Colgate University Top Questions

The best people go here. Great culture. Nearly everyone is friendly. The "colgate hello" is not a myth. It has a great reputation academically. If you don't mind the small town setting that is DOMINATED by the university this is a great place to be. Administration is ? Things are always being updated. Great new library and science center. Updates on athletic center and huntington gymnasium to come.

Colgate students are proud to go to Colgate. With its small size and even smaller town, the Colgate community is always emphasized and you really feel at home when you are here. People are friendly, and always want to have fun. WORK HARD, PLAY HARD - our mantra that comes through so clearly as you see every student cramming in the library and then out that night. The students are connected in this commmunity to each other, their professors, and the administration, and it is not strange to see strong friendships and working relationships among all of them. I have always loved and embraced this sense of community, and while I know most of the faces I see around campus, I am always ready to meet the ones I do not know. My only complaints - the snow and the Cruiser's inability to follow a schedule.

Everyone loves it here. Out of the whole first year that I was here I only heard one real complaint about the school and it was from a girl who didn't fit here and because of this she left.

The best part about Colgate is the students. Everybody seems to work really hard and get their stuff done and then have a great time, and everyone is very sociable and friendly. Also, there is a lot of student involvement, but at the same time people tend to be very apathetic to the "real world." The town is completely geared towards the student body, but its small size limits your possibilities pretty quickly. There is a lot of friction between the administration and the Greek system, but the houses are all old enough that they should be around for some time no matter what. The campus is absolutely beautiful, especially on perfect summer days and snowfalls.

I love classes here and I love the atmosphere. It is a great school!

When I tell people I go to Colgate, most people seem to know someone who went there, or have heard about it, which I always find surprising given the size. I am very proud of the fact of the size that we are that we make a very loud splash. Although I think everyone has different experiences that they will remember about Colgate, I think the friends that people make and the connections made are the most important part. Frankly, the administration could care less about the well-being of the student body, they just appear to care about what looks good for them, and what helps put Colgate higher on the US News rankings. I think that school pride has decreased, evident in the poor attendance at sports events, and the attempt of the school to shut down anything that involves alcohol. I will always remember riding down in a wheel chair at the DKE house at 4 in the morning.

Colgate has helped make who I am today. Spending almost all my time on campus in a secluded area of Hamilton village during the school time forces me to really indulge in the special environment where unlimited opportunities are offered and created. I have taken advantage of many things available at Colgate. Informative lectures, challenging classes, study abroad group, networking events, etc. I owe most of my achievements so far to Colgate. If you come here with the right attitude, you will learn from and love it a lot.

Colgate could be a little bigger or nearer to other colleges, a city- it's nice to be small and have more personal attention and see familiar faces, but at the same time it'd be nice to have the refreshing experience of meeting someone new. Despite Colgate's best efforts, there is effectively no college town here, and diversity isn't as great as one is led to believe The administration run Colgate very efficiently and do a lot to entice/reward/bribe the student population into experiencing Colgate in all ways, academics and culture. For some reason, however the administration has a very negative view on fraternity life and ... two ply toilet paper.

Colgate is a pretty small school located in the middle-of-nowhere New York. Sometimes the small town is a bit stifling, and if you don't have a car it is always a big deal to get a ride with someone else off campus. Even going to Target is a luxury. However, the smallness of it all means that the community is pretty self-contained; you could almost call it a bubble. The administration tries to emphasize how we cooperate with the community, and there are certainly many community service groups at Colgate, but from my perspective the town is very separate from the university. It serves the needs of students when we need it, yet otherwise I feel that we all ignore it. And we love the number 13. It's kind of a big deal.

The best thing about Colgate is that everyone loves to have a good time. As soon as people finish their work, everyone is looking to party and there is always something to do. Another great thing about Colgate is that everyone loves it equally. When I was abroad the Colgate kids (whether or not they were actually friends at school) only wanted to hang out with each other. We have a special bond that other schools can not relate to because we are in the "colgate bubble" and develop a certain life style that is different from other schools. Some people may think Colgate is too small, but I love the feeling of knowing the majority of people out at the bars or in a fraternity party and there are always new faces to meet if you try. When I tell people I go to Colgate they say "wow, thats a great school" or "everyone I know that goes there is absolutely obsessed with it, you guys really know how to have a good time up there. Although there are not many bars downtown, each one is slightly different and the fact that the Jug is 19 and over really allows freshman to join the scene and gives them something fun to do. The one thing that I would change about Colgate is that there is not really any school pride. You would think a division one small school would support each other but really we have very little attendance at sports games. People tailgate the football game and its really fun but then they leave when the game actually begins. Hockey games are also rarely attended by upperclassman.

Colgate is a great size. You know a lot of the people you see in passing but at the same time continue to meet new people with every new class, activity, or function you attend. Hamilton is small and your shopping and dining options are limited but in some ways that is a positive as it encourages students to be more creative and spend less time thinking about material pursuits and instead spend time with each other. Colgate has a great reputation for those who have heard of it. The academics, sports teams, and opportunities here really are fantastic if your willing to seek them out.

The best thing about Colgate is different for everyone because people take from it very different experiences. I'm really not sure what my favorite thing about Colgate has been. Maybe the generally different way it's made me look at the world, as cliche as that sounds. The most frequent student complaints are the weather, it's too small, there's no city nearby, and there's no dating scene. Personally, the lack of dating scene is what gets me.

My favorite thing about Colgate is how easy it is to get involved, whether it is with a club, team, or special activity. One thing I would improve is the availability of transportation. Although not many people are leaving campus on weekends, it's difficualt if you have to leave and you don't have a car. Colgate is just the right size: it's small and personable, but large enough where you're still meeting new people. When I tell people I'm at Colgate, they are either impressed or have no idea what Colgate is. Although not every sports event draws a big crowd, there is a lot of school pride. This comes largely from the fact that the majority of students of Colgate want to be there and like the school.

I know I've made a good choice when I sit back and realize that my biggest complaint about Colgate is the toothpaste jokes. It is a beautiful campus, with up-to-date facilities and professors that want you to succeed. As for the people, Colgate students love other Colgate students; everyone is generally pretty friendly. The small size and secluded location make it a very personal place. I would choose this school again every time. You just have to be ready for a few toothpaste jokes...

The best thing about Colgate is the accessibility to the professors. As a small school in a small town (the town's population approximately doubles when school is in session) it is hard for professors to hide. As a result you get some very tight relationships with the professors; ones that often continue by way of research, advice, or simply conversation after you have completed that professor's class. The social scene is another story, however. Students are relatively nice by day and generally unapproachable by night. Drinking is big at any college campus, but with little-no alternatives at Colgate it is very hard to find a group of people with whom you can have fun without drinking. Now that I'm almost done with my second year I'm finally beginning to build a social base with which I am comfortable, but it seems awfully late to still be struggling with this issue (and you don't want to be in sub-free housing even if you are sub-free; there is a label you will never shed).

I would change the food services, and some of the formalities that are unnecessary and impossible to work around. The campus size is just right, although that is an opinion. For the most part, people have heard of Colgate and know that it is almost Ivy league quality. I spend most of my time in class, at the COOP (student lounge/food area) and in my room. It is a college town - I believe our students fuel half of the local stores and businesses. The administration is good, albeit a little stiff. Biggest recent controversy: a fake shooting threat. Yes, there is a lot of school pride - we all own AND wear Colgate sweatshirts.

The best thing about Colgate is the close sense of community gained from having less than 3000 students. If I could change one thing about Colgate, I would move it about 500 miles South.

"What's the best thing about Colgate?" A sense of ambition that is felt in every aspect of the Colgate experience. "Name one thing you'd change." I'd revamp both the meat choices and the vegetarian protein sources in the cafeteria. "Is your school too large, too small, or just right?" Just right for everything but theater, in which case it's a bit too small. "How do people react when you tell them you go to Colgate?" If they know of the university, they are impressed. "Where do you spend most of your time on campus?" The theater/studio. "College town, or 'what college town?'" "What college town" in that it's located in the middle of nowhere/the Yukon territory of beautiful upstate New York. "What's your opinion of Colgate's administration?" It could use a lesson in humility; there is tension between the admin and the students because of the false sense of trust that is projected by the admin. "What was the biggest recent controversy on campus?" Some chump went on the path of "Oh, why don't I pretend to want to conduct a school shooting" kind of think on JuicyCampus.com, and he was tracked down by the NY Police, gave a statement, &c. "Is there a lot of school pride?" Absolutely. Each year Starr Rink is PACKED for the Colgate-Cornell hockey. "Is there anything unusual about Colgate?" The devotion of the faculty to the students, and the reciprocated drive of the students. "What's one experience you'll always remember?" Receiving my Early Decision I acceptance letter. "What are the most frequent student complaints?" The amount of girls who wear Ugg boots with leggings and miniskirts DURING THE WINTER SNOW STORMS, and popped Polo collars.

The best thing are the people. I love making so many great friends and meeting new people. I would make the school larger. I thought it was a great size for the first three years but then by senior year I felt like there were no longer new people to meet. People are impressed when I say I go to Colgate. I spend most of my time at the athletic center for Lacrosse. Town wouldn't exist without the college. I like the administration on an academic level, but I dislike it from an athletic perspective. Biggest controversy - juicycampus post about shooting people. There is school pride, but not athletic pride. Unusual - it's completely in the middle of nowhere. I will always remember my experiences when the weather gets nice and people start loving life. The most frequent complaints is the bad weather.

Colgate is a place of traditions. We don't necessarily see them every day, but we are living within them. Whenever something has the number "13" on it, you say "Of Course, what else!" (Thirteen is Colgate's lucky number, and it's hard to miss that fact if you hang around here for even just a little while.) You follow the senior honor society (Konosioni) up the hill in a torchlight procession at Orientation, and you walk with your classmates back down in your caps and gowns four years later. You know that "Cornell Sucks". You live for Spring Party Weekend. You've been to most of the men's hockey games in any given season. You wear Colgate gear on Friday the 13th, and even if you're not on campus, you probably see someone else doing the same... and you have a spur-of-the-moment conversation with them like you knew them for years. Did I mention that Cornell Sucks?

Good alumni network for jobs. great campus. fun night life.

Colgate is amazing. I couldn't be paid to go anywhere else. The people are the friendliest I have ever met. While I do spend a very large amount of my time studying, it is definitly worth it. I love it here and am actually upset to be graduating, just because it means I have to leave!

Best: Academics -- stellar, engaging. It's awesome. Change: The weather. Fuck cold. Size: Just right. Reactions: People down south haven't really heard of Colgate. Time: Studying, duh. Or procrastinating. College town: Haha... Hamilton grows on you, it's not that bad, but there's nothing really to do. Administration: Let's face it, administration, no matter where from, is helplessly suffocated by its own bullshit bureaucracy. That consider, administration at Colgate is above par. Controversy: The Greek house purchases were controversial, but few really gave a fuck. Pride: Yes, lots... mostly. Unusual: During orientation, freshman are given hype about all sorts of "traditions" -- it's all crap. We don't have these meaningless arbitrary "traditions" like those retards down at A&M. Listen, I went to college to learn physics, not to shout some fag chant every time a football player scored a touchdown. Experience I'll remember: making out with girls. Student complaints: Students complain about the weather and the small town. And by students I mean freshman. A few pussies transfer out after freshman year because they're too weak to handle a bit of cold and -- for heaven's sake -- to learn how to survive in a place that's not flooded with wal-marts and other evil conveniences of the 21st century. The rest of us stay and learn to love it.

The problem with Colgate is that students don't care about things that are outside their universe. Students do not expand themselves and are concerned with only their own well being. Very self centered group that is not progressive or considerate. There is not much school pride and many students where clothing from other universities. It is also very cold here, don't come here if you can't stand near 0 weather.

It can be stress free at times as long as your comfortable with your academics. The classes I took first semester is what I would change. The school is just right but you might want to have your liscence and maybe a car. People I have met so far are quite indifferent when I tell I attend Colgate. I mainly study in my room because I have a single. The administration I believe is constantly trying to get better. They are a respectable authority figure. The biggest controversy right now is the possibility of removing first years from HRC- Harlem Renaissance Center. Most people do not regret coming to colgate after a while. It was not great at first but i do not regret it. The average student i believe drinks three beers a week. I think there is definetly more to come for me. Frank Dining Hall can definetly use some improvement. Most if all if a student wants to attend colgate he or she should come with someone that they already know. It will work out well if one has that initial support system. Hardly anyone wants to be a fish out of water.

The town is way too small. Makes focusing on school a lot easier but the combination of complete country-bumpkin-land with the ridiculous amounts of snow we get from December to March can be a little depressing. There have been recent controversies over fraternity-house ownership, but Greek life is still significantly present on campus.

I think my favorite thing about Colgate is the small community, because you get to know alot of people really well and become close with them. One thing I don't like is that the town is TINY however, it's like 2,000 people, and you are really isolated from everywhere else. I like Colgate alot but I think I would prefer a school that's a little bit bigger and maybe more diverse. When I tell people I go to Colgate they either go "Oh that's a great school!" or they ask if it's a school for dentistry, and of course you get alot of toothpaste jokes. To be perfectly honest I have not been very impressed with the administration at all. There is alot of red tape, especially with Residential Life, and my advisor and alot of my friends' advisors have been very unhelpful.

The ability to accel in your club or in multiple activities and try new things is supported tremendously by the school. You can easily become very active in whichever activity you choose to pursue. I think the strictness of credit acceptance and transfer credit is ridiculous. It's far too difficult to transfer in outside credits or dabble in various classes that are not your major because you can only take 4 at a time and the requirements for the major are too limiting to give you adequate time to test every subject. It's beginning to feel a little small. But on the same level, it is so cozy and comfortable. A junior year abroad is enough to quell the clausterphobia because you go away at the right time. I love Colgate and I'm still so happy with my decision to come here. It depends on who you are talking to. For an educated crowd or an eastcoast crowd, people know what Colgate is and they respect it for its academic prowess. If you try talking to someone who is not into the college scene or from a part of the country that is farther from the east coast, people generally don't know what it is. You just have to accept that not everyone will know what it is, know that Colgate is a fantastic school and move on. I spend most of my time either up the hill around the quad where classes are (coop) or down on the frisbee field. Hamilton is too tiny to be considered a town with any purposes for entertainment, but that's not what the school is about. You don't think about the town. Colgate life revolves around the people you meet and the things you do (activities and schoolwork). That is what is so great about the school--it fosters fantastic relationships because that is all you can do. No one really leaves on the weekends, and no one wants to leave on the weekends. The life is very satisfying and most people don't feel the need to find external stimulation. There is a real mall 45 minutes away and other small towns that are even closer. The administration is a little strict in its policies, as I said before. But it's fine, it hasn't impeded my plans/life as of yet. An ongoing controversy has been whether or not Greek life should continue the same way it has. Yes there is a ton of school pride. Plenty of people complain about the lack of school spirit in terms of sports (they are trying to fix that, so maybe there will be changes) but there is so much spirit in other ways--on individual teams and within clubs. The Colgate body is very spirited in terms of energy and personalities, but perhaps is not in the same way that a sports crowd is. Most memorable experience (one of very many): going sledding at midnight on a tray from Frank dining hall with my friends Most complaints are about the administration and transfer credits (it comes up a lot with abroad programs out of Colgate).

My favorite thing about Colgate is the size. Though it is a smaller school, I think that the size is just right! The school is small enough that your classes are not too big, your professors know your name, and when you walk across campus you always see someone you know. However, it is not too small because you are always meeting people that you don't know. An experience I will always remember is that as part of the service pre-orientation program I did, a small group and I were told that we had to make a dinner for less than twenty dollars. We were then told that we were making dinner for the Dean of Students and the small group of us ended up having dinner at her house! These is one of the benefits of Colgate's size.

Sometimes it's wonderful to know that everyone knows your name, and sometimes you kind of get sick of that. it's nice though to really feel like you belong somewhere and that this is your home because it's so small. I definitely wouldn't want a smaller school than this. Don't really go into town accept at night to go to the bars and eat pizza. There's a lot of school pride. It's unusual how party oriented our school is because of its small size. Though I'm in a sorority, I feel like Greek like is a little too overwhelming. I can't imagine not being in a sorority and what my social life would be like.

Best thing about Colgate is its size. You can always meet new people, but you're only about 2 degrees away from anyone. I'd change the administration since they seem less and less interested in what students want. People seem to really respect Colgate. No clue why though. Downtown is awesome for the very fact that it's so small, yet has so much. I think there's more school pride than the administration gives us credit for. You can't cross campus without seeing someone in Colgate gear.

The best thing about Colgate is the atmosphere. There's something about being far away from a city, surrounded by only hills and trees. It's beautiful in the fall as the leaves become vibrant, but even more breathtaking in the winter as the snow settles indefinitely. If I could change one thing about Colgate I'd make it a slightly larger school. With 2,800 students, you feel you know everyone.. and I mean everyone. It's still large enough so that you're always meeting new people, but you know everthing about everyone in certain circles. Still, it's very welcoming to see familiar faces around campus. Hamilton is an accomodating college town and caters to student's needs, with its pizza places, restaurants and bookstore. There is community feeling that resonates within the town and on the campus, and you get to know staff members pretty well. Students support local business, and in turn, townspeople support school activites by attending games and events. There's a lot of school pride, evidenced by Colgate gear on the student body (literally).

The best thing about Colgate is that it fosters the ability to excel in academic and extracurricular events. Never would I have thought I would do honors in Philosophy, do independent research in geography or become an EMT to volunteer for the local ambulance corps. But that's the thing about Colgate- it's such a supportive environment with so many opportunities in class and out of class. I love the professors, and they really love teaching undergraduate students. We're always encouraged to go to office hours and talk with our professors about course material or broader topics. Many of my professors have invited me over for dinner-whether it be an invitation for the entire class, or an advisor extending a home-cooked meal to a student, professor-student interaction is a normal thing on campus. Students feel like professors really care about them, their level of achievement in the classroom, and their future. I think Colgate is a great size. I wanted the liberal arts college feel, and I definitely get that from my small classes, and close interactions with professors. But I didn't want to live in a bubble, and Colgate always has a lot happening: lectures, events, music concerts, theater performances, religious events, social causes, student club events, athletic events at all levels, a thriving community, etc. I feel like I am getting the best education possible while still enjoying myself outside of the classroom. We also just built a new science center that is beautiful and has state of the art facilities, and we also have newly renovated library. These centers on campus make me feel like I am at a larger university because I have the resources to do research and work with professors in all departments. The core liberal arts curriculum (4 courses) exposes students to several disciplines, and the classes are taught by professors in all fields which is a great system. So if you love history, you can take your Scientific Core Perspective class with a history professor. I took my core Culture class on The Iroquois Nation with a Religion and Native American Studies professor, and it was so interesting. The background field of the professor will give you a different perspective on the material than the same class with a different professor. And everyone says you fill the distribution requirements without trying, and they are not lying. Colgate students want to try a psych class or take a geology class and before you know it, you've fulfilled the 6 requirements (2 natural sciences, 2 humanities, 2 social sciences). Hamilton is a small town but has a lot happening. There are a bunch of places to eat, a couple delis, pizza places, coffee shops, italian restaurant, sushi, chinese food, and a couple nicer places. There is a movie theater, two grocery stores, and a small organic food store too. Farmers' Market takes place on the village green on Saturdays for the spring, summer, and fall. There are bars in town frequented by upperclassmen. The Colgate Bookstore is also located downtown. Students and the town have a good relationship, and there is a lot of interaction. Students support the local businesses, and students interact with town members through various community organization, service groups, and even service-learning in Utica and Syracuse. Since downtown Hamilton is walking distance from Colgate, and there is a shuttle bus that goes all over campus and downtown, Colgate and Hamilton blend together. Seniors have the option to live of campus, and so that adds to the interaction as well. Hamilton is a small town, but it is a fun town. If you feel the need to get out--which you will at some point, you can go to New Hartford which is about a half hour away or Syracuse with is about 45 minutes away for malls, more people, more familiar places to eat, better grocery stores, Target, etc. I like Colgate's administration and am friendly with many of the deans through various activities including the ambulance corps which has two deans as members. Several students feel that the administration is frustrating, but I don't feel this way. Maybe this is because I am not on student government and have not had to work with administrators on difficult of controversial issues. The dean of first year students is incredible, and Colgate's first-year orientation program is outstanding thanks to her. Upperclassmen "links" serve as liaisons between freshmen and Colgate and help first years get plugged into campus life and academic life. I generally feel like the administration is trying to work with students and meet students needs. It's hard to see major change because students are only here for four years and the administration sometimes forgets that taking three years to implement a new initiative is almost as long as a class cycle through Colgate. Students sometimes grumble about their difficulties with the administration. There is school pride, especially for Hockey games, but I wish there were more. I visited a friend at a large, football-oriented university, and it was a really different feel. Some students do not attend football games or any sporting events. Since we are small, we don't get huge crowds. But, with hockey, Colgate students go all out. We line up hours in advance for our free tickets, everyone goes to the games or watches them on TV. Cornell is our biggest rival, they throw Toothpaste at us and we throw Big Red back and it's a blast. I think one thing that is unusual about Colgate is its extended study program. Extended studies are three week trips connected to one or two classes. After the semester, everyone in the class goes to the area of study. My best out-of-class experience was definitely my extended study to IRELAND that I took in the spring of my junior year. Sponsored by the English department, the extended study was connected to two classes: Ancient Irish Literature and Contemporary Irish Poetry. After the spring semester, about 20 of us went to Ireland. We started out in Dublin and then made our way to Sligo, Galway, and Killarney. We spent most of our days going to ancient sites, and we walked around tombs that pre-dated the pyramids. It was really great to have read literature about the places we saw because it gave them greater significance to us, and the two professors were fun to travel and study with.

Outdoor Education. One of the best programs in the nation. It is the sole thing that gravitated me towards Colgate and it has lived up to it reputation. Students are trained to teach PE courses to their peers and end up meeting a lot of amazing students. Hamilton is also a pretty cool "college town". Has what you need... School pride is a work in progress... it is getting better, most students wear Colgate attire everywhere they go. One experience I will always remember is going sunlight canoeing on Lake Morane. Beautiful! An usual thing might be the hallways connecting buildings... or the cove, organized community service area... "the Jug" a place that scares me but intrigues me all at the same time.. oldest dinasaur egg Students complain the most about the crowdedness of the gym.

Colgate is the ideal size college. It's impossible to walk across the quad without seeing 15 people that you know but yet you meet new people everyday. We may be remote, but it keeps people on campus on the weekends and unites us. We all brave the cold together!

The best thing about Colgate is the quality of the student body. People are generally pretty nice and the average Colgate student is pretty good looking. Also, while the party scene/frat scene is pretty big here, academics is still taken very seriously. I mean, if you're into the party/drinking thing, that is very available. Fridays, Saturdays, Mondays, and Wednesdays are usually considered drinking days.

Best: gorgeous campus; friendly, accessible professors; lots of extra-curriculars. One thing I'd change: ITS needs to catch up and fix the wireless (it can be really slow at high-volume hours). Size: just right. Enough students that we have amazing opportunities and meet new people every year, but few enough that we can actually GET those opportunities for ourselves and you feel like you know a lot of people. Reaction: before I came, "is that a dental school?" but now that Colgate's been making the news a bit, people tend to be quite impressed - the perception is that it's a mini/little ivy. The town: I like Hamilton. All the basics are readily available and it's super safe. If you like clubbing 4 nights per week, maybe not so great, but I came to college to get an education, not an addiction. Administration: good. Fairly understanding. Biggest controversy: Greek-house acquisition, which seems to have died down. That's about it... School pride: people always lament the lack of school spirit, but just because it's not as crazy as at athletic powerhouses like Notre Dame doesn't mean it's not there. People are happy and genuinely like being here, which is a lot more than can be said about other schools. Always remember: study abroad. Absolutely amazing, life-changing experience. Complaints: it's cold. But we like it here anyway, and it builds character.