosophy department is quite small at Hamilton, but I like it that way. Doran chairs the department. She is a really nice and smart professor who loves talking about sex. She always has her dogs in her office whenever I go into the Philosophy department. </p>
<p>Prof. Almeder is relatively new at Hamilton. I took Biomedical Ethics and Law with him and I can testify that this guy loves the sound of his own voice. The class was interesting, no doubt about it, and his quizes were very easy (multiple choice and one or two essays). He just goes on and on about the class material, making it more obvious, in case you forgot, that he's a genius. If you like sitting for an hour and a half lecture, this guy is your man. Oh, and don't get offended when he doesn't remember your name. Apparently he doesn't remember anyone's name. Get the picture? Other than that, the guy is very, very good at what he does. </p>
<p>Any more questions about philosophy, please ask.</p>
<p>wow, thank you so much!! Now I'm even more excited. I had already been eyeing the Ancient Western Philosophy class, so I'm glad to hear it is good. </p>
<p>What year are you at Hamilton? I look forward to meeting you. </p>
<p>FYI, I'm thinking I want to do environmental or bio-ethical law of some sort. I'm really not sure. </p>
<p>I so appreciate all your insight. :-)</p>
<p>Thanks minorityman. What's your favorite thing about Hamilton? Also, how would you describe the student body?</p>
<p>Sorry for the delay in responding to your questions. </p>
<p>AdelineLux and RockyMountains: Your collective enthusiasm to learn more of Hamilton College amazes me. I sincerely wish you two the best and hope you will enjoy your time at Hamilton in the not-too-distant future. </p>
<p>I'm a rising junior at Hamilton and what I love most about Hamilton are the academics. Yes, the workload is very heavy at times but it's for your betterment. I genuinely believe that across the entire spectrum of disciplines there is none quite like philosophy. Moreover, the philosophy faculty at Hamilton constantly impresses me. I love being able to meet one-on-one with my professors to discuss classes, current events, politics, internship possibilities, grants, summer research, etc. Do not be surprised if you are invited to join professors and their families for dinner. I would strongly advise to develop a good relationship with your grade advisor. If you guys are sincerely interested in philosophy, try to get Prof. Werner as your grade advisor. He's the best who loves to get to know all of his students. You cannot go wrong.</p>
<p>I also love that there are no general distribution requirements, unlike at other schools where they drown you with certain requirements before awarding you your diploma. If you ask me, you pay for college so you should be allowed to study whatever interests you. $43K a year is a lot of money to throw away taking classes that make you sick. It's not a good investment and I would recommend against it. </p>
<p>How would I describe the student body? Do you really want to know? Again, remember that my account is entirely subjective, yet I don't want to deter anyone of you from attending Hamilton College. It's your life and your experiences will undoubtedly be different than mine. But if I had to describe the student body at Hamilton in a word, I would say homogenous. That is why I urge you all to allow yourselves to be open to everyone, not just on campus, but in life. Give it a try and you will see how much your life will improve.</p>
<p>hey.
I have a few questions.
1. Is there any grade inflation or deflation at Hamilton? Do any professors grade on bell curves or anything similar? Is there a lot of competition between students?
2. How hard are the academics? How many hours do you study on an avg day? Since Hailton emphasizes writing skills, do the professors assign a lot of papers or homework? How helpful are the professors in helping you write?
3. Is it true many classes are small? What is the largest class you have been in? Do professors make class participation heavily weighted in grading?
4. How is the food at hamilton? With 2 dining halls, is there plenty of variety in food?
5. How comfortable are the dorms? Are the rooms/bathrooms well maintained?
6. How are the gym/workout facilities?
7. What are some fun things to do on campus?
8. In your opinion, whats the worst thing about hamilton?</p>
<p>Thanks a lot.</p>
<ol>
<li> I believe some Econ and Math professors grade on curves. I was a philosophy major, so I lack experience in this area as I never experienced it. Hamilton is an extremely competitive school, in terms of overall academics and in the classroom. Because the classes are so small, you have the opportunity to address each individual student, if you so desire (I am speaking specifically of classes like lit, philosophy, religion, etc). This generally fuels heated debate and, if you are outspoken, you will end up screaming bloody murder at other students (in a good way) on a regular basis or passionately defending your position. Every professor I had did an excellent job of beginning debate and sitting back while the students discussed. You will most likely also become competitive with your professors and challenge their points (just dont do it if you are discussing one of their papers ).</li>
<li> Hamilton is hard. If you are lucky enough to get in, that means you are probably smart enough to pass your classes with minimal effort. But, if you want to excel, you have to work your ass off. Work hard, play hard is Hamiltons unofficial motto. Cliché, yes. But, also accurate. If you want to do well, you will get home from class at 4, relax/take an hour nap, read for an hour, go eat, and spend the rest of the night in the library, maybe taking a break to watch a TV show. Of course this varies depending on how far ahead/behind you are and what your total workload is. In terms of writing, after my freshman year, the only assignments I had were writing. Again, I was a Philosophy major/Comp Lit minor
so you do the math (haha!). Professors are all extremely helpful. Always available to read over your paper and comment as many times as you would like and talk you through their thoughts.</li>
<li> See part of answer 1. The largest class I had was Modern Western Philosophy. I would say 30 students, and that is a HUGE class. Most of my classes were around 15. Class participation is usually between 10%-15% of your grade. This was unfortunate for me because I was a quiet one. On a side note, talk your ass off in class, wherever you go to school. It is good for you, it helps you develop, helps your grade, and it is fun (I regret not doing it more). If you get into Hamilton, you are smart enough to speak up, and even if you think you sound stupid, you probably dont. And, if you do sound stupid, no one cares.</li>
<li> The food sucks. But, let me explain. The food is going to suck wherever you go because you are going to eat the same thing over and over for 4 years. It isnt that it tastes bad, just that it gets so monotonous. There are 2 dining halls which are at par, I would imagine, with most other small school facilities. There is also a diner which is freaking awesome! Not exactly health friendly, but damn good. Best food ever at 2am after a party. Also, the on-campus bar serves lunch. Pretty good. And, the coffee shop has snacks. So, you do have options, but you arent going to be wowed by the food at any small school. </li>
<li> Depends on the dorm. Similar to the above statement actually. When you get there, it will be cool because it is new. After a few months, you will constantly hear the inevitable Dunham sucks and North rooms are sooooo small. In retrospect, the housing is pretty good. Here is how it will work. Freshman year you will live in a small space with 2-3 other people. But, this is necessary to build relationships. My 3 best friends in the world that I now live near in NYC were down the hall from me in what is considered the ghetto dorm. Sophomore year, everyone lives in Bundy. You have to walk partially up the hill to get to class, but the rooms are nice and you get to live in a single, which rocks. Junior year, if you get a good number, you are living large. Youll get something in the suites (live with 6 friends, each has a single, and an awesome common room which facilitates parties) or, if you get a Godly number, a single in the old frat houses (although you will be living with all seniors). Most likely you will be abroad for 2nd semester Junior year anyway. Senior year, the pick of the litter. Singles, on campus apartments, the fish bowl. The skys the limit. So, you really only need to worry about freshman year. But, you will be having so much fun, it wont matter. And, the dorms are very well maintained. I know one guy who had a mouse senior year, but that is because they were nasty. And, they ended up naming it and making it a little house. If you have any problems, day or night, you call maintenance and they are there in a matter of 15 minutes to fix it. By the way, if you try to study in your room, you are a damn fool. GO TO THE LIBRARY.</li>
<li> Standard gym. You may have to wait for a bit to get a machine, but only if you go at 4pm. Has everything you need.</li>
<li> You will not have fun during the week. Other than hanging out with friends, you will be sleeping, eating, studying. Worry not my young friends, you will have time to watch TV, play online, etc it isnt ALL work. The weekends are great regardless of what you do. The reason being is that you work so much during the week, it doesnt matter what youre up to because at least you are not in class. Everyone says Hamilton is in the middle of no where. But there is stuff around. And by stuff I mean a mall and other stores in New Hartford (15 minutes away). There is a van service that runs all day back and forth. The mall has everything you need. You will complain that it sucks (like the food and your dorm room), but that is a requirement if you go to Hamilton. And, as is the case with any college campus, the social life generally revolves around parties. Not sure what they are like now, but there is at least one party every day of the weekend (oh, and by the way, your weekend is now Thurs-Sat. You go out these days and do work ALL day Sunday.) The parties will be in one of the following places: Bundy dining hall (a giant open space that used to be a dining hall) these are the main big parties. Someones room most likely the suites or the Farmhouse. If you are lucky enough to be a freshman that gets invited to one of these
do not make eye contact with any upper-classmen. The ELS basement do not drop acid before going to these parties as the basement is already really freakin scary
but fun. The Glen
in the woods
bring a flashlight, girls, dont wear heels. Downtown at a house in the village of Clinton. Go with friends, because the van back to campus stop running at 3 and you will be walking home. In winter, bring extra socks. Behind the old Chi Psi frat house
must know a Chi Psi brother/pledge (you will, dont worry)..again, flashlight necessary. The occasional off-off campus party at a bar or Jacks barn. Pee before you get on the bus, bring a water bottle full of booze, and be prepared to throw elbows to get on the bus. These are the best parties. And random others around campus. So, there is no shortage of festivities. For the record, there are also non drinking things to do. There are always excellent lectures and club events. Ultimately, the social life is what you make of it and who you hang out with. You will have fun if you are a fun person. However, do not try to break in to commons at 5am to get a hold of the sweet chocolate cake. The windows are all locked. Yes, even the ones on the roof.</li>
<li> It. Is. Cold. Seriously
.freeze to death cold. But like studying hard and partying harder, the cold makes the summer months even better. In reality, the only way there is a worst thing is if you create one yourself.</li>
</ol>
<p>Holy crap I wrote a book. My apologies. If anyone has any further questions, feel free to ask.
Me: Male. Went to public High School. I graduated from Ham-Tech in 2004. As I mentioned, philosophy major and comp lit minor. Did pretty well. Was on deans list a bunch of times but I could have worked harder. Now live in NYC and have a good job that I enjoy
for the most part.</p>
<p>That's my take anyway. Things may ave changed inteh past 2 years.</p>
<p>If anyoen would like my AIM...feel free to ask.</p>
<p>what does Ham-Tech mean?</p>