My D1 was a good, but less than conservatory level, musician.
She took lessons at Oberlin from an advanced-level conservatory student.
D1 said that teacher was the best music teacher she ever had.
There were performance groups open to her, but she did not choose to pursue them, since she got interested in other things.Suggest visiting to more clearly establish what opportunities might be available for you, specifically. Since the “official” opportunities may vary, based on instrument, level, type of music, etc.
Outside of “official”, music is all over the place there. Not just formal instruction, and college-sponsored groups, but informal groups established by students themselves, outside of the academic landscape.
OP- There is a really wide ranges of vibes at these schools! We found very little creativity at Colby, it’s certainly the most traditional school in your group. On the other hand Oberlin felt too uniformly granola/hipster for my D.
Hamilton struck a good balance of strong arts programs and creative students equally mixed with more preppy/traditional types. I don’t think their website does a good job of reflecting this, we were totally surprised when we visited. It’s also probably the most academically rigorous on your list. Good luck- those
are all great options it really becomes about fit at this point.
I agree with 4junior that Hamilton felt like a good balance. My DD revealed in app that they are not in the gender binary and was accepted - that was a sign of tolerance on a campus despite a bit of a traditional feel.
@apple23 I’m basing my comment on the common data sets, which show that the students attending Hamilton (vs admitted students) have the highest scores in the tightest range. While one could argue that is not conclusive I felt it was telling. Other than Colby it is also the most highly ranked, if you believe the merit in that. Colby has been rising in the rankings but I didn’t get much of a sense of academic focus there on our visit- the most used two words in the info session were “millions” and “turf”. I know several kids who love each of these schools and they all have their strong points.
I’m a Hamilton alum. I’m wondering if you have visited the campus. If not, I think it would be highly beneficial for you to do so before you make your decision. Hamilton is a very strong choice for pre-med. Traditionally, it seems Hamilton has been a launching pad for a lot of doctors, lawyers and bankers. I haven’t been on campus in over 20 years, but I would say that, though the cultural/racial diversity may be lacking, the student body is pretty diverse in its interests - there is a place and a social scene for everyone. It has a real community feeling. So, bottom line - it’s a great choice academically, the campus is beautiful and safe, it’s not an urban area, but there is good food to be had off campus once you are allowed a car. I think it would be down to whether the “vibe” is right for you and whether the travel would be too onerous. So, make the trek! You won’t be sorry!
@Trixy34, Hamilton’s diversity, like that of many of its NE LAC peers, has changed a lot over the last couple of decades - it’s now 64% Caucasian, and almost 10% International.
@aynrandfan D’s tour guide at Hamilton was openly gay and he had just been elected student body president.
@Trixy34 It’s been interesting to me to hear those who formed their opinions of Hamilton over a decade ago think of it as a very preppy conservative school. (D was admitted ED2) We found it be very different than that profile; perhaps the relatively new museum and art/theater facilities have changed the student profile. There are lots of ways to define diversity and we felt Hamilton was doing a good job with most of them.
@Chembiodad - thanks. I had read recently that Hamilton is still making efforts towards diversity, so I just assumed they aren’t quite where they want to be. Of course, many of my son’s friends in our upscale suburban community are Asian or Indian, so these days those stats hardly feel “diverse” to me. Lol.
Other things to mention for the OP, Hamilton has a very strong emphasis on writing. Should you choose to attend, you will basically be put through writing boot camp. Personally, I think this is fabulous, and regardless of where my son decides he wants to go to school, I am secretly trying to formulate a plan whereby he spends his first year at Hamilton just for this reason.
I don’t know what the alcohol scene is like on campus. When I was there, it was known as a study hard, play hard kind of school. First year, there were unrestricted parties throughout campus. Then the big parties were restricted to the Frat houses. Then, the year after we graduated, Frat housing was taken away. So there is definitely a history of the social life being based on drinking, though, as I said, there really is a niche for everyone. I’ve read the Colgate motto is “boot and rally.” Personally, I thought that was a Hamilton saying. I’m sure by now the culture has evolved, but the bottom line is that, given its isolated location, the social scene is largely restricted to campus.
4junior - that’s interesting to me, because I graduated in '95, and I don’t think I would have described it as a preppy conservative school back then. I certainly became more conservative in my thinking as I progressed through Hamilton and then Law School, but I thought the political views on campus were fairly balanced. I recall some students in one of my Spanish Lit classes saying that they thought they were being graded unfairly by the professor because of their conservative views. It certainly was nothing like Wesleyan, but if you were a crunchy, vegan, pro womyn political activist, there was a place for you at Hamilton. Was it the best choice school where you would be really happy? I don’t know. One of my roommates first year was pretty liberal, and I do think it was a bit hard on her, but she seemed to find her tribe by sophomore year and lived in the co-op. Other students with more liberal, artistic leanings, lived together at ELS. I hear there is even more special interest housing at Hamilton now. And, of course, back then lots of the guys went around campus with long hair and socks with Birkenstocks, even during winter. It was pretty amusing to see them all cut their hair and don suits for interviews in the spring of senior year.
If you can’t visit, you can try and email or talk with a current student. Most schools will happily set this up for you. The regional admissions counselor can also be a good source for your questions. Except for the music thing at Oberlin, the academic differences at these schools are going to be small. Macalaster is the obvious outlier from a locale standpoint. Oberlin and Colby furthest apart on the activism spectrum. But all in all, many more similarities than differences.
Regardless of which college this might reference, I’d think it would originate from a set or group that might not realize they barely overlap with other sets or groups or, particularly, other individuals.
@Trixy34 's post really resonates. At any of these schools, you’ll find your tribe. And at most, there’s a dominant culture. If you can talk to a student who shares your interests, it may help.
It is enormously helpful to visit a school to get the vibe, but even then, in a few hours, you could really end up with a skewed view depending on your guide, the other families you tour with, whether it is exam week, time of year, etc. Our visit to Hamilton made it appear very clubby, entitled, and preppy. Enough so for it to come off the list. In retrospect and based on the experience of many here who know it better, we realize we had an anomalous experience in which somehow, we encountered and could not leave, one little slice of the school which probably wasn’t representative. It’s unfortunate, but it happens.
So I would certainly seek out those who are there now or were very recently whose interests align with yours. Piece together visit reports but don’t rely on any one.
@gardenstategal I would love to hear what other schools made the cut for you. We will be ramping up the college visits this summer for application in the Fall (yes, we’re behind). My ex husband and I are both Hamilton alums, and in a lot of ways I think the school could be a good fit for our son. I do think he gravitates to more of an urban setting, and I don’t think he would be into the party scene at Hamilton the way his parents were, but who knows. Anyway, I’d love input on other schools that don’t have that preppy, clubby vibe. Seems like so many Northeastern schools do. I was completely sold on Williams until I visited. Ugh. Horrible experience!
Congrats! What a great list of schools to choose from. My S went to Mac and loved it. He was looking for a diverse student body and intellectually stimulating environment. Found both at Macalester. It is in a beautiful part of St. Paul with great public trans to downtown Minneapolis, too. The President at Mac is awesome and provides innovative and thoughful leadership. The education he received was excellent and profs are approachable. Mac is the only school on your list that is in a dynamic urban environment with access to internships, jobs, world-class theatre, music, and did i mention internships? He went to concerts, MLB games, basketball games, and Univ MN games, too. He stayed in MN and loves it. The campus is in a beautiful neighorbhood (down the street from the Gov’s house), so is safe yet you’re close to so much.
I recommend that you research the student body at each school (or visit) and see if one school has more of your tribe than others. Each of the schools is sligtly different, and may strike a cord, or not strike a cord.They are all good schools, and you will receive an excellent education from any. The question is will you feel more comfortable at one more than others?
Mac is not clubby or preppy. Mac has a more hipster, individualistic feel, but is welcoming of all. Very LBGQT friendly. It’s a fairly progessive school, probably more in line with Oberlin.
