Sure, Schenectady isn’t what you would call an “ideal college town,” but that doesn’t seem to affect the students’ overall experience here at Union. Sure, the food gets old after awhile, but that seems to happen at every school. And students party hard at Union, too. So, what makes Union different? Three things: 1) Incredible academics. There are very small class sizes and incredibly devoted professors with long office hours. Furthermore, it’s easy to have an interdisciplinary major or to design your own major. 2) Funding. Although students are into doing their “own thing,” funding is available for just about anything. Want to start a club? Get 10 people and write a budget. Want to organize a protest in DC? Get an IEG (Intellectual Enrichment Grant) and/or a SEG (Social Enrichment Grant) or find funding from a particular department. 3) The Minerva System. No one knows where exactly the house system will take Union (the fraternities aren’t quite in love with the fact that they’ve lost their housing), but it has the potential to add a lot to the campus.
First-year students at Union seem to be split into two groups: those who hate it and those that love it. One can make a reasonable argument for both cases. Those who hate it see a homogenous student body with a lot of money to spend and little motivation. There’s a lot of drinking on campus for someone who never drank in high school, and the fraternities are not the kind of places that draw the shy, hippie, or particularly mature student. Those first-year students who love Union have either fallen in love with the party scene or have fallen in love with the fact that the school is at their finger tips academically. Socially, it takes a bit to adjust to Union if you’re not the outgoing type and not willing to jump on the academic bandwagon. But eventually, people really do find their niche at Union and seem generally happy.
Lastly, students at Union “do their own thing.” They are motivated, career-oriented, and looking to have a good time. It is difficult to categorize the ideal student for Union, as students work hard to find a place for themselves here. In general, freshmen who arrive from small urban towns away from New York City or Boston grow a tough skin after a few terms. They learn how to deal with a small environment where people seem to have a culture of high socio-economic means. What is amazing about Union is that even the students who really don’t feel like they fit in find their niche and grow to love the place. Stereotypes are made the first week of school and shattered by the end of the year. Warning: if you’re overly sensitive, absolutely hate the cold, or have a tendency to overindulge in alcohol, don’t come to Union. Otherwise, this is a great college that will toughen your skin, focus you academically, and ship you off into the professional world.
Show section:
Sort by:
Parking at Union College
B-
Nothing Horrible
As a small school, there is not much parking at Union. Freshmen are not supposed to bring cars, but some do. Parking permits are not terribly expensive, but there is limited parking once everyone is back for the night. Be careful to park only in student parking lots, though, because Campus Safety officers love to ticket students.
Apr 26, 2012
Comment actions:
Rate
Report as inappropriate/inaccurate
Health & Safety at Union College
A-
Pretty Safe
Union's Campus is pretty safe. Like everyone else, we have the blue light system, and Campus Safety officers and cars are visible everywhere on campus. However, although crimes are very rare, the campus is open to the rest of the city of Schenectady, so anyone can wander onto campus.
Apr 26, 2012
Comment actions:
Rate
Report as inappropriate/inaccurate
Facilities at Union College
A-
Great Library and Study Spots
The campus is beautiful in the fall and spring, and students love spending time outside studying and playing Kan-Jam. The library is extensive, with tons of different spaces to study; another beautiful and quiet place to study is in the Nott Memorial. Alumni Gym has everything any average student or athlete needs to work out, and the Field House and hockey rink are also available to students at certain times. Reamer Campus Center holds the bookstore, Dutch Hollow, the sushi bar and O-3 Cafe, so students are always eating and studying at the tables; getting a table is tough with the crowd during common lunch. All offices pertaining to campus activities are located in Reamer, and the people working in the offices are friendly and helpful.
Apr 26, 2012
Comment actions:
Rate
Report as inappropriate/inaccurate
User rating for Union College is
4.6 out of 5
based on 331 user reviews.
Become a Contributing Author Learn more »
Most Recent Student Author View all
- Name
- Cassandra Skoufalos
- Hometown
- Greenwich, CT
- Major
- Political Science/Spanish
College Prowler is seeking talented student authors to assist with writing and updating the College Prowler guides to their schools. This is a great opportunity for a student to gain experience and tremendous exposure, utilize new media techniques, and share advice with high school students about what life is really like at your college.
Buy the eBook "Union College 2012: Off The Record"
Download a FREE Printable Summary (PDF)