Schools similar to Colgate?

Chocolateisgood · 11-28-2006, 12:26 AM

Does anyone know any schools that are similar to Colgate in regards to

general atmosphere
social scene
selectivity (a bit less difficult)
prestige
academics

geographic area is not important and does not have to be a LAC

Thank you.

TerrarumOrbis · 11-28-2006, 01:06 AM

Bucknell -Very similar in location/atmosphere/social scene. A bit less selective/prestigious...but still top notch academics.
Williams- More selective/LAC with focus on athletics/great academics/prestige
Hamilton-Slightly less selective, similar location a tad "funkier"
Lehigh-Larger school, but similar social scenes

Chocolateisgood · 11-28-2006, 04:39 PM

thank you!

AlanArch · 11-28-2006, 08:01 PM

You might consider Lafayette.

huskem55 · 11-28-2006, 08:44 PM

add Trinity, Lehigh, Holy Cross and Colby to the aforementioned schools.
maybe university of new hampshire for a non liberal art school?

gellino · 11-29-2006, 10:37 AM

Dartmouth, Williams (similar feel in many ways, but a fair bit harder to get into)
Cornell (similar with regard to geograpahy and somewhat similar social and sports scene, a lot of common apps between the two; harder to get into)
Middlebury (similar feel, a little harder to get into)
Bowdoin (somewhat similar feel, a little harder to get into)
Washington & Lee (similar feel with regard to ruralness and social scene, but a fair bit smaller; about the same to a little harder to get into)
Colby (somewhat similar; about the same to a little easier to get into)
Hamilton (somewhat similar feel with regard to ruralness and social scene, but a fair bit smaller; a little easier to get into)
Bucknell (founded by a former Colgate president, similar feel with regard to ruralness and social scene; a little easier to get into)
Trinity (similar feel, but much more urban; easier to get into)
Lafayette (similar; easier to get into)
Union (similar; a fair bit easier to get into)
Franklin & Marshall (similar; a fair bit easier to get into)

Chocolateisgood · 11-29-2006, 05:48 PM

wow, great posts thanks everyone.

GateNY09 · 12-03-2006, 09:17 PM

I agree with a lot of what has been said on this post, but as a current student I thought I might add a couple things...

- It is impossible to say that Cornell is harder than Colgate...I have friends who have gotten into one and not the other. This is largely dependent on whether or not you are a NY state resident [for Cornell], what college within Cornell you might be applying to and who you are as a person.
- I think it is really important to look into the demographics of the schools as well...Bucknell, although in someways similar to Colgate, pulls largely from PA where as Colgate has a very geographically diversified student body.
- Also, Colgate has a relatively strong Greek system which is not the case at Williams, Colby, Bowdoin, Middlebury or Hamilton. Although it does not dominate the social scene, it is a considerable part of the way Colgate functions.

amwitkowski · 12-03-2006, 10:01 PM

GateNY09 -- what other schools did you look at besides Colgate?

gellino · 12-04-2006, 09:59 AM

From what I saw at Colgate, ~30% of students there got into Cornell and 70% didn't, so that's why I would say it's harder. About 80% of students got into Middlebury, so that's why I would say it was a little harder. Colgate may be more nationally diverse than Bucknell, which is probably more northeast, but don't think the difference is that great as Bucknell is 24% from PA vs Colgate 29% from NY (granted a larger and more diverse state, itself). I thought Hamilton did have a pretty strong Greek system. Did this change?

Stillmanz · 12-04-2006, 06:36 PM

The average gpa and sat for Colgate are lower than those of Cornell...

gellino · 12-04-2006, 08:19 PM

I don't think anyone is disputing that, although I find reported average GPA completely meaningless since high schools have such different weightings, scales and standards. I think Middlebury and UVA report that the avg hs GPA of their students is a 4.0; yet I'd certainly be willing to bet that there are a few students at each who at least got one B in their hs career. I think the avg SAT at Cornell is ~ 30 points higher than Colgate, or at least I've seen ranges where the median for Colgate was 1355 and for Cornell was 1385.

american_in_canada · 12-09-2006, 01:37 PM

This is largely dependent on whether or not you are a NY state resident [for Cornell]

... actually this isn't true at all...

GateNY09 · 12-09-2006, 11:55 PM

A couple of things...

- I would be shocked if Colgate was actually 29% New York State residents, but I could be totally wrong.
- My class [2009] has 67 students from California, many from Colorado, etc...the school is significantly more geographically diverse than Bucknell.
- As far as Cornell vs. Colgate...it really is true that it depends HUGELY on which school within Cornell you apply to. The schools are so different, I am not sure that they are even worth comparing [though we know which one is better! just kidding...]

- I applied to thes following schools: Bucknell, Bates, Colby, Colgate, UVM, UVA, Yale, Vanderbilt, Duke, Wake Forest, Villanova, Dickinson and Dartmouth...I will let you guess which two I did not get into!

gellino · 12-11-2006, 01:24 AM

So, you chose Colgate over Duke?

According to collegedata,

PROFILE OF FALL 2005 ADMISSION

Overall Admission Rate 27% of 8,008 applicants were admitted
Students Enrolled 731 (34%) of 2,168 admitted students enrolled
Early Decision Admission Rate 49% of 638 applicants were admitted
Early Action Admission Rate
Students Offered Wait List 1159
Students Accepting
Wait List Position 503
Students Admitted
from Wait List 34
State Residency 71% of enrolled freshmen came from out of state
Secondary School 66% of enrolled freshmen attended public high school