Since you range widely in your interests, you might appreciate that preeminent American psychologist B. F. Skinner graduated from Hamilton.
@merc81 I actually was very excited to hear about that. Thanks for bringing it up again!
And @healani It’s difficult understanding if a delayed admission next year is a good or a bad thing. Ham’s program will likely be canceled, but it may be worth wondering how likely it will be for online courses to take place next semester - and maybe skipping those is a good thing…everything else you said about Carleton is compelling, though.
@ilovemybed222: I’ve found your comments to be informative as well. Somehow I’d never heard of Grinnell’s Prairie, for example.
CERA is a really amazing thing to experience. I’m in the Grinnell Singers and we always do a retreat there in the Fall. We walk around and sing and it’s just a really cool experience. They also do a lot to marry arts to that space. Of course, our intro bio classes sometimes focus on prairie studies and go out there, but there are often art exhibits or traveling performances that take place in the prairie center’s space which I feel is pretty unique.
All that said, my parents (and I now that covid has displaced me from Grinnell) live near Hamilton and I LOVE upstate NY nature. It gets cold here for longer than in Grinnell, but I think Grinnell’s coldest date was colder (don’t quote me on this). For example, I am currently sitting in front of our wood fire writing this because it was below 30 last night.
Here is the link to more of my thoughts about Grinnell’s social life. let me know if you have specific questions for me: http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/discussion/comment/22753100#Comment_22753100
@starjoy8 Wow! Very helpful and detailed. Thank you!
UPDATE: I have received some more offers from LAC’s that I really like and have some questions, although I don’t want to change this chat’s subject. Can someone who understands the NESCAC’s PM me since I am unable to start one, being a new member?
@starjoy8: I remember you from your search process — I’m glad you seem to be thriving at Grinnell!
In general, Hamilton is more conservative than the others. I think Carleton is the best choice, because it’s probably a little more “nerdy” than the other two. Nerds aren’t generally associated with extreme views in any direction, lol. It’s trimester system can be intense, but is great for kids who thrive on that and want to get more in-depth with a subject. It’s not far to a major city, so transportation shouldn’t be problematic. As far as weather, well, they will all be cold in the winter.
I know something about the NESCACs as I have a senior at Bates. I will pm you.
ETA: sent you a pm, @ilovemybed222
Hamilton! I have a friend that goes there. Congrats!
I don’t know that the 3/3 calendar at Carleton necessarily gives you more time or allows you to think about things more deeply than a semester or quarter system.
In their FAQ they point out that Carleton students have more terms (12) than a semester student (8). But you’re also taking fewer classes per term (3-4) than the average semester student takes per semester (4-6) so it evens out in the end. Both students are going to end up taking 36-40 or so courses over four years.
They also say you don’t have to declare your major until the end of sophomore year, but that’s true at most liberal arts college (and most colleges, period). They use chemistry as an example, but that’s probably the worst they could’ve use. The Carleton chemistry department says themselves that chemistry is a highly structured major, and recommend you have finished certain classes (including organic chemistry) by sophomore year.
There are 9 of those classes - 10 if you don’t place into chemistry 123 - and they build; the basic required chemistry sequence takes four trimesters, and those classes gate everything else in the major. If you wait until the beginning of your junior year to take them, you can’t take anything else in the chemistry major until the winter (second) trimester of your senior year, and have only two more trimesters to finish your chemistry major.
In practice, it looks like this works out…pretty much like any other liberal arts college. Students can technically take until sophomore year to declare, but in practice it’s better if they identify a general area of interest early on take the prerequisite classes in their first two years while they are deciding what exactly they want to major in. Or they run the risk of taking more than 4 years to graduate, which is totally fine, but not what most students want or expect.
@juillet That’s very interesting. Thank you for sharing. In totality, now what I am feeling about Carleton is that it is just plain-old academically difficult, in terms of the calendar set-up. Because in this case, there’s finals three times a year (and extra midterms). Plus, I remember how hard the senior comps are made out to be for each major (bye-bye, double majoring) and I wonder if I would be happy there if I were so stressed. Socially, I think I explained earlier that I don’t necessarily want to be in an environment that is so slanted in one direction (in Carleton’s case, it is liberal/counterculture, I suppose).
UPDATE: Earlier, I mentioned that I got into more schools yesterday, and I’m happy to say that Colby and Colorado College have offered me admission. Those two schools are very impressive and likely now are in my top 3, along with Hamilton. If you have read my posts, then I hope that you will understand why.
At this point, I am not really looking for more information on Grinnell/Carleton, unless someone has thoughts to share. In that case, please feel free to do so.
And I’m not sure if I should make a new thread, but I’m always happy to hear any opinions regarding where I am at now. Thank you to all who have helped me so far! I deeply appreciate it all.
@ilovemybed222 , if you flag your original post, it will ask you to report the problem. You can ask a moderator to add in your original post that you’ve been offered Colby and Colorado College. You’ll get better answers.
I will tag @gardenstategal
Congratulations on your new acceptances.
I will start out by asking what your thoughts are re: Colorado College’s block calendar? Obviously you applied so it must have some appeal, but now that you have other attractive offers (Colby, Hamilton), what are your thoughts?
I have been to both Hamilton and Colby and was impressed by both. Seems like there is more in walking distance to Hamilton than Colby (but still close to a mile walk), but students are friendly at both.
I can’t comment on the relative strength of majors, but do take a look at the professors, their education, and their research in your departments of interest, and requirement for major/minors. Also take a look at how many students major each year in your areas of interest too…this is on the CDS and/or IPEDs.
@Mwfan1921 Thanks for the message. I do like CC’s block plan, and it is especially convenient due to COVID-19 (they can easily come back on campus mid semester). Students grow close with their peers/profs in each class due to Block Plan, too. But I don’t love how they don’t have as large an emphasis on the social sciences that I am interested in, and I feel like class registration/double majoring would be difficult. But I also like how culturally, the kids have a lot of fun in CO Springs and surrounding areas.
The next point about comparing CC’s education to Hamilton and Colby seem to be very minute. Even so, Colby and Hamilton seem have a better academic reputation and more distinguished professors. More significantly, the two NESCACs have much stronger emphases on social sciences. All three have great opps for civic engagement but perhaps especially Colby due to strong relations with Waterville (whereas CC is like a bubble inside of CO Springs). Then again, a lot more opps in CO Springs because it is bigger.
Finally, I like Ham’s open curriculum most out of all three, but I value Colby’s Jan Plan and again, I like the principle of the Block Plan.
Biggest concern about Colby is social life…is it as dynamic as CC and Ham? I did see “Colby Life” documentary and was most concerned there. But I’ve heard it has improved a lot by President Greene, so who knows…
When I think about it more, I think I like the open curriculum idea better because I can explore more subjects — And I know I have a lot of interests so that might be beneficial for me.
One advantage of the trimester system at Carleton is that you take 36 courses in 4 years vs. only 32 in the semester system, so you can explore more subjects.
Oh, and could people weigh in on benefits, detriments and recommendations regarding Jan Admission at Hamilton?
There seems to be lots of chatter on these forums about taking a gap semester for fall 2020, due to the possible loss of “the residential college experience” that they feel is what they are paying a premium for. Such students/parents would probably like to be in your position of getting a spring admission (unlike in other years where spring admission is normally considered less desirable).
https://www.hamilton.edu/admission/apply/january-admission/january
https://www.hamilton.edu/admission/apply/january-admission/jancourses
https://www.hamilton.edu/admission/apply/january-admission/jan-explained
Although they push their own or associated programs for the fall (some of which may be of questionable availability like study abroad programs), you can do typical non-college gap year activities (although availability may be worse for things like working or travel) or take courses at a regionally accredited college near home (check with Hamilton about the transferability of courses at your local community colleges or other colleges which may have space available in their courses for non-matriculated students).
@ilovemybed222 , my son, who is a sophomore at Hamilton, was a Jan admit last year. He attended the London program thru Arcadia University that Hamilton offers. Credits transfer to Hamilton, grades do not. Most Jans participate in the London program. 37/48 Jans in my son’s class did. There are pluses and minuses to the program.
I spoke recently with a parent of a student who is accepted as a Jan for the Fall, and the London program is currently up in the air due to COVID-19. Arcadia will make the call as to whether or not it’s a go. The parent was a bit concerned about what her child would do should the London program get cancelled. Some students who don’t go to London do their own thing. I would check with Hamilton to see what their advice is for the Jans should the London program get cancelled. This year is very unique.
If you’d like further info on being a Jan admit, you can PM me.
@123France Thank you for your offer! Unfortunately, I cannot start conversations, being a “new member.” Would you do that for me?
Having Colgate in the next town with the option of taking courses there would seem to expand the opportunities for college life experiences at Hamilton.