-
The fall 2020 acceptance rate for Amherst College is 13%. That means, out of _____ applications received in 2020 , _____ students were offered admission. The number of males who applied was _____ vs the number of females which was _____.
Describe the students at your school.
Diverse, people dress very differently, students from all over the country and the globe. It's a very liberal place.
Read all 76 answers Is the stereotype of students at your school accurate?
The Five College stereotypes are greatly overblown. Most of them are limited to brief encounters with Amherst students. But Amherst students are certainly goal oriented and focused on their studies. Compared with other similar colleges, the stereotypes are true. Amherst does maintain its uniqueness through culturally and socially active students. The school funds many of their pursuits. Finally, the on campus stereotypes hold water very consistently.
Read all 73 answers What are the academics like at your school?
If one must decide on a single aspect of Amherst that sets it apart from its peers, it is on its academics. Famous for its lack of a core curriculum, Amherst students bear the freedom and responsibility to choose any class at any time. While I have seen some students abuse this privilege by taking only "gut" or easy courses, others truly take advantage of this by trying subjects that they would normally have been restricted from due to distribution requirements at similar schools. The school definitely fosters the image of producing humanities and social science majors--probably from the relative well-spokenness of Amherst students. However, the biology, neuroscience, and psychology departments are quite renowned. More so than just the actual subject matters, the professors themselves are one of the central reasons to attend Amherst. Not only are they accessible, but they actually enjoy student interaction. Additionally, you are never taught by TAs at Amherst.
Read all 73 answers What is the stereotype of students at your school?
Amherst College: rigorous academics, strong athletics, liberal student-body, small
Amherst Students: smart, liberal, athletic, white/preppy
Read all 73 answers What is your overall opinion of this school?
I feel a certain freedom to pursue what I want to pursue, when I want to pursue it, and the only things holding me back time and my own willingness at Amherst. Since the school is well endowed, I never feel like I am missing any opportunities my friends at larger missing. Although the school is unquestionably small, this is something to embrace. Life at a small college, in an area with many colleges, does create the "bubble" mentality. However, schools like Middlebury and Williams are far more guilty of this than Amherst. One can venture out of Amherst with relative ease if he or she wishes. Moreover, when one leaves, the name recognition of Amherst is known by the right people. Sure the school does not carry the national fame of Harvard or Yale, but the right people know about Amherst, and it often says a lot about one's familiarity with good schools if one knows about Amherst. Students frequently complain about dining services; students congregate at our one dining hall on campus. But they are more than adequate. Most of the complaints come from the silly hours they still employ. The college is undergoing a HUGE renovation of all its dorms, so at times, it feels like things are in flux. However, all the freshmen dorms are now completed. School pride reached a high when the men's basketball team captured the D III National Championship in 2007. On the whole, students feel connections to the school in a variety of ways, not just athletics.
Read all 73 answers What are the most popular student activities/groups?
A multitude of clubs exist on campus that fit a variety of interests. Some of the most popular include Educate!, an African education initiative started by Amherst students, the various affinity groups, athletic teams, singing groups, and student government. It is no surprise that Amherst is known as "The Singing College." There's an acapella group for almost every musical taste in addition to formal choral groups. I have enjoyed my tenure in the all-male Glee Club.
After freshman year most people keep their doors unlocked since the dorms themselves require keycard access. There is certainly a sense of community in some of the more social dorms, while others are basically apartment buildings. In these dorms most nights are rather quiet. In the more social dorms, Wednesday through Sunday can expect one or more room groups to be throwing a party. One of the coolest things about Amherst is that one rarely has to pay money to party on campus. I have never heard of paying $5 or anything. Certain teams and groups of friends usually host. The older classes generally treat for the younger classes. I think this has been going on for a long time. Fraternities are off-campus, but still have some of the school's most reputable members a part of them.
Read all 70 answers Here's your chance: Say anything about your college!
Ten bucks says this is by far the most negative review of Amherst you'll find.
Read all 42 answers What should every freshman at your school know before they start?
If at all possible, visit the schools you're considering. Multiple visits can even be helpul. There are things about the school--what kinds of conversations you hear people having, the way you feel when you're on campus, what it's like to sit in on a class, how helpful students are when you ask for directions, and many others--that you just can't learn from reading guidebooks or rankings. If a visit isn't possible, try to get in touch with a current student. Even the friend of a friend, if they like their school, will likely be willing to exchange a few emails about what life is really like on campus.
As far as making the most of the college experience, get involved with as many groups and activities as you're interested in. Most schools have some kind of activity fair early in the year; go and get on the email lists of way more groups than you think you can realistically participate in. You'll get all their information through emails, and you can pick and choose later which ones you really want to be active in.
Read all 20 answers What do you consider the worst thing about your school? Why?
The food is not great -- there is variety but the same meals are repeated over and over. Quality isn't great. Plus, with only one dining hall, pickings are slim.
Read all 10 answers Describe how your school looks to someone who's never seen it.
Amherst is a home away from home, where you will challenge yourself in many new ways and be pushed to discover more about yourself than you thought you could.
Read all 5 answers What's the one thing you wish someone had told you about freshman year?
Winters are miserable, off-campus activities are limited, the food is unbearable, and the administrations is extremely inflexible in accomodating students.
Read all 5 answers Why did you decide to go to this school?
A first-year’s explanation on why he chose Amherst.
Read all 4 answers What kind of person should attend this school?
Anyone can find a place here. This is an awesome college with amazing people and professors.
There are only very rare cases where someone is not satisfied.
Read all 3 answers What's the most frustrating thing about your school?
The student body at Amherst is generally very well-off financially. I felt out of my element and a little embarrassed about my poor financial upbringing.
Read all 3 answers What do students complain about most?
The most common complaint at Amherst concerns the dining hall. While the food here is certainly not "bad" by any standards, comparatively to other similar schools there is likely room for improvement. Another popular complaint is that of a liberal "bias" amongst the faculty, although the validity of this claim is likewise very much open for debate.
Read all 3 answers Tell us about the sports scene on campus.
The sports scene at Amherst is pretty significant as roughly a third of students are varsity athletes, and almost everyone on campus plays some sport when including intramural and club teams. The varsity teams are all among the best in D3 (admittedly there is no D4), which adds to the importance of the sports teams on campus. Also our rivalry with Williams is a major part of not just the sports scene but more generally of the college as a whole, and the football/basketball games against Williams are some of the best days to be at Amherst. Overall, the sports scene here is very prominent, and even if you're not on a varsity team there are plenty of ways to get involved (club, intramural, sports section of newspaper, commentating games...).
Read all 3 answers Describe your favorite campus traditions.
Amherst is best know for its academics; it is consistently ranked near the top of the US News list for liberal arts institutions, and is currently #1. It is also known for being a very small community (only 1600 students), which is conducive to building a feeling of community on campus. The athletic teams are also fairly well-known, with several teams achieving success in NCAA tournaments in the last 10 years.
Read all 3 answers Where is the best place to get work done on campus?
The best place to get work done on campus is in any of the libraries; most students favor Frost which is the main library directly in the middle of campus, although the science library (Merrill) is popular as well.
Read all 2 answers What do you brag about most when you tell your friends about your school?
THe great connections and relations I have with my professors. Also, the incredible alumni network we have.
Read all 2 answers What kind of person should not attend this school?
People who like to party a lot and do not like large amounts of work. People who aren't focused on what they want.
Read all 2 answers
