Amherst College Top Questions

That Amherst is full of preppy rich New England kids.

My school has the reputation of being one of the most rigorous, academically demanding schools in the country. Its acceptance rate is one of the lowest and it has been ranked the #1 or #2 liberal arts school by US News and World Report for the past several years.

Liberal, elitist.

Before I came to Amherst, I thought that Amherst students would be super hard working, stressed, kind of nerdy, and not have great social skills.

elitist, rich, snobby, privileged, white, preppy, top notch academics, small school, racist, liberal

stuck up, rich prepschool brats

Smart school for geeks.

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.

Most people think Amherst students are stuck-up rich jocks who have super-huge egos and elitism complexes. Or they think we're cold, nerdy, awkward brains.

students and rich and preppy; amherst is overwhelmingly liberal

I've heard a few different ones. Everything ranging from very athletic to nerdy. i've also heard students have a rep for being awkward

Amherst is often stereotyped as the "bubble" since being here is almost like being cut off from the rest of the world. Students are more liberal here than most of the real world is and much more tolerant. Amherst also sometimes gets the stereotype of being pretentious or academically snobbish.

they are nerds

I would say the stereotypical Amherst student is someone who studies a lot yet also knows how to have fun.

A common stereotype is that most of the students are elitist, privileged, upper-middle to upper class students.

That we have many dumb athletes who only got in because of their athletic talents and do not deserve to be here. That we all pop our polo shirt collars and wear pearls.

That Amherst is incredibly small and can cause claustrophobia. There is a sense that Amherst students are elitist and have a strong sense of entitlement. Preppy.

i heard that Amherst was a great school when i applied, but i've been surprised, since then, to hear that amherst has been stereotyped as a place for ivy league rejects. contrary to this, the school tries (does its best) to present itself as a place with a lot of resources and a diverse student body, where students have a good number of options for how to design their education.

Liberal, Elite, Musical, Cold

Uptight, white, stuffy, white.

Top academics. Liberal.

The stereotypes of Amherst students fall into three categories: Amherst students in relation to the Five Colleges, Amherst students in relation to the greater collection of colleges of its ilk, and also Amherst students within the college itself. Amherst students fit nicely into the mixture of the Five College students. Each college brings its own types of students to the proverbial table, and Amherst is no different. I have had some girls at Smtih and Mount Holyoke, the two all-female colleges nearby, tell me that they have some of their closest friends at Amherst. Others feel like Amherst students invade their college bubbles too often. However, this is a very common complaint at Amherst and all the Five Colleges when students from the other Five Colleges take classes at their own school. On the whole, Amherst students are definitely seen as wealthier, future-focused, but down to earth when spoken with. Compared to colleges like Williams, Dartmouth, and Middlebury, Amherst students certainly closely resemble the students at these schools, but with some distinctions. Amherst students are seen as more socially and culturally active and aware. Additionally, since the class size is so small, each individual is multitalented. Very few are exclusive specialists in their academic and extracurricular pursuits. The students dress more pragmatically than fashionably. Within the College, there are an unusually high number of cliques with which students definitely identify. Athletic teams and affinity groups unfortunately lead the way. At times they can be exclusionary, but get any of these individuals in an intimate conversation, and they are quite relatable. The number of students who can mingle with anyone on campus are about even with those who find a comfort zone with only those with whom they identify on an external level.

Concerning academics, Amherst is known for having great professors who are here to teach and are really interested in fostering personal growth for students. Thinking about the social aspect, Amherst can have the stereotype of having a stifling social environment that is quite routine.