As other parents of Hamilton students have stated, the party scene is not over the top at Hamilton. Without at doubt, it exists, like any other college. However, I would say that there isn’t pressure to partake and that those who choose to abstain are as welcome at parties as those who don’t and that there are plenty of social activities that don’t include drinking/partying.
It’s college. There is going to alcohol and drug use. You don’t want it to be a defining part of the culture and I would say it is not at Hamilton.
As for the Health Center, I would say we have not been impressed with the limited contact we have had. For off hour medical needs, campus security will find transportation (Uber) to take a student to one of the clinics or emergency rooms.
If considered as an indication of student preparation and career services, rather than for its strictly pecuniary aspects, it’s worth noting that Hamilton graduates register the highest early career earnings of the 10 NESCAC LACs (as reported in U.S. News).
Re Drinking.
One of the things my D likes about being at Hamilton is that when she’s at a party everyone knows each other (or most of the people) and that allows her to feel safe. She visited a friend at a somewhat larger school and felt substantially less safe at a party because the girl she was visiting knew few there and drank past her limit; D felt alone in keeping her friend safe. D says at Ham there is a great support network of friends to help fend off unwanted advances, get friends home safely, and to be the sober driver. It’s a really tight-knit community. She also does not feel any pressure to drink and notes that athletes in-season can’t drink so there is always a cohort of people who go to parties but do not drink.
Things don’t change that much. It’s young people. Some drink. Some smoke weed. Others don’t, it’s a community.
Bottom line. No one earns a degree at Hamilton or Bowdoin without serious work, effort and smarts.
Same for Arizona or Penn State etc.
Our kids aren’t sinners and they are not saints.
Pros: it’s a total package of great kids, wonderful professors and idyllic setting.
Cons: expensive for some. Less diverse as are most of its peers. Cold in winter. The bubble effect seen at a lot of schools. Fewer off campus activities and cultural opportunities nearby.
The school is relatively isolated from big cities - 4+ hours to NYC, Boston and Montreal. Albany is about 90 minutes away and Syracuse 45 minutes but neither of those small cities are that great. As one of the admissions officers at Hamilton said, "We like to think of ourselves as centrally isolated." I always use that line because it's so true.
One thing I don't like is that there is no where right near campus to spontaneously grab a cup of coffee and hang out or have a meal at a restaurant if you decide to do that on a whim. The town of Clinton is about 1.5 miles away and it's not an easy walk. There is a shuttle that will take you to Clinton and all the shopping in New Hartford but you have to plan that out. There are plenty of restaurants, including many great ethnic restaurants, in Utica which can accessed by an Uber ride if you don't have a car.
Not a big deal in the grand scheme of things but it would be better if Clinton was right there next to campus kind of like the town of Hamilton is right next to Colgate.
The weather stinks. It's cold and there are flurries almost every day in the winter. The sun doesn't shine very much in the winter. As one of the admissions officers told us, "If you need sun to be happy, don't come to Hamilton."
There isn't a lot of diversity in the student body. There is some, not everyone is white upper class. The school is trying to get more diverse, and they've made strides, but in my opinion it's hard to attract a lot of diversity to a small school isolated in the middle of upstate NY.
In terms of academics, the only thing I can think of is that when you get into your major there are limited upper level classes (200 and 300 level). But every small LAC has that issue.
As with any college there are always pros and cons. All of the cons I mentioned could be construed as pros too. For example, the isolated location fosters a sense of community at Hamilton because everyone stays on campus and the school makes sure there are things for the students to do besides going to classes and studying. There is a sense of place and community at Hamilton because all you have is each other.
You have to do your own analysis to see what is important to you. My older son loves it there and knows he made the right choice. That’s a big reason why his younger brother will be going there also.
Regarding climate, consider that Hamilton’s atmosphere can seem especially suitable for academic pursuits. In the interview linked below a new professor contrasted his impressions of Hamilton to those formed at a West Coast school:
He also evidently appreciates Hamilton’s environment generally:
Although Hamilton offers an astronomy minor, it has the resources to offer a major along the lines of those available at schools such as Colgate, Williams, Wesleyan, Swarthmore, Haverford, Vassar and Wellesley. At this time, if a student wants to take advantage of Hamilton’s cross-registration allowance, seeking an elective or two in this field at Colgate might be something to seriously consider.