AMHERST COLLEGE

AMHERST COLLEGE

CAMPUS Box 2231, P0 Box 5000, AMHEIZST, MA 01002 • ADMISSIONS: 413-542-2328 • Fax: 413-542-2040
FINANCIAL AID: 413-542-2296 • E-MAIL: ADMISSION@AMHERST.EDU • WEBSITE: WWW.AMHERST.EDU

STUDENTS SAY

Academics

At Amherst College, a small, elite liberal arts school in western Massachusetts, “The academic experience is well balanced, comprehensive, and tailored to the desires and needs of each individual student.” Students truly get exactly what they want because “There are no core requirements. Every person in every class . . is enthusiastic about the subject and wants to learn.” Students love this set-up, telling us that “the open curriculum guarantees that every student in every class really wants to be there, which makes a huge difference in the liveliness of discussion.” Academics “are extremely challenging without being overly burdensome,” in part because support networks are so strong. Students “really develop personal relationships with professors, which makes classes that much more enjoyable.” Students also appreciate that they “get all the things [they) need and want (services, advice, etc.) when [they) need and want them.” As one student puts it, “Amherst College is a small family. Everyone here wants you to succeed; however, it’s up to you to reach out for that guidance. If you knock, Amherst shall respond.” Professors “all have a great sense of humor” and “are engaging and eclectic.” As one student writes, “Even in introductory courses, professors literally bounce off the walls with enthusiasm for the subject.” The results tell the story; Nearly three-quarters of all Amherst alumni proceed to postgraduate study within 5 years of graduation.

Life

“Life is usually busy” at Amherst, where “People are generally pretty involved.” Academics are demanding, but fortunately “Everyone is here for the same reason: to learn. We learn as much from each other as we do in the classroom because everyone is just so different and has a story to tell. I stay up till the wee hours of the morning with some of my dorm-mates sharing stories and ordering Antonio’s Pizza.” When they’re not working, students “are often playing sports” or “engaging in some other activity” Undergrads “love the academic culture of the Five Colleges area. You can go to music performances, plays, or poetry readings any night of the week.” As one student reports, “Events are happening all the time, and there is always something going on.. concerts, talks about Brazilian economics, West African dance shows, etc. Life here is comfortable and exciting.” A “free bus to get to other colleges and towns” makes it easy to access these events, even without a car. It’s not Only about personal enrichment here, though; while students “work hard throughout the week,” they “party on Thursday and Saturday.” Why not on Friday? “Because nearly one-third of the student body [are] athletes, parties are often thrown by various teams, but open to all. As a result Friday nights are pretty dead, since all the athletes are resting up for their games.”

Student Body

“It seems like there are many of your typical White, private school students from the New England area” at Amherst, but “Then there are [also) students from all over the United States and from other countries who are so diverse.” Most of these “typically well-rounded and motivated” undergraduates “played some sort of sport in high school, and a very large percentage play club or varsity sports at college.” These students are “witty, friendly, thoughtful, non-competitive, self-effacing, and know how to have a good time.”

While some tell us, “You could call a lot of the kids preppy,” others insist that the “conception of Amherst as preppy [is there], but it’s wrong.” Nearly everyone agrees that “Amherst is amazing because of its small size. It’s a really close- knit community where everyone is extremely open-minded and considerate.” According to another student, “1 love that [Amherst’s] students are politically aware and serious students but also willing to have a good time. The first thing that struck me about my school is how nice everyone is. The school has a reputation for being stuck-up, but I have not experienced that in the least.”

ADMISSIONS

Very important factors considered include: Academic CPA, application essay, character/personal qualities, extracurricular activities, first generation, recommendation(s), rigor of secondary school record, standardized test scores, talent/ability. Important factors considered include: Alumni/ae relation, class rank, volunteer work. Other factors considered include: Geographical residence, state residency, work experience. SAT and SAT Subject Tests or ACT required; ACT with Writing component recommended. TOEFL required of all international applicants. High school diploma or equivalent is not required. Academic units recommended: 4 English, 4 math, 3 science (1 science lab), 4 foreign language, 2 social studies, 2 history.

The Inside Word

A $1 billion endowment allows Amherst to provide admitted students with generous financial aid packages. The school is deeply committed to economic diversity in the student body, increasing the number of working-class and low- income students in the Class of 2010 from 15 percent to 20 percent (New York Times, September 19, 2006). The school is also considering scaling back, or even doing away with, early decision admissions, which are believed to favor upper-income students.

FINANCIAL AID

Students should submit: FAFSA, CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE, Noncustodial PROFILE, Business/Farm Supplement, income documentation (Federal 7 Income Tax Return, W-2s). The Princeton Review suggests that all financial aid forms be submitted as soon as possible after January 1. Need-based scholarships/grants offered: Pell Grant, SEOC, state scholarships/grants, private scholarships, the school’s own gift aid. Loan aid offered: Direct Subsidized • Stafford, Direct Unsubsidized Stafford, Direct PLUS, Federal Perkins Loan, college/university loans from institutional funds. Applicants will be notified of • awards on or about April 1. Federal Work-Study Program available. Institutional employment available. Off-campus job opportunities are good.

FROM THE ADMISSIONS OFFICE

Amherst College looks, above all, for men and women of intellectual promise who have demonstrated qualifies of mind and character that will enable them to take full advantage of the college’s curriculum. . . . Admission decisions aim to select from among the many qualified applicants those possessing the intellectual talent, mental discipline, and imagination that will allow them most fully to benefit from the curriculum and contribute to the life of the college and of society. Whatever the form of academic experience—lecture course, seminar, conference, studio, laboratory, independent study at various levels—intellectual a competence and awareness of problems and methods are the goals of the Amherst program, rather than the direct preparation for a profession.

‘Applicants must submit scores from the new SAT plus two SAT Subject Tests, or the old SAT plus three SAT Subject Tests.