HAMILTON COLLEGE
CLINTON, NEW YORK
The College
One of the oldest and most selective colleges in the country, Hamilton is capitalizing on its increasing popularity in recent years by investing more than $100 million in programs, personnel, and facilities for its 1,750 students.
The cornerstone of the College's investments in a new curriculum is the Hamilton Plan for Liberal Education, which provides highly motivated students with the freedom and responsibility to make their own educational choices. As one of the very few colleges that does not have distribution requirements, Hamilton has strengthened its advising system so that students work even more closely with their academic advisers to chart an individualized course of study that is tailored to each student's interests and learning styles.
At its core, a Hamilton education helps students learn to think critically and creatively; to write and speak clearly and cogently; to become conversant with a range of scientific, social, cultural, and artistic issues that make it possible for students to lead fuller and richer lives; and to contribute to society in meaningful ways. Hamilton believes that the capacities needed in the world its students are likely to encountera world in which there is a premium on solving problems and communicating one's ideas clearly; a world in which there is rapid cultural, technological, and political change; and a world in which they can expect to change careers several timesare best developed through a demanding liberal arts education.
Hamilton's residential environment is carefully designed to supplement the formal academic program. As such, more than 120 extracurricular and intercollegiate clubs and organizations abound. A weekly student newspaper, several literary and humor publications, a campus radio station, musical and drama groups, academic clubs, an active outdoor club, religious and volunteer service organizations, and other special interest groups provide opportunities for students to pursue personal interests and assume leadership positions. Lectures, films, and other cultural activities are an integral feature of the weekly calendar.
Many students at the College also participate in intercollegiate, intramural, and club sports. Fourteen men's and fourteen women's varsity teams compete in NCAA Division III competition, and the College is a charter member of the New England Small College Athletic Conference, a consortium of like-minded colleges that place academic excellence ahead of athletic performance.
Residential life at Hamilton provides opportunities for students to learn from classmates in a positive environment of community living conducive to academic achievement, personal growth, and a respect for the rights of all residents. The College provides some of the most diverse and attractive residential housing of any college its size. Traditional residence halls, suites, campus apartments, converted homes, substance-free housing, and quiet housing are among the many options. All housing is smoke-free.
Location
Hamilton is situated on a 1,250-acre hilltop campus overlooking the Mohawk and Oriskany Valleys of scenic central New York. Hamilton's two adjacent campuses, consisting of the original college campus and the former Kirkland College campus (which merged with Hamilton in 1978) reflect a blend of the traditional and the contemporary. The village of Clinton still retains much of the New England flavor brought to it by eighteenth-century settlers. While the city of Utica is within a 15-minute drive and Syracuse is situated less than an hour to the west, many rural areas also surround Hamilton's safe campus. The Adirondack Mountains, ideal for hiking and skiing, are within an hour's drive.
Majors and Degrees
Hamilton offers the Bachelor of Arts degree with concentrations in Africana studies, American studies, anthropology (archaeology or cultural anthropology), art, art history, Asian studies, biochemistry/molecular biology, biology, chemical physics, chemistry, Chinese, classical languages, classical studies, communication, comparative literature, computer science, creative writing, dance, East Asian languages and literature, economics, English, French, geoarchaeology, geology, German, government, history, mathematics, music, neuroscience, philosophy, physics, psychology, public policy, religious studies, Russian studies, sociology, Spanish, theater, women's studies, and world politics. In addition, Hamilton offers minors in astronomy, environmental studies, Latin American studies, and medieval and Renaissance studies. In consultation with faculty members, students may design their own concentrations.
Academic Programs
The Hamilton Plan for Liberal Education emphasizes student freedom and responsibility by eliminating distribution requirements. In place of those requirements, Hamilton strengthened its advising system and created more opportunities for students to personalize their education. Unique to this plan are two distinct capstone requirementsone at the completion of the general education sequence (the Sophomore Program) and one at the conclusion of the concentration (the Senior Program)that serve as integrating and culminating experiences for students at decisive points in their undergraduate careers. The College is well known for its emphasis on writing and maintains a three-course, writing intensive course requirement. Faculty members of all disciplines require significant written work, and the College's Writing Center is a model for other U.S. colleges and universities.
Off-Campus Programs
Each academic year, Hamilton offers many educational opportunities at international and domestic sites away from the campus. The Junior Year in France, pioneered by Hamilton more than forty-five years ago, is today one of the most widely respected programs of its kind and enrolls students from many colleges. A parallel program allows students conversant in Spanish to spend a year or semester in Madrid, Spain. Hamilton's newest program, the Associated Colleges in China program (with Williams and Oberlin Colleges), offers intensive summer and/or semester-long study of Chinese in Beijing. Students also participate in programs sponsored by other colleges and universities, providing study-abroad opportunities in more than 100 countries.
Within the United States, the Term in Washington allows qualified students to spend a semester of their junior or senior year in the nation's capital, serving internships in the executive and legislative branches of the federal government. Hamilton's newest U.S. program is in New York City. The theme of the program is set each semester by the expertise of the professor in residence and includes course work, an independent research project, and an internship in a firm or organization. Approximately 40 percent of all Hamilton students study off campus at some point during their academic careers.
Academic Facilities
In summer 2004, Hamilton opened the first phase of a renovated and expanded science center that emphasizes student research and experimentation. Designed largely with the input of faculty members, the center should nearly double the amount of space for science instruction when the building is fully completed in 2005. Library facilities include the main Daniel Burke Library, a music library, and the Audiovisual Services Division in the Christian A. Johnson Building. Circulation, reference, and interlibrary loan services are available to all in the community. Access to 600,000 volumes can be obtained through an online computer catalog. The Hans H. Schambach Center for the Performing Arts is home for much of the music program, containing ample classroom and rehearsal space, as well as the 700-seat Carol Woodhouse Wellin Hall. The adjacent List Studio provides rehearsal areas for dance and space for studio art. The campus computer network provides faculty and staff members and students with high-speed access to e-mail, College information, library databases, software, and information resources on the Internet. More than 1,400 institutionally owned computers and 1,600 student computers are connected to the network through 3,500 information outlets located in all College buildings, including one outlet per student in residence hall rooms. More than 500 computers are available to students in public and departmental computing facilities. Wireless access to the Internet is available throughout much of the campus.
Costs
Tuition and fees for 200405 were $31,700; room and board in College facilities were $4125 and $3700, respectively.
Financial Aid
Hamilton awards financial assistance on the basis of need to more than half of its 1,750 students. In addition, eight to ten awards of half tuition, offered as part of the Bristol Scholars Programa $65,000 value over four years, are given to the most outstanding members of the first-year class. These awards are given without consideration of need. Through a comprehensive program of scholarships, loans, and jobs, Hamilton attempts to meet the full financial need of all admitted students. In addition to the PROFILE form of the College Scholarship Service, candidates for assistance must file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and a Hamilton financial aid form by February1. Admission decisions are determined without consideration of a student's financial need.
Faculty
The 193 instructional faculty members are committed to excellence in teaching, learning, and creativity. They are not only teachers and mentors, but are friends and academic colleagues who are admired and respected by their students. Often their scholarly achievements outside the classroom contribute to their disciplines. Professors frequently share research with students and encourage them to participate as well. For example, students have recently accompanied faculty members on scientific expeditions to the Antarctic and to present papers at professional meetings throughout the United States and abroad. Because the student-faculty ratio is 9:1 and because all courses are taught by faculty members, both students and professors do their best to meet each other's expectations. Faculty members are easily accessible to students needing help, for academic advising, or to those simply wishing to discuss their work or whatever else may be on their minds. Most students leave the campus having made at least one lasting friend among the faculty, and when compared to graduates of other colleges, more Hamilton alumni stay in contact with their faculty mentors ten years or more after leaving the campus.
Student Government
The Student Assembly, which administers a budget of nearly $500,000 for student-sponsored activities, represents the functions of student government at Hamilton, and students often join with faculty members, administrators, and trustees on other College-wide committees to set policy.
Admission Requirements
Hamilton seeks to enroll intelligent, well-prepared, and strongly motivated students from as great a variety of backgrounds as possible. The admission staff and the College are dedicated to finding candidates who will contribute a wide diversity of talents, interests, and experiences to campus life. Applicants are expected to have taken advantage of the strongest academic curriculum available at their high schools. A strong record of personal accomplishmenttaking into consideration the opportunities availableis also an important gauge of the candidate's ability to contribute to the life of Hamilton. Although a strong academic preparation is the most important consideration for admission, other special talents and interests may be considered. In 2001, Hamilton made the SAT exam optional for admission. Students may now choose the stadardized testing option that presents their credentials most favorably. Candidates should keep in mind that while test scores are a part of Hamilton's evaluation, a student's overall academic record in high school is far more important.
Application and Information
Application materials may be requested directly from the College, or students may apply using the Common Application Form. The deadline for regular admission is January1, and decisions are mailed by April 1. There is a $50 application fee that is waived for students who apply online. Candidates who have chosen Hamilton as their first-choice college may apply for early decision by one of two possible deadlines, November15 and January1. Decisions are mailed by December15 and February20, respectively. Early-decision acceptance is binding. A $400 deposit is required to ensure the accepted student's place in the class.
