singleparent2005

Are there any current Hamilton students or applicants who have seen both Hamilton and Carleton and could comment on why they liked or disliked each college? I haven't seen anyone on the Carleton discussion board mentioning Hamilton or vice versa. Any comments about the political science programs at each would be helpful. Thank you.

blondie08

I did a three week summer program at Carleton, although that is probably a different than visiting it as a prospective student. I am currently finishing my first year at Hamilton, and will be a Government major (our version of poli sci). The town of Northfield is a lot more accessible than Clinton, which is a plus for them, and also St. Paul is only about an hour away. Syracuse is an hour from Hamilton, but I think the Twin Cities are more city-like than Syracuse.

The students I met at Carleton were different from those I know at Hamilton. The kids at Carleton ranged from very down-to-earth, friendly kids, to people who wore capes and liked to draw in chalk all over the place. Everyone was incredibly nice though. Hamilton does have a range, but it is more from hippie and artistic to preppy and clean-cut. Carleton is extremely liberal, Hamilton is very in the middle of the road - some super liberals, some hardcore conservatives, and a whole lot in between.

I LOVE the Gov department here. I know nothing about Carleton's program, but ours is incredible, and Hamilton has a semester in DC option which I have heard is outstanding.

angusmom

I thought I'd throw in an answer although what I have to say is a bit limited. I visited both schools with my daughter in the same week of her junior year, last April 2008. She liked them both very much. We live in New England which made Hamilton more accessible and we visited there a second time. She ultimately chose Hamilton and will attend there next year. The schools are similar in size as you probably know. Hamilton's campus is definitely prettier in our view, but Carleton has an edge in terms of location. The town of Northfield is right there and Minneapolis, a world class city, is close by. Hamilton, in contrast is a bit more isolated with the nearest cities being Utica and Syracuse NY, neither all that appealing in our view. In terms of the students, both campuses seemed to have very friendly kids. Carelton's students seemed bit quirkier, perhaps more artsy than Hamilton's kids. The Hamilton kids seemed a bit more mainstream and outdoors athletic types, but we saw both kinds of people at both places. Carleton is big on frisbees and broomball, whereas as Hamilton is big on the outing club and streaking. (I'm being a bit facetious, but Carelton kids do play broomball all winter, and Hamilton does have a varsity streaking team.) As for academics, I really can't offer any meaningful comparisons. They both seem to attract smart interesting kids which suggests to me the academics will be similar. Our tour guide at Carleton was from CT and had chosen Carleton over Amherst. Our tour guide at Hamilton was from MN and was very artsy funky, so there goes my generalization above. You can't go wrong with either place, as long as you have lots of winter gear.

Plainsman

^^

Excellent review Angusmom. Thanks. My D was born and raised in Minnesota, and we now live in the Northeast. She chose neither Carleton nor Hamilton. After two visits, she fell in love with Oberlin.

Good luck to all.