Hamilton College Top Questions

The stereotypical Hamilton student is a rich, preppy white kid who went to private boarding schools their whole life. While there are some of these, there are also a fair number of non-boarding school kids. There is an exorbitant number of North Face jackets and LL Bean boots on campus, but getting into Hamilton requires a high enough level of academic achievement that most students are well versed in reflection and seeking out alternative perspectives to their own. The artsy, geeky dark-siders especially tend to scorn this stereotype and emphasize individual self-expression and non-mainstream tastes.

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A lot of preppy kids and hipsters, but there really isn't one typical Hamilton student. There are all kinds of different kids here. You will see people in J Crew polos and others with mohawks--it really runs the full spectrum.

The stereotype is that Hamilton students are all rich, preppy, and lead a uniform lifestyle. But the truth is: There is no cookie cutter Hamilton student.

The stereotype of Hamilton students tends to be that everyone is white, preppy, rich, and jocks. While there certainly are students who fit into this category, it's not overwhelming. Our campus offers a lot more diversity--we place a great emphasis on the Fine Arts (theater, music, studio art), so many students are involved with those activities as well. We have an awesome Outdoors Club that brings students on trips all the time to camp or ski or, you name it! What's particularly great about Hamilton students is just how involved students are across the board. We may have people who fit perfectly into the "stereotype" but are also involved with community service, or a capella groups, not just sports and greek life.

We stick to the light side/dark side stereotypes... Generally true, but not always. Also, there is a prevailing idea that everyone drinks a lot, which is true for most people

Probably a split between fraternity guys and hipsters. I wouldn't say it's necessarily accurate though, as the hipster population is actually tiny and the school is less than 50% Greek. Even more so, the "frat" guys are very open and easy to get along with.