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Summary
Colgate University is a private institution that was founded in 1819. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 2,884, its setting is rural, and the campus size is 553 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Colgate University's ranking in the 2012 edition of Best Colleges is National Liberal Arts Colleges, 21. Its tuition and fees are $42,920 (2011-12).
Colgate University is located in Hamilton, N.Y., a small town with a population about equal to the size of the student body. Colgate’s Outdoor Education Program offers a number of outdoor opportunities, and students can also join any of the other religious, service, special interest, or student government clubs. Greek life plays a significant role in student life, representing nearly half of sophomores, juniors, and seniors. Students are required to live on campus—which includes Greek houses and university apartments—for their first three years. The Colgate Raiders compete in the NCAA Division I Patriot League and are known for their rivalry with the Cornell University Big Red. Colgate’s Seven Oaks Golf Course is ranked among the top five college courses in the country by Golf Digest.
Colgate’s academic departments and majors fall into one of four general divisions: humanities, natural sciences and mathematics, social sciences, and university studies. Colgate has more than 20 off-campus study programs led by Colgate faculty, and the university also gives credit for programs offered by other universities. Arts programs include studies in theater, visual arts, film and media studies, and music. The number 13 is lucky for Colgate: It is said that the school was founded by 13 men with "13 dollars, 13 prayers, and 13 articles."
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Colgate University is a highly selective liberal arts institution distinguished by the dedication of its 275 full-time faculty-scholars, and its commitment to the interdisciplinary liberal arts, undergraduate research, off-campus study programs, Division I athletics, and residential education. With small classes and heavy emphasis on close faculty-student interaction, Colgate's purpose is to develop wise, thoughtful, critical thinkers and perceptive leaders through residence in a community that values all forms of intellectual rigor. Colgate offers 51 majors to a diverse student body of 2,900 undergraduate students whose academic program consists of courses in the liberal arts core curriculum, courses in the field of major, electives, and physical education classes. Ninety-eight percent of the university's full-time faculty have achieved the highest degree in their fields, typically the PhD. Students are often drawn to Colgate because of the many opportunities to pursue research with faculty members, either as part of their academic-year experience or through summer programs. It is not unusual for a Colgate undergraduate to have co-authored a peer-reviewed journal article prior to graduation. In addition, more than two-thirds of students participate in one of Colgate's more than 20 faculty-led off-campus study programs (or affiliated programs), and/or extended study programs connected to particular courses. The student body is nearly evenly split between men and women and twenty-five percent of them self-identify as coming from a multi-cultural background. Student life outside of academics at Colgate is rich and diverse including a wide variety of service-learning opportunities, club sports, an active creative and performing arts community, and housing that includes fraternities, sororities, town houses, apartments, and other residential settings. This is a particularly exciting time at Colgate, with the recent appointment of President Jeffrey Herbst and the move toward conclusion of a $400 million capital campaign that is expected to exceed its goal when completed in 2012. These resources, as well as the participation of 47 percent of alumni in Colgate's annual fund, position the university near the top of the nation's elite liberal arts institutions and assure future steps toward stronger research, more effective use of technology, expanded global studies, and an increased capacity to offer financial aid. |
General Information
| School type | private, coed college |
| Year founded | 1819 |
| Religious affiliation | N/A |
| Academic calendar | semester |
| Setting | rural |
| 2010 Endowment | $619,215,674 |
Applying
When applying to Colgate University, it's important to note the application deadline is January 15, and the early decision deadline is November 15. Scores for either the ACT or SAT test are due January 15. The application fee at Colgate University is $60. It is most selective, with an acceptance rate of 33.0 percent.
For more information about the tests, essays, interviews, and admissions process, visit the Applying to College knowledge center.
| Selectivity | most selective |
| Fall 2010 acceptance rate | 33% |
| Application deadline | January 15 |
| SAT/ACT scores must be received by | January 15 |
Academic Life
The student-faculty ratio at Colgate University is 10:1, and the school has 62.3 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students. The most popular majors at Colgate University include: Political Science and Government, General; Sociology and Anthropology; Economics, General; English Language and Literature, General; and History, General. The average freshman retention rate, an indicator of student satisfaction, is 94.0 percent.
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| Student-faculty ratio | 10:1 | ||||||||||
| 4-year graduation rate | 83% - High | ||||||||||
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Student Life
Colgate University has a total undergraduate enrollment of 2,884, with a gender distribution of 46.8 percent male students and 53.2 percent female students. 92.0 percent of the students live in college-owned, -operated, or -affiliated housing and 8.0 percent of students live off campus. Colgate University is part of the NCAA I athletic conference.
See what students are saying about life at Colgate University.
| Total enrollment | 2,903 |
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| Collegiate athletic association | NCAA I |
Campus Info & Services
Colgate University offers a number of student services including nonremedial tutoring, women's center, placement service, health service, and health insurance. Colgate University also offers campus safety and security services like 24-hour foot and vehicle patrols, late night transport/escort service, 24-hour emergency telephones, lighted pathways/sidewalks, student patrols, and controlled dormitory access (key, security card, etc). Of the students at Colgate University, 42 percent have cars on campus. Alcohol is permitted for students of legal age at Colgate University.
| Students who have cars on campus | 42% - Low |
| Health insurance offered | Yes |
| Students required to own/lease a computer | No |
More About Campus Info & Services
Paying for School
At Colgate University, 34.1 percent of full-time undergraduates receive some kind of need-based financial aid and the average need-based scholarship or grant award is $35,264.
Paying for college doesn't have to be difficult or devastating. Go to the Paying for College knowledge center to get advice on raising cash and reducing costs.
| Tuition and fees | $42,920 (2011-12) |
| Room and board | $10,650 (2011-12) - High |
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* Overview details based on 2010 data
