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  1. Hamilton has always been and will continue to be a SCHOOL OF OPPORTUNITY for students from all backgrounds. That’s why Hamilton is need-blind for all domestic applicants. Alexander Hamilton — the first secretary of the treasury and a tremendous success story — embodies this ideal and is the perfect namesake for our College.
  2. We still believe that EARLY DECISION (ED), when applied correctly, can serve both students and colleges well.  While it is true that our acceptance rate for ED is a little higher than Regular Decision, ED applicants are quite strong as a group and they have put a lot of thought into their applications and commitment to Hamilton. Also, although nearly half of any incoming first-year class may have applied ED, our ED acceptance offers represent roughly 15-20 percent of our total acceptances we offer each year. We’re upfront with families about our ED philosophy and welcome any questions you may have.
  3. Hamilton does not require STANDARDIZED TESTING, and students can choose whether or not to submit these exam results. Choosing whether or not to submit test scores is a personal decision for every applicant. Our selection process is centered on academic achievement and the ability to flourish in our community, and any additional information provided can be helpful. All candidates are given full consideration, regardless of whether they include scores as part of their application. 
  4. With our generous $55 million financial aid budget, we are able to admit all U.S. applicants need-blind (see #1), and WE MEET 100% DEMONSTRATED NEED FOR ALL STUDENTS for all four years. Recognizing that we want to protect this commitment to providing access to talented students in the future — our recent capital campaign raised $120 million to support financial aid.
  5. We still value the PERSONAL INTERVIEW, and offer them virtually and in-person. When possible, advise your students to come to the interview prepared to talk about themselves and their interest in Hamilton. Many of our interviews are conducted by our senior admission fellows, and, contrary to popular belief, they do a better job than we do. (Really. They convert a higher percentage of students to apply than our admission officers.)
  6. Without question, our namesake is the best founding father! Those who have the chance to visit Hamilton will get to visit his statue (it is a popular selfie stop), and if not, you’ll find him on the $10 bill in your pocket. ALEXANDER HAMILTON represents many of the same things we value as a college: he was an independent thinker, a persuasive writer, and a powerful speaker.  In recent years, he has become a bit of a celebrity, given the wildly popular Broadway musical that also shares his name. Like “Alex” (as he is affectionately known on our campus), our students are “not thowin’ away (their) shot.”
  7. We offer JANUARY ADMISSION to a limited number (35-45) of first-year students. We typically offer this option to students we’d love to have at Hamilton, but for whom we have run out of spots in our fall admit class. Students who choose the January option can explore other opportunities in the fall, most of which include taking classes, and then join us here on College Hill for their second semester — not at all behind their classmates academically, and in some ways ahead (the gift of time and travel is not lost on them).
  8. A key component of the Hamilton experience is the College’s OPEN, YET RIGOROUS CURRICULUM. In place of distribution requirements that are common at most liberal arts colleges, Hamilton gives its students the freedom to choose the courses that reflect their unique interests and plans while also encouraging them to take responsibility — with lots of close faculty interaction and support — for their own education.

    As much as we believe thinking for oneself is important (thus our curriculum), so, too, is the ability to communicate those thoughts effectively. Writing is the one skill we aren’t flexible about. All students take three writing-intensive courses before they graduate — woven into the fabric of the curriculum across disciplines. AT HAMILTON, WORDS MATTER.
  9. Need help demonstrating to your (and hopefully our) families that a liberal arts education is a good investment? Peruse this sampling of what some HAMILTON ALUMNI are doing today. The Hamilton alumni network is among the strongest in the nation, and they are very eager to help their own!
  10. A longtime Hamilton professor once said, “IT’S A SMALL WORLD AND CLINTON IS AT THE CENTER OF IT.” Hamilton is located in the quaint, New England-style village of Clinton, N.Y., in the foothills of the Adirondacks and just minutes from a variety of shopping, dining, recreational opportunities and outdoor activities. Several restaurants — Tex-Mex, BBQ, Mediterranean, Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Lao, Vietnamese, a ton of pizza places, coffee houses, a bakery and the best veggie ravioli money can buy … believe it or not, we have it all nearby. Amtrak is 20 minutes from campus, one international airport is less than an hour away (Syracuse), and another is just 90 minutes away (Albany). We’re within four hours of New York City and Boston, and just five from Philadelphia, Toronto, and Montreal. Clean air, a great view and easy access to the rest of the world. What’s not to like?

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