Colgate University

Date: Jan 06 2005
Major: Journalism (This Major's Salary over time)
Colgate has a reputation of being an extremely rich school, and I recently found out why. Colgate claims to be need blind when it comes to admitting students, however, I just found out from a well respected alumni, that the reason I got in off the waitlist was because my father told administration that I could pay for the first year in full. The dean of admissions told me that sometimes, there is just not enough money to give, and as a result has to admit students who can pay (i.e. coutry clubbers and JAPS) otherwise the university would go into debt, and the financial aid program would be in ruin. If you ask me, it already is. Plenty of qualified students are rejected from this school each year, and I guarentee you, after hearing what I heard from the dean, some assistant deans, and some alumni, that often times, it is because they need a substantial (meaning greater than 20,000) aid package. This doesn't make sense because Colgate tuition is in the top ten most expensive tuition brackets…I guess all the money they get from alumni and upper class students goes into maintaining the "Colgate" image. People who go here are indeed intelligent, however, the campus is lacking in any sort of REAL economic/cultural diveristy. Be prepared to need a wardrobe entirely made of J Crew, Ralph Lauren, Lacoste, and North Face…and please, no fake Pradas here. All that being said, it is easily discernable that people associated with Colgate (students, faculty, alumni) have huge egos, and often cannot live their lives independantly of Colgate. They will define their lives on the basis that they went to a top 20 liberal arts school, and not on the basis of what they learned. All in all, if you can pay-great this is the place for you. If you are arrogant and like to drink, this is the place for you. A short positive, the school is absolutly gorgeous, and the school spirit here is unparalelled. Just make sure you know what you are getting into. If you are upper-middle class (like myself) seriously ask youself if it is worth going atleast 80 grand into debt to attend. I would consider looking in to the honors college program at your instate university if it isnt worth it for you. You can get the same quality of education there, and you wont be in the middle of nowhere paying 160,000 for four years for the same stuff you can get in state.