Colgate University Top Questions

The best thing about Colgate is how students and professors interact with one antoher. The size of the school is small enough to feel at home, but large enough to still meet new people each day. When people hear that I attend Colgate University, they are always impressed due to its reputation. While on campus, I spend most of my time in neighboring freshman dorms. Hamilton, NY is truly a college town, as the students make up a large portion of the towns population. The Colgate administration is very proud of the institution as a whole and its students, they truly immerse themselves in the Colgate scene. One of the biggest controversies on campus at the moment is the institution's ownership of the Greek life houses. School spirit is always on high at Colgate. Unusual events frequently occur on campus, as each student is an interesting individual with different ideas. Many students frequently complain about the food here, however, they find themselves frequenting the dining halls very often (not only for the food but for the social atmosphere)

The 'gate is the best place on Earth!!!

The best thing that comes with Colgate is the name. You tell someone you go to Colgate, and all of a sudden they have everything to say to you.

Colgate is a small, rural college with small, intimate classes. For me, as a Japanese major and an Outdoor Education staff member, it is the perfect place to study, make friends, and play in the outdoors. The language program here is very good, and the teachers are great (at least in the Japanese department). The Adirondacks are pretty close for hiking and skiing is only 45 minutes away in the winter. Plus, there are trails around campus that are perfect for running, biking, or skiing in the winter.

Colgate is a gorgeous school built onto a hill, overlooking a lake with swans and willow trees. If you're looking for a secluded, beautiful campus with a strong sense of community, this is the place for you. Everyone here is really friendly, and this is one of the safest places I've ever been. On the flip side, the town is small, so if you need to go to Wal-mart, be prepared to drive for a half hour (assuming you have a car). For better or for worse, by the end of your college experience, you will probably know more than half the campus. So it's great to go anywhere and see people you know, but it can be awkward when you hook up with someone and the next day, everyone on campus knows. It's also not a good dating campus, because your friends are your significant other's friends, and despite breaking up, you may still see your ex daily. On another note, this is an incredibly diverse campus. I guarantee that at least one of your best friends will live on an entirely different continent.

People may ask...why Colgate? It's in the middle of nowhere. It may not be in the middle of NYC or Chicago, but that's what makes it Colgate. We are a community that enjoys being at Colgate with one another and spending time on campus. From lying out in the Hamilton green, playing softball on Whitnall field, or watching Dancefest in the chapel there is always something to do without leaving campus.

Colgate, on the whole, is fantastic. This past year has been one of the best of my life. Between its relatively small size, absolutely incredible events and speakers that come here (i.e. Dali Lama, Ben Stein, etc) and the fact that even though there is no "town" per se, there is always something to do on campus Colgate is great. Even if you want to maintain the sober lifestyle there's always something to do. Although I recommend you come here with the intention to drink. It makes life much easier.

Colgate life is pretty much spent within a bubble. We do not really get to experience life outside of Colgate. The town is really small and seems as if it's only there for our use. It sometimes gets boring and kind of repetitive. It's also in the middle of nowhere and the closest city is Syracuse, which isn't too exciting. It snows way too much. It snowed till April this year. The cold is unbelievable. The snow is one of the things I dislike the most about Colgate. You feel trapped.

Best thing about Colgate is the student body, we are all smart, motivated people who are truly kind and generous. One thing I'd change is the weather, it's cloudy and rainy from November-March. For me, the size of Colgate is just right, it seems a bit small at times but it's comforting to know that everywhere you go you will see someone you know. I spend majority of my time either in the dining hall, in the training room (work), sleeping in my bed or at the library. The town (village) of Hamilton is nice, but very small. Not a whole lot to do and we are very isolated, but the college does a great job of providing things to do and access to daily needs. There is very little school pride when it comes to sports. First football game is probably the best attended sporting events. There is a lot of grumbling about Colgate's administration and the tight regulations that it imposes on the curriculum. The most frequent complaint is the strictness of the dining halls on meals.

Colgate is in the middle of nowhere in upstate New York and I thought that I wouldn't really notice that fact, but it ended up that I did. The town is one intersection big and a lot of the time it seems like there is nothing to do here but drink/go out. There's a movie theater, but the popcorn tastes bad. The town is cute, the people are nice, other towns aren't too far away. If you don't have a car though, you might end up feeling trapped. People tend to find their groups of friends really quickly and easily and for those that do, college at Colgate is amazing. For those that don't find that group, it sometimes feels like it's really hard to get into one/to find a place to belong. Almost everyone here loves it, but I've found some reasons not to. I don't have a close group of friends and find it difficult to integrate myself into groups to call them my best friends. I don't play a sport and, as a high school athlete, that was a huge void to fill. Classes can be boring sometimes or they can be alright. The work load isn't too bad and there's lots of time to get the work doe if you're not playing a sport. I find it easy to be lazy here and not want to partake in things that are going on.