Colby College
Reviews

Depends on the Team and Opponent

The men's hockey team gets a lot of support when they play Bowdoin, and football gets a lot of fans at homecoming, but there usually aren't a ton of fans at games.

Drinking Beats Drugs

The drug scene is not apparent at Colby. Some students are involved, but drinking is much more popular.

Colby Is an All-Around School

Whether you're a jock or you're a geek, Colby is the perfect school for everyone. Everyone gets along and everyone is considerate of each other. Colby has a one-of-a-kind community that you cannot and will not find at any other institution, no matter how similar the schools may seem on paper. Colby is diverse, Colby is aware, and Colby is social.

Not Too Strict

You're free to pretty much do as you please at Colby. Campus strictness comes into play if you're abusing yourself or others or dorm property, but other than that, all is fair game. You can do anything you want in your room, as long as it doesn't bother your neighbors. Everyone is very considerate, and this is oftentimes what governs 'strictness', how conscientious you are.

Non-Drug Scene

Drugs are kind of on the back burner. A lot of people smoke pot but not much else. It is generally frowned upon if people get into the heavy drug scene. I'd say it stays mostly underground. However, many people do use Adderall during finals week.

Lots of Drinking on Campus

Because Colby is essentially in the middle of nowhere, nobody goes out into Waterville to party and basically everyone gets drunk on campus, hopping from dorm to dorm and usually ending up at the Senior Apartments. It can get a little repetitive after a while, but if you look, you can find alternative ways to have fun because there's usually always some student-organized event going on, like a performance.

Mixed Housing Is Awesome

At Colby all of the housing is mixed, so there are no "freshman dorms". Of course, some dorms are better than others, but the people you meet in your dorm will be awesome and diverse no matter which dorm you live in.

No Freshmen Dorms

Colby does a really great job in terms of incorporating everyone and making dorms diverse. There are no freshmen dorms, so the freshmen get to know upperclassmen really well and find out quickly there isn't much of a first-year stigma. Most don't even opt to live off campus because the campus is so active.

Come Visit and See for Yourself

Colby is stunning. It's an absolutely beautiful campus with a very friendly student body to match. It is the only college in the country with a four-year Career Curriculum offered by Career Services. Its small size makes it comfortable and ensures each student the opportunity to get involved with whatever they would like. Colby Outdoor Orientation Trips (COOT) make the entire experience possible. They link up ten(ish) students and two upperclassman mentors for a weekend in the wilderness of Maine during their orientation. Some students go on backpacking or canoeing or whitewater rafting trips while others engage in yoga or cooking or sustainability, just to name a few options. The college offers nearly 60 trips to meet a wide range of interests and really connects students to their classmates and mentors the moment they get on campus.

Great Access to Technology

Ninety percent of students have their own computer on campus. Printing is free and wireless so printers end up being used as doorstops more often than for actual printing. Those without a computer can always rent a brand new MacBook Pro or PC from the libraries (or media services for longer-term projects). The campus is 50 percent Mac and 50 percent PC, and Student Technology Services are great with both types of machines so you really don't need to worry about the type of computer you have. There are three 24-hour labs on campus so you can always access a computer.

Colby's Great!

Colby's in a great location in the middle of beautiful Maine where many students go to hike, ski, kayak, or explore. On campus, the people are friendly, the food is excellent, and the professors are engaging. My only complaint is that the dance program is lacking, and there are no dance schools in Waterville to keep up technique. All they have is yoga and very elementary ballet classes. Theater and dance are lumped together as a department, when I think they should be separate.

No Greek Life

Colby abolished Greek life in 1980. However, there are rumored to be some underground frats.

Awesome

Nightlife is stimulating to the taste buds and mind. Students play a lot of games on campus; most people go out once a weekend, but some go out and don't drink and some drink two or three nights a weekend. Colby College embraces everyone who wants to have fun regardless of whether fun is defined as watching a movie or playing civil war. I love it.

Quaint

The town has a lot of amazing food! Wal-mart is the place to shop for most students, but the local shops have everything Wal-Mart has but better (homemade food!). Also, Pad Thai Too has the best pad Thai I have ever had (and I'm from Nor-Cal)! Double Happiness is their best dish; it will make your taste buds come alive.

So Good.

I'm freaking out about a midterm exam coming right up. We work really hard here at Colby, but Colby has a way of blowing expectations out of the water. I expected to study all day, but instead I learned to roll a whitewater kayak, sang some Latin hymnals, had some really funny but insightful conversations (one with a brand new friend, and one with my tenured professor), and tasted some bizarre Brazilian spicy dish (well done, Foss). Any day at Colby can be a pleasant surprise. Just take advantage of the brilliant professors, the friendly atmosphere, and the good life. Enjoy!

I Love Security.

The security officers are pretty easy-going, but they do their job really well. One pesky parking ticket was the worst punishment I've had at Colby. Honestly, the security and I are friends. I know at least five or six of them pretty well, so I always stop to say hello. This paid off—once, a security officer took me and three friends on a personal tour of Miller Library Tower.

Dorms

The dorms at Colby are all fairly new and in good shape. Freshmen are not isolated in their own dorm, but rather freshmen live in dorms with all upperclassmen. All dorms are coed and have all sorts of rooms: singles, doubles, triples, quads, and five-person rooms. Definitely request a social dorm as a freshman, like Dana.

New Student Center

The Student Center opened in the Fall of 2007 and is a popular place to hang out. There is a pub, game room, grill, event space, and post office. It's a great place to meet friends for coffee.

LOVE - Kind of Chilly Though

The fall is so gorgeous! Everyone is afraid of the winter, but it's a lot worse in the telling than in the living. During the winter, it is actually sunny. One delirious morning I looked out of my window and thought I was in Florida (that's where I'm from)—that's how bright it is. It looks like it should be 70 degrees when it's actually 16. Also, the ugly dirty snow doesn't really exist in Maine. It snows too much. Everything looks pristine.

Very Lax

Honestly, no one cares as long as you aren't blatantly drinking in a security guard's face, and even then, they just ask you to step back into a room or throw away the drink. It's incredibly chill. They just want you to be responsible—don't puke in the bathrooms and don't party in the hallways, and you'll be fine.

Easily Found

Almost everyone has a computer on campus, but there is a prodigious amount of computer labs on campus. For example, Lovejoy has four large computer labs and The Library has four as well. Finding a computer is never difficult.

Attention to the Students and Relationships With Professors

The students really matter at Colby. Administration, faculty, and staff really care. Everyone is so friendly; being smart is a given. Also, the professors actually want to learn your names and build a relationship. I've already gone to multiple professor's houses tons of times to have dinner and a lecture, or just dinner. Everyone is very supportive and you can make a difference on campus. Student opinion matters. Colby College is an intellectual friendly atmosphere teeming with discourse between students and students, students and faculty, students and administration, and students with staff.

People Usually Eat on Campus - the Food Is Too Good!

There is a a lot of varieties in Waterville. I can think of seven different places to buy food off of the top of my head. They're really cheap. I always buy food for my room. But, the food on campus is amazing. Honestly, a comedian that came to Colby asked the audience about the food, and we all agreed that it's amazing. That killed some of her jokes; it's a good thing she asked first.

Cute and Fun

Waterville has a surprisingly large amount to offer Colby students. The food is AMAZING. Honestly, they have the best Thai restaurant that I have ever eaten at. Wal-Mart is a huge hub, but a lot of students shop at the local shops, which have a lot more than Wal-Mart. Also, we have locally grown food, which is delicious!

Parking at Colby Is Easier Than at Other Colleges

There are many options for parking on campus. The only negative is that they are all located on the periphery of the college and not central to anything.