 |
| The Dark Side |
 |
| The Light Side |
The second day of the tour started out with a visit to
Hamilton College. Set apart from the other schools we saw (along with most other schools in the country), Hamilton is a liberal arts college with an open curriculum. This means that it is best suited for self directed students who are intellectually curious. There is also a serious emphasis on writing (there is a quill on their quintessential weather vane prominently featured on many marketing materials). Within the open curriculum, students do have the requirement of taking a writing intensive course and a quantitative course, but they can come from any department of their choosing. After a failed foray into founding a women's college (Kirkland) in the late 1960s, Hamilton became co-ed in the 1970s, with a legacy of these two sides of campus referenced today as the light side and the dark side (not too surprising given when Star Wars came out). These dual personalities - one traditional and conservative and the other funky and liberal - still appear to endure and Hamilton sees itself as a home that embraces all types of students with all different personalities. But, those who thrive are described as being 'smart as hell but don't take themselves too seriously." They identify schools like Davidson, Carleton, and Grinnell to be their spirit animals - an impressive group. Note, when it comes to admission Hamilton's unique edge also shines through. They have a testing 'flexible' policy that allows students to submit alternate combinations of subject tests and AP exams in place of the SAT/ACT. They also are open about the value put on demonstrated interest and are a school that does still recommend having an interview. I will say, as a person who has gone on a lot of college tours, I've never seen a tour guide say hello/be greeted by so many people during the course of the tour. He even got an unsolicited hug from his Biology professor while he was explaining the dining options. If you aren't sure why some people are drawn to small schools, that's why.
Our final stop on the tour was
Colgate University, located ironically in Hamilton, New York. Again we found ourselves at a school deeply committed to the liberal arts. There seemed to be a constant theme of the value of interdisciplinary study and combining academics and co-curricular life. The 'largest' of the schools we saw at 2,900 students, Colgate is also different from the other three because it has Division I athletics and a core curriculum. The core has been around since 1929 and consists of five mandatory courses: two relating to the Great Books, one on communities and identities, one on scientific perspectives, and one on global engagements. All courses are, you guessed it, interdisciplinary. Greek life is a large part of the social scene, but students can't rush until their sophomore year. Here demonstrated interest is not a huge factor in admission (though, to be fair, almost half the class comes in ED, so that is technically demonstrating a lot of interest. But, they say they aren't paying attention to visits or phone calls until it comes to the waitlist). I would be remiss if I talked about a visit to Colgate without also mentioning the physical layout of the campus. Be prepared for a big hill. If you aren't crazy about walking up/down a serious incline (and doing it in the snow), this won't be the campus for you. At the same time, if you want a built-in way to ward off the Freshman 15 that also provides stunning views of the surrounding town, add this to your list pronto.
A huge thank you to Skidmore, Union, Colgate, and Hamilton for hosting me on this tour. I learned so much about these four schools and can't wait to share that knowledge with ElRo students!
Posts
