Trinity or Hamilton?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Trinity is a nescac school so has a little more national prestige. But Hamilton is in a much better location. Otherwise not a ton of difference.

They are both NESCAC schools

I stand corrected! Looks like they joined in 2009 so not even brand new.

What? They have been NESCAC schools for over 20 years, at least we played them when I was at Williams back in the 90s

In terms of location, it's all relative. Hamilton is really isolated so I would rather be in Harrford, even if it's crappy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:From a "prestige" perspective both schools are more or less the same. Once you get out of the top 4-5 LACS the remaining 15 or so are pretty much similar enough from the perspective that it's not going to wow anyone if you went to one over the other.

Trinity, however, does have a richer vibe than Hamilton, among its students. Both colleges are very preppy but Trinity has that rich edge while Hamilton has a broader intake.

This is so not true. Hamilton in my kids school is known to be much more prestigious even among the advisors. Trinity is considered to be an all around super preppy safety. Many kids who get into Trinity did not get into Hamilton. Only thing "better" about Trinity is the location...Hamilton is isolated.

[Anonymous]

How many adults say "this is so not true?" Just wondering, as I know we have kids posting on here.

As an adult who interviews prospective hires for a well known company, Hamilton and Trinity have exactly the same prestige in the real world. Largely unknown LACs, which is true for the LACs outside the top five or so (some exceptions for unique places like Oberlin). You're not going to be hurt attending one over the other. Go to the school you like the most based on instinct and personality.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:From a "prestige" perspective both schools are more or less the same. Once you get out of the top 4-5 LACS the remaining 15 or so are pretty much similar enough from the perspective that it's not going to wow anyone if you went to one over the other.

Trinity, however, does have a richer vibe than Hamilton, among its students. Both colleges are very preppy but Trinity has that rich edge while Hamilton has a broader intake.

This is so not true. Hamilton in my kids school is known to be much more prestigious even among the advisors. Trinity is considered to be an all around super preppy safety. Many kids who get into Trinity did not get into Hamilton. Only thing "better" about Trinity is the location...Hamilton is isolated.

[Anonymous]

My kid transferred out of Trinity after one year. Hartford is terrible and the campus is very challenged. There is LITERALLY NOTHING nearby the school and walking off campus isn't advisable. (No, my kid isn't a snowflake.) It is depressing as hell in the winter and the administration doesn't seem to go out of its way to create anything on campus. Last year the entertainment for "Barnyard" was Action Bronson. He's a rapper that released a wonderful tune called "Consensual Rape." He was dropped at last minute and school still had to pay him. My point, nobody seems to be paying attention and yes, some of the dorms are deplorable. Never visited Hamilton but it has to be better. Also, after we decided to transfer the school never called or anything despite top grades and the fact we were paying full tuition. Feels like they are mailing it in. Either they will merge with UConn. or the campus will make wonderful condo development or assisted living facility.

[Anonymous]

Hamilton Alum. I got into both colleges and chose Hamilton because it had greater diversity of students. I know Trinity has gotten more selective in recent years so that may be changing the student body. Clinton is remote, but is so safe and pastoral.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid transferred out of Trinity after one year. Hartford is terrible and the campus is very challenged. There is LITERALLY NOTHING nearby the school and walking off campus isn't advisable. (No, my kid isn't a snowflake.) It is depressing as hell in the winter and the administration doesn't seem to go out of its way to create anything on campus. Last year the entertainment for "Barnyard" was Action Bronson. He's a rapper that released a wonderful tune called "Consensual Rape." He was dropped at last minute and school still had to pay him. My point, nobody seems to be paying attention and yes, some of the dorms are deplorable. Never visited Hamilton but it has to be better. Also, after we decided to transfer the school never called or anything despite top grades and the fact we were paying full tuition. Feels like they are mailing it in. Either they will merge with UConn. or the campus will make wonderful condo development or assisted living facility.

The new Trinity administration seems to have an attitude that full-pay families and private school graduates are not the kind of privileged, non-academic students they want to attract. This, despite being one of the 10 most expensive colleges in the country. For what?

PP, is your kid a private school graduate? If so, no surprise they didn't try to retain him/her.

[Anonymous]

Nope, not private. The school is trying to raise their ranking by offering tons of scholarship money and our son had used Camp Trin-Trin as a safety and decided he liked it. His scores are excellent. Anyway, Dean's List at Trinity and he transferred.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Trinity is a nescac school so has a little more national prestige. But Hamilton is in a much better location. Otherwise not a ton of difference.

They are both NESCAC schools

I stand corrected! Looks like they joined in 2009 so not even brand new.

What? They have been NESCAC schools for over 20 years, at least we played them when I was at Williams back in the 90s

In terms of location, it's all relative. Hamilton is really isolated so I would rather be in Harrford, even if it's crappy.

Then why'd you go to Williams? LOL

[Anonymous]

This thread says so much about why the responses shared on this forum are not always accurate! It is like getting on the metro and asking this same question and actually taking the responses from the other riders as the truth.

I know Hamilton very well. I don't know Trinity well at all.

Hamilton is rural. If a student doesn't want to attend a school in a rural area, it is not for them.

Re: the career-related impact of attending a SLAC such as Hamilton, as mentioned by a PP. The alumni network at a place like Hamilton is extremely powerful. Also, incoming Hamilton students are each paired with a career advisor from the start. So, no, the size of the alumni body is not the same as the number of alumni from a place like Michigan but I assure you the support offered while in college and the loyalty of the Hamilton alumni network are both quite valuable.

Have no idea when Hamilton officially joined NESCAC but it was in NESCAC in 1990 so sometime before then.

[Anonymous]

I'm familiar with both. I taught at Trinity in the early 90s, when it was arguably a better school. Seems to have slipped somewhat in the last 20 yrs. That part of Hartford has gotten worse, not better. Connecticut in general is nice, and students can take some classes at other schools depending on major. My son spent a week at Hamilton during the summer, and it is definitely isolated. Closest "town" is Utica, and it's a dump. Seems, from speaking to current students, that it makes for a relatively close knit student body. Academics at Hamilton seem harder, and they have a strong emphasis on writing and critical thinking skills, which is good depending on what your kid wants to do.

But it's cccooooollllldddddd there in the long, long winter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nope, not private. The school is trying to raise their ranking by offering tons of scholarship money and our son had used Camp Trin-Trin as a safety and decided he liked it. His scores are excellent. Anyway, Dean's List at Trinity and he transferred.

Transferred to where? An Ivy or more selective LAC?

[Anonymous]

Neither.

[Anonymous]

Won't be more specific than that but read Clery Report and if that doesn't mean anything to you, you really need to read it. Or better yet travel to both for a few days and hangout on campus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Won't be more specific than that but read Clery Report and if that doesn't mean anything to you, you really need to read it. Or better yet travel to both for a few days and hangout on campus.

What's Clery?

[Anonymous]

It is the required disclosure each college now has to file concerning drinking, arrests, and student behavior. I believe it's named after Rachel Clery a young woman who was murdered at Lehigh.