Interviews

Colgate University

Responses from the Student Interview


From a student  who identifies as Major: Philosophy
Minor: Film & Media Studies
Student Self Identifies as: Caucasian Heterosexual Male


Summary


I’m part of a few improv and sketch comedy groups on campus, I’m in a cover band that plays classic rock, I play intramural sports, and I’m in a fraternity.


Background


Gender Identity: Male
Race/Ethnicity: Caucasian
Sexual Orientation: Heterosexual

High School Experience: Private school in Cincinnati, OH with a graduating class of about 80 students. There was a culture of going to college.
First-Generation College Student: No
Major: Philosophy
Minor: Film & Media Studies

Extracurricular Activities: I’m part of a few improv and sketch comedy groups on campus, I’m in a cover band that plays classic rock, I play intramural sports, and I’m in a fraternity.
Did any of your extracurricular activities have a particularly big impact on your experience?
The fraternity obviously has. The comedy groups also take up a large portion of my time and had a positive effect on my experience because I’ve been able to make a lot of friends and pursue something that was of great interest to me.


Academic Experience


Can you describe the weekly coursework for your major?
Usually, it’s about two hours of reading every night sometimes followed by a short response paper. The major graded assignments are mostly essays but on occasion you’ll have a final exam.
Is there anything you feel your major’s department does especially well or poorly?
I think the Philosophy department in itself is a really good department academically. The professors not only know the subject matter but they also teach it very well. The professors are really accessible, which is one of my favorite parts about Colgate in general. Because it’s such a small school, you’re able to have a lot of one-on-one time with your professors which is very valuable.
How would you describe the learning environment? Do you think it’s particularly competitive or collaborative?
It’s relatively competitive I think. A lot of people who went to private schools come here, so that leads to a competitive environment. It’s not that people are trying to beat others out, it’s that they are trying to do more for themselves. That’s not to say that collaboration doesn’t happen, people are willing to help their friends out, but it doesn’t extend past friend groups. [47% of the Class of 2022 went to private schools.]
How accessible are your professors?
Very accessible. I have some of my professor’s cellphone numbers and I’m able to text them to see if they want to get coffee so we can discuss a paper or things like that.
Do you think people are open to multiple schools of thought in the classroom?
Yes, relatively. I think there is a diversity of opinion that is expressed in the classroom. Socially is another thing. Socially, it can be very liberal, but there are a lot of people who come from conservative backgrounds as well. It’s not like they’re in opposition to each other necessarily, it’s just a pretty big gap between the two. In terms of an academic setting, there are a lot of different viewpoints and perspectives brought in.
What has been your favorite class you’ve taken for Philosophy?
Epistemology. The professor I had for that class was great, he’s like my favorite professor I’ve had so far at Colgate.
Why did you choose your major? Are you happy with your choice?
I didn’t know what else I wanted to do and I figured if I can think critically, that’s always a good thing. Looking back at things and knowing what I want to do now, I think I might have not done Philosophy, but I don’t regret it. I think it’s very valuable and it’s helped me in a lot of different areas of school and also my own personal philosophy.


Reasons to Attend


1) What Colgate offers is a place for people who are intelligent and social adept outlets to be that while also having academic rigor. What’s special about Colgate is there are people who can have fun like you would at a state school but are also very smart. It helps you round yourself out.
2) Because of the small size, it helps you explore a lot of different opportunities. You’re able to just throw yourself in the mix and then have an impact.
3) If you like snow and the outdoors, it’s a good place to be. Outdoor Education takes trips all the time.
4) I feel like everyone here is kind of like me, which for some people is good and for others is bad. It’s really nice to be able to find so many similarities and mutual connections with people here.


Reasons Not to Attend


1) The intensity can be sometimes too much. People are constantly aware of their own academic and social performance and they are also in other people’s business, so that’s frustrating at times.
2) The divide between people in Greek life and not in Greek life is pretty strong. It’s the source of a lot of the ideological conflict that the school is.
3) The lack of options in the town. When you’re here, you’re here. The closest city is Syracuse, which isn’t the most fun place either.


Around Campus


Where have you lived on campus?
Freshman: Gate House with one roommate
Sophomore: In the townhouses with 15 other people, which was a lot. It was split up into eight doubles so I had one roommate.
Junior: First semester I lived in the fraternity house with two other roommates and then went abroad for the second semester
Senior: Off-campus in a house with four other people which has been great. We all have our own bedrooms.
What was your favorite living situation?
Definitely this year. I have my own space, which is really nice.
How was transitioning from living in Cincinnati to Hamilton, NY?
Location-wise it was fine. I don’t have a problem with the location. Culturally, there was a bit of a disconnect because a lot of the people here are from the East Coast, so there was a bit of an adjustment in that sense.
Can you describe the level of safety you’ve experienced on and around campus?
It’s very, very safe. I think the biggest threat to student safety is getting caught in a blizzard. The town is so small, everyone knows everyone, and people look out for each other if they’re students so it works out.


Social Opportunities


What kind of nightlife or weekend activities do you participate in at Colgate?
A big part of my social scene is the fraternity. Most nights I’ll spend my time there. There is a bit of a downtown scene. It depends on the night, but sometimes it’s pretty busy. There’s one bar that freshmen can go to that’s kind of a rite of passage and there are a couple of other bars around town.
What nights of the week do you like to go out?
Wednesday through Friday I’m out every night and Monday and Tuesday I stay in, which I think is pretty common. There are fluctuations everywhere with people who go out all the time and people who like to stay in, but I think most people go out two to three times during the weeknights and then you’re out for the weekend.
What is the impact of Greek life on nightlife?
I would say it’s pretty much run through Greek life. If you’re a freshman guy, there are really limited options in terms of going out here, but if you have friends in certain fraternities that helps. If you’re not into Greek life there are some options, but they’re non-traditional and run by the school so they’re not as popular. It’s self-selecting in that if you’re the kind of person who wants to go out and enjoy the nightlife, then you’re most likely going to be in Greek life as well. Another way people hang out and facilitate their social interactions is through clubs and organizations, so Greek life is a big part of it but it’s not the end all be all. [About one third of all students are involved in Greek life.]
What is an alternative to going to a party or a bar that you like for a night out?
My groups put on shows quite frequently, so you can go to those, there are trivia nights on campus at Donovan’s Pub on campus, and Colgate also hosts outings to Destiny Mall. I’m not familiar with all of the options just because I don’t pursue them as much, but there are things to do. It also seems that the school is getting a lot better about providing spaces for people who aren’t in Greek life to host social events and are [increasing] the number of activities they have.
How happy are you with the nightlife options at Colgate? Is there anything you would change if you could?
Saturday there is always a party during the day and people don’t go out at night, so I wish there were things happening at night on Saturday.


Campus Culture


How did you meet your closest friends?
One of my very close friends was my freshman year roommate and then a lot of my other closest friends I met through my fraternity and also my comedy groups.
How would you describe the overall social scene?
I would say Greek life dominated, but things are changing a little bit, so I don’t know where we’ll be in the upcoming years. If you’re into Greek life and going out, then it’s awesome. We party and have a fun time like a big school would, but we have much less people.
To what extent do you feel people of different races and sexual orientations mix socially?
I think it’s actually pretty open. I know there’s someone who identifies as a homosexual who’s in a Greek life organization here. There are people of different races and different backgrounds in Greek life, although it’s not as common. Colgate, in general, does not have large communities for [people of different races and sexual orientations], but they are out there and they are supported by the school, which is cool. [About 22% of students are domestic students of color.]
How would you describe the student body?
If you were to look at them from a high school background, it’s people who played high school sports and want to do really well in school but aren’t highly obsessed with their grades, and that usually means they’re competitive people. They are people who are social who like to have a good time and like to know a lot of different people and have different options for things to do. It can be intense some ways socially and academically, but overall, it’s fun.
To what extent do people in Greek life and not in Greek life mix socially?
Pretty infrequently. There’s a bit of an ideological divide along those lines as well. The people who aren’t in Greek life can seem very adamantly against Greek life and the people who are in Greek life will write those people off as social justice warriors or whatever, so there’s not a whole lot of engagement between those circles.
How do you like the size of Colgate in terms of undergraduate enrollment? How has that impacted your experience? [Colgate has about 3,000 undergraduate students.]
I think it’s great. I came from a small high school so anything bigger would feel huge. There are people in my class who I still don’t know but I’m able to walk around campus every day and say hi to at least five faces I know, and I personally enjoy that because I like people. I enjoy the closeness of the community and the fact that you can know everyone. The downside of that is everyone has the potential to know your business because of how small it is.
Do you think people are happy with their choice of Colgate by the time they graduate? Do you think people leave loving Colgate?
For the most part, yeah. I think you’ll have those people who realized that they didn’t want to have the partying aspect of the Colgate social scene and maybe should have gone to a different place, and I think those are the people who think it’s not the best choice for them. I’m going to leave senior year feeling very happy with it and I know the majority of people that I know will feel the same way.


Careers


Has the alumni network helped you find internships or jobs?
Yeah, the alumni network is the reason I got my internship last summer and the reason I’ll be employed this coming summer once I graduate. The alumni network at Colgate is phenomenal, it’s one of the things that everyone talks about as being a good part of the school. I think part of that is the fact we’re in the middle of nowhere at such a small school so we know what everyone else is going through. Once you graduate, you look back at the student body and there’s a willingness to help.
What have you used the career office for? How helpful have they been?
I used the career center mainly to do resume certification. I’m looking to do something in entertainment, and they weren’t that helpful for that just because all of their main contacts are in finance or consulting. If you’re looking into going into those fields, they’re a fantastic resource, particularly helping with networking, prepping for interviews, and things like that. I also got some funding from the career center for my internship because I was living in New York City which is expensive.
Have you learned any computer programs that will be helpful professionally?
I’ve learned how to use Final Cut and Logic Pro, which are two big media applications.


Financial Aid


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