Hansel

I'm middle class and I don't want to feel like the poor kid on campus all the time. I know at Washington & Lee so many of the students are extreamly wealthy, and they wear like $700 outfits all the time. Is colgate like this?

cubbies12

I'm by no means rich and I plan on going to Colgate

hello123

at almost any top college, the percentage of students not receiving financial aid is around 50%. That means whichever private college you go, half of the people you see are wealthy enough to pay full tuition. That's not just colgate.

Hansel

Hey cubbies 12
Are you a Chicago Cubs fan? And if yes are you from the Chicagoland area?
I am from there, but I'm a White Sox fan.

xLxJxCx

colgate is a pretty wealthy school. my friend who goes there is from a solid middle class family, and she feels out of place sometimes admist all the constant polo wearers and jcrew lovers. in terms of colgate's freshman class last year, only about 30% got financial aid, which is below most averages at private colleges.

blueyed1

It seems weird, if Colgate has so much money and so few people get aid, that Colgate expects myfamily to pay double of what other schools asked us to pay.

mhc48

Colgate is pretty well known for its generous financial aid and it is rated #6 by USNews in terms of best value, defined as:

"The formula used to determine which schools offer the best value relates a school's academic quality, as indicated by its U.S. News ranking, to the net cost of attendance for a student who receives the average level of financial aid. The higher the quality of the program and the lower the cost, the better the deal."

As many have related in many forums, the better colleges and universities tend to have a higher number of economically advantaged students. It's part of what got many of them the advantages to score well, achieve, and get many educational as well as extra-curricular activities. Colgate is no different than dozens of other top schools in that respect.

If you're choosing between Colgate and a State Univ, it might be a factor to consider. If you are choosing between it and almost any other top LAC or University, it will be no different.