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A lot of people are skeptical of attending a school with a student bpody as small as Amherst's. I was a little bit concerned that Amherst would be too small, but I really do think that going to a small school has a lot of benefits that people don't realize. People are afraid that with a small school there wont be as many opportunities to make friends, but in reality, you recognize so many people on campus, and see people so frequently that it is easy to maintain relationships. It is easy to maintain contact with someone if you want to. The smaller size also allows students to appreciate a lot of groups on campus, because there will be a good chance that you will know someone that is a participant. Amherst really has an ideal college town. It is within walking distance of the campus, only a few minutes, and has a variety of restaurants to choose from. Just a few minutes away there is a large movie theatre as well as big stores such as target, where you can absolutely get whatever you need. And Northampton is only a 15 minute drive, and provides a change of scenery with a lot of restaurants and shops. When I tell people that I go to Amherst, if they have heard of it they are almost always genuinely impressed, and have high opinions of the school. However, since it is smaller, not everyone has heard of it. There is a lot of school pride at Amherst. There are large turnouts for all kinds of events on campus, athletic and nonathletic. I know I personally am always on the lookout for all things purple to buy just to show a little extra Amherst spirit.

Amherst has no academic requirements apart from a mandatory freshman seminar, which really gives students a lot of freedom to take the classes that they want, and also to experiment in different disciplines, without having to worry about scrambling to met requirements if they take a class that might not go toward a major. The idea of an open curriculum seemed overwhelming to me initially, but once it came time to register for classes the first time I really appreciated it.The majority of professors do know the names of their students, especially if you are in a smaller class. Sometimes, with the large lectures (intro classes usually) the professor won't know you , but usually there are some smaller group meetings of the class, usually in the form of discussion sections where the professor will get to know you. As a history major, I have found that all of my professors have known my name in my classes, and the majority of them have known some other things about me. It is easy to get in touch with professors for the most part, and because they for the most part are not dealing with hundreds of students, they are usually available to meet and talk with you. Class participation is very common, although by no means required. Because professors make an effort to get to know you, it is not as intimidating to speak in class as you might think. For the most part, because the professor knows everyone's name, it is easy for the other students to get to know each other as well. The education at Amherst is not pre-professional, but that does not prevent Amherst students from getting high end jobs right after graduation.

For the most part Amherst students are very accepting of on e another and of each other's differences. I don't think many students would feel out of place at Amherst. Students wear anything from skirts and dresses, to sweats, to sweaters and jeans to class, you can really wear whatever you want, and odds are someone will be wearing something similar. Amherst students are from a variety of geographic areas, with a lot coming from the New York Area as well as California and a lot of international students too. There are students from a variety of financial backgrounds; no one is going around asking if people are on financial aid, it is very easy to keep that type of information private, and for the most part people aren't particularly interested in that aspect of students' backgrounds. Many students are politically active- Amherst has a reputation for being liberal, and there are definitely some very vocal liberal students, however I do not feel that students with other political leanings feel separated or awkward about it.

My closest friends are definitely the other members of the swim team, I found that I just have the most in common with them, we chose the school for the same reason. However, it is easy to have other friends too. I think a lot of the friends people make freshman year are based on living situations, but they gradually evolve as time passes. The partying at Amherst varies depending on what you want to do. There are definitely people who party 3 or more times a week, however, there are those that may only go out once, or not at all. One of Amherst's best traditions is the Luau TAP (The Amherst Party) which occurs in September. Essentially, it is a big outdoor party held on one of the quads, with a live band. There is a lot of dancing, and because it is still warm people can really enjoy being outside. it also gives students a chance to see a lot of different people because the majority of the student body definitely shows up to this party

One stereotype is that Amherst students are as a whole very liberal. Additionally, a lot of people think of Amherst students as well-rounded and highly motivated, with many participating in some level of athletics.

For the most part these stereotypes are true. Many Amherst students are liberal, however there are a fair number of conservative students as well. The opportunity to voice your political opinion is certainly present, but it's also accepted not to voice your views. For the most part many Amherst students are well-rounded and participate in a lot of activities. I am a member of the swim team, and the majority of my teammates are also involved in other activities requiring significant commitments.

Amherst's campus is beautiful. the view from the top of memorial hill, overlooking the sportfields and into the mountains is amazing, especially when the leaves are changing colors. The majority of the buldings are pretty also; there are no high rises or anything like that; none of the dorms have more than four floors.