Colgate University Top Questions

My experience at Colgate is within the greek system which is stereotypically white upper middle class students. I think the majority of people I see on a day to day basis are from New Jersey, New York, or Connecticut. It is uncommon for a lot of minorities to be involved with the Greek system and I actually think Colgate is a very segregated community because there is not a lot of diversity which makes it so the minority students usually clump together and interact with one another. Students are usually pretty casual going to class, it is not uncommon to see people in a Colgate sweatshirt or their sorority/fraternity tshirts. Besides that, a lot of students look like they just walked out of a JCrew catalogue.

To be entirely honest many of the religious groups on campus rub me the wrong way. I identify as a non-religious Jew and have found myself put in many uncomfortable situations in which I am made to feel as if I am somehow in the wrong. I have no problem with people being religious, but I do have a problem with people telling me I need to be religious. The student body in general is pretty affluent. Because Colgate does not pursue need-blind admission and is a private school this is an inevitability. Still, there are some more wealthy than others, but it doesn't create much tension on the campus. There are some uncomfortable situations, but that's the way life is.

We are somewhat racially divided. Rich students are popular. We are predominantly politically left, though there are many who are conservative as well.

"What are your experiences with racial, religious, LGBT, socio-economic, and/or other groups on campus?" No group gets in your face. The groups are there for awareness, and then activism if you want it. I have been to LGBT functions as an advocate; in fact, Big Gay Weekend 2007 was tons of fun, and I really enjoyed hosting a student. "What kind of student would feel out of place at Colgate?" LGBT students, though this is getting better with each year. "What do most students wear to class?" Jeans, rain/snow boots (when the season gets going), and a nice shirt. Or sweatpants, t-shirt/sweatshirt, and the appropriate boots. "Do different types of students interact?" Yes, though not all the time. "There are four tables of students in the dining hall. Describe them." Athletic teams, freshmen, and everyone else. (Those are three tables, I know.) "Where are most Colgate students from?" Dirty Jersey. "What financial backgrounds are most prevalent?" Lower-upper class and upper-middle class. "Are students politically aware/active? Are they predominantly left, right or center?" There are a few more conservative-minded students on campus, but it takes all kinds... Students are active, but I don't think that Colgate has seen much in the way of protesting. "Do students talk about how much they'll earn one day?" Yes.

Colgate feels almost completely white so I rarely think about it. I think black students and gay students would feel out of place. Most students wear jeans, tshirts or sweaters - sandals when it's warm. table 1 - athletes 2 - gossipy girls 3 - people you've never seen before 4 - freshman guys who will probably be in fraternities. most students seem to be from the northeast. Most students tend to be well off, financially. Some students seem politically aware/active. THere is definitely a "Colgate Bubble" though.

If you walk onto the quad between classes and take a poll of 20 people and where they come from, you'll probably find that 10 of them came from the NYC Metro area (NY/NJ/CT), 8 of them came from the Greater Boston area, and the other 2 came from California. True this is a generalization, seeing that we have students from 48 of the 50 states, plus international students... but those NY/NJ/CT/Mass people can sometimes dwarf the other population. I don't really think this is a good or bad thing, just something to know. It's great if you want to travel to one of these cities for a break or something, because its hard to miss a free place to crash for the night.

more diverse than people think. our homogeneous student body is a flawed stereotype. pretty accepting place, but the openly gay kids do not choose to join fraternities still.

While not the most diverse campus, people are very accepting of one another. There are a lot of great multi-culture opportunities and students and faculty are working hard to provide even more.

Colgate students are generally socially liberal but economically conservative. Many will grow up to be Republicans but being a liberal is "hipper" in college. Different types of students can interact but you have to make an effort to get to know different people. It is very easy to fall into one category here.

Groups: no experience, really. OK, OK, so I joined the Korean club cause I liked a girl in it. Feeling out of place: Don't think any student would really feel out of place here, unless they are insecure. But that's not Colgate's fault, now is it? Garb: Dress is predominately "normal" -- i.e. no look-at-me artsy types or anything like that. Interactions: Yeah, interactions are generally varied among different types of students. I guess. I dunno. Tables in the dining hall: Boring question. Next. Where from: Most students are from the "tri state area", whatever that means. Financial backgrounds: Dunno, it's not transparent. Lots of middle class students on financial aid who think they're poor (c'mon now, we're in AmErIcA!), but no one really talks about it so as a students I'll just have to fall with the stereotype: Colgate students come from relatively wealthier backgrounds. Politically aware: Who gives a shit about politics? Left/right/center: See above. Earn: No.