<p>Hello, I know there already is a thread on this but it's six years old..</p>
<p>I am soon to be a freshman at Colgate's class of '16. Now, before going to Colgate, I want to look into what Majors and Minors I should consider. I believe my future career will involve business, but you never know.. The most important thing for me is that I chose programs that are well-regarded and gives me a well-rounded education. I will probably look into Econ and International Relations, but also programs such as History, Poli Sci, and even Classics, English, Writing and Rethoric..</p>
<p>So please, hit me. What departments are Colgate's strongest? What would you recommend to a future student of a liberal arts college, considering a business-related career as well as general knowledge?</p>
<p>The way I have chosen to consider your questions, as a loyal alumnus with a business background alongside lots of other interests, is to take on the curriculum in your own stride. How does that work? You have a freshman seminar and an extremely thoughtful and useful core curriculum requirement- a hallmark of a Colgate education- at your disposal which will help you make these exciting decisions. How familiar are you with its goals, content and content? Believe me, there is no compulsion to do so at this stage of your preparations. Exciting times are ahead!</p>
<p>Your expectation and your interests will be evolving beginning the first day you step on campus. Colgate administrators and faculty will deliver you all the tools. Enjoy every day there.</p>
<p>Thank you for your response Markham. I am aware of the core curriculum, which has played a major part in my decision of attending an LAC. Colgate’s core seems very broad and exciting. However, it recieved an F from a research made by the American Counsil of Trustees and Alumni. One of the reasons being that Colgate apparently doesn’t offer an extensive writing education as a core curriculum to all students, and also that it is possible to “skip” math and science courses. Still, I have explored the core curriculum catalogue, and I must say that it is very appealing.
One of the reasons I posted this thread is because I have been informed during my research about Colgate that the “add and drop”-period can be confusing and you might not end up with the courses you wanted. I am trying to prepare myself by knowing what courses to look up, where the teachers are best, and what courses would best suit as a well-rounded LAC education… I know that this varies depending on your interests, but are there courses that are regarded as greater than others?
For example: Writing 205 A - Writing and Reading is a course that will serve me in various ways regardless of career choice. Is this course one that any LAC student should strongly consider?
I know I am quite diffuse, sorry! :)</p>
<p>I hope that a current student or recent alumnus/a is going to answer your questions about drop/add and course selection matters in the lead up to this summer when you will select your freshman seminar. I am out of the loop on such matters.</p>
<p>About the core curriculum and outside “rating agencies”, I understand that there may be something of a political component to their views in terms of their agenda- as opposed to Colgate’s agenda. Further, Colgate is in good company when you review these findings with the top national universities and liberal arts colleges receiving the same grade. Sad but true- a sign of the times, I regret to say…</p>
<p>So for now, congratulations on your college choice, and I hope that you get the guidance you seek in the coming weeks and months as you prepare for your arrival in August!</p>
<p>That rating agency is complete bull - very extreme political agenda.</p>
<p>There is no writing course because the writing element is integrated into the CORE courses, especially the two main courses that everyone takes. I learned an incredible amount from those courses, both about what we studied and writing - and it’s way more interesting than a “writing” course. Even non-CORE courses tend to be very writing-heavy, and it’s something that Colgate students learn to do well.</p>
<p>Math courses specifically aren’t required, but I’m willing to bet the huge majority of students at Colgate already have at least pre-calculus from high school and know enough math to do well on the SATs. Also, the “ares of inquiry” require you to take 2 math/science courses. You have a wide variety to choose from, but you certainly can’t just skip out of them. Since the distribution requirements are not part of the “CORE,” that might be why they’re not counted.</p>
<p>You generally sign up for courses during the previous semester. Drop/add is not that confusing - there’s a day when you go to the gym to get signatures to change, and if they can’t let you in then, you attend the first few days of class and then talk to the prof. I’m in grad school now where they have a “shopping period,” which is considerably more stressful - you have to attend everything you might want to take and keep up with all the work, which might be 8 or 9 courses, just to settle on 4.</p>
<p>Thanks for the input Lydia! The rating of “F” also applied to some Ivies and top 5 LACs (best graded school on the list got “C”), so I believe it’s nothing of real importance. I just want to make sure that I am well-prepared. I understand that Colgate is considered as one of the best (#10?) LACs for Economics, and that Psychology is considered as the strongest program. Now, if I want to major in Economics, would it be a good/possible idea to pick core courses that are not related to Economics so that I get a broader education, or is a good preparation for Economics encouraged? Would I even be able to pick a major not related to Economics but still be have knowledge within the field? Todd Larsen, president of Dow Jones & Company, majored in English at Colgate before taking an MBA.</p>
<p>Everyone and their moms majors in Economics and Psychology here at Colgate. I’m not sure if that says more about the strength of the programs or the people that go here.</p>
<p>Also, I think the distribution requirements are a joke. The one comment that someone made earlier about being able to “skip” the math and science distribution is partly true. There is no way to completely skip taking a math and science, but the university is so lax with that it labels as science that its ridiculous. Things like psychology and geology count as science courses. As a result, non-science majors can go their whole college careers without ever taking a lab, which I think is essential if you at least want a somewhat realistic taste of the sciences. </p>
<p>Additionally, Colgate added some bogus “global engagements” requirement to the core, which is completely ridiculous because it pretty much feels they tacked it on last second. It really does not add anything to the core in my opinion. Basically, they just gave some courses the “global engagements” designation if it deals with topics pertaining to other countries.</p>
<p>I guess Economics and Psychology are popular majors that are perhaps regarded as Colgate’s strongest. </p>
<p>Exactly, you describe what I have been informed about regarding “skipping” subjects. However, it isn’t a problem as long as you don’t try to circumvent taking math, science etc. </p>
<p>I am not a student so I have no further insight to how it really is, but the “global engagements” requirement seems like a good intention as International Relations seems to become more and more of a “big” major. Just labeling courses under a name won’t really do any good, but creating a deparment with increased focus on global relations and issues can only be positive if you ask me!</p>
<p>Global engagements sounds great on paper if done right, but all the administration did is give some courses a different label which allow them to be called “global engagements.” Nothing about the courses had to change drastically in order to earn the title of “global engagements.” The respective departments just fill out some paper work so that some of the courses they offer can be counted as “global engagements.” In the end, global engagements if just to put on the appearance that the university cares about things like that.</p>
<p>let me put it this way, I was a transfer student to Colgate. One of the questions I asked Colgate students to make sure I knew what I was getting myself into was, “If I need an easy A class, what can I take?” They said, “Uh… I can’t think of anything… maybe intro to Sociology… but no, there are no easy A classes here.” After my first year there, my friends back at my old LAC said, “So, how hard is Colgate?” I said, “It’s like… taking three (very demanding professor’s name)'s classes at once!” They were astonished.</p>
<p>It’s one of the things I really loved about Colgate: Professors don’t skimp on their expectations. The vast majority of them have very high standards, even for students with weak skills (Um, like chemistry for me). They want you to do your absolute best. They will push you hard. When I slacked off on an independent study course, my professor got upset with me and said, “Look, if you don’t do your work, you’re just wasting my time. All I want to offer you the chance you really learn this material.” That scared me into actually working for her for the rest of the semester and she gave me what I earned.</p>
<p>So you really cannot go wrong with any class you wind up with. Professors will make you work. They’re actually quite well-balanced about the world outside of Colgate and know what skills are necessary for the job market.</p>
<p>Poli Sci very good, history very good, when I was at Colgate (and I think still today) art history was great . . . new science buildings have strengthenend the science program. Economics was also one of the best departments. I’m not sure what’s not good, but there must be a few weaker areas I wasn’t and aren’t aware of. Half my friends years ago at Colgate were pre-meds, so that’s pretty well covered at Colgate. I did take a couple of education courses that were not up to Colgate’s standards years ago, but no one had reccommended them as good in the first place. My mistake. Many universities have weak programs and departments you can sort of float through, but I wouldn’t call Colgate one of them. When I was a student years ago, and my junior daugher confirms this now, everyone worked very hard and almost all courses were pretty tough. It is certainly a college where you are just simply expected to do a lot of work and where academics is the core reason for being there. </p>
<p>I’m not up on the latest details of the Colgate Core curriculum, but I don’t see why courses dealing with the world aren’t “global” since that’s what global means. Considering psych and geology as sciences is not a Colgate thing, it’s a normal college thing. Part of the motivation to not require a lab science is to let humanities students take some science without the extras required of labs in the same way that science students might want to try a humanities course or three without necessarily getting too deeply into all the advanced work. I took two science courses at Colgate even though my major was in English (and art history). They were very interesting, had no labs, and were definitely worth takikng. </p>
<p>In liberal arts wherever you are, taking courses outside your major interests is a good thing, but you shouldn’t necessarily be required to go into depth in those other areas. In fact, at most colleges people specialize far too much and never even have to sample other departments outside of a small focus on what they like most. Colgate makes you try a few other things, but does it fairly gently.</p>
<p>The Education department is good now - it’s Colgate’s one graduate program (Master of Arts in Teaching). One of the most interesting and though-provoking courses I took was The American School - and it was for a distribution requirement.</p>
<p>There are some departments that are smaller (mine had 4 students in my graduation year - Japanese), and are certainly not the best in the country, but they are still very rigorous programs comparable to peer schools. I’m in graduate school now at a “better” school and feel well prepared by my time at Colgate.</p>
<p>There have been a few mentions about the science program at Colgate in this thread, but as someone who plans on majoring in biology, how is Colgate’s bio program? I haven’t had much luck finding a straight answer researching on my own. I was also just accepted to Case Western Reserve University which is both a littler cheaper and closer to home for me. I could really use some help.</p>
<p>I’m late here, but I was a mol bio major at Colgate. While I have voiced some negative opinions about the grading and grad/med school mentoring at Colgate–I have only positive things to say about my academic experience in the biology department. The classes are small (especially by 3rd and 4th year) and you get to know your professors really well (I babysit their kids and ate dinners at their houses). Most professors at Colgate trained at renown institutions and come to a liberal arts school because they want and love to teach. You’ll learn from them rather than a TA or grad student. The classes are academically challenging, but they prepare you well for the material you will encounter in grad/med school. The scientific atmosphere is healthy here too–you don’t see the competition/drama between professors. </p>
<p>That said, I hear great things about Case Western too. Plus its attached to a great medical school, so while the classes might be bigger and you’ll have less interaction with your professors, there will be a lot more labs to choose from (especially in biomed)–and these labs will be churning out higher impact papers and research. </p>
<p>TL;DR: Pros and Cons to both. Remember you’re comparing a research university to a liberal arts college, making them fundamentally different experiences.</p>