In the 2015 edition of the The Best 379 Colleges by the Princeton Review, Colgate University was ranked as the most beautiful college in the United States. This honor doesn’t come as a surprise to many of the returning upperclassmen as many of them cited the beautiful campus as one of their reasons for choosing to

attend Colgate University. 

“I can’t say that I was surprised. One of the reasons I chose Colgate was for how beautiful the surroundings are. It was awesome to see us getting national recognition for something those in Hamilton are familiar with, but those around the country might not know about us,” senior John Lee said.

Many other individuals shared similar sentiments. Penny Symth, mother of first-year Nolan Symth, was on campus for a quick visit before first-year move in and spent most of her day walking around campus

 appreciating the beauty. 

“My immediate reaction to the ranking was great pride. There are lots of colleges in America so for this one to be named the most beautiful is something special,” Symth said. Others were a bit surprised to see Colgate so highly regarded.

“I was a little bit surprised because I had expected it to be somewhere out west. It’s a bit difficult to appreciate how beautiful the campus is sometimes because it is covered in snow very often,” sophomore Nickolas Hasse said.

The popular sentiment around campus is that Colgate’s beauty can be seen year round as every season offers something a little different from the last. Many people even believe the winter months accentuate the campus’ natural beauty by covering it in a

 lovely white blanket of snow. 

“The campus is beautiful all year round. Each season brings something different to the Colgate campus. I enjoy seeing the campus in the fall when the leaves are changing colors, as well as seeing the campus covered in a coat of glistening white snow. Additionally, in the spring when trees/flowers begin to bloom, the campus is gorgeous,” junior

Justin LoScalzo said. 

To see the very best of Colgate’s stunning campus, a popular viewer’s spot is at the

Persson Bridge and the trail just below the Chapel. Persson Bridge is located on the hill and overlooks Taylor Lake and Willow Path; its high vantage point helps to create a very unique view.  The trail below the Chapel also leads to Persson Bridge, but many prefer to stand next to the Chapel and look down the hill at Persson with Taylor Lake in the background.

Colgate’s beautiful campus is frequently cited as a considerable factor in the school’s appeal for prospective students,  and Colgate’s Facilities Department (Buildings & Grounds) staff is largely responsible for the upkeep of campus grounds and maintaining the beauty of the campus. 

“I can’t help but appreciate and thank all of the people who work hard to put so much love and energy into our campus to make it so beautiful,”

 junior Charity Whyte said.

The Princeton Review’s list was compiled after surveying 130,000 college students from 379 colleges on a variety of topics related to their

college experience.