Clarkson University Top Questions

I think the majority of students that attend Clarkson have a love-hate relationship with the school. There are many things that we complain about, but at the same time we love going here. Unfortunately, there's not a huge amount of school pride, except when it comes to the hockey games. The best thing about the school is the academics and the opportunities you're provided with, as well as the career placement. Our school is high up on many college rankings, such as #1 in internship experience, top 20 in mid-career and starting salaries (ranked higher than Harvard for starting salary!). The "college town" is very small, with little to do. There are a few bars and restaurants, but you don't have many choices when you want something to do otherwise. The nearest big city is Ottawa, Ontario which is 90 minutes away, or Syracuse which is 2.5 hours. One nice thing about the smallness of the town is everything is inexpensive and there is not a lot to spend money on, as opposed to city schools. There are four colleges within a small area including Clarkson. The other three are SUNY Potsdam, SUNY Canton, and St. Lawrence University.

Considering the other students on campus, staff and administration, dining halls, and residence buildings --- it is clear to me that Clarkson University was the right choice. One factor that may consider when evaluating Clarkson is job placement. Even during current economic times, numerous friends of mine who are senior have received job offers before the end of the first semester. Clarkson graduates are highly desirable to employers – the numbers do not lie.

The Best part of Clarkson is definitely the community of students and faculty. It's a small school so you'll get to know a lot of people really well because your'e likely to run into them in many classes or live in the same dorm. You'll get to know your'e professors pretty well as well because of small class sizes. Most professors really do care about their students and want them to do well, they offer extra help and guidance whenever we need it. The one thing I would change about Clarkson would be adding more landscaping and generally making the campus look prettier, Some buildings are not very pleasant to look at, but Clarkson is changing that with ongoing renovations to most buildings and are adding more decorative landscaping. Most students complain about the amount of work they have here. Professors give out a lot of work and expect a lot out of their students, it's a challenging school to attend. Most people will be impressed that you go to Clarkson, because of the level of excellence and difficulty the school is known for. Employers will love all the experience and knowledge you will get by attending Clarkson. Potsdam is a very small town located in a very, very rural area, however there are 4 Universities within 15-20 miles (Clarkson, Saint Lawrence, SUNY Potsdam, SUNY Canton) so there are a lot of college students, making Potsdam a huge college town.

Personally, I love Clarkson University! I love how the classes are small, so the professors often know everybody by name. Everyone is approachable and helpful. Clarkson also has a great reputation. Whenever I tell anyone that I attend Clarkson they are almost "proud," even if they are a random person in the grocery store. There is always something to do on weekends which is one of my favorite things about Clarkson. Comedians, hockey, musicians, etc. It's an overall, positive environment, all the time!

The best thing about Clarkson University is the community and setting of the college. Located in small-town Potsdam, NY, the enrollment at Clarkson barely goes over 3000 students. This provides a small and personal environment in which everyone gets to know everyone; professors are able to maintain stronger and first-name basis relationships with students to encourage the growth of their education and success. While most people have heard of Clarkson University, it is in a location that often surprises people based on their ignorance as to how big or small the school actually is. Once visited though, Clarkson's institution is a memorable experience that is further strengthened through the support of the town. Potsdam gives students a community that can be considered 'their's during the school year; restaurants, businesses, and bars are largely supported through the student body. They provide the entertainment life that while is unmatched by that of a larger town or city, is good enough for Clarkson students. Clarkson has great student and community pride in our Golden Knights' Division 1 male and female hockey teams. The home games are always filled with local and far away fans, and a student body that is unrivaled in the ECAC league. Clarkson unfortunately has some flaws, ones that have bugged me personally yet have managed to work through. Their food service, Aramark, in my opinion is absolute garbage, which seems to be a common theme among many of the students. I feel that for the amount of money we invest into a meal plan, the quality should be better. As a technological school, we face many unexpected problems such as slow computers and internet. Our school's website only got recently upgraded to the new and clean version it is now (compared to the outdated old version it had been for years), yet is slow to load even in off-campus locations. The campus is not the prettiest, and many of the buildings are outdated structurally and aesthetically. I personally recognize the many benefits of Clarkson, and I also acknowledge the flaws that are present. However, I would have to say that if I had the opportunity to start over and pick a different school, I wouldn't change anything.

There are some genuinely intelligent professors teaching at our school, some of which are also brilliant at conveying the information you need to know to succeed in learning. I would like to see the professors who are using their lecture notes a little bit too much stop using them so heavily, it makes for a more interesting lesson if they are able to present without reading the slides. Not all professors read from their slides, but I think that there is some room for improvement in everyone's presentation ability. The size, I think is just right. I wouldn't as for any bigger because I like the intimate teaching environment at Clarkson. It does get to be a lot of work at times, but I should like to think that all the hard work will pay off since Clarkson has such a strong alumni base and some real power houses recruiting at our career fairs. The biggest followed sport on campus is our D1 Hockey team, which if you like hockey then your in luck because we are quite good. Some years though we are better than others though. My first Break at Clarkson was great. I met some great new friends the first semester, went on a road trip north in the state, then turned around and headed back south for another night staying in Lake Placid area. When we were in Lake Placid, it really had the small town feel, even though it was the location of the 1980 winter Olympics, and that was my first time going cliff hopping as well. This was one of my most fond memories.

Clarkson is a fantastic school. Yes, it's small and in the middle of nowhere - but snow and ice definitely can't keep me away from the close friends I've made and the experiences I've had. There is a LOT of school pride when it comes to Hockey, but not many other sports. On campus, the Student Center has become the social hub since its construction. The town is small, but there are good restaurants (that all take student cards) and there are three other schools around (SUNY Potsdam and Canton, as well as St. Lawrence U) that have social events as well. This is definitely a college town, and life in the town revolves around the college activities. There are street festivals when we come back, and quite a few events in town revolving around kids. People complain that there's 'nothing to do'... but you just have to go out and find it!

My overall opinion of the school is great. It's a top rated school, with great job placement, and I always have something to do. Theres a lot of school pride at hockey games. The administration is always available to talk to, and it's really easy to get settled in here.

I've taken classes at A LOT of different schools, but classes at Clarkson were the most challenging. Because of this, I feel like I learned a lot and so my time (and money) spent at Clarkson was worthwhile. There is an interesting mix of students at Clarkson- from international students to townies, rich kids to scholarship students. And everyone who goes to Clarkson is really motivated and passionate about something at school, whether its hockey or COSI, the computer science club. At a lot of other schools, it seemed like students were just putting in their time but they weren't really passionate about anything they were doing.

Best thing - Greek life. One thing you'd change - the parking situation size - Just right. Reaction - Either they know of it and say "oooh, that's a good school," or they say something a long the lines of "Where's that?" to which I have to go into detail about it being about as far north in the US as possible. Spend time on campus? - Brand spankin' new student center. College town? - Most definitely. three relatively close schools neighbor the surround the town of Potsdam. School administration? - Very personable. Biggest recent controversy - I protested the atrocious prices at the late night dining services. school pride? - medium, nothing too amazing, but I'm still proud to rep my school sweatshirt back home. unusual? - The internet connection is very poor. and it's a technical school...? One experience - freshman year. All of it. Frequent complaints - Internet and parking.