Hamilton College  -  Hamilton

Hamilton College’s 1,800 students enjoy a small campus community that helps students create close relationships. The school’s location in the small town of Clinton can make some students feel a little stir-crazy, but it also contributes to the tight-knit community character of the school. “Sometimes I do get a cabin-fever feeling but one really positive aspect that comes out of this is that the majority of students stay on campus on the weekends. This gives everyone the opportunity to socialize with students of all classes. In other words it's not just freshman stuck on campus on the weekends,” writes a freshman international relations major.

Overall, students say living in Hamilton is like living in a “bubble” created by students and separated from the real world. “Hamilton as a whole is a little bubble: a place to meet friends, party, make mistakes, live a little and study in a safe environment. Being on The Hill is like stepping into a universe of our own. We all cohabitate independently of the external world—free of tremendous responsibility and blissfully unaware of the world waiting for us a quarter mile down College Hill Road,” writes a senior double-majoring in English and French.

Students are responsible, however, for their academic experience of the school, which has no core curriculum requirements. “Hamilton has no core curriculum, which is one of the biggest pulls for the school. This means once you pass an easy qualitative literacy test or class, and take three (actually enjoyable) gym classes and pass an easy swim and fitness test, you have no requirements outside of your major. You choose to take the classes you want to, no requirements. This is great because you don't waste time in classes you are uninterested in, but also means that every student in your class wants to be there, inciting better class discussions and allows the professor to be more challenging,” writes a sophomore involved in student publications.

Students have the opportunity to participate in research programs under the guidance of a professor, though they often build personal relationships with professors in the regular class setting alone. “Professors know my name, my hometown, attend my swim meets and choir concerts, invite me over for dinner, will pick up things at the grocery store for me (I don't have a car). Ninety-nine percent of the professors are outstanding and ultimately they are the reason I stayed at the school,” writes a senior involved in athletics.

When it comes to Hamilton’s student body, talk of the “Light Side” and “Dark Side” is sure to come up. In the late ‘70s, the all-male Hamilton campus merged with the all-female Kirkland campus and students now refer to the Kirkland end as the “Dark Side” and the original Hamilton end as the “Light Side.” “There are two sides of campus: Light Side and Dark Side. Light Siders tend to be preppier—pastels, popped collars, very wealthy. Dark Siders are more artsy and funky. But just because you're a light sider doesn't mean that you're not friends with people different than you,” writes a senior creative writing major. Although the Light/Dark terminology is constantly thrown around, the overall student body is much more complex. As a freshman economics major puts it, “Hamilton has its conservatives and liberals, democrats and republicans, Christians and atheists, varsity sports teams and debate teams, and many others. One of the best parts of Hamilton is that you can join all of them and no one will judge you.”

Still, some say that vast changes need to be made to make the school more ethnically and economically diverse. “A student from very poor urban areas might feel out of place. The overall affluence of the student body is very real and sometimes in your face, but people in general are very accepting and open to meeting new people. Whether the students are politically/socially/environmentally/etc aware depends greatly on the student. Some kids live deeply in the bubble, others are much more street smart and aware,” writes a freshman.

Hamilton’s Greek life may be less intense than at some schools, but is still party central for those looking for a drink. “I think the Greek life at Hamilton is the perfect balance. Unlike, say, huge schools, fraternities and sororities do not rule your life. You don't live and breathe Greek, thank god. Albeit, they are the main source of parties on campus, but they are very much mixed with the rest of the campus (partially due to the absence of Greek housing),” writes a sophomore tour guide. Hamilton students drink often, though the school tries to bring balance by providing alcohol-free activities. “You shouldn't come to Hamilton if you're not at least open to the idea of drinking alcohol on the weekends. Although the college does a decent job of bringing entertainment onto campus (comedy shows, bands and singers, performance groups, etc.), the bottom line on a Saturday night tends to be the kegger going on in the Bundy dining hall social space,” writes a freshman involved in varsity sports.

Students say there is no reason to be bored at Hamilton because they can busy themselves in one of the more than 100 clubs on campus. Writes a senior music major, “Play rugby, join choir, get a job, volunteer, play beach volleyball—you've got a ton of options for stuff to do. If you're bored, it's because you're not looking in the right place. And if you're still bored, just start something - people will come.”