Colgate University
Reviews

Moderately Excellent Academics

The academics are for the most part manageable so long as you can put up with doing a lot of reading. Professors are very hit or miss.

Everyone Loves Colgate

Colgate is a cult of people who are obsessed with it. It is difficult to find student or alumni who does not love Colgate. If you come here, you will be welcomed into a community that you will be forever proud to be a part of.

Iffy

The weather varies from great to terrible depending on the day.

Totally Safe

I have never felt remotely unsafe. There is no crime on or off campus.

Drinking and Weed, for the Most Part

Colgate, at least for a large majority of the students, is a very large drinking school. Anyone involved in greek life will tell you that it is very easy to go out 4 nights a week, maybe 5. This being so, mainly alcohol is used by students. Weed is very prevelant as well, but there aren't as many kids who do it every day as much as kids who use it every once in a while, or after they're already out. Cocaine and molly make their appearances, but mainly for certain parties or in certain groups of people. if you don't want to touch drugs, there definitely is not a pressure to do so.

Fitness Center

Trudy Fitness Center, which opened January 2011, is probably one of the best additions to colgates campus. not only is it beautiful, with floor to ceiling windows on the top floor(which houses the ellipticals, treadmills, bikes, and stairclimbers) but it has all of the state of the art machinery. Each cardio machine is equipped with a tv and an ipod hookup, and downstairs houses all of the weight machines. Insider fact: the gym also is home to one of the best things ever, a sauna.

Wireless

There is wireless everywhere and its quite fast. Very reliable.

Points System

At least with the new points system, small infractions do not show up on your record. Your record will be kept clean if you abide by the rules or at least aren't stupid/high enough to leave the swim cap on your smoke detector. If you are smart about the things you do you will slide by. Most of the kids who get in trouble were asking for it.

Good

Boys are more attractive than girls; girls still pretty. Boys may disagree

I Always Feel Safe

I always feel safe on Colgate's campus. In a remote, small town setting, it is very easy to do so. Walking home at night from the library, I feel completely safe and never worry. Campus safety is always nearby, cruising around campus, and the officers are very friendly and accessible. Further, there is the Colgate Cruiser which I often rely on if I decide to head up to my dorm before my friends do.

Harisonf

I would just like to inform everyone that this "harisonf" is not an individual to be trusted. He has written an entirely erroneous review of Colgate University and i feel compelled to bring justice to these reviews. Harisonf has a completely skewed view of this school. He enjoys participating in bizarre activities and pursuing emaciated and disinterested women. I do not understand why he would perceive his judgements to be indicative of the normal person. He evidently does not understand ordinary pleasures such as beer and friends, which he should appreciate. Thank you for your time. One Love.

Check Out Town

There aren't too many options to choose for dining downtown in Hamilton, but any choice will be a good one. A few new restaurants just moved in. There's ethnic places, like a fantastic Mexican restaurant, a delicious Indian stop, or there's typical food like Rusch's Bar and Grill and who can forget the amazing Slices (or less affectionately called New York Pizzaria). On campus dining is good, but off campus only gets better. Plus they're inexpensive, and some places even take your gate card!

Social Scene

Colgate students have a motto: "Work hard, play harder". Almost everyone drinks and goes out to parties on the weekends, and on some weeknights. Wednesday and Thursday are the nights to go out during the week. There are certainly kids who did not drink very much in high school and so not go super hard on the weekends, but then again, there are kids that do party pretty hard. Most parties occur at the Frat houses, but sometimes in dorm rooms too.

Freshmen Housing

Curtis is very centrally located-close to the dining hall, as well as the library. A bit more removed from the "freshmen quad", but really not a problem. There are large study rooms on Curtis floors to complement the smaller dorm rooms. Rooms in Andrews and Stillman have lots of suites with more room to socialize inside the dorms.

Diversity? a. Acceptance? B.

Colgate has really been increasing diversity as of the last few years. I have friends from India, Malaysia, Kenya, and all over Europe. However, there still remain some racial tensions and struggles with acceptance of different sexual orientations. This is a problem that Colgate students are working together to eliminate.

Colgate Is Great Academically and Fun! but Awful Winters!

Colgate lives up to it's academic reputations and is great for networking after college. It's can be a lot of fun as well but the party scene is dominated by those who are in a fraternity or sorority. However there are an endless number of extracuricular activities to do including clubs and intermural sports. The faculty are on the whole very helpful and genuinely like to teach their students. The killer though is the weather... You're in for a long winter if you come here!

Students Make up for What the Town Lacks

Hamilton does not have many options, but the few bars are fairly decent for what Colgate students look for. Then there is the jug, which Colgate students need and make full use of. There are a few parties happening on campus most weekends, but they should be more open.

Gym

Since the new Trudy Fitness Center opened, gym experience has definitely improved. There are plenty of machines for everyone and the equipments are top class.

No Mace Needed

I read in the College Prowler before I came to Colgate that a girl can walk home alone from downtown, wearing skimpy clothing, with her expensive phone and a wad of cash and never be touched. It is completely true. If the rare incident does occur, the entire town of Hamilton is shut down and the perpetrator is caught within a day.

Safest Place on Earth

We're in the middle of nowhere. There's no crime. Everyone leaves their doors unlocked and it's never an issue.

Top Notch!

Professors are incredible. classes are incredible. you definitely won't graduate with any useful skills, but you knew that when you signed up for a liberal arts college. I do wish we didn't have a core and distribution requirements though. It adds up to 11 classes that you wouldn't have wanted to take anyway.

Technology at Colgate

Colgate University has great internet access that works everywhere I've ever needed on campus. Downtown has great high speed internet typically as well. You definitely need a laptop to make your life easier on campus but if you were willing to spend a lot of time in the library or the other computer labs on campus you could do without. Printing is free on campus which is great and there are several computer labs located all around campus. At times the computer carrels are crowded during midterms and other crunch times, but typically you can find an open one.

Punishments Are NOT Bad

For the most part, the administration is not strict at all when it comes to enforcing policies concerning students' social lives. Campus safety is definitely a presence, especially for freshmen and those living up the hill. Basically, as long as you are smart and control yourself when you are downtown/in the presence of campus safety you will be fine. The new points system for drug/alcohol related abuses is pretty strict if you get caught but as long as you can keep your partying low-key you should be fine.

Drinking Is Most Popular

The major social activity at Colgate is drinking although there are quite a people who do use other drugs, mostly just smoking. Your exposure to drugs and alcohol is up to you and your group of friends. But, while there are options for people who do not want to drink or use drugs, by far the most popular social activity at night and on the weekend is drinking and going to parties/bars.

Great Looking Campus

although everyone is buried under massive winter jackets a lot of the time they are extremely fit and naturally attractive. The people are outdoorsy and go for a more natural look (but not hippies at all). no fake tans or fake blonde hair. gym is always really busy. no freshmen 15. girls are a little better looking than boys