Colgate University Top Questions

I love the academics at Colgate! It's the best part of Colgate. I haven't had a bad professor yet, and most of my classes have been really interesting and challenging. I learn so much here. Most professors know your name and talk to you outside of class if they see you. You might even get closer to some and even visit their house and have dinner with them.

About half of my professors know my name, I'm in a lecture class of about 75 so it is difficult for her to know everyone. Neither of my Chemistry professors ever learned my name. The library is the hot spot every night. While there is the option to go out, Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, most students don't go out at every opportunity. We just built a brand-new library that is gorgeous, with a cafe inside. Most people study in groups of 2-5 and certain floors are more social that others. Participation in class varies from class to class, in my lecture class there is little to know discussion but my language class is all discussion. Topics that students talk about outside of class vary as well. Some more intelligent than others, but it depends on who you are with. An education at Colgate is either geared towards getting a job or learning for its own sake depending on which courses you take. Sciences and math are all about job skills, English and humanities are all about the learning

Classes are relatively small and this is nice because the education feels more intact and better, however, when signing up for classes it can be a nuisance because there are lots of classes you are unable to get into because they cap the class size. Some of the work I find to be not so bad, while there are some teachers that whip out unexpectedly hard grading. Professors are generally easy to meet with outside of class and the ones I've taken classes from have had a genuine interest in my education - I haven't run into any jerks yet.

Very intimate academic setting. Registration here is SO brutal. Other than that I have no complaints about the academics here. Professors are great, they all get to know you. Very few large classes.

My favorite part about Colgate when applying to schools was its emphasis on student/professor relationships. I came from a small program within my high school where I had two teachers with whom I was forced to call by their first names and knew very well. At Colgate, I have found such amazing professors who are willing to talk anytime, anywhere, and about anything. Just today I sat in my professor's office arguing about current events for an hour, and I babysit another professor's children. In terms of my classes, I never cease to be amazed by the teachers and students around me in their ability to challenge themselves and each other to think and discuss new things every day. I am all about class discussion so I chose my majors because of it (Educational Studies and Sociology) and I simply love class time.

You are expected to go to every class (some teachers mandate it) and to participate a lot in class discussions. Professors are nice and more than willing to help you with anything that you need.

There is no mistake that Colgate is ranked so highly in the nation for its academics. Colgate is intellectually stimulating and challenging, and I have every confidence in the education that I am receiving. Students, in turn, work hard. However, there is no negative competition that I have seen; students tend to be very helpful towards each other. Although I never have experienced the frequent dinners with professors that the Admissions office likes to brag about, several of my friends have. All of your professors know your name and will say hi if you see them around town. Obviously, the professors are intelligent, but they are also committed to being teachers (not just smart people), and they tend to be very helpful outside of the classroom. It seems like every different department has its own favorite professor of the students as well.

Classes are hard but rewarding.

Academics at Colgate are very solid. The professors who are awful don't get tenured. Those who stay are legends in their own right. It is helpful to choose classes based on professors.com, and it is best to choose classes that teach something that cannot be learned elsewhere. Colgate is definitely a work hard - play hard school, and most students are very diligent about doing well. The competition here is much lower than what may be at other schools, except in classes where it is graded on a curve (most Econ classes).

Colgate does need more discussions in class. On the other hand, you have great classmates who really motivate you to work harder and smarter.