Clarkson University
- 4 Year
- POTSDAM, NY
Clarkson University Reviews
Rating 3.76 out of 5 932 reviews
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Very nice location, not much to do locally. Good academics, great professors. Pretty bad food however
While there was number of things I wish on campus were a lot better, Food housing etc, my overall time at the school was good. It prepared me for the workforce, I was able to get well paying internships while I learned there and upon graduation I had a job paying just short of 100k.
Clarkson University is a very prestigious institution in our area. It has various degree options. However they focus mainly in engineering. This is a relief if you interested in this field, they have a plethora of options to choose from. All the advisors are very helpful and patient. There is much help regarding tutoring, although, sometimes the tutors don’t specialize in your subject in need.
Clarkson is an amazing school for smart people who want a good job. Not for people who want to have fun in college.
I've really enjoyed my time at Clarkson so far (Biology/Biomolecular Science double major).
First, the SHEER OPPORTUNITY here is astonishing. The career fair is definitely geared toward engineering students, but I'm a freshman and I am ALREADY in a lab! So, there's opportunity for EVERYONE, regardless of your major.
I highly recommend being part of the honors program. They send you job/internship/research opportunities ALL THE TIME. We get to register for our classes DAYS ahead of everyone else (even seniors), AND we have Ben & Jerries Nights every semester (If that hasn't convinced you, there's also an extra scholarship you get with it every year).
I feel like people over-exaggerate how bad the food is. It has gotten MUCH better (so I hear). Cheel, Serve, and Concrete are good, but RoBro is normally not.
Clubs are super active. People love to ski, go to hockey games, hike, etc. Party scene is as active as you want it to be. Classes are no joke.
Overall, I love it here.
First, the SHEER OPPORTUNITY here is astonishing. The career fair is definitely geared toward engineering students, but I'm a freshman and I am ALREADY in a lab! So, there's opportunity for EVERYONE, regardless of your major.
I highly recommend being part of the honors program. They send you job/internship/research opportunities ALL THE TIME. We get to register for our classes DAYS ahead of everyone else (even seniors), AND we have Ben & Jerries Nights every semester (If that hasn't convinced you, there's also an extra scholarship you get with it every year).
I feel like people over-exaggerate how bad the food is. It has gotten MUCH better (so I hear). Cheel, Serve, and Concrete are good, but RoBro is normally not.
Clubs are super active. People love to ski, go to hockey games, hike, etc. Party scene is as active as you want it to be. Classes are no joke.
Overall, I love it here.
I really have been enjoying my schooling at Clarkson and I've been learning a lot. There are a lot of good resources for expansion of knowledge.
The professors are for the most part well-connected and are pretty good, but it's not uncommon to get one who is either incomprehensible, ego-driven, or dry as the chicken here. As an athlete, my days weren't exactly free - so I can't complain about the lack of student life, I always had something to do and I got the sense that clubs are pretty active, and it's pretty easy to secure an on campus job.
Potsdam is a decent small town - good places to eat, nice movie theater, enough bars to hold the amount of students who go out from both colleges, and a nice community who interacts well with the college students. However, once you've been here for a semester, you've pretty much seen it all. Popular social events on weekends include going skiing, hockey games, and going out - the frat scene here is pretty weak. The weather gets miserable and repetitive but if you're from upstate and used to it then it's nothing new.
Potsdam is a decent small town - good places to eat, nice movie theater, enough bars to hold the amount of students who go out from both colleges, and a nice community who interacts well with the college students. However, once you've been here for a semester, you've pretty much seen it all. Popular social events on weekends include going skiing, hockey games, and going out - the frat scene here is pretty weak. The weather gets miserable and repetitive but if you're from upstate and used to it then it's nothing new.
If you are interested in engineering and enjoy the outdoors, this place is awesome! While the workload can be a lot, and the classes can be difficult, you will be able to find friends and get through it together. The atmosphere is very supportive amongst the students, which is nice. Bringing it together, I love decompressing with my friends by exploring the Adirondacks nearby and participating in clubs and activities!
I really enjoyed many of the professors. I am a mechanical engineering student, and many of the professors were very knowledgeable and had completed several exciting research projects. For example, I had a professor for welding metallurgy and just reviewing his papers discussing convection currents in different welding processes I found fascinating. I believe that most of the professors are very competent and they are willing to help you address problems you are experiencing in the course, or just problems in the homework. They want you to succeed, and are usually happy to help.
The classes and teachers are awesome and helpful with a challenging course load that is there to prepare you for the workforce.
It's a good school, school work varies very much according to which teacher you have. Freshman year puts a lot of work and stress on the student. The food is generic and not good, it's repetitive, and you're at constant risk of food poisoning. The layout is a bit jarring at first. The school departments just feel a bit disconnected, if you don't know the right people or where to go, you're left at a loss. While some school departments do try to help you, at times, they are unsure how to go about the situation, and you are left to go find a solution or just struggle. Making friends is easy here if you are outgoing or just go to class; there are many clubs. The experience, in the beginning just gives too much information and combined with trying to adjust to this school, is too much. Each professor has office hours and many forms of tutoring are offered. Many of the students come together and help each other out whether it's school work or just going to Walmart.
I love the campus, the view of the lake is wonderful. The only thing I wish was different was that it was closer to where I live.
Clarkson University is a great institution for those who are willing to work hard and face challenges head on. This university forges the problem solvers and innovators of tomorrow.
You get a mixed bag of professors. Some are there and actually teach because they like teaching, but also are skilled enough to still get research grants. Some are just here to fill a role and are purely research based professors and can not teach, and the class just becomes a chore.
There are a lot of options when it comes to clubs and professional societies and setting students up on a successful career path before they've even left the school. It's mandatory that you Intern or complete some other professional experience before you leave the school, so that drives the school to try to help you acquire one.
The not great part of going to Clarkson is you're out in the middle of nowheresville. There really isn't anything to do if you're not really into doing outdoors stuff (and mind you the outdoors stuff is not a catered and monitored experience, it's the real deal). So it can be boring if you're not into stereotypical after-hours college activities.
There are a lot of options when it comes to clubs and professional societies and setting students up on a successful career path before they've even left the school. It's mandatory that you Intern or complete some other professional experience before you leave the school, so that drives the school to try to help you acquire one.
The not great part of going to Clarkson is you're out in the middle of nowheresville. There really isn't anything to do if you're not really into doing outdoors stuff (and mind you the outdoors stuff is not a catered and monitored experience, it's the real deal). So it can be boring if you're not into stereotypical after-hours college activities.
This outstanding residential college, located in the small town of Potsdam, has an exceptional faculty.
I have a good experience with the collage, the professors are great and the services the school provides is good and the extra curriculars are fun
Clarkson is a great Engineering school that I decided upon in part due to its location in Northern New York. So far, academics have been great, dorms have been comfortable, and the people have been amazing. While food is largely ranked low on Niche, there are big changes that have been made that have resulted in a much more appealing selection of food for anyone, at any time. Go Tech!
The school can be good for personal development and growth. They definitely did a good job helping peers find jobs and lasting careers. Clarkson is very good at that part which is rare and a big benefit to justify the tuition. However, from my personal experience I feel that almost the entirety of tuition is paying for name reginition. It definitely wasn't for the food as due to my schedule I would have to wait until 10pm to eat dinner when the late night dining hall opened. I did okay with classes at first, but started struggling more and more. I felt very by myself as if sometimes professors intentionally make you feel lost just to see what will happen and how you will respond. This is a good idea in theory, but instead of being pointed in the right direction, I was laughed out of office hours or told "to drop the class because you will never understand the material and it's not worth my time". That professor is no longer with the university, but these experiences give me disdain.
Teachers are very helpful and always there for you. Students are very accepting and welcoming. I feel like I’m learning a lot in my classes and can use the material for my major. There are three main places to get food. One, called Robro, has poor quality food and just dirty in general. The other two, Serv and Cheel, are much better however the lines get pretty outrageous and it takes like 30 minutes to get food. There are enough social events on campus but people typically go out to the bars on weekends.