Colgate University Top Questions

Most of the people who fit one of these stereotypes tend to fit all of them, and they tend to be a really active part of the Greek System. There's a crowd of about 30{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of the campus who does go out every chance they get, but that group of 300 kids all know only each other, which is how the stereotype that EVERYONE gets drunk every day came about.

There are a lot of the popped-collar, plaid-shorts-wearing type on campus--but that's not all we have! Any private college will have those types (even Ivies, ever heard of a legacy?) and so it matters a lot which extra-curriculars you're involved in...that's where you'll meet people who are into your kind of thing

Most people here aren't really snobby but the other stereotypes are very true.

Sort of. On the surface they are accurate, and there is not that much racial diversity, however Colgate does a very good job of choosing interesting people who have the energy to try new things and to participate in events and activities. This energy and willingness to become a member of the community is what makes Colgate special. Colgate provides people with plenty of opportunities for interesting events/activities and I think that the students live up to the standard of reciprocating with the school by participating in these events.

I do not think that these stereotypes are accurate. The student body is actually pretty diverse, especially for a school in such a rural area. There are many minority students as well as many international students. If you chose not to drink, there are many other options available. Just because Colgate is in a rural area does not mean there is nothing to do. Colgate has a very active campus and things are constantly happening.

not as preppy/waspy as you would think. a good amount of the campus drinks A LOT. and not just casually, i know many people who drink to get black-out drunk.. Sometimes I find it hard to believe how good looking our campus is. The boys here are so good looking it hurts some times. A lot of people are into working out and there are athletes every where.

Yup!

Partly. The student body IS largely comprised of those from upper-middle class backgrounds. There's also preppy vibe on campus, but it's not overwhelming. Hamilton is small and in the middle of nowhere, but there's so much to do on campus that you forget you're in central New York. If you're the type of person who likes to go out, you'll fit in perfectly here, but if not, there's enough offered for the small minority that doesn't party.

While we do work really hard, many students also participate in a variety of extracurricular activities, and so everyone's social life does not boil down to studying and drinking. Yet, there is truth to the stereotype, and students do like to kickback on the weekends and some weekdays as well. Students like to have fun, it's college, and we know how to relax when we can. It's really easy to participate in the social scene most nights, and so it's best to find a balance between work and play, and some students are better at this than others. There are a lot of preppy dressed kids at Colgate. You see a lot of j-crew catalogs in the mail room and a lot of j-crew clothing on campus. But, this stereotype has become less prevalent over my four years. I don't know if this is because it has actually lessened or because I have become exposed to lots of different people and different styles through my extracurriculars.

Yes. Def.