Amherst College Top Questions

I think Amherst is truly a special place. For one, the academics are unmatched and the opportunity to learn in a small class setting from such distinguished faculty is definitely something to take advantage of. The town of Amherst is great as well, as it caters to 25,000 students because of the surrounding schools, giving students the ability to attend a small school but still feel like they're in a real "college town." In terms of athletics, Amherst is again unmatched, as our teams continually win NESCAC titles and NCAA ones as well (division III). The rivalry with Williams is great, the proximity to New York/Boston is perfect, and overall it is hard to find many flaws with this school.

Amherst is a great place to go if you have a pretty eclectic personality and wide interests. I liked the fact that Amherst is small when I was a Freshmen but now I feel a little stifled by every familiar face I see. Good thing there are four other colleges around. Also, sometimes I wish Amherst was a little more caught up with the digital age.

The best thing about Amherst is the people. The school brings together amazing people from all over the world. You really create friends for life. Another great thing is the small size. Its small enough so you know a lot of people, but just big enough so you don't know everybody. The town is great. There's everything you need, and an even bigger town just 15 minutes away. Not to mention the four surrounding schools.

Many people say it's too small for them, but I like the size. I like how I can manage to know most of my dorm-mates, classmates, professors and such. Amherst is a great town to be in, and that's one of my favorite things about Amherst. Some say the town is too small (I mean, it is a TOWN, not a city), but you can walk to many shops and see friendly people. I love how Tony Marx is treated pretty much like a movie star, except he's very approachable. In that sense, I love the student-admin relationship at Amherst, although I don't really know much about the admin other than our Tony. haha A lot of people get annoyed by people who think we go to UMass Amherst. Also by people who don't know what liberal arts colleges are. I don't really care as much because nobody from my hometown has even heard of Amherst. People who know about colleges know about Amherst. And we all think that we are (or the quality of education at Amherst is) the best, better than Williams of course, and even the Ivies, so it doesn't matter what other people think. haha.

Come to Amherst not just for the academics. Come for those, but more for the people. The experience itself. It's a small school with big opportunities and lots of choices. Almost everyone here loves it. It's the best thing that ever happened to me.

I'd say the best thing about Amherst is all the intelligence that's constantly pervading the place. This makes it a lively source of great intellectual conversation and, over a four year stretch, a terrific education outside of the classroom. The professors and the individual attention they can provide are first rate as well. The one thing I'd change is the political tolerance level. For all of Amherst's talk about tolerance and diversity, it is a viciously intolerant place when it comes to how it treats its small conservative minority. When people hear that I go to Amherst, they usually say, "oh, UMass?". But it's okay because employers you'd care about and graduate schools have heard of Amherst. :) I spent most of my time at college in my suite because hanging out with my roommates was a lot of fun. The library took up a lot of time too, especially when I actually wanted to get work done. Amherst College isn't very connected to the town of Amherst in any meaningful sort of way. However, Pleasant St has its charm and offers a lot of good and decent-priced dining. Amherst's administration is very laissez-faire. For example, there are no distribution requirements. That allows for great experimentation possibilities and allows students to dabble in a very of fields. For that reason, I greatly appreciated the administration's hands off approach. The biggest recent controversy on campus was when a gay student was threatened at a party. The president of the school made a big fuss about it and there were several rallies, etc. However, the homophobic incident was a very isolated incident, for Amherst is a VERY flaming liberal institution. Conservatives like myself were faced with constant threats, intimidation, ostracization, and slander. However, the president of the school would never, for example, send out an e-mail dissuading students from harassing a well-known conservative student late at night. There is a lot of school pride during basketball season because the school has made the D3 final four three years ago (winning a title one year). School pride is also prevalent whenever the football team plays hated rival Williams College. I'd say Amherst is unusual for how unfriendly and socially awkward can be at times. Perhaps I say this because I grew up in California and in the South. However, I'm used to saying hello to acquaintances. At Amherst, it's very socially normal to stare at the floor when walking by acquaintances so as to avoid eye contact. One experience I'll always remember at Amherst is sledding down Memorial Hill with trays stolen from the dining hall. It's a very fun ride and a regular student indulgence anytime there's been enough snow. The most frequent student complaints are that the dining hall food is terrible and that it closes at a very early 7:30 pm. The health services are also considered inadequated and faulted for closing at 5pm. To summarize the Amherst big picture: dorm-life bonding for four years (especially through freshman year with one's freshman roommate and friends made in freshman orientation) yields spectacular and fulfilling relationships with many wonderful people. There are lot of very warm and, simultaneously, very brilliant people to befriend here. Moreover, the academics are first rate and professors will give you access you could never get at a big research university. The school is also a gold mine for one's future. There are lot of fellowships/money going around. There's a strong alumni network. And a motivated student body provides positive peer pressure and advice for getting solid internships, grad school slots, and jobs after school. Furthermore, the Pioneer Valley provides a vast array of beautiful rivers, trails, etc. to enjoy. On the other hand, Amherst has its problems too. The school can be very cliquey. There are often schisms between groups--particular between non-athletes and athletes. Many facilities on campus are open way too little of the week. And the small size of the school and its relative geographic isolation can create a stifling bubble effect. Finally, though the school has many intellectuals, it can sometimes feel too pre-professional.

I feel that Amherst provides students with the ultimate college experience. A student body full of smart kids who double as top notch athletes, singers, dancers, and artists, as well as a great deal of school unity and pride, and a fun social scene. The town of Amherst is superb in that is has all of the necessary shops, pharmacies, bars, and restaurants, that are all designed for college students because there are so many in the area.

Just like any school if you go to Amherst you will probably love it and hate it. Something you should definitely be prepared for is the fact that it is a really small school and almost everyone knows everyone else. So, you will definitely see the same few people at parties every weekend doing the same things. The only thing I would change is I think that the administration needs to work harder to make sure that everyone is participating in college life, and it is not just the same hundred people doing everything.

Amherst is a relatively small liberal arts college in Massachusetts. They have a lot of money that they use generously. While this is great in terms of Financial Aid, they do have a tendency to waste money on occasion. One strange thing about Amherst is that you cannot make any comments that are racist, sexist, homophobic or anything like that. However, there is a serious hatred against any conservative viewpoint. Just this year a conservative student was attacked by a bunch of drunk liberal students because of an article he wrote for a school publication. One student received a suspension, the others were not identified. The conservative groups on campus receive little/no funding from the administration and they are trying to get the best conservative professor on campus to leave. Also, the food isn't that great and the toilet paper is really rough. :(

Being a part of the 5 Colleges is one of Amherst's many strengths. Though I have to say that I think that the quality of classes at Amherst Colleges is better than at the other 5 colleges, having the opportunity to take classes, meet students/professors, and attend academic or social at Mount Holyoke, Smith, UMass and Hampshire is indispensable. Being a part of this consortium means that Amherst can retain the advantages of a small college but offer its students the course catalogue of a large university. I have taken three classes at the other colleges over my 4 years at Amherst, and greatly enjoyed each one.

Amherst is a little small, but it is nice being able to walk across campus and know many of the people you see. The town of Amherst is small, but has many great restaurants, and if you ever need the big school feel UMASS is only 5 minutes away.

The best things about Amherst is that people are very intelligent and interesting and you can never get intellectually lazy. It is too small. Those that know Amherst will usually say that you must be very smart to go there. I spend most of my time in study rooms/common rooms with friends. The college town is pretty small, but there are cafes, restaurants and bars to go to, but might feel a little too small for people seeking a metropolitan experience. Administration is very good, very very little bureaucracy. There is definitely a lot of school pride. I can't point out to a particular experience, but I will always remember Amherst for the many friends I had, the many sleepless nights (and weeks), the intellectual conversations, the fast-pace life, the overwhelming feeling of security and care taken of you, my beautiful room & dorm, the very, very interesting classes, and insanely smart and interesting professors. Americans complain of the cliques; in the international community, though, this problem is non-existent.

Um, you better be a really energetic person if you want to come to Amherst. I'm not saying you won't like Amherst if you aren't energetic (I'm certainly not!), but there is always something going on. Concerts, discussions, plays, sports, clubs (not to mention all the homework you'll always have), will keep you busy!

If I could change one thing I would make the athletes and regular students more similar. All the athletes are normal kids, but the other difference between the athletes and non-athletes is huge. They are two totally different types of people. Amherst is so liberal and it is really laid back which is nice.

The best thing about Amherst: accessibility, both of professors and other students. Professors are personable and easy to contact, and rarely seem detached in classes. The size of classes helps too. As for other students, the college is small and everyone lives on campus so if you meet someone once you are bound to run into them again so it is easy to maintain friendships with people outside your social circle. School pride: if there is one thing I would change about Amherst it is school pride. You can definitely see some of it, particularly at homecoming and at some basketball games, but on the other hand it is usually the same group of people really leading the school spirit and it is not a regular thing. Apathy is prevalent and there is even detectable animosity. I feel like some people come here just on the academic reputation, size, location, etc. and not only don't care but actively reject a lot of the traditions. Obviously sports at a division III school will not be the revenue generating spectacles they are at major conference powerhouse, but it really saddens me when I hear people say (and I've heard this personally) "who cares how [insert name of team here] does, its just DIII." I am definitely over playing the negative here, but students spend a lot more time complaining about Amherst than they do talking about how much they love it or getting excited for some campus-wide event or game.

Amherst is great!

Amherst is small and caters very carefully to its students. You can almost literally do anything here. Professors are here to teach and for their students, so there is as much one-on-one time with them as you need; the region is great because of the five colleges and tens of thousands of students--many bands come through, there are hundreds of good restaurants, and plenty of socialization between schools; there is also a huge class selection because of the proximity of the other four schools. The administration goes out of its way to deal personally with students. The college president is always at athletic events, responds quickly to emails from anyone about anything, and has greatly improved relations with the town and with students. Amherst has a lot of money, and makes it abundantly available to students. You can invite speakers to campus, put on a show, buy t-shirts to attract students to fundraisers, or get research grants. The school is very generous to its students; the student just needs to learn how to go about getting the money, and then the sky's the limit. (This said, it is not frivolous with the money; there is close oversight, and money is given mostly to projects that will benefit the entire student body.) My biggest criticism of the school is the lack of school pride. Attendance at athletic events is generally low, except for a few big ones (Homecoming, matches with Williams, basketball games). There could be more school pride in this regard.

Amherst is a wonderful place. The cliche that we talk about classes and have energetic discussions outside of the classroom is 100{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} true. Friends will fight over some disputed topic, such as abortion or the death penalty, and then five-minutes later be talking about something trivial or going to play ping-pong at the campus center together. The school is very small, which has its advantages and disadvantages. Everyone recognizes everyone, and even knows somthign about them. Gossip is rife, do noit expect to escape the classic high school drama here. However, its size brings a sense of coziness and comfort, one can talk to anyone about anything; noone on campus is seperated by more than two degrees. The college town is small, but has a few good restraunts. Antonio's Pizza is the best slice you will have, coming in all sorts of weird and fantastic flavors (my personnal favorite is the Steak and Bacon), there are a few good chinesse restraunts within walking distance too. The PVTA is a free bus that takes students to the other five colleges, including North Hampton, which has all sorts of upscale shops and restraunts. Nobody complains about the campus administration, who try to make themselves as visible as possible. It is not uncommon to see the president eating at Valentine or working out in the gym. There is tons of school pride. If you come, do not ever mention the fact that you also applyed to Williams...huge rivalry.

Great education, Wouldn't want to be anywhere else. Great community, Unbelievable professors.

Amherst is great! Even though Amherst itself is a small college, it shares some resources with four other colleges: UMass, Hampshire, Mt. Holyoke, and Smith, and students can take classes at any of the colleges. Since it is so close to UMass, the town really caters to college students, with lots of pizza places and relatively cheap dining out options. My sole complaint about Amherst is the soy sauce--they use this brown liquid that looks and smells like soy sauce on all the walkways in the winter to melt the snow and ice instead of salt. I guess it is more environmentally friendly, but it smells bad and gets on the bottom of jeans. That's a pretty minor complaint, though.

Small, enclosed campus environment; if you like that Amherst is a good place for you. Located in the five-college area, so there are tons of students around and it's easy to branch out and meet one of the 50,000 collegians in the area. It's D3, but there's a ton of pride for athletics, particularly the basketball team

The best thing about Amherst is nearly everybody pulls double duty in one way or another. Almost all of my friends are varsity or club athletes. Because of that, we don't have very many fat people. The size is perfect for what I wanted. Unfortunately, many people confuse Amherst College and UMass Amherst, which is insulting to my intelligence. We are in a college town, but that is mainly due to UMass. We are remarkably well contained within our own campus. The food is particularly unenjoyable however.

The school is pretty small, but it's very comfortable. The faculty is really there for you. I got really sick at the beginning of the semester, and the dean, my professors, and the health services people were all really helpful and supportive. The campus is a bit isolated, but it's easy to get into Boston if you need to, and everything you need is right in town. The food isn't great, it's very repetitive, and there is little in the way of fresh fruits and veggies. The campus is really nice, and very convenient.

I've had a lot of people from high school visit Amherst, and they're always amazed by how gorgeous the campus is. There's beautiful vistas and great architecture and tons and tons of trees. The dorms are really nice, too. Most of them are either old frat houses, recently built or renovated, or both. After your freshman year, it's really easy to get a single if you want it. Campus is extremely convenient--it's not very big and right in the center of town. Downtown Amherst is pretty small, but it has all the necessities. People go into town a lot, to shop or just go out to dinner. There are a lot of college kids around, with UMass being so close. Most importantly to me, however, is that Amherst College breeds a really strong sense of community. The school is small and personal enough that you will always see a friend on your way to class and you'll always feel safe walking back trashed from a party at 3 AM.

BEST THINGS About Amherst? (1) Geographic, Socioeconomic Diversity... People here are from all walks of life and have very unique and interesting perspectives and opinions. My social education has been just as valuable as my academic education. (2) Antonio's Pizza, open 'til 2am every day. (3) Small classes with engaged students and enthusiastic, accessible professors. (4) Five College Consortium enables you to take classes at UMass, Hampshire, Mt. Holyoke and Smith (which offer classes in communication, accounting, filmmaking, etc that are not offered at Amherst). (5) OPEN CURRICULUM = NO REQUIREMENTS! WORST THINGS About Amherst? (1) Long winters. (2) Bad food. (3) 1,600 students = too small. By the time you're a senior you'll be really ready to get the hell out of here. REACTION TO 'I Go to Amherst'? Many people assume that I go to UMass, which, frankly, pisses me off. But the people who matter in getting a job know what Amherst is and are always impressed. COLLEGE TOWN? Definitely a college town, but definitely not a city. There are lots of options for food, a movie theater and enough bars to keep you happy, but not much more than that.

This school is very small, and it will be a big change to some people, especially to people whose high school is bigger than Amherst. If you know that you want to be really involved in a cultural group or that you want to meet different people all the time, then don't come to this school. By the time you've spent one year here, you'll know a lot of people and they will know you, for better or for worse. Town is small, but the restaurants are great. There's a lot of space to walk and hang out with people. If you're looking for the excitement and pace of a big city, Amherst is not the school for you. If you like small, intimate environments, then come here. Some Amherst students are definitely activists, but most students don't tend to be very incendiary. Some outlets of thought on campus are the Indicator, the Amherst Student and online forums. Amherst is a very prestigious school, mostly because of the quality of the professors and the motivation of the students. That said, most people here tend to be fairly laid-back, and they do have lives outside of studying.

It's a small community, shocking I know...But I'm from a big city knew I wanted a school where I could run and hide from the world and I definitely found it in Amherst. But it can be as secluded as you make it, I have a tendency of going to too many activities thus I'm rarely in my room but I know people who never venture past their common room. The town is small but bearable (unless you like going to clubs...), I like coffee shops and bookstores so I'm generally in heaven for most of the academic year. If you stay here for the summer it gets a little lonely since half the towns population is gone but you can manage. Something I found slightly unusual when I first came here, was the number of people who are generally good at almost everything, it certainly made me feel inadequate for a large part of my first year until I realized I'm good at some things too...

Amherst is a really fun place-it is for the most part a positive, nurturing environment with a strong academic community. It is very tiny (only 1600 people), which has its pros and cons; people do know each others' business a lot and it can seem claustrophobic-having only one dining hall forces the student body to bond together but also makes it impossible to avoid anyone you don't want to see. At the same time, I love the feeling of a close-knit community, that I never have to walk very far to get anywhere on campus, and that I see people I know all the time. Also, everyone will say that you know everyone but that's definitely not true-I still meet new people all the time. It's also nice that Amherst is part of a 5 College Consortium, so you can take classes at other schools and just generally not feel so isolated despite being in western Massachusetts. "Downtown" Amherst is very tiny but very cute and literally adjacent to our campus, making it very accessible. It has fun bars and restaurants, a CVS, and a few cute shops. Bigger shopping centers with everything you could possibly need are just a short drive down Rte 9 and Northampton is only like a 20 min drive. Campus itself is small but most people find they rarely leave-people call it the 'Amherst bubble.' Between academics, extracurriculars and social life, it's pretty easy to get completely caught up in being at Amherst and forget about the outside world, which I guess is a good and a bad thing, but I think mostly good, as long as you leave every once in awhile.

Amherst is a really rich, well-organized school, which definitely cares for its students. Although the school is quite small and can get a bit stifling, for the most part it's just about the right size. The town of Amherst is horrendously small, however, which might be one of the greatest disadvantages to the school. I like a lot of things in Amherst, but what I miss the most is the sense of school pride (not the pompousness of it, but the awareness of its existence) and the random old traditions that school in Europe, for example, tend to have. Amherst smells like it's new, and although that's not true, it can be quite disconcerting at times.

The best thing about Amherst is the variety of different people you meet (if you look in the right places). There are so many people from so many different places and its really amazing to see the convergence of ideals and sentiments during that first week of orientation. One thing I'd change is making the atmosphere a bit more friendly. The campus, especially during the winter months (which is about 3/4 of the school year), is very disjointed from each other and doesn't have as much friendly interaction. People here can be sorta cold if you're not their best friend. When I first told people I was going to Amherst they said "You mean Elmhurst?" (a community college back home). Outside of New England, nobody really knew what I was talking about. Downtow Amherst is a bit more subdued, with some good places to eat, one bar, and a CVS for all of your urgent daily needs. There's a great public transportation system that takes you to the mall, the other 5 colleges, and Northampton, a really great downtown area with tons of shops and restaraunts. The most recent controversies at Amherst stem from intolerance towards different races and sexual orientation, such as the yelling of offensive slurs at people on campus. Also, the recent "Lip Sync" contest for Room Draw created quite a stir since the Feminist Alliance and many students saw the winning performance for the rising juniors as offensive and demeaning towards women. One of the biggest anomalies I find at Amherst is the unexpected large number of jocks. Yes, we're a school filled with people who are multi-talented and did amazing things in high school, but I just didn't think there would be so many stereotypical sports-obsessed students here.

best thing about amherst: most brilliant minds in the world talking to yours, taking what you say seriously, taking what you write seriously. the professors here are what makes it amherst. one thing to change: attitude. too many people here think they're entitled to everything. school size: school is very small. sometimes it's too small. most days it's all right. people's reactions: if they're from the pioneer valley, they assume you're the worst kind of amherst student. if they're not, they're likely to say "where's that? emerson?" most time on campus: library/room/dining hall. the town of amherst is... special. i thought i came from a small town, but WOW. it has its perks, though. cool festivals and good sushi. administration will do anything for the students. biggest recent controversy: there's a contest to improve chances at housing assignments for the next year. the ish that went on in that lipsynch caused some serious backlash from students who were appalled at what was allowed and deemed acceptable and even funny. school pride depends on who you talk to. those in the athletic circles have a lot. those who aren't tend to not give a crap. unusual: since we don't interview, we manage to collect the most awkward people in the country, the ones who didn't get into ivy leagues because they whomped in their interview.

The most frequent comment you'll get if you come here is "Amherst? You mean UMass, right?" Despite others' complete lack of knowledge about the College (which I admit, I had as well), Amherst is full of academically-minded and knowledgeable people and a welcoming atmosphere to all. The only thing to complain about is the food, which isn't bad but can get very boring after a little while. You learn to be creative, but other than that I love it here!

My school is just the right size. When i tell people that I go to Amherst, they are usually impressed. There is definitely a lot of school pride. The town of Amherst is fun and full of great restaurants. Northampton is down the street and also a great place to go for dinner, fun events and entertainment. Being involved in dancing in the valley is great. There are many master classes and performances. I've learned how to tango, combine ballet and modern in various ways, and I've most recently been studied performance improvisation. Amherst's administration is very forward-thinking and accomodating. They really care about student happiness and individual success. Amherst is such a fabulous environment because our campus is so diverse. If you're willing, you can make friends from all over the world. The different perspectives on campus are enlightening and I've really loved going to campus events when speakers talk about different issues because the debates and questions asked afterwards are always interesting.

Imagine if there was some sort of boarding school for college age kids, rife with cliques and the very worst aspects of high school. And God help you if you aren't on a sports team, because no one else will.

best thing= the campus (when the weather is nice) ppl outside, everyone just in a good mood change= more choices at val school = too small Go to amherst = all the people who matter not only know what amherst is, but know that you are doing big things Most of my time = in my room, or in the lib college town = umass is its own town administration = very nice from what ive worked with big controversy = amherst confessional, anonymous postings, ppl bashing one another not a lot of school pride at all nothing unusual...until you get here being a lordjeff too much hw, damn

Amherst is a very lovely campus. It's laid out with plenty of open green spaces, old New England Architecture, and a great view of the hills. We have great running/biking trails through the woods. The town of Amherst is nice, but students rarely leave the campus (except for real food). It is definitely a bubble community. Amherst Town has a ridiculous amount of restaurants for such a small area, which is a great change from our one dining hall. This is one of the complaints almost every student shares: our repetitive and greasy food. I think the size of the college is perfect, we really do have small classes, except for intro science courses- those can go up to 100. The administration is really great, and are all very helpful. They really do want every student to do well here.

If you are interested in academics and don't know what you want to major in, come to Amherst. The open curriculum is the only way I'd ever want to be in school again - I can't even fathom what having prereq's would be like, especially at a huge state school. Aside from that, I think Amherst does a good job of selecting kids who are not just run-of-the-mill brain machines, but instead people who are creative and unique. However, I can say from experience, if you want to focus on music or sports, you can probably do a lot better than Amherst. Not to say there are not lively sports times and lots of music - because that's not true - just that if you want to go super-far in those, you will be better served elsewhere.

Tough acadamically, but kids let loose on the weekends. School is a little small and everyone knows everyone's deal. Kids assume were a bunch of nerds at Amherst. I spend most of my time in my room or my friends room. Good College town. Good admissions need more school unity though. School pride is there but we need more of it.

When I tell people I go to Amherst they are either extremely impressed or have no idea what I'm talking about. I tend to spend most of my time studying. There is always homework to be done. I wish I had more time to enjoy all the great speakers that come to the school but there always seems to be something to do that night. As much as people might complain about this school, though, I get the feeling they wouldn't want to be anywhere else; much like people complain about their nagging parents, but at the end of the day they love them to death.

the environment at amherst is great- it is a lot of really friendly, open-minded people. Its the perfect size. i always feel like there are new people around me, and lots of faces i've never seen before, while at the same time i can't walk into the dining hall without finding someone i know to sit with. the community is really close knit, starting with freshman dorm groups, and continuing throughout the four years. the most recent controversy surrounded the "amherst confessional," an anonymous discussion forum. a few people were posting really insulting and mean-spirited things on it. the response was that a group of people spammed it with the entire collected works of shakespear, thus making it impossible to find anything or read anything. it was great to see people taking a stand about how we don't tolerate that kind of thing at amherst.

Amherst is a place for a relatively small number of people to do a lot of great things. It is a close community that accomplishes a lot.

I would probably change the food, though frankly its better than Harvard's (all my best friends go there, and it is only 5 minutes from my house), Brown's, and Connecticut College's. If you are looking for a small school, then this is the perfect thing. You get all the benefits (close relationships to professors, knowing everyone on campus), and all the negatives (you do see the same people everyday and that can be good or bad). People are always impressed when you tell them you go to Amherst, and as long as you don't act like a real jerk then they will think well of you and the school. I spend a great deal of time in the athletic facility, and the library. There is a great college town in Amherst, and the larger town of Northhampton is incredibly close as well. I have found that like any school the bureacracy is just as inconvenient and just as aggravating at amherst as it is anywhere, though Mr. Marx (the president) is a fantastic individual. there is a good deal of school pride definitely, especially since everyone knows each other and roots for their friends.

Where I'm from, people don't know about Amherst. When I tell them I go to school in Amherst, which is in MA, they ask me how I like Boston. Or they think I am talking about Umass. No one knows that amherst is actually an awesome school that is hard to get into. But I like it for that reason because it does not over advertise.

The people at Amherst are awesome. The professors, coaches, and administrators are eager to get to know you, and are extremely helpful and accessible. The students are also great, and that's what really makes a college worthwhile. With few exceptions, people here are very intelligent, and can comfortably talk about complex issues. They also know how to have fun, and will never bore you. You will find lots of different personalities here, so you can easily find social dynamics that fit your tastes. It's easy to make friends and there are very few bad apples.

Amherst is a great school with strong academics and a close-knit community. If you put effort into you work, students can develop strong relationships with their professors. However, academically, students will get out of Amherst whatever they put into it. Although I think the small size of Amherst is a pretty positive environment, it can also sometimes be a bit claustrophobic, and the fact that there is only one dining hall tends to contribute to that feeling. The campus is nicely located and the town makes the small college feel a bit bigger because students can go off campus to get coffee or dinner.

good school, small, pretty campus

Amherst's perfectly small size creates a sense of community unmatched by any other other school. Everyone has an appreciation for other's diverse interests and it is common for one person to have multiple interests which range from athletic team membership to service work.

Amherst is pretty small in my opinion. The campus and the town are nice. There is school pride, but the spirit is lacking to an extent. It would be nice to get fan support on days other than when Williams comes to town.

The best thing about Amherst is the education and opportunities you receive from the education. I would most like to change the dining hall; the food sucks. The size is just right. Because I am from the south, when I tell people I go to Amherst it is usually followed by the question, "Where?" Or, "oh, UMass, excellent!" I hate that. I spend most of my time either outside running, in the library studying or in my dorm hanging out. Amherst is in a small town. Amherst has the best and most qualified faculty I could imagine. Controversies? Not much school pride. Yada Yada Yada

Amherst is a small school that doesn't feel like it, because of its position in the five-college area (which includes UMass, Hampshire, Smith, and Mount Holyoke). Students can take classes at any of the five colleges and and a free bus service makes this a very accessible option. It's all the benefits of an intimate liberal arts education with personal attention, caring professors, and a tight-knit community, without the limiting factors that many other small institutions face. The town of Amherst is eclectic and extremely college-friendly, full of coffee shops, cheap eateries, and funky stores. In sunny weather the town green is full of picnickers, Frisbee players, and students reading or doing work. It really is that idyllic college town you see in brochures. The administration is genuinely interested in what students have to say and makes a concerted effort to be accessible and meet the needs of the student body.