WHO YOU ARE PROMISESTUDY WHAT YOU LOVE p BE WHO YOU ARE p F IND YOUR FUTURE

writing • academic rigor • mentoring • opportunity • access • diverse views • scholarship

• need-blind • open curriculum • intellectual curiosity • forward-thinking • informed •

analytic discernment • hard-working • friendly • inquisitive • collaborative • immersion

• authentic • enduring • world citizens • contributors • balance • purposeful • different

perspectives • state-of-the-art • influential • disciplinary practice • creative • small

classes • fun • scientific • communications • depth and breadth • revered • expressive •

cutting-edge • ethics • first-year experience • eloquent • know thyself • accomplishment •

supportive • languages • first generation • responsibility • visionary • civil • comprehension

• volunteerism • spirited • promises • accountable • experiential learning • alumni

network • challenge assumptions • global perspective • valuable • individuality • career

preparation • thoughtful • make connections • leaders • compassionate • respectful •

enthusiastic • articulate • internships • meaningful • difference makers • contemporary

• motivated • probing • whimsical • independent research • historic • advising • doers •

lifelong friendships • professional • philosophical • financial aid • accepting • ingenious

• great teachers • empirical • senior thesis • active • freedom • liberal arts • inspired •

work hard • be active • flexibility • distinguished • unpretentious • chart your course •

interesting • democratic • self-assured • explore new ideas • essential • groundbreaking

• honest • philanthropy • community service • fellowships • resourceful • off-campus

study • competitive • create change • prestigious • ambitious • debate • personal • one-

on-one • athletes • open-minded • dramatic • empathetic • logical • dedicated • aesthetic

discernment • smart • discussions • problem solvers • wholehearted • critical thinking

• sustainable • engaged • international • scholarly • enterprising • choices • authors •

down-to-earth • intellectual development • self-aware • lifelong learning • dynamic

• focused • persuasive • responsible citizens • passionate • job shadowing • activists

• memorable • integrity • career-related experience • tradition • different viewpoints

• transformative • faculty mentors • challenging • knowledge • informed judgment •

community • seminars • imagination • harmonious • productive • find your voice • determined

• well-rounded • close-knit • principled • theoretical • geographically diverse • bold •

performers • bucolic • cooperative • funny • generous • public speaking • no distribution

requirements • musicians • partnerships • independent thinkers • presentations

• innovative • versatile • self-directed • inclusive • limitless • dialogue • lasting

promise

u study what you loveu be who you areu find your future

hamilton’s promise There is no one Hamilton student just as there is no

one Hamilton experience, but the promise we make to all our students is the

same: At Hamilton, you can study what interests you, be accepted for who you

are and what you believe, and prepare to be the person you were meant to

become. Our faculty will expect your full attention and participation academi-

cally, and you will learn to expect a lot from yourself.

We are also committed to ensuring that a Hamilton education is available to

all deserving students, regardless of their financial background. That’s why we’re

need-blind in admission, we meet students’ full demonstrated need for all four

years, and we pledge to provide an equivalent experience and opportunity for

all our students.

We ask our students for a pledge in return: We expect you to work to your ability,

be open to new ideas and contribute your talents to our community.

This booklet is the first in a four-part series outlining the promises we make to our students.

promise

PROMISE

PROMISEhamilton’s promise p study what you love

Hamilton has an open curriculum, which means you’ll have the freedom to

choose courses that reflect your interests, while still fulfilling the College’s

expectations that you study broadly across the liberal arts. After all, with

freedom comes responsibility to meet the high expectations our faculty will

have for you as a critical and creative thinker, writer and speaker. But you

won’t go it alone. At Hamilton, you’ll work closely with a faculty advisor to

create an individualized plan of study specific to your interests and goals.

An open curriculum is best suited for students who are bright, independent,

motivated and committed to the broad-based ideals of a liberal arts education.

If that describes you, Hamilton might be a good fit for your next four years.

“Smart students, like those here at Hamilton, really like the challenge of discussing their course

options with their advisors rather than just checking off boxes on a form. It’s more work for both

the students and their advisors, but in the end we all benefit from these conversations.”

Dick BeDienT, professor of maThemaTics, aDDressing high school guiDance counselors

dylan jackson

senior

yarmouth, maine

english major, sociology minor

varsity men’s crew captain, writing center tutor, whcl dj

accepted job as a copywriter/strategist for an ad agency in philadelphia

My Last Semesterhamilton’s promise p study what you love

Root Hall, second floor, that one classroom at the top of the stairs to the right with the kind-of-

drafty window and that really loud radiator (it hisses, creaks and howls). The 12 of us sit around

the long table, our dog-eared copies of The Sound and the Fury scattered in front of us.

Jokes pass, stories go around about winter break (that one really tan girl went somewhere

tropical). The nervous tension is a good thing — a class full of senior English majors, balancing

the excitement and horror of the beginning of the end of our time on the Hill. It’s not exactly

an easy last semester ahead.

Senior seminar. This is the culminating course of my career as an English major. It’s one final

go for all of us, sitting around this table, ready to engage one of the most intricate literary

minds of the 20th century.

No big deal, right? It’s the Faulkner seminar. I read some Faulkner last semester in U.S.

Modernism. I’ve got this. We’re just starting with the Benjy section … just one of the most

obtuse 75-page passages I’ve ever read.

We’ve got a pretty good stock of literary analysis under our belts, and we’re ready to turn this

table into our home for the next 15 weeks. And you know, at this point, I kind of love it.

I look to the professor, ready and excited to face my last first challenge.

“So,” he says with a smirk on his face, “who knows what’s going on?”

PROMISE

PROMISEhamilton’s promise p be who you are

It’s easy to fit in at Hamilton because there’s no typical student here. You

can be left-brained, liberal, geeky, conservative, artsy or athletic. With 1,850

students and several hundred clubs and organizations, there’s always some-

thing to do here … and someone to do it with.

“Hamilton instilled in me certain values, a way of looking at my world and

understanding my relation to it. It taught me the value of ideas, the value of

actions and the incredible things that can happen when you put the two together.”

ann horwiTz ’06, reflecTing on her Time aT hamilTon

asad javed

sophomore

gujranwala, pakistan

interdisciplinary film major

the house of brockmann theatre productions, online journalist

hamilton’s promise p be who you are

I was on the second floor of the Christian Johnson Building the other day, where the language

departments make their home. I ran into Christine, the office assistant, who had audited French 110

with me my freshman year. She hugged me quite fondly and said, “Look at you, you’re all grown

up.” Having heard that only a bunch of times before in my life, and mostly in the death grip of my

visiting grandmother, I took a moment to really take it in, and as I walked back to Saunders 209 to

get supplies for my Scene Design class, I paused to ponder. Perhaps I had grown up over the almost

two years that Christine’s known me. Perhaps I’d grown up faster than ever before.

Then, I was a freshman shyly making his way through a new culture. Now, I’m a peer mentor

helping freshmen.

Then, I was a prospective psych major switching to creative writing. Now, I’m designing my own

major in interdisciplinary film.

Then, I could speak 23 phrases of French, most of which were about coffee. Now, just two weeks

ago, I spoke to a woman from Montreal in French for a four-hour bus trip.

Then, I was meeting with Heather Wixson at the Career Center about careers in fashion. Now,

I’m meeting with alums about careers in film.

Then, I was struggling to break from some cultural constraints I’d grown up with. Now, I’m a

proud gay man hoping to use film to promote LGBTQ interests.

Then, I couldn’t stand mashed potatoes. Now, I’m every potato’s worst nightmare.

Then, I shyly sang in the showers. Now, I’m writing musicals.

I guess, then, I was a boy with a multitude of questions. Now, I’m a man with a few answers.

So, for the journey that brought me from there to here, from then to now, and from freshman year to

sophomore year, I want to express my gratitude in the most earnest way. I’d always been warned that

change happens fast after your teenage years, I just didn’t know it would be this fast, and all for the better.

I saw Hamilton as a destination back then. Thanks to you, I see it as a journey now.

In sheer gratitude,

Asad Javed

Each year, students write thank-you letters to the donors who provide them with scholarships to attend Hamilton. This is an excerpt from Asad’s letter to his benefactor.

Becoming Me

PROMISE

PROMISEhamilton’s promise p find your future

Whether you decide, after four years, to pursue a graduate degree or enter the

work force, you will be prepared. Depending on your career choice, you will have

conducted independent research, had several career-related experiences and

tapped into Hamilton’s extensive network of alumni and parents eager to assist

you. Faculty advisors and Career Center professionals will help make sure you

have the knowledge, skills and confidence to stand out in your field.

“Hamilton helped me learn how to think, to write, to speak and,

most importantly, how to learn — the cornerstones of leadership.”

a.g. lafley ’69, chairman, presiDenT anD ceo of procTer & gamBle

hamilton’s promise p find your future

It’s a day of Big Firsts for me. For starters, it’s my first time at Book Expo America, the largest

book trade fair in the U.S. Being invited as a published author is a dream come true — in fact,

most authors never get the chance to attend. And I’m here, being led by my publicist through

the packed showroom floor to my signing.

That’s the other Big First: This is my first time ever signing copies of my fantasy novel, Throne of

Glass, a book I worked on throughout my time at Hamilton and years afterward. The enormity

of the moment isn’t lost on me — my heart is actually pounding so wildly I can barely breathe.

Though if I’m being honest, the racing heartbeat is probably from my growing terror that no

one will attend my signing. I’m a debut author, and though my novel has gotten a good amount

of buzz, it won’t hit shelves for another two months. With each step, I pray that one person will

show up — just one person, and all those nights at Hamilton I opted to write instead of going

out, or studying, or sleeping, will be absolutely worth it.

We wind up having some trouble getting to the autographing area thanks to a massive line of

people blocking our path. There are hundreds — so many that the line has doubled back on

itself a few times. I try to remember what mega-name author is signing right now, but I’m mostly

focused on keeping my hands from shaking.

We finally get to the Green Room and my editor rushes up to me. “Did you see them all?” she asks.

I nod. “That line is insane. What author are they here for?”

She grins. “Sarah … They’re all here for you.”

Chapter One

sarah j. maas ’08

yorba linda, california

creative writing major

best-selling author: Throne of Glass (2012),

Crown of Midnight (2013), Heir of Fire (2014)

and Queen of Shadows (sept. 2015) and a new

fantasy series, A Court of Thorns and Roses

PROMISE

PROMISEp we are committed to ensuring that your hamilton

education is affordable and worthy of your investment.

Hamilton has a well-earned reputation as a “school of opportunity” and is

need-blind in its admission decisions. If you qualify for financial assistance and

are admitted to Hamilton, we will meet your full demonstrated financial need

for all four years.

Our goal is to accept only the most talented and deserving students and then

provide the financial aid that makes it possible for them to enroll. We are also

committed to providing an exceptional experience for all students who choose

Hamilton, regardless of their financial background.

“Thank you for all of the amazing experiences of my last four years. Thank you for

an invaluable education, a future without limits and a community that somewhere

along the line became more of a family. I only hope to one day return the favor.”

riley smiTh ’12, speaking in new york ciTy aT a Dinner for hamilTon’s mosT loyal BenefacTors

p we are committed to ensuring that your hamilton

education is affordable and worthy of your investment.

Dr. Ted Taylor ’46, the most generous benefactor in the College’s 200-year history, is just

finishing his speech about how he invented a drug to combat cancer and gave — wait for it —

16 MILLION dollars to Hamilton. All of the science at Hamilton is done in a building that

bears this guy’s name.

And I’m up next.

I’m at the annual Comstock Luncheon, where students who receive financial aid gather to

thank their donors in person. Of course, I’m grateful to people like Dr. Taylor, without whom

Hamilton would be a distant dream for me. That’s all in the speech I’ve been nervously folding

and unfolding in my lap. But I’m not thinking about that right now. I’m thinking that I really

don’t want to mess up because (1) I am saying thanks on behalf of the entire student body and

(2) I’m speaking after a guy who practically cured cancer.

And it’s not just the speech I’m worried about. I’m in a room full of people who have given

their hard-earned money to make sure that students like me can get a Hamilton education.

Not to mention the stories they tell; it seems that all of the donors have done amazing things

with their lives. How could I possibly measure up to all that? Dr. Taylor has finished his speech,

so I make my way to the podium. A woman at the adjacent table leans in and whispers:

“That’s a tough act to follow.”

Yeah. No kidding.

Saying Thank You

cooper creagan

senior

geneseo, new york

english major, mathematics minor

ra, writing center tutor, humans vs. zombies, project shine, hogwarts at hamilton

$236Million

100+

1812history

Founded in 1793 as the Hamilton-Oneida Academy; chartered in 1812 as Hamilton College; third oldest college in New York State

27%

location

Clinton, New York, in the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains

full-time faculty members;95% hold the highest degree in their field

namesake

Alexander Hamilton, first secretary of the U.S. Treasury

most popular majors

economics, world politics, psychology, mathematics, biology, government, history

diversity

45 states and 47 countries;

22% u.s. students of color;

5% international students

admission stat ist ics for the class of 2019

applications: 5,434

Target class size: 475 fall entrance, 35 January entrance

selectivity/acceptance rate: 24%

high school class rank for admits (if school provides rank/decile)

• 85% from top 10%

• 96% from top 20%

Testing: middle 50% score ranges for admits

• saT critical reading: 680-760

• saT math: 680-750

• saT writing: 670-760

• acT composite: 31-34

more data on admitted and enrolled students: hamilton.edu/admission/profile

191

real studentsreal voiceshamilton.edu/thescroll

737 d ifferent courses offered each year

bachelor of arts

hamilton’s motto

know thyself

HA

MIL

TON

42 majors and 51 areas of study

95%

27residential opt ions

27, from small houses to large residence halls, offering singles, doubles, triples, quads, apartments and suites

9-1target enrollment 1,850

student-faculty rat io

30%class s ize

30% of all classes have 9 or fewer students; 74% have 19 or fewer students

200+clubs and organizat ions

more than 200, including those focused on

volunteerism, religion, public affairs, culture,

the media, comedy, music and performance

u $543,000 – total value of summer research stipends available to students in 2015

u 143 – number of funded summer research opportunities

u 85 – College-funded summer internships

for the last four classes, average percent of students

in a job, graduate school, internship or pursuing a

fellowship within one year of graduation

NESCACathlet ics

29 varsity teams, 17 club sports and 17 intramural programs

$236Million

amount invested in

additions and renovations

to the Hamilton Physical

Plant in the past decade

12number of national scholarships and research fellowships won by hamilton studentsin 2015

alumni support

among the highest level (top 1%) of alumni loyalty in america as determined by percentage of alumni donors

100+ off-campus studyhamilton maintains programs in

france, spain, china, india, washington, d.c., new york city and the adirondacks and has approved

more than 100 programs in other locations

42 majors and 51 areas of study

PROMISEThe admission and financial aid application processes

will be a journey of self-discovery. You’ll start with a long

list of places to explore and visit, you’ll narrow it down to

those that are a good fit, you’ll visit some (if only online),

and you’ll eventually decide where to apply. We’ll send

you fancy brochures and emails, with data and deadlines,

outlining our opportunities and options. Somewhere along

the way, you’ll figure out what you like, what you don’t and where you think you

might belong. We hope that list will include Hamilton.

Opposite this page are the “need to know” deadlines and facts about our application

processes for admission and financial aid. This information is hardly exhaustive;

in fact, it is really the beginning. If you like what you’ve read in this book, and if

Hamilton makes it onto the short list of places you will consider, we hope you’ll also

spend time on our website and on our campus, exploring our offerings and getting

to know us beyond the pretty pictures and admission statistics. And while there is a

lot we can’t guarantee about your college search adventure, we will never take your

interest in Hamilton for granted. That is yet another Hamilton promise.

Monica C. Inzer

Dean of Admission and Financial Aid

PROMISEadmission

the primary criteria for admission are academic achievement and intellectual potential, but hamilton also values leadership and commitment to extracurricular and community activities. in forming the class, the admission staff seeks students representing diverse geographic, economic and ethnic backgrounds whose perspectives will enrich the learning community. lastly, hamilton seeks to admit candidates who are a good fit with the programs and experiences offered by the college.

hamilton application the common application: commonapp.org

application instructions and checklists hamilton.edu/admission/apply

application deadlines

• early decision plan i: november 15 (notification by december 15)

• early decision plan ii: january 1 (notification by february 15)

• regular decision: january 1 (notification by april 1)

standardized testing policy hamilton.edu/admission/testing

you choose from a menu of options to fulfill our testing requirement including:

• sat (essay optional for redesigned sat)

• act (writing section optional)

• three individual exams of your choice, selected from sat sections (including essay test from redesigned sat), sat subject tests, act writing, ap scores or ib final exams. one must be a verbal or writing/essay test, one must be a quantitative test, and the third is your choice.

campus visits

year-round offerings including: campus tours, group information sessions, open houses, overnights and special saturday programs. interviews are strongly recommended. see our website, hamilton.edu, for details or to visit virtually.

tuition, fees and financial aid

hamilton expenses 2015-16

tuition and fees $49,500

room and board $12,570

total charges $62,070

financial aid promise

hamilton meets the full demonstrated financial need of every student it accepts and is need-blind in its admission decisions for u.s. citizens.

average 2014-15 financial aid award

$41,300 (including scholarship, student loan and work-study)

average 2014-15 scholarship

$37,500

in 2015-16, approximately half of our students will receive more than $36 million in scholarships.

financial aid application deadlines

• early decision plan i: november 15

• early decision plan ii: january 1

• regular decision: february 15

more information including instructions, checklists, policies and hamilton-specific net price calculator hamilton.edu/finaid

hamilton college

office of admission and financial aid

198 college hill road

clinton, ny 13323

hamilton.edu

a d m i s s i o n

315-859-4421

800-843-2655

fax 315-859-4457

admission@hamilton.edu

f i n a n c i a l a i d

315-859-4434

800-859-4413

fax 315-859-4962

finaid@hamilton.edu

hamilton college values and respects intellectual and cultural diversity, because such respect promotes free and open inquiry, independent thought and mutual understanding.

The college complies with all relevant state and federal laws on non-discrimination. The senior associate Dean of students, hamilton college, clinton, ny, 13323 (315-859-4020) is responsible for coordinating the college’s efforts to comply with Title iX of the education amendment of 1972, as well as its procedures for dealing with harassment on the basis of age, gender or gender identity, race, color, national origin, sexual and affectional orientation/association, military or veteran status, marital status, mental/physical disability, genetic information, ethnic origin, religion, or any other characteristic protected by law. The associate Dean of students for multicultural affairs and accessibility services, hamilton college, clinton, ny, 13323 (315-859-4021) oversees compliance with the americans with Disabilities act (aDa) and section 504 of the rehabilitation act for students.

hamilton college complies with all federal and state laws including publishing and making available its annual security report. The report includes statistics for the previous three years concerning reported crimes and institutional policies addressing campus security. To obtain a copy of this report contact the Director of campus safety or visit: hamilton.edu/annualsecurityreport.

hamilton college is fully accredited by the middle states association of colleges and schools.

June 2015

WRITINg • AcADEMIc RIgOR • MENTORINg • OPPORTUNITY • AccESS • DIVERSE VIEWS • ScHOLARSHIP

• NEED-BLIND • OPEN cURRIcULUM • INTELLEcTUAL cURIOSITY • FORWARD-THINkINg • INFORMED •

ANALYTIc DIScERNMENT • HARD-WORkINg • FRIENDLY • INqUISITIVE • cOLLABORATIVE • IMMERSION

• AUTHENTIc • ENDURINg • WORLD cITIzENS • cONTRIBUTORS • BALANcE • PURPOSEFUL • DIFFERENT

PERSPEcTIVES • STATE-OF-THE-ART • INFLUENTIAL • DIScIPLINARY PRAcTIcE • cREATIVE • SMALL

cLASSES • FUN • ScIENTIFIc • cOMMUNIcATIONS • DEPTH AND BREADTH • REVERED • ExPRESSIVE •

cUTTINg-EDgE • ETHIcS • FIRST-YEAR ExPERIENcE • ELOqUENT • kNOW THYSELF • AccOMPLISHMENT •

SUPPORTIVE • LANgUAgES • FIRST gENERATION • RESPONSIBILITY • VISIONARY • cIVIL • cOMPREHENSION

• VOLUNTEERISM • SPIRITED • PROMISES • AccOUNTABLE • ExPERIENTIAL LEARNINg • ALUMNI

NETWORk • cHALLENgE ASSUMPTIONS • gLOBAL PERSPEcTIVE • VALUABLE • INDIVIDUALITY • cAREER

PREPARATION • THOUgHTFUL • MAkE cONNEcTIONS • LEADERS • cOMPASSIONATE • RESPEcTFUL •

ENTHUSIASTIc • ARTIcULATE • INTERNSHIPS • MEANINgFUL • DIFFERENcE MAkERS • cONTEMPORARY

• MOTIVATED • PROBINg • WHIMSIcAL • INDEPENDENT RESEARcH • HISTORIc • ADVISINg • DOERS •

LIFELONg FRIENDSHIPS • PROFESSIONAL • PHILOSOPHIcAL • FINANcIAL AID • AccEPTINg • INgENIOUS

• gREAT TEAcHERS • EMPIRIcAL • SENIOR THESIS • AcTIVE • FREEDOM • LIBERAL ARTS • INSPIRED •

WORk HARD • BE AcTIVE • FLExIBILITY • DISTINgUISHED • UNPRETENTIOUS • cHART YOUR cOURSE •

INTERESTINg • DEMOcRATIc • SELF-ASSURED • ExPLORE NEW IDEAS • ESSENTIAL • gROUNDBREAkINg

• HONEST • PHILANTHROPY • cOMMUNITY SERVIcE • FELLOWSHIPS • RESOURcEFUL • OFF-cAMPUS

STUDY • cOMPETITIVE • cREATE cHANgE • PRESTIgIOUS • AMBITIOUS • DEBATE • PERSONAL • ONE-

ON-ONE • ATHLETES • OPEN-MINDED • DRAMATIc • EMPATHETIc • LOgIcAL • DEDIcATED • AESTHETIc

DIScERNMENT • SMART • DIScUSSIONS • PROBLEM SOLVERS • WHOLEHEARTED • cRITIcAL THINkINg •

SUSTAINABLE • ENgAgED • INTERNATIONAL • ScHOLARLY • ENTERPRISINg • cHOIcES • AUTHORS • DOWN-

TO-EARTH • INTELLEcTUAL DEVELOPMENT • SELF-AWARE • LIFELONg LEARNINg • DYNAMIc • FOcUSED

• PERSUASIVE • RESPONSIBLE cITIzENS • PASSIONATE • jOB SHADOWINg • AcTIVISTS • MEMORABLE •

INTEgRITY • cAREER-RELATED ExPERIENcE • TRADITION • DIFFERENT VIEWPOINTS • TRANSFORMATIVE

• FAcULTY MENTORS • cHALLENgINg • kNOWLEDgE • INFORMED jUDgMENT • cOMMUNITY • SEMINARS •

IMAgINATION • • HARMONIOUS • PRODUcTIVE • FIND YOUR

VOIcE • DETERMINED • WELL-ROUNDED • cLOSE-kNIT • PRINcIPLED • THEORETIcAL • gEOgRAPHIcALLY

DIVERSE • BOLD • PERFORMERS • BUcOLIc • cOOPERATIVE • FUNNY • gENEROUS • PUBLIc SPEAkINg

• NO DISTRIBUTION REqUIREMENTS • MUSIcIANS • PARTNERSHIPS • INDEPENDENT THINkERS • 2015 •

PRESENTATIONS • INNOVATIVE • VERSATILE • SELF-DIREcTED • INcLUSIVE • LIMITLESS • DIALOgUE • LASTINg

HAMILTON cOLLEgE • WWW.HAMILTON.EDU