Union College
Reviews

Great

Small classes, diverse professors. What else can you want? You can build your own degree!

ALPHA!

It started here, and it's the best here. Ive visited other school's greek life, and none compares to Union. We dont have our good houses anymore, but its about the people. Also, the houses we do have are good for parties and allow for good security with campo keeping locals out. Sigma Phi parties are by far the best. AD is the place to chill. And frat row is where you go to rage.

Why Would You Ever Want to Go Anywhere Else...

Union is the best choice I have ever made. The trimester system makes it easier to focus on your classes, though the work schedule is much harder and we typically go through 3-5 chapters in a textbook per week. It never seems overwhelming though. The breaks don't coincide with other colleges, but it allows you to visit your friends at their schools. A good amount of people here had Union as their second choice, after an Ivy League School, so they believe they are almost too good for the school. However, Union is ranked higher than many Ivy's in Most Valuable Degree and Most Things to Do On Campus. Union invented Fraternities, so there is a heavy emphasis on the Greek Life. Honestly, if you do not plan on going to a Fraternity once in your life, you may be bored as more than 75% of people choose this option on weekends. But there are always free movies, bingo, and other things going on. Union is awesome, everyone should come here.

Happiest Place on Earth

Union College is my home. Walking around campus I feel extremely comfortable and am constantly around familiar faces. We have some of the best academics and best parties in the country. It is literally the best of both worlds.

Trimesters Are Fantastic

Students only need to take 3 classes per term since Union is trimester school. Trimesters definitely benefit science majors in regard to labs. Having one or two lab science classes per term (some students do take 3) is a godsend. In the end, we still get in the same number of classes/credits as semester schools. The workload is completely manageable, and it gives students plenty of time to get involved in various clubs and organizations.



The professors are absolutely amazing. They are required to hold office hours so you're always welcome to meet with them then, but they're always willing to work around your schedule if you can't make office hours. They're extremely helpful and highly intelligent. You're definitely getting the best education possible with Union's professors.

Too Strict

It's college. The point system is unbelievable.

For example:

If you get caught with marijuana its 8 points. If you conduct the act of rape its only 4 points. Now, do you think raping two people deserves the same punishment getting caught with weed? I don't think so.

Great Professors

The professors at Union College are probably the greatest thing about Union College. You can generally tell that each professor has great understanding in their field and that their whole lives revolve around it. By attending their lectures and going to office hours, you learn a lot about what you're studying and it rubs off on you.

Union is the best experience I've had....

Im a rising sophomore at Union. When applying I was deciding between Lehigh, Union, Cornell, and Skidmore. As soon as I visited Union I was hooked. The campus is beautiful, with a mix of modern and old architecture. The Nott Memorial is an amazing building that I love seeing daily. The overall design is simply amazing.

Union is academically challenging, but not overwhelming. WIth the trimester you never take more than 3 or 4 classes at a time, with possible labs. This means the classes are fast passed and challenging. But with only 3 classes a term it doesn't take over your life. The professors are incredible, every single class I took I could have one on one time with the prof whenever I needed. And none of my classes have more than 15 students, besides an intro course with 40. On top of that, I have taken some of the most difficult courses of my life (comparative ethnic and racial politics, Arabic, and Global politics) however, if you work hard and do the reading you wont have a problem.

Lastly, the social scene. I never thought of myself as a partier or particularly social person before Union. However, after one night all that changed. I made amazing friends and met fun upperclassmen and had the time of my life. There simply isn't a school that has more fun than Union. People are scared of the frat scene, but honestly it adds so much to the school. There are events almost nightly that you can attend. And it may be difficult to get into some of the frats, but with 8 frat houses on campus I guarantee you will find somewhere to go with your friends.

It is true Union is not very diverse, but It is diverse enough. I am personally friends with people from Pakistan, Iraq, all over Africa, England, France, Canada, and many more places. I have a lot of friends in the AOP program too. If you want diversity, you can find it! It does exist here.

All in all, I could not imagine being anywhere else. If you are interested in Union, go visit and do an overnight. I assure you will be as hooked as I was.

GO U!

Overall Experience

Union is fantastic. There truly is something for everyone, which is hard to believe considering its size. I am so glad I chose to attend school here, and look forward to the next four years.

Go Garnet!

In high school, I wasn't really involved in too many extracurricular activities--I just never felt the need and I played sports so I also didn't think I had time. However, coming to Union, this completely changed for me. Student Activities holds an amazing Club Expo that features all of the clubs that we have here on campus. For such a small school it feels like there's every club and organization represented here! I love being involved in the newspaper and being an orientation advisor because it allows me to meet new people who share I share a common factor with. You can always talk to someone about getting involved in any activity and it's likely they'll know the exact direction to point you in!

Nott the Average College

Union is AWESOME! It is small enough to have professors that actually teach, not lecture, yet large enough to have all the resources you could ever want! IT is booming with on-campus events as well as off-campus restaurants and dining. Specifically, Union, being located in Schenectady, has many historical sites including Proctors Theatre and isn't far from the capital, Albany, NY. It is liberal arts so majors range from English to math to science and even to WHATEVER YOU WANT. That's right, at Union you can make your own major. And, Union had great paid summer research opportunities for science majors. Though it is expensive and there is a slight upper-class presence on campus, the resources and vibrant student life makes up for it. Check Union out- you won't regret it!

Union College Fosters a Sense of Community

Union College is a place of opportunity. The campus is beautiful and the facilities are modern. You have unbelievable access to your professors, and administrators as well as friendly help from the surrounding community. I fell in love with Union the moment I stepped onto campus. Not only are the courses invigorating and motivational, but the opportunity to get involved is at the core of Union College. You can be involved in one club, or several. Either way, there are ways for your voice to be heard and for your ideas to become reality. Since Union is such a small school, the community is tight and in return you receive support. In addition, Union is focused on the bigger picture and real world occurrences. We foster programs that reach out to our extended community both globally and internationally. If you are looking for a school that will be both academically challenging and allow you to pursue your own passions, then Union College is the place.To some, greek life may be perceived in a negative fashion. However, greek life helps promote community and sponsors many activities around campus. All fraternities and sororities work together to create a better atmosphere. Union has a rich social life and students from various backgrounds.

Political Science

Great major - amazing professors, great opportunities as well as alumni network. Abroad programs for this major are also incredibly fulfilling. It is a difficult major, but rewarding and valuable.

The dorms are good. I can't stand...

The dorms are good. I can't stand the suite-style dorms on campus. The rooms are too small in my opinion. The Minerva House is definitely the nicest on campus. They have the biggest rooms, a lot of study rooms, and kitchens downstairs. They are definitely the places to live.

There are lots of different guys...

There are lots of different guys at Union. I've met some typical stupid jocks, some geeky guys, and many really nice guys. There are quite a few attractive guys. As for the girls, most are skinny, white and tanned, and rich. Most of them dress and act the same, and I've met way too many fake girls just looking for drama. At the same time, there are some girls I've met that are really sweet and are great friends.

A large part of the Union...

A large part of the Union population is very preppy and obsessed with dressing well. However, there's definitely a representation from all different types of groups. It's always easy to find the niche that you fit best in.

Drugs are a small part of campus...

Drugs are a small part of campus life. It depends on the group of people, but Union is a big drinking school.

Many sophomores live in dorms. A...

Many sophomores live in dorms. A lot of the campus also gets involved in Greek life and live in respective houses once they become juniors. Union also bought a really nice hotel that they turned into a dorm where a lot of students live, and they also bought apartments that they own and now put into the housing lottery. Most seniors, however, enjoy and have an easy time finding off-campus housing.

Off-campus housing as a sophomore...

Off-campus housing as a sophomore is almost unheard of. As a junior or senior, it is very common to a lease house for the year nearby. Most upperclassmen seem satisfied with their housing.

The stereotypical Union student is...

The stereotypical Union student is rich, white, and country club member. Obviously this is not the case, but there are a lot of Kate Spade bags, Vera Bradley, Abercrombie, and J.Crew. There are also the very trendy people who have their own style that everyone tries to copy bits and pieces from them.

The parties on campus are all...

The parties on campus are all right. Honestly, you usually have to be intoxicated somehow to enjoy them. I prefer just hanging out in a friend's room to talk and watch movies.

Varsity sports are very important...

Varsity sports are very important to those who play them, but they are not a dominant thing on campus. Everyone loves going to a football or hockey game now and then, but not every game. Intramurals are a blast with tons of participation.

It is pretty much impossible to...

It is pretty much impossible to get released to live off campus freshman year. However, there are some students who decide to live in houses off campus junior and senior year. Although it is uncommon for underclassmen to live off campus, there are some options.

Same as most New England schools:...

Same as most New England schools: Dress extremely warm in the winter, and bring some flip-flops and shorts for the spring.

Although it definitely took some...

Although it definitely took some time for me to find my niche at Union, I can honestly say that I cannot picture myself at any other school. Academically, Union has provided me with a unique experience because the small class sizes and the ability to form genuine connections with my professors. The first time I set foot on Union's campus, my gut told that it was the perfect school for me—and so far my instincts have been correct.