Photo: Hamilton College. Retrieved from: www.hamilton.edu
Hamilton College is one of the frontrunners in academics and athletics among all the colleges in the USA. This school is known for its great scenery, rich history and open curriculum. This type of curriculum is also practiced in Brown University and Smith College. The freedom of students to create their own major by choosing courses for themselves makes Hamilton College a learning institution for intelligent and self-driven individuals. Many Hamilton students spend a semester or two abroad to enrich their learning experiences and to enable them to apply their current lessons in another culture. The Hamilton College study abroad program sends students to China in Asia, as well as several European countries like France and Spain. There are also academic programs in nearby locations like New York and Washington, DC.
School History
Hamilton was known in 1793 as the Hamilton-Oneida Academy. This original school was a seminary established by Samuel Kirkland during his missionary years working with the Oneida tribe. The seminary accepted Oneida tribesmen as well as European-American boys. Kirkland used the name Hamilton in honor of Alexander Hamilton who was the Treasury Secretary at that time and was one of the members of the first board of trustees.
In 1812, this institution was chartered. Hamilton is one of the oldest colleges in New York along with Columbia and Union. The curriculum was expanded to four-years and this kind of academic scheme was maintained until the present. The year 1978 was historic because this was the year of the big merge between the all-male Hamilton College and the all-female Kirkland College. The women’s school was founded by Hamilton College in the 1960s and the campus was located nearby. It is known that Kirkland’s financial troubles led to the merge. Nearly seven years passed before the merger was completed. During the time of the merge, the students from Kirkland can choose to receive diplomas with Kirkland’s seal rather than Hamilton’s.
In the 1970s, Hamilton started competing in the New England Small College Athletic Conference (or the NESCAC) even if the campus was not technically a part of New England. The schools involved in this conference included Amherst, Bates, Bowdoin, Colby, Connecticut College, Middlebury, Trinity, Tufts, Wesleyan, and Williams.
Student Life
The large wooded areas make Hamilton scenery one of the best in the state. Student residents thrive in the tranquillity of the area. The residences in Hamilton are remarkable, having been renovated when the fraternity and sorority housing systems were abolished. When the college housing issue came up, fraternities and sororities decided to sell their properties to the college, even if some did not sell theirs until after a decade.
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Social life in Hamilton is made more lively by the activities sponsored by fraternities and sororities, as well as the other clubs with good social presence. The Greek life is still going strong despite that the members can no longer live under the same roof. Another non-greek society has an influential presence in campus, the Emerson Literary Society, which is co-ed.
Many students participate in sports, and around thirty percent of the student body is into athletics. Hamilton creates sponsored events for club sports, like annual intramural activities. Some of the popular club sports are skiing, equestrianism, rugby, tae kwon do, ultimate frisbee and women’s golf.
Financial Aid
The amount and type of financial aid awarded to students are determined by the Financial Aid Office. The school aims to make a Hamilton education affordable to every accepted student via a program comprising campus jobs, student loans and scholarships. Demonstrated need of students is determined by assessment of the financial documents submitted by the family upon application for assistance.
Rankings
2017 College Rankings
