What is Colby College Really Like?

Elsastre
Tue, 31 Mar 2020 15:07:49 +0000

KathrynJ;d-2179645:

Hi! I’ve just been accepted to Colby, but after researching for a while online, I’m not so sure if I’m comfortable with what I’ve been hearing. It sounds like there have been a lot of racist incidents, incidents of bias, and just general insensitivity towards students of color. I’m honestly afraid at this point that I just wouldn’t feel welcome on campus because I am a POC. Is the student body just a lot of entitled white kids who don’t care about minorities and act like they own the place? Or is it as inclusive and friendly as they market themselves??

First, congratulations on being admitted. My S is also an RD admit and we both watched that same documentary. Having had a few days to sit with it, I think it’s probably fair to say that these same stories could have been told at comprable colleges across the land, and especially in the Northeast. I also think, that if you think it through, most of the students concluded that Colby was, at the end of the day, a net positive experience for them even though there were some very painful, even traumatizing experiences along the way.

If only there were an morally and ideologically “pure” college to go to. Alas, there is not. Every comparable school will have a similar cross section of students, some of whom are going to speak and act inappropriately much of the time.

My S also has comprable offers from Colgate and Hamilton, but is still leaning Colby for other reasons. He thinks that same documentary could just as easily describe the experience of students at those other two colleges. So there has to be some other criteria for saying yes to one, and no to another given that people are people no matter where you go.

On a personal note, I hope you both choose Colby because the two of you would simply add to the many POCs (People of Conscience) who are already at there.
I am sure you will find many more who are working hard to conduct themselves with integrity and to make sure that others are genuinely included within the community.

As disturbing as it was at times, a documentary like that doesn’t incline me away from Colby–just the opposite. It shows that there are students there who are courageous enough to tell it like it is (or at least like it has been). Colby must be doing something right if it’s turning out kids with that kind of conscience.

Best wishes to you on your discernment!