Hamilton College Top Questions

the professors are incredible (for the most part.) i took Cicero, Hamilton, and Jefferson with Professor Rubino sophomore year and it was fantastic. my favorite courses are on the smaller side (which usually indicates that those enrolled actually want to be there and aren't just looking for a classroom they can hide in and still get an A) and place a great deal of emphasis on class discussion. students aren't very competitive, which isn't to say they aren't motivated, but that they understand the benefits of synergy rather than competition. the mathematics and classical studies departments are rife with fun, thought-provoking professors. i love hamilton's chill attitude toward the selection of courses, but seniors are closed out of a lot of electives because of their class year.

All the Professors know your name by the first or second day because of the small class sizes.

Professors at Hamilton are great -- you're not just a number to them, but rather they really get to know you. They may invite you over for dinner or meet your senior seminar group at the Pub, but regardless of how you're getting to know them, they really care.

One thing I love about Hamilton academically is that you get to know the professors in your department so well that it doesn't even seem like they are professors anymore. I have been on a first name basis with all of my psychology professors since my freshman year. Everyone in the department is so friendly and the school is small enough that you can get a ton of individual attention from the professors and ask them for help whenever you need it. The genuineness, love for teaching, and compassion that these professors show their students is unprecedented. I could not be happier with the opportunities I received academically during my four years here.

professors are great and know my name. students work hard and talk in class. we are smart kids and show it. students always want to beat each other out. computer science majors are the best and the professors are the best.

I'm in the Hispanic Studies department (Spanish), and I was double-majoring with Chinese until this past year. My professors know my name, but outside of class are not very friendly. I come from a very small town at home so I'm used to knowing everyone when walking down the street, and even the people I don't know I still say hello to. That does not happen here at all. Most people keep to themselves or their own groups, and that goes for professors as well. I do not spend time with my professors, and in fact, I feel that my attempt to speak with them outside of classroom time is a burden on their life. My favorite class has been a computer science course. The professor is very understanding, hysterical and really energetic. You can tell he knows the information and does not take himself so seriously that he lacks all sort of communication ability with his students. Some professors think of their subject as being the only subject and their insights into life as being the only way to think of things, but he does not. Everyone participates in class, but there are no intellectual conversations outside of class. Rarely would I overhear a conversation about anything more than random social things when walking around campus or sitting in the dining hall. Students are not too competitive. The academic requirements aren't very difficult, and I'm glad that there is the ability to choose what you want to take without having a set of core courses as many other liberal arts schools have. Hamilton educations are geared towards learning for learning's sake. This semester I am taking an education class where I go and teach ESL to refugees in Utica, and this is the first class that has actually given me some sort of real world experience.

Hamilton has no core curriculum, which is one of the biggest pulls for the school. This means once you pass an easy qualitative literacy test or class, and take three (actually enjoyable) gym classes and pass an easy swim and fitness test, you have no requirements outside of your major. You choose to take the classes you want to, no requirements. This is great because you don't waste time in classes you are uninterested in, but also means that every student in your class wants to be there, insighting better class discussions and allows the professor to be more challenging. And Hamilton professors expect you to work hard. They are demanding, but my writing has improved a hundredfold under their tutorage and that is an essential skill that I can take with me after graduation. My favorite classes are taught by Professor Ambrose in the history department because even though he is one of the most challenging professors on campus, he is a genuinely nice person and so enthusatic about history he often runs around the classroom or stands on desks to get his point across, which is really inspiring. At the end of the semester he also invites all his classes to his house to have dinner with his family, which is a great experience. The English department is also very strong, although some professors are better than others. I once read the advice from a Hamilton alumni "to take the professor, not the class" and that is really true. No matter the subject, a great professor can make a class amazing and inspiring, and a poor professor can ruin it.

No requirements! All my professors know my name and most show up to my swim meets and choral concerts. I have been invited out for coffee, lunch, or dinner on multiple occasions. Easy to get a B you have to work hard to get an A unless of course you are a communications major.

Academics at Hamilton are superb. The professors take attendance and know me personally. My biggest class size is 35 and I have a class where there are only 15 of us. My classes emphasize discussions and give everyone a chance to share their views. The classes are all so interesting and the professors are extremely passionate about their subjects.

At Hamilton, every one of your professors will know your name. Most of the time you will have a very personal relationship with your professor, which includes them asking you about sporting events, coming to games and being interested in your life outside academics. My personal favorite class is Calc II because its a great class and I have an awesome professor. Mathematics offers a wide variety of mathematical skills including calculus, vectors, linear algebra, differential equations etc. The department has great teachers who are willing to spend any amount of time to help you understand the material.

Hamilton is one of the four colleges in the country to have no distribution requirements. The lack of a core curriculum allows students to take classes they enjoy. The classroom environment at Hamilton is full of energy and eagerness to learn.

In my experience, Hamilton academics have been great. The professors are extremely helpful, friendly and knowledgeable. I have really grown as a student during my time at Hamilton and I wouldn't trade that for the world. Now that I'm a senior, I started to worry that the Liberal Arts education wouldn't serve me well getting a job. However, I, like many of my friends, have all found great jobs in a number of fields and am happy to say that the Liberal Arts education prepared me for the real world in ways that a more "specialized" education couldn't have. We know how to solve problems, we know how to analyze and sell ourselves into any position we want. And that's impressive.

Students here are serious 9-5 kids. We study hard, but know when to put the books aside and socialize. Professors are very accommodating and friendly. I have never had trouble getting face time with a teacher or with meeting their work expectations.

Professors know everyone's name. They expect a lot out of their students and give students the tools to succeed. Students study very often and some students in certain majors are competitive but on the whole, students are pretty relaxed. I believe academics here are on par with middlebury, williams, and amherst, though they are often underrated.

Class participation is very important. I've had only one FANTASTIC professor, and one really good one. The rest were all pretty boring. I'm surprised we don't have better professors. But we have alot of really cool seminars. Hamilton is about learning, but there is a vast Alumni network which ensures you can get a good job.

From my experiences one year here, I think the academics are amazing. For the most part the classes are very small and professors try to get to know each of their students. The best way to describe the competitveness here is passive. Nobody acts competitive but when they find out they got the best grade in class or that their friend is doing better than them, they are driven to do better.

Professors are very close with students and teach all their classes. No classes are taught by T.A.'s. Class sizes are very small, 80{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} under 20 students and most average about 10-12. There is a lot of interaction with professors, and since Hamilton does not have a graduate school, all the research professors do, undergraduate Hamilton students take part in. Class participation is very common and required anyway by most professors. Students are competitive, but constructively. The most unique class I have taken was a team taught, multidisciplinary class on Global Warming that went over not only the science of it, but the politics of it as well. I do spend time out of class with my professors, and often they come to my games. Education here at Hamilton is definitely geared toward learning for its own sake, but a good job as a graduate is also understood.

One of my first classes that I took at Hamilton was Outdoor Adventure Writing. This class was completely awesome. We read books about and by famous explorers such as Shackleton, Lewis and Clark and Conrad Anker and then set off into the Adirondacks for hiking, kayaking and canoeing to have and write about adventures of our own. What an incredible way to start off my first semester at Hamilton.

Professors get to know you quickly, and often invite you to coffee or dinner at their house. It is an open curriculum, so there is no specific math, English, or science class you have to take in order to graduate. This is great, and lets you concentrate on taking classes you like.

Professors are great at Hamilton. They know my name, my friend's names, and probably my dog's name too, if I told them. I study a few hours every night, and then probaly read for an additional hour and a half. Take something from the history or government departments if you have the chance! There are no core curriculum requirements.