Colgate University Top Questions

There is a certain awareness of racial, religious, LGBT groups on campus, emails are sent out, banners are made, but I don't know if any impact is made or any success is had. Most students dress nicely to class, button downs, sweaters, polos and designer jeans with fashionable sneakers, boots or of course, Uggs. If you want to interact with people of different backgrounds you do, if you don't, then you don't. There is a section of the dining hall that the African-Americans predominately eat at. Most Colgate students are from New York or the rest of New England area. Most students are very well off. BMWs, Lexus's, Escalades, etc. Some flaunt their wealth, others don't. Students care and discuss politics but we are in a bubble. Current events are discussed but not broadcast around and there is not a lot of activity on campus.

Colgate is the most homogenous place I've been at. I am white and rarely see people of other races, black or Asian, specifically. When I do see African Americans, they tend to always be in groups or with an affinity club, which is kind of disappointing because I almost feel excluded or that they are trying to separate themselves. I am friends with a few black people, no asians, whereas at home, two of my best friends were Asian and three of my closest friends were black, so it's definitely a change-up. It doesn't seem that there is an obvious racial separation - it's not like there is prevalent racism on campus - but I do find lots and lots of white people and lots of white people always hanging out together.

colgate definitely attracts a certain kind of person, but the admissions office is working on breaking that mold and that idea. i stand by the mantra that most students work hard and play hard.

Most of the student body is from CT, NY, NJ, OH, or somewhere nearby, but there are still a lot of us from other parts of the country (three of us in just my grade came here from the same high school in Minnesota). Students are athletic, fit, preppy, happy, outgoing, etc.

The student body is not particularly diverse. There isn't any friction or conflict between different groups, but people still tend to self-segregate. There seems to be a group for pretty much every student, but the population is definitely dominated by upper-middle class white kids from the East coast, many from private schools. Probably 95 times out of 100, someone is from either New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Mass., or California (in that order). That said, everyone is extremely friendly and laid back and it is very easy to make friends. People here are always involved in some club or organization, and the school tends to be very open to new ideas from the students. My advice is to get onto the different boards that the school makes, as these seem to always be well funded and respected by the administration.

Great students, I love my friends.

There is some mixing between different groups, but for the most part, groups can become very segregating, whether it is a club, sport, organization, or greek system. One keeps one's groups of friends, and branching out occurs only through involvement in other groups that one might be in. Students are mostly liberal, but the political spectrum is all encompassing.

Colgate's student body needs more diversity. Minority and International students are still under represented.

PRETTY MUCH WHITE KIDS HANGING OUT WITH WHITE kids a few minorities sprinkled about but racial groups tend to stick together

There are groups for everything at Colgate. That's pretty much all I need to say. Colgate is definitely a dressed-up place when it comes to clothes. It's really only acceptable to slouch around in lounge wear in the early morning or on the weekend, unless you're an athlete. Otherwise, most people at least make the effort to put on jeans. I'd say that it's definitely a fashion-forward campus. Colgate students come from everywhere, including abroad. There are certainly more kids from the East Coast than the West, but Colgate is a good enough institution to attract people from all over. Also, financial aid here is great, so there's a good mix of economic backgrounds. Class and group lines aren't very obvious here either; unless you flaunt it, no one cares. Colgate is pretty cohesive. As to politics, I actually see more liberal activity on campus than conservative, but both groups are equally active.