If given the chance after four years of study, students at Hamilton College are more likely than their peers to choose the same college. Hamilton students are also slightly more satisfied with their overall education than students at peer colleges, according to the results of an annual survey of college seniors.
In addition, the results mark the first time in many years that Hamilton students were more satisfied than their peers with campus social life (71 percent Hamilton vs. 67 percent peers) and more satisfied with the sense of community on campus (67 percent Hamilton vs. 66 percent peers), noted Director of Institutional Research Gordon Hewitt, who administered the survey and analyzed the results.
"Although the opinions of today's Hamilton students and those of their peers do not differ tremendously when considering social life and the sense of community on their campuses," Hewitt said, "there's been a marked improvement in Hamilton student satisfaction in these areas over the past four years."
In 1999, only 42 percent of Hamilton students were satisfied with campus social life, compared with 71 percent today.
"The relative dissatisfaction in 1999 was probably related to the college's Residential Life decision in 1995," Dean of Students Flossie Mitchell said. "In addition, due to an increase requested by students in the activities fee and other funds made available by the college, the Student Assembly now has nearly $500,000 each year with which to provide social programs on campus. The number and variety of student social programs have increased dramatically in recent years," Mitchell said.
When asked about the sense of community on their campuses, only 48 percent of Hamilton students reported being satisfied in 2000, compared to 63 percent of their peers. Today, Hamilton students' satisfaction exceeds that of their peers (67 vs. 66 percent). "That is a significant improvement in a very short period of time," said Hewitt.
The senior survey also provided evidence that Hamilton teaches its students to write well. Fifty-eight percent of Hamilton students, compared with 51 percent of their peers, felt their writing skills were greatly enhanced at college. Those data are consistent with the findings of the assessment project funded by the Mellon Foundation, which has been looking at the effectiveness of a Hamilton education, and with the recent U.S. News & World Report-administered survey of college presidents, deans and vice presidents who cited Hamilton's approach to writing as one of 13 national models.
The survey, which has a response rate of 73 percent, was administered in May 2003 to graduating seniors and then compared with the results obtained from colleges in Hamilton's peer group. Those peer colleges include four that are ranked higher and four that are ranked lower than Hamilton by U.S. News & World Report.
In addition to the areas already cited, Hewitt said Hamilton students "were also more satisfied with key academic and campus services such as advising, career services, computer services and food services. Hamilton students were significantly less satisfied with the student union and campus safety," according to Hewitt.
"Today's students' overall satisfaction with their Hamilton education reflects a solid upward trend and is a result of student leaders working with professional staff and faculty to build a strong sense of community on campus," Mitchell said. "There's still more we want to accomplish together, but the positive momentum is gratifying."
