ehmccann

My son is trying to decide between ED for Colgate or Amherst. HE is a soccer player and both coaches have encouraged him to apply ED. Any comments on academics, atmosphere, social life, types of students, etc? What are the good things about each and the not so good things?

jrpar

What strikes me first is that these are different levels of soccer. Colgate is Div I and Amherst Div III. And I know that NESCAC is a high level of Div III soccer but there is a difference. Which level does your son prefer?

Corbett

Both schools are highly rated liberal arts colleges; for example, US News puts Amherst at #2 nationally, and Colgate at #16. As these numbers imply, Amherst is usually perceived as more selective and prestigious, but this is like comparing an "A" with an "A+".

The athletic differences are much greater. Colgate plays in NCAA Division I, which is the "major leagues" for college sports. Amherst plays in Division III, which is the "minor leagues". The two schools will not play each other, and won't even have common opponents.

Both teams are currently competitive in their respective divisions. Right now, Colgate is rated #25 in the Division I poll, and Amherst is rated #16 in the Division III poll. So they could both make their respective NCAA tournaments. However, the Division I tournament has a much higher profile and a much higher level of play than the Division III tournament.

Amherst is significantly smaller than Colgate, but is located in a large "college town" setting near several other schools. Colgate is larger, but is located in a small town that is relatively isolated.