Hamilton, NY: Although there are not many schools that offer both competitive academics and athletics, Colgate University is one that certainly does. When I entered the village of Hamilton, I was stunned by its great beauty. I spent three days of February vacation at Colgate in order to watch the Patriot League Swimming Championships. Colgate athletics are NCAA Division I and they compete against other schools in this league including Fordham, Army, Navy, Holy Cross, Lafayette, Lehigh, and Bucknell. From the looks of the students, it seemed that most were involved in one sport or another.

The campus is beautiful. It is set on a hill and even has its own lake. The buildings are all made of matching brick that, I was told, came from Colgate's own quarries.

If the size of Hamilton (population 2,500) seems too small for you, you will be happy to know that it is less than an hour's drive to two cities, Syracuse and Utica. Also, there are many other colleges in this area that you could visit.

One of the most important aspects of the school was the safety factor. Most students do not feel the need to lock their doors. They also say that they feel comfortable going for walks alone at night.

Academically, Colgate has an excellent reputation. It offers an excellent liberal arts program with over forty-five major areas of concentration.

In summation, Colgate could be the right school for anybody. It offers fine academic courses combined with high caliber athletic competition at the varsity and intramural levels. Standards are high, but it is worth making that extra effort in high school to attain admission. n




Reviewed in 1993