Colby College
- Local Atmosphere

RT
Currently attending or alumni?
Review this school!
Are you interested
in this school?
Saving your decision
Yes
Maybe
No

Your information has been sent to this school through our partnership with .

This school has been saved to your schools list.

This school has been removed from your recommended schools list.

For your next recommendation, check out .

Colby College - Local Atmosphere - College ProwlerCollege Prowler2.31

Local Atmosphere

Quick Stats

Points of Interest
  • Acadia National Park
  • Bar Harbor
  • Belgrade Lakes
  • Boothbay Railway Museum
  • Maine Maritime Museum
  • Old Fort Western
  • Owls Head Transportation Museum
  • Pemaquid Point Lighthouse
  • Sugarloaf
  • Waterville Opera House

Student Author OverviewWhat's This?

Waterville is typically viewed as a tiny, quaint, and growing old mill town, and year after year, it is becoming more economically sustainable. Though Colby is situated away from Waterville on Mayflower Hill, one can always find Colby students roaming around downtown. To bridge the divide, the Colby Volunteer Center, Burst the Bubble Weeks, and groups like the South End Coalition are working hard to improve town-gown relations. Students also recognize some of the truly unique aspects of downtown Waterville. Railroad Square Cinema is a small, independent movie theater that is well loved by students and faculty, and the Waterville Opera House is a cultural oasis in a town that sometimes seems to revolve around Wal-Mart. The most recent addition includes a Starbucks.

Even though it is situated in central Maine, Waterville actually has quite good cuisine. Pad Thai Too, Last Unicorn, and Big G's are popular destinations for students looking for an alternative dining experience. The newly opened Barrels Community Market carries freshly grown food and organic meats. However, Waterville can be something of a culture shock, especially for students used to looking for trendy boutiques and unaccustomed to Wal-Mart greeters. Most students, though, accept its flaws and enjoy getting off the Hill every now and then. Almost every Colby student has spent time skiing at Sugarloaf, and the 45-minute drive to the Freeport outlets is well worth it.

See how you stack up against students who were accepted to this school . . .And calculate your chances!Register to get started

Colby Student ReviewsWhat's This?

Sort by:

Loading...

Local Atmosphere at Colby College

lareinesoleil

'15

English

3.1
B-

Not That Great

Let's be honest: Waterville is not exactly a metropolis or cultural hub. To do anything, really, you have to go to Portland or Augusta. Let's just say that being here has not been good for my shopping problem -- I do it all online. The local attitude towards students can be mixed; some people really don't like the students, but some really do enjoy our company.

Nov 08, 2011

Comment actions: Rate
Report as inappropriate/inaccurate

Local Atmosphere at Colby College

kmherrim

'12

English

3.1
B-

On It's Way

Waterville is an old factory town that is now trying to rebuild itself. The local restaurants are surprisingly good and a nice alternative to the dining halls once in a while, especially Kennebec Cafe, Apollo, and Pad Thai Too. There aren't many shops in town, but there is a potential for growth starting with efforts like the new organic market Barrels in town.

Nov 09, 2010

Comment actions: Rate
Report as inappropriate/inaccurate

Local Atmosphere at Colby College

hotlawyerson1

'13

Neuroscience and Neurobiology

3.1
B-

Has Everything You Need

There's not much to do in Waterville (except a few restaurants to go to and a movie theater), but anything that you might need to buy can be easily bought somewhere close by.

Nov 08, 2010

Comment actions: Rate
Report as inappropriate/inaccurate

Student Survey Poll ResultsWhat's This?

Rate the local atmosphere on the following topics

What is the local atmosphere like at your school?

What is the proximity to other universities? Is there much interaction?

Can you see yourself living here after graduation?

Facts

Shopping Centers Freeport Outlets
Major Sports Teams
  • Portland Pirates: minor league hockey
  • Portland Sea Dogs: minor league baseball
City Web Sites
Distances to Nearest Major Cities Boston: Mass.: 3 hours, 30 minutes
Did You Know?

Fun Facts about Waterville:

  • Waterville is known as Maine’s Elm City.
  • The series Empire Falls, starring Helen Hunt, Ed Harris, and Paul Newman, adapted from Richard Russo’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name, was filmed here. Helen Hunt was occasionally spotted working out in Colby’s athletic center.
  • Waterville has a large French-Canadian population and hosts great French-Canadian art festivals.
  • The Colby campus was originally located in town, in between the river and the railroad tracks. It got too big and moved up to Mayflower Hill in the 1950s.
  • Waterville is home to the Maine International Film Festival.

Famous People From Waterville:

  • David Kelley – Emmy Award-winning screenwriter and television producer
  • Jeff Libby – Former professional hockey player

Movie TheatersWhat's This?

Flagship Cinemas
247 Kennedy Memorial Dr.
Waterville
(207) 873-7801

Railroad Square Cinema
17 Railroad Sq.
Waterville
(207) 873-6526

Regal Cinema
23 Marketplace Dr.
Augusta
(207) 623-8016

Buy The Guidebook

Most Recent Student Author

College Prowler guides are in the hands of students throughout the entire process. Because you can't make student-written guides without the students, we have students at each campus who write, edit, and survey their peers for every guide that we publish. Thanks to our most recent student author at Colby

Name: Danny Garin

Hometown: Washington, DC

Major: Government and Economics

see all student author bios > Become a student author to help update the guide for this school