<p>Colgate University is not for everyone. The school is in the middle of nowhere. Not all the students are happy. Class registration is difficult, and the town does not have much to offer. Before you decide to attend, make sure that the small-town lifestyle will not get to you. </p>
<p>I wish everyone luck in finding the perfect college for themselves!</p>
<p>Hi,
I don’t mean to be rude, but if it really was as bad as you say it is, then why haven’t we heard this before? Why do others really like this school?</p>
<p>Beachedout, it looks from your post history that you are a freshman at Colgate this year, and it sounds like you’re having a rough time. I’m not in a position to dispute any of the things you say, but I do know there are many students on campus at Colgate who are not having your same experience, and that often–no matter where you go to school–it takes at least one semester to find “your people” and activities that you love. Have you joined any clubs or participated in any extracurricular activities? Spoken to your advisor about the difficulty your having with Profs? If its true that you’re in your first semester, and this appears not to be your place, you can wait it out, or you can begin the process to transfer. I know a current junior who had some of your experiences first semester freshman year and things took a great positive turn second semester and beyond–and couldn’t be happier now. I hope that happens for you, or that you find a different college that fits the bill for you.</p>
<p>Beachedout,
Perhaps this is reflective of how you perceive your Colgate experience, but as a senior who adores Colgate, I could not disagree more with the vast majority of what you have said.
IÂ’m not sure how you can argue there is nothing to do here. Do you read the campus distribution emails we get every single day listing all of the upcoming events?? I constantly struggle to find time to go to all of the lectures, film screenings, concerts, club meetings, and yes, parties, that I am interested in attending. I canÂ’t imagine being bored here, I think I would have to make an effort to avoid being busy and engaged with campus life.
Yes, Hamilton is small, but I certainly wouldnÂ’t call it boring. I live downtown this year, and I love going out to dinner, going to the movies, shopping at the farmersÂ’ market every Saturday, and meeting up with my friends at bars. Maybe youÂ’ve never been to the Palace TheaterÂ’s website and seen just how many concerts and shows go on there every week. When I came to Colgate I didnÂ’t expect to be living in a cityÂ… I wanted a small town experience for 4 years, and IÂ’ve definitely had that and enjoyed the new lifestyle.
I have never once been uncomfortable going to office hours. I benefit immensely from meeting with my professors outside of class, and I find that they appreciate the fact that I care enough about the course material to seek extra guidance. Just the other day one of my professors sent an incredibly apologetic email to the class telling us that he had to cancel one of his 3 separate 2-hour blocks of office hours this week. I find this to be the norm when it comes to professors and office hours: they want students to come, and they know that the majority of students appreciate that sort of access.
Living up the hill my first year here was one of the best experiences of my life, and I bet if you timed the walk from Little (bottom of the hill) to the Ho (opposite side of the top of the hill) youÂ’d find itÂ’s about 5 minutesÂ… I know this because I had an 8:20 in Little and a 9:20 in the Ho and was never once late for class. The hill really isnÂ’t an issue.
Physicians work at the hospital, just like they do at every other hospital. IÂ’ve been there multiple times, and I was cared for by great physicians.
Colgate doesnÂ’t own the jug, itÂ’s off campus. Clubs in cities across the country let 18 year olds in, legally, and itÂ’s up to bartenders and owners to decide who is served. The jug is just as much a dance club as it is a bar, and IÂ’d be willing to guess the majority of students have fun there.
I know it’s impossible for every student to love Colgate, but my experience has been so totally different from yours I felt obligated to offer a different opinion. I’ve had an incredibly balanced life here, enjoyed a fabulous off-campus study experience, and feel more than prepared to go into the “real world” next year. I’m not even scared about finding a job because of the ways I’ve grown at Colgate and the school’s amazing alumni network (which I have benefitted from immensely since my first year here) that’s easily accessible through Career Services.
I hope you stick it out a little longer here and really explore everything the campus and town have to offer. You might be surprised to find that you end up liking the place more as you get more involved. Otherwise, I hope youÂ’re able to find a school that gives you the sort of enriching college experience IÂ’ve found at Colgate.</p>
<p>Just to clear things up-
I went to Colgate in the fall of 2008, and am currently a sophmore at NYU now. However, I was the daughter of an alum, and my cousin went to Colgate this fall. I had never posted before, so I gave my cousin my username and password so that she could check out the site. Apparently my cousin has posted a few things, which is why it seemed that I was a freshman. Sorry. I know for a fact that she is enjoying Colgate so far, however that does not change my experience. I just wanted to lend a different perspective. Sorry for the confusion. I know many (even the majority of) people who go to Colgate love it.</p>
<p>Thank you for writing beachedout. I have to admit your description just about echoed what was going through my mind during our visit- it really is the middle of nowhere. D was convinced that everybody has fun staying inside all winter, but it sounded a little fishy to me. As for nothing/lots to do- it reminds me of being on a cruise ship- one person can look at the day’s agenda and think “how will I fit this all in”, another person will just say “snore”. It is valuable for kids thinking about Colgate to get more than one side of the picture.</p>
<p>Colgate to NYU. How could you be more different. Obviously, beach, you did not know what you wanted. Glad you found it. Clearly NYU would not be for everyone either.</p>
<p>I would like to add to what I wrote.</p>
<p>My niece went to Colgate, LOVED it and now lives in Philadelphia. She treasures her Colgate memories and gets together w/ Colgate friends, living in NYC, Washington DC and Philly regularily. NOW she also enjoys living in a big city.</p>
<p>My S attented Colgate and LOVED it. He had some amazing experiences affiliated w/ one of his EC’s including traveling the country, singing in venues not usually experienced by most, let alone college students. (Singing at the LA Lakers, NY Giants, Boston Redsocks, openings (to give a few examples)).</p>
<p>My D1 has a job offer in NYC after she graduates this spring from an upstate NY school. The school is not Colgate but is not located in a big city. She may live in NYC for the rest of her life. But she will probably never again experience the wonderful small town college experience she has had the last four years.</p>
<p>You have the rest of your life to live anywhere you want. You only have four years of college (usually). If you want your college experience to be the same as the rest of your life, so be it. But if you want it to be about college and it’s unique environment and opportunities for this unique four years of your life, embrace a school w/ a campus environment and exciting lectures, concerts, many EC’s and, yes, parties.</p>
<p>The threads title “Warning” is a disgrace.</p>
<p>Even as a recent Colgate graduate who had the time of my life over four years, I do not think that beachedout09 is at all wrong. Its true, Colgate University is not for everyone, and not everyone would enjoy it in Hamilton. I loved my time there, and still miss it on a weekly basis. While I have plenty of friends who share my passion and love for the school, I also know a few students for who Colgate was not the right choice, and they would have been happier somewhere else. </p>
<p>I posted these articles from the school’s newspaper in a previous thread, and am posting them again because they do a great job of outlining the “two Colgates” that exist. They describe the type of student who would be a good fit for Colgate, the kind who will probably not be, and the tensions that surround it. </p>
<p>[Maroon</a> News - CCLS Spotlights Greek Life](<a href=“http://www.maroon-news.com/news/ccls-spotlights-greek-life-1.856710]Maroon”>http://www.maroon-news.com/news/ccls-spotlights-greek-life-1.856710)
[Maroon</a> News - Climate Survey Results Released, Shed Light on Student Experience](<a href=“http://www.maroon-news.com/2.5269/climate-survey-results-released-shed-light-on-student-experience-1.801367]Maroon”>http://www.maroon-news.com/2.5269/climate-survey-results-released-shed-light-on-student-experience-1.801367)
[Maroon</a> News - Roelofs Holds Forum on CCLS](<a href=“http://www.maroon-news.com/news/roelofs-holds-forum-on-ccls-1.937213]Maroon”>http://www.maroon-news.com/news/roelofs-holds-forum-on-ccls-1.937213)</p>
<p>I have also come to believe that Beachedout09’s failure to initially realize that Colgate was not the school he/she thought it was may not have been his/her fault. IMHO Colgate admissions presents a picture of itself in its admissions literature that is more the Colgate they are aiming for - diversity rivaling the U.N.; more sober activities than you know what to do with; Greek life a minor factor; heavy student emphasis on academics; great town/gown relations; kumbaya interest housing, etc. - rather than the Colgate that exists. Unfortunately, some students do not separate admissions fiction from reality, and end up at a University where, if they had been presented a true snapshot of the school, may have made a different decision and are unhappy as a result.</p>
<p>As another recent Colgate graduate, I would have to say that the Colgate that admissions is aiming for does exist. It just depends on your individual experience. </p>
<p>I was involved in culture groups on campus, which are very active. ALANA had great programs as well. Yes, statistically Colgate is not the most diverse school, but for me, the strength of the cultural groups’ presence far outweighed the actual numbers and it always felt very diverse to me.</p>
<p>I never experienced pressure to drink. It is true that there is not necessarily an activity every night of the week specifically for those that don’t drink, but as long as you have friends that aren’t budding alcoholics, you’ll be fine. Living in sub-free housing really helps that (for what it’s worth, I didn’t live in East and still never had a problem if I chose not to drink sometimes). Even if you attend parties where alcohol is present, I never once experienced or saw peer pressure. If someone offered you a drink and you said no thanks, it was no big deal (more for them, too!).</p>
<p>I never went to a single Greek event in four years. It was an incredibly minor part of my and my friends’ experience at Colgate. Only 40% of those eligible and 30% overall of students are involved.</p>
<p>There are many very academically focused students, I was one of them. I never felt like the odd one out because of that. People respected you for being studious. It’s entirely up to YOU how academically focused you want to be.</p>
<p>I didn’t live in town, so maybe I can’t speak as well on town/gown relations, but (again) in my experience, people were genuinely nice. The farmer’s market was wonderful and store owners were friendly and welcoming. I miss that atmosphere, now that I live in NYC where everyone is bitter and rude, haha!</p>
<p>I lived in “interest housing” in the Townhouses my Junior year and it was amazing. The school was really supportive and helped sponsor events in our house, we all got along really well, and aside from the girls in the attached townhouse setting off the fire alarm at 3 am one Tuesday morning trying to toast a bagel, it was a really great experience.</p>
<p>Another one I hear all the time is the hookup culture. Yes, it’s there if you want that. The most of my friends and I were actually in serious long-term relationships, most of which are still intact even a couple years later. Atypical, maybe, but not impossible.</p>
<p>The original post claims that class registration is difficult. Yes, it’s possible you won’t get every class you want, but after touring dozens of schools, I think Colgate’s is a really easy process, especially once you declare your major. It’s all online, so you don’t have to run all over campus on the first day getting signatures, you can usually talk your way into classes by showing up the first week, and if you’re in a popular major, you get to register for classes first once you’re declared. If you’re abroad, the registrar’s office will do it for you. They want you to graduate in four years, so they won’t let it not happen because of classes being full.</p>
<p>I loved Colgate, despite the fact that my experience there was apparently pretty much the complete antithesis of the “real” Colgate as dunkswfur experienced it. That’s one thing I loved most, was that all of the options were there for you to choose from. You just might have to look for it.</p>
<p>Allow me to clarify. </p>
<p>My point was not that my Colgate experience was anymore “real,” but rather that Colgate’s presentation of itself highlight things to appeal to a certain kind of student. Yet the data from the CCLS (Maroon News articles linked in my previous post) shows that the students who are most satisfied with their experience at the school, are not the kind of students Colgate’s admissions staff tries to appeal to. While I don’t doubt that lydia08 was satisfied with her time at the school and had a tight-knit group of friends, I think she would agree that socially and academically, most students were not similar to her. </p>
<p>It would be impossible for any school to be a fit for all kinds of students from all demographics and like almost all liberal arts schools, Colgate has a “type.” This has both its benefits and its downsides, but to gloss over the fact that it exists would be a disservice to the College Confidential community and the whole point of this site, and those like it, operating.</p>
<p>I would agree that those are definitely stereotypes about Colgate and at first glance, it seems to be true, but I hate to see someone who would have loved Colgate and thrived there scared off because Colgate is supposedly only for rich white kids involved in Greek life, or because they don’t match the profile of the “typical” student. Even students who are superficially and demographically white, preppy, rich, etc. can have surprising depth and don’t necessarily match the stereotypes at all once you get to know them. Just because someone walking by is wearing a polo and khakis doesn’t mean they’re not a geology nerd with a 3.8 and an interest in obscure indie music.</p>
<p>I did not attend Brown, BYU, Morehouse, or Swarthmore because I would not have been comfortable in those environments. While, I probably could have eventually sniffed out a niche and thrived, fitting in and having things in common with the vast majority of those around me was equally as important as the quality of my education.</p>
<p>I for one do not equate a “typical” Colgate kids as being boring, shallow, or uninteresting. Quite the opposite. As a group, Colgate students are social, well rounded, engaging, and able to hold their own in conversation on a wide variety of topics. You may be wearing a shirt with a pony on it, and maybe even have a trust fund, but if you go/went to Colgate, chances are your interesting, smart, and can party with the best of em.</p>
<p>Like you would hate for Colgate’s sterotypes (which in my experience were not just a first glance thing, but a four year thing) to turn someone off from Colgate, I would hate for someone to regret attending the school because Colgate is not entirely forthcoming in its depiction of itself.</p>
<p>Dunk and Lydia- thank you both for trying to paint a three dimensional picture of Colgate life. It would really help if both of you would post with your impression of what kind of student would be happy at Colgate, and who would not. D is very serious about going there, but also a little nervous as being pretty much locked in with a fairly small class.</p>
<p>I never said “typical” meant “boring, shallow or uninteresting,” just that even though someone might at first glance be what you consider typical (a partier, not heavily focused on academics, well off), once you get to know them they often don’t fit the stereotype.</p>
<p>I don’t think Colgate is not forthcoming - a walk around the campus is more than enough to showcase the “typical” student. Admissions emphasize the other factors because they’re not nearly as obvious to someone who has spent only an hour on campus or has only heard about Colgate’s preppy/rich reputation from others.</p>
<p>I also don’t think everyone could be happy there. I just disagree that not being a typical student is the cause of that mismatch.</p>
<p>What characterizes the “typical” student in my opinion is that they are all very motivated and passionate. That may be focused towards sports, future career goals, academia, extracurriculars, Greek life or whatever else, but most everyone works very hard for whatever it is that engages them. Someone who doesn’t want to get involved on campus or participate in class and just wants to doze off in the back of a huge lecture hall or just be a number on a campus of thousands would not be happy at Colgate, nor would someone who is 100% sure that they are only happy in a very urban environment.</p>
<p>Like any school, a walk around campus does give a good impression of the student body and life at Colgate. But since Hamilton is isolated, not everyone is able to visit before they apply, or in some cases attend. So if one were to make a decision based purely on the pamphlets, brochures, etc. that Colgate makes available to potential students, they could be in for a surprise when they arrive. Colgate tends to overemphasize some aspects of student life and really downplay others. I do not know the circumstances surrounding beachedout’s decision, but can see he/she expecting life at Colgate to be one way when applying only end up after frustrated enough to transfer. I think another good site to check out would be ***** as the reviews on there are all written by students and can be rather frank and honest. </p>
<p>In terms of what kind of person would be happy at Colgate, lydia and I both seemed to have loved our time there but from what I can tell, were on opposite ends of the spectrum. So the question of what kind of student would be happy at Colgate is not necessarily easily answered. Lydia is right, Colgate students are motivated to do well and follow their passions. The student body’s attitude is pretty well summed up with the their unofficial motto, “work hard, play harder.”</p>
<p>You mentioned that your D is concerned about Colgate’s small size. For me, Colgate was not much larger than my high school. But its size was one of the things I enjoyed the most about my time there. I loved walking into class at the beginning of the semester and always having someone to sit next to, saying hey to 10 people on my way to class, walking into one of the bars and knowing 95% of the faces inside, etc. But it was still big enough that I was still meeting people and making new friends even in senior year. The flip side of its size is you can not be as anonymous as I imagine one could be at say, Michigan or Wisconsin, so people know a lot about each other, both the good and the bad.</p>
<p>Why was the original post edited? It doesn’t work if people keep editing their posts. Then all the posts after the edited post look silly.</p>
<p>Tagbanda I am unsure what your are referring to. The original post was not edited. Perhaps you started on page 2 of 2 and that lead to the confusion.</p>
<p>No, the original post WAS much longer, describing the culture. I’m actually glad it was edited though, as I think it went a little far.</p>
<p>
It wasn’t this short.</p>