Colgate University Top Questions

Describe the students at your school.

Heather

The students at Colgate are intellectually curious, hardworking, and overall quite happy. There are people of all backgrounds on campus and students have incredibly diverse interests. There definitely are separate groups of friends, however different types of students interact often. It is easy to make friends based on where you are living, classes, clubs ad activities, and general interests. The students are open and very amicable, for the most part. It is very easy to have an intelligent conversation with someone whether it be about history, molecular biology, or current events and politics. Students are very aware; they are willing to learn and are open to new and different ideas.

Colin

The majority of Colgate students are from rich families in the Northeast who like their designer clothes but are willing to accept other kinds of people.

Dylan

Preppy and rich white kids

Jim

Colgate students are overwhelmingly wealthy (the school costs $50,000+ per year) and white (most hail from the East Coast). I wouldn't say students 'dress up' for class, but they tend to be put together. The school says something like 22{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of students identify as minorities, but I have no idea where they get that figure from. The campus tends to be pretty segregated along lines of racial and financial lines. The kind of student who would feel out of place is someone who is not very social and does not drink. Basically, a dork.

James

The student body very homogeneous and tends to dress in little more than polos, khakis, button downs, and sweaters. J. Crew, Polo, and Brooks Brothers dominate students wardrobes. Our student bodies are nice- we were ranked as one of Men's Fitness’s' "Most Fit Campuses" and most Colgate kids exercise frequently and are rarely overweight. Colgate does not have much of an arts community nor are the students particularly politically active. We have a reputation of being a politically conservative campus, but I think a better way to put it is Colgate is more conservative than you may expect given that this is a college campus in a blue state. What little diversity exists, is pretty segregated. Those who fit the Colgate mold and stereotype really seem to love Colgate, but those who don't fit the Colgate type, do not seem comfortable here.

Catherine

Colgate students have found some pretty creative ways to manage money during the recession, including "bartering" for drinks, mooching off of visiting speaker lunches, and paying a visit to grandma's condo in Florida for spring break.

Brenna

Fun and friendly to be around.

Martha

Friends I made are friends for life.

Sarail

My class mates are driven and highly intellectual beings whom are strongly involved in the community politically.

Arlie

Everyone at Colgate knows how to have fun, it's a big work hard play hard kind of school.

Laura

Colgate tends to be a homogenous group of people, but even in the few years I was there that has begun to change. Students come all around the country and from foreign countries as well. Studying abroad is a popular thing to do at Colgate which opens students to different cultures, governments, ways of life, etc. There are tons of different groups of campus that get the student body involved, ranging from LGBT groups to intramural sports and the poker club.

Ryan

Small. Friendly. Drunk

Alex

As I mentioned before, Colgate is pretty preppy. Northface fleece and madras shorts are standard attire, and I guess I fit the the mold as well as anyone. Some kids take it over the top with the preppy look and it becomes obnoxious. I'll wear a t-shirt to class some days and some days I'll wear a polo shirt or a sweater. Many kids come from boarding schools, and many more from private schools in general, including me. More kids come from the tri-state NY, NJ, CT, area than any other part of the country. There are not many black kids at Colgate, and those that you do find at Colgate are often on the football team. It's a very white campus. Also, you wouldn't find many guidos (thank God!) at Colgate. If you don't know what a guido is, youtube My New Haircut. 25{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of Colgate students are varsity athletes, and another 50{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} were varsity athletes in high school, so its quite an athletics student body. The gym is usually pretty full. Athletics kids tend to be more confident, so you do find a high concentration of douchebags at Colgate. For the record, I am athletic but I am not a douchebag. Alot of kids will go into finance or other cookie-cutter excel-spreadsheet cubical desk jobs. They will make good money and have terribly boring lives. Some of them don't even seem to realize that this is a horrible existence. Some do realize, but don't see any other way out. I don't condemn these kids, I just feel bad for them. Many of my friends look forward to this fate. Forunately I am a poet, so I look forward to a future of both wealth and freedom. Or at least delusion. In general Colgate is more liberal, but the student body has a good number of conservatives. The administration is almost entirely liberal. They love NPR and farmer's markets.

Brooke

Everyone at Colgate wants to be here. The sense of community and pride in the school is infectious as soon as you step foot onto the campus. Additionally, students take pride in their appearance and tend to put themselves together for class. Jeans, an oxford button down or sweater usually does the trick. Rainbows are worn from from the time the temperatures climbs to 30 degrees! At the same time, people always sport their Colgate gear whether it is just walking around campus to going to the gym or a sporting event.

Shannon

An extremely involved group of people. Because students needed to be really involved in high school in order to be accepted into Colgate, they continue to volunteer, play sports, take leadership positions and get involved on campus.

Meghan

For me, high school was everything that I could've asked for. I had best friends who were there for me, I played sports and got good grades. Coming to Colgate where I knew no one and knew nothing was a daunting feeling but the people there are the reason that Colgate is so special. I know that it sounds cliche but now I can't imagine my life without these people in it. It's true that when you live with these people, they become your family, your support system and they are the reason why Colgate has been such a positive experience for me.

allison

Many Colgate students are from the east coast, predominantly New Jersey or New York. A lot of the students come from money. It doesn't really seem like that many Colgate students are politically aware and there really isn't any sort of political activism. It's also harder to show that though I think because we're in such a small town. At Wisconsin it was more prevalent and apparent, but perhaps that was because it was in an urban setting and the student body is much larger so there is a greater chance of some sort of political activism. I think it's easy to turn a blind eye and say that I haven't experienced or really witnessed any racial, religious, LGBT, or socio-economic prejudices or discrimination, but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist. There have definitely been instances where I've heard negative remarks regarding these issues but I guess they dont really stick out in my mind. Maybe because I choose to ignore them too...

Scott

Colgate's student body is surprisingly diverse although you will not necessarily interact with everyone. Students interact and are all friendly but there is not pressure or tension between any groups.

Wil

Students body is a mixed bag. I believe you will meet every type of person in the world at Colgate and it prepares you for the real world. You learn how to navigate different groups of people and different opinions. Its a particularly affluent community of students, but its a very open community.

Jack

As I wrote before, the Colgate student body is generally rich, white, and from the East Coast. The few minority students on campus are generally isolated in the Harlem Renaissance Center by choice. In my opinion both sides need to make more of an effort in order to come together both in and out of the classroom. Most students are preppy, and politically students range all over the spectrum yet no one is really politically active. A typical dining hall scenario would see lacrosse players at one table with their "laxtitutes", a table of African-American students, several tables each hosting distinct fraternities/sororites, and a table of "geeks". While they may all seem different, all groups interact to some extent given Colgate's small size and the tendency of just about everyone to party on the weekends.

Torry

see the big picture

Charlie

Colgate's geographical location guarantees that it is as out of place as a balloon at a cactus farm. It is a liberal island in a sea of vehement conservatism. A beacon of wealth and intellectuality that, like the golden dome of the chapel, stands out dramatically from the primarily low-income and minimally educated populace the surrounds the campus. Whereas most of the student body comes from suburbia or big cities like New York, Colgate is plopped in the midst of rural America, ensuring that couture clothing doesn't come in shopping bags, but cardboard boxes. Despite these discrepancies, Colgate students are actively involved in the community. We spread our various experiences and share our valuable knowledge with those who may not have ever left the state or finished education, and we use our youth and talents to make a difference for those less capable than ourselves at physical labor or the equally arduous task of promoting change. Colgate students may be different, from each other and our environment, but that just means that as a student body, we are all the more capable of making a difference.

Jordan

I wish it was more acceptable to be diverse, people here don't as experiment as much as at other schools. There aren't many kids with orange hair or anything like that and I don't know many LGBT kids who are out about it. The majority of students are liberal but that doesn't mean you don't find plenty of conservatives.

Alex

Although Colgate is regarded as homogeneous, every clique is represented at Colgate if you look hard enough. A lot of kids played sports in high school, so a strong majority of the students are in shape. You won't see many fat people here. Politically, most students are at least mildly liberal but Colgate has its fair share of moderates and conservatives. What kids wear to class varies. Personally, what I wear to class and around campus is different from day-to-day. I can go to Frank in a stupid t-shirt and ratty sweatpants with a friend who is wearing a button-down and Timberlands. Of course, be sure to make sure you don't look scruffy if you're trying to attract the opposite sex in class.

Whitney

Colgate is very liberal and most students feel very comfortable going there. There are many different religious groups and churches, LGBTQ groups and culture oriented organizations. All students wear different things to class, the most common is probably jeans, a t-shirt and a jacket. Occasionally - as in any other school/city - there is some discrimination and prejudice, but very rarely. Most students come from wealthy backgrounds but there are also a great deal of students who receive aid or scholarship in order to attend.

Kathleen

Though Colgate students fit the stereotypes of most small liberal arts institutions in the northeast, I think we are unique in that we are actively trying to change ourselves and our campus climate. If you want an opportunity to change the mindset of your peers, or to make some sort of difference, come to Colgate. You will get the opportunity to teach others about your views on diversity. Be patient though, and keep an open mind!

Nina

Colgate is not the most diverse of places. There are a lot of initiatives right now to change this. In the next few year I predict it to be different. Colgate is a safe and accepting place, but it usually recruits individuals from opposite spheres - that is, rich kids with everything or underpriveledged who are promising. It just makes social mixing a little more stratified. I wouldn't say anyone is mean or prejudice, but there are cliches. Students are socially liberal but politically from all over the spectrum. Most students are from the Boston and New York City (both NJ and NY side) area. There are also a lot from Conneticut, Colorado and California. Some from Pennsylvania (like me), DC, Oregon and Chicago.

Lindsay

Unfortunately, there isn't a ton of diversity at Colgate. Most students are white, straight, and upper-middle class. However, there is a significant minority presence on campus.

Michelle

I haven't really experienced any type of discrimination on the Colgate campus but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist. The majority of students on campus are caucasian however. Most students will dress up for class wearing their Ralph Lauren Polos with their designer shoes, but you can also find the students dressed as if they were going to the gym later. Most Colgate students are from New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, the DC area, Connecticut and Florida. With this, the majority of the students come from well-off backgrounds.

Joe

You get a lot of kids from the tri-state area. Students tend to be clean cut, athletic, and intelligent.

Emily

Although Colgate does not have a large openly LGBTQ population, the atmosphere is generally very accepting of these individuals. One of my friends who is openly gay has been his classes president for their entire time at Colgate.

Evan

There is not much diversity here, so seek it out! It's so worth it! As a white male, I just joined Sisters of the Round Table, and it has been the best decision of my life. But we do draw from a small pool in terms of differing life experiences, but we all are unique, so take what you will. There is a lot of self-segregation in general, but we can work toward fixing that. There are all kinds of people here; it's just that it takes more searching to find certain ones, so people sometimes take the easy way out and hang with those who don't challenge them as much.

Blake

It's not a very diverse campus- white, anglo-saxon, christian, straight, from the northeast and midatlantic. it's trying though, to become more diverse and you can definitely find whatever group you need.

Ande

I was a little bummed by the student body's openness to alternative issues. It's not that people are close minded, its that they don't take risks or explore what is beyond what they know. But I also think my impressions are formed by a certain type of student that is a rich, sheltered, white kid. There are a lot of kids like this but there are many other kinds of people here too. I just feel like I see the same kind of person around.

Caroline

There is a large majority of rich, white, straight, well rounded people at Colgate, which can be a bad thing. There are student groups that welcome all kinds of people, but those who don't fall into this category may have trouble finding a group of friends to relate to. In general, students are concerned about the lack of diversity on campus and would like more interaction between students from different backgrounds. Students are very politically active, and many feel a need to enact social change in the Colgate community and the larger national community.

Nick

No diversity. If there were no football team, the student body would be almost entirely white. There is a huge number of students from Westchester, Jersey, and Connecticut.

Jill

Students at Colgate party a lot. It is a work hard play hard mentality. In the library every night until 9 pm then go out and party until 2 am. There is a high population of student athletes, myself being one, on campus because it is one of the smallest division I schools. Teams are very supportive of each other.

Jesse

Overall-pretty homogenous. White, upper-class students that come from the New England area.

Alex

Racial issues, financial differences issues; poor or even middle class students would feel out of place here if they didn't own anything by D&G

Colleen

Colgate's students, in general, are very high achieving and competitive. While the statistics say that the majority went to public school, I find that the type of public school is often very different from mine. Mine was an inner city, very racially and economically diverse school, whereas many at Colgate went to a public school in a wealthy suburb. I was surprised to find how many students at Colgate really want to go into finance rather than pursue something with their major. I think most students here are quite appearance and public image-oriented, and do hope to make a lot of money someday. I don't think that students are necessarily shallow, but I think that Colgate students sometimes don't involve themselves in causes as much as they should. Community service is big at Colgate, but many don't take advantage of it, and I think there is much potential to be fulfilled there. Students are very smart, however, and idealistic, and goal-oriented. We don't compete with each other, we compete with ourselves.

Andy

Most students are wealthy, white and straight. There are, however, a multitude of diversity awareness clubs and no one denomination is particularly ostracized. For the most part, the students get along despite differences in socio-economic income, race, religion, major, greek affiliation or sports team. The type of person who would feel out of place at Colgate is someone who is uncomfortable around excessive alcohol, has a weak work ethic, doesn't like snow, doesn't like the feeling of community or honestly doesn't care about their education. The campus is not very politically active. Some students are materialistic big shots who dream and boast about the money they'll make someday whereas others are the genuine good-doers who want to save the world.

Daniel

As said above, there is very little diversity, which is very easy to understand. I know that if I were non-white, gay, muslim, etc. I would not come here. You would notice this from attending one class and seeing kids in their seersucker/vineyard vines/brooks brothers attire. Cliques dominate the student body, as most people join a frat or sorority or other organization sophomore year and stop communicating with people outside the group for the most part. In addition, the school is small enough that everyone knows who everyone else is. That doesn't mean they are friends or talk to each other, but it does mean when something happens, everyone on campus knows about it. People tend to know a lot more people they don't know than one would expect. I've heard people refer to the school as Colgate High before.

Sarah

The Colgate campus is rather liberal. Every student can find their niche, depending on how much time they are willing to put into the search. Although there are hints of segregation, students of different backgrounds tend to intermingle quite well.

John

The best thing about Colgate is the students who go there.

Angelica

Most students at Colgate are white, privileged, and heterosexual. A lot of the time, they tend to wear the same type of clothing and be involved in the "hookup" scene. It is not fair to judge though, this is an outsiders perspective. Everyone is their own person. (Although, it is hard to overlook the fashion trends at Colgate.) As someone from a much lower socio-economic status, it is overwhelming at times how oblivious most students at Colgate are about their privilege and attempt to engage in critical thought about issues of class. From the conversations I've had, most of the queer community, community of color, and anyone who just doesn't follow the trends of most students here are not comfortable. I would advise anyone who isn't heterosexual, white, of a high SES, or doesn't follow most social norms to find a support group at Colgate fast and stick with it, because you will start to miss having someone to relate to quick.

Becca

Colgate students are well dressed, well spoken, and well bred. Most people come from New Jersey, New York, and New England. Despite their minority, international students tend to be very active in their religious and cultural groups. Every year there are numerous cultural events and lectures and dinners offered.

Jon

As I said before, Colgate is an incredibly diverse campus, bringing together students of varied socioeconomic backgrounds, religious views, and political opinions. Any student will feel welcome here, regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, religion, or sexual preference. We have a vast array of awareness groups on campus. Also, as I had mentioned, students can be cliquey, and Greek life has a prominent presence on campus. Students like to party, but not every student drinks (I would say 80{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} do). Students who graduate from Colgate tend to be successful, and the alumni connection here is very strong. Finally, some Colgate students are politically active, and some are not. Wherever you fall on the political spectrum, there will be others here who share your views.

caryn

Sweatpants, polos, dresses, you will find it all at Colgate. One thing is for sure though - on the first day of "Spring" make sure you get the memo to wear your flip-flops!

John

Personally, I've become involved heavily in religious life at Colgate. I'm in the Sojourners Gospel Choir and the Newman (Catholic) choir. If religion is something you're interested in Colgate has a great spiritual body here that from what i've seen isn't forceful or "in your face" about converting people or whatnot. As for what the remainder of the body is like, basically its a standard upstate school. People dress pretty casually, jeans and a tee-shirt is almost always acceptable, we have a relatively small group of minorities on campus, as predominately white but everyone seems pretty comfortable with each other. As a conservative myself, I obviously tend to notice the liberals on campus, of which i've seen quite a few of, but i've also seen a good number conservatives here, with active College Democrats/Republican groups on campus so we are very well represented. All in all, I think Colgate has a pretty diverse and laid back campus where no one would really feel out of place unless they don't have a soul

Whitney

The Colgate student body is pretty homogeneous and is predominantly a rich white preppy school. There are minorities and international students though. They have a good international student program at Colgate and that's one thing they have done well. Although, Colgate is not diverse, I have a very diverse group of friends from the international community, who come from all over the world. You pretty much choose if you want to have diverse friends or not.