Good times on The Hill

Introduction
I chose Hamilton because I wanted a small, close-knit college environment, but I will definitely say I was lucky to have found as many good friends as I did, because in that small of a community you don't necessarily have that many options. If you're looking for a large school with a lot of lecture-style classes near an urban center, you should obviously not consider Hamilton.

Campus Life and Social Life
If you enjoy heavy drinking and rowdy behavior, Hamilton's off-campus party scene as well as certain on-campus dorms and parties are great. Because Hamilton is so isolated, most students drink with complete inhibition and do and/or feel like they can do whatever they want. In recent years, the Greek scene at Hamilton has dramatically changed in that there is a much greater deal of blending between the societies, and societies are much less stratified. Participating in Greek life at Hamilton is very fun, but not necessary to have a great college experience. The "Dark Side" of campus (what was formerly Kirkland College) has a very relaxed atmostphere in contrast to the Greek scene, but can also be very group oriented. Most male sports, particularly lacrosse, football, basketball and hockey, are followed by the students, although our football team is notoriously bad. Girls sports are followed mainly by friends of the players. Drugs are absolutely pervasive at Hamilton, both on- and off-campus, but this can greatly vary by year. When available, students that party will most often also use drugs. Adderall is unbelievably easy to obtain, and pot and coke definitely can be, particularly if one dealer starts running the show. Mushrooms are also fairly common. Everything else is no more than two to three people away. Advertisement
Academics
Hamilton's academics really vary by class and not department in terms of workload. Classes are generally highly discussion based and can be very reading and writing intensive, particularly as Hamilton prides itself on its students ability to effectively communicate through speaking and writing. As a result, Professors welcome debate and generally make sure all students' ideas and opinions are equally considered. Our English, Economics, Government, Biology, Communications, Art and French departments are all strong, but students are also encouraged to take classes in any department, all of which truly have some exceptional Professors. The downside to some of the departments however is that they are more theory based and less focused on end job markets for students (e.g. there is no Business Major, only Economics).

Student Body
The student body is fairly active and involved, and Greek socities do make positive contributions to student life via various organizations. The slightly conservative tendancies of the student body are reflected in that there may be rallies for various causes, but they are generally not widely participated in.

In Closing...
If you like a Boarding School atmosphere but with a lot of freedom, then Hamilton is a great choice.