<p>How would you describe it? Survival of the fittest? Nurturing? Somewhere in between?</p>
<p>come on Amherst students, you must have opinions about something other than the food.</p>
<p>Perhaps the Amherst students are a little too busy in the library at present to answer your CC post…it is nearing midterms, after all…</p>
<p>All joking aside, the academic environment at Amherst is what you make of it. Personally, I have found Amherst an incredibly supportive environment. Yes, the work load is tough; my classes on the whole are challenging. However, it’s never been unmanageable–especially with professors who make themselves very available to students and several quality resource centers on campus. There are, of course, notoriously difficult classes and some easy ones as well. Your academic experience will depend on the courses you take and the attention you give to them. Some Amherst students practically live in the library; plenty frequent it only occasionally. </p>
<p>I cannot really comment on the difference between the academic environment at Amherst and other schools having only experienced life at Amherst. That being said, there is not the same cutthroat or “survival of the fittest” mentality that I have heard occurs at some of our peer institutions. Amherst students are passionate about their studies and take their work seriously, but not to the point of intense, friendship-ending competition. It’s a supportive environment, not a cutthroat one.</p>
<p>Let me ask the question a different way–</p>
<p>How hard is it to succeed? Is there any kind of “weed out” element to the curriculum? What is the academic advising like?</p>
<p>For me personally, I find I am working very hard to get A’s. Not to say that isn’t how it should be, but I have been blessed (cursed?) with many of the notoriously difficult classes.</p>
<p>For the intro (to whatever) classes I’ve taken, there is a bit of a weed out element, depending on the professor. The professor I had made it very clear he was going to teach at a high level, and if you couldn’t keep up, you needed to be in his office practically every day (exaggeration, but still).</p>
<p>I really think it comes down to the department. I’m not a Black Studies major or a Biology major, but I just think those departments are full of really stellar professors who are good at what they do, and are good people as well.</p>
<p>Academic advising is whatever. Some people talk extensively to their advisers, I don’t, but that’s my choice.</p>
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<p>Let’s just say it’s very, very hard to fail. This is the case for all elite private institutions, but especially for a place like Amherst, where support resources (tutoring and counseling) are always at your disposal, and professors are particularly understanding and inclined to help should you ask them to be and do so.</p>
<p>Professors aren’t out to get you. You have to exercise discretion as to what to take and what not to take. Professors never underestimate your abilities, but you should neither underestimate nor overestimate them.</p>
<p>Advising does seem to be a mixed bag, especially when your advisor decides to take a semester or a year off, and you’re stuck with building a relationship from the start with someone unfamiliar. I’ve had strongly positive experiences with my advisor, who’s been with me all this time–but, then again, we come from similar backgrounds, have similar personalities, and similar academic interests. Advisors and professors are just like all other human beings, and you’re going to have to learn how to deal with all kinds.</p>