Asians at Amherst

Colleges and Universities A-Z Amherst College
1

<p>I received my acceptance to Amherst a while ago and one of my parents’ and my main concerns regards the social life here at Amherst. I am seriously considering attending the College and will surely visit the campus and stay overnight to get a feel for myself. However, I want to ask the college confidential community for some opinions.</p>

<p>I am an asian student from southern California. Amherst is pretty much as far away from home as I can get in the United States. Not only that, the percentage of asians at Amherst is about 10 percent while the school and community I come from is roughly 25 percent or higher. While most of my friends are asian, I am not uncomfortable around non-asians. So my question is: Will I feel at home at Amherst? Is there a noticeable change that I might feel uncomfortable with? Are the faculty and students there supportive of each other? And will I be able to adapt to this new life? (Because I really want to go)</p>

<p>Thanks guys</p>

2

<p>Hey, I just saw your post and thought I could help out. I'm currently a freshman here at Amherst. Let me answer your questions one by one;</p>

<p>Yes, you will feel at home at Amherst because Amherst is a small but REALLY friendly community. Now I know that one concern you have is the Asian friends, and my guess is that you will have plenty here. I, myself am a Korean-American, and I find it very comfortable here. 10% may seem small to you, but in reality it doesn't really matter because I can choose the friends I make and there are plenty of Asians. I personally know a student from Japan, a bunch from Korea and China, some Vietnamese, some Indian, some from the U.S. like me (actually a lot of Asians I know are from SoCal), and many many more from places I don't have time to mention. I also know about 50 Asians combined from the other schools in the Five College Consortium (Amherst, Mount Holyoke, Smith, UMass, and Hampshire) and I'm meeting more every day. So if I were you, I wouldn't worry because if you find yourself wanting more Asian friends, you will definitely get some. Even though the school is small, I am still meeting new Asians every time I go to Valentine (our dining hall).</p>

<p>Yes, there will be a noticeable change that you might feel uncomfortable with. I mean, it's college! You will be experiencing SO many new things, and that will make you uncomfortable, but in an incredibly good way! In terms of the people, however, there's nothing to worry about. Again, it's a small school, so everyone is very nice and open-minded. You will be living with freshman in the exact same situation as you. Your Resident Counselors are very, very good people and they will make sure that no one is feeling outcast socially. Just be prepared to meet people and try new things and you'll have a great transition.</p>

<p>Absolutely, the students and faculty are supportive. I don't know a place that has a better mix of students and faculty than Amherst. Students are all very smart and open-minded and professors obviously more so. There's not much more I can say about that one.</p>

<p>Absolutely, you will be able to adapt if you're really pumped up for it. Don't be timid: Amherst is incredibly resourceful and in my opinion, the best place for undergraduate education. Whichever college you end up going to, you'll most likely do very well, since you've been accepted to Amherst, but especially at Amherst, you'll get unique opportunities if you really go for it. Academics, socializing, and simply enjoying life are all integrated with each other so well here, by second semester, you'll know everything about social life you need to know.</p>

<p>So I hope that answers your questions somewhat. Like I said, I never feel that there are too many white people, or even just non-Asian people. I personally love Asian stuff, like Asian food, people, dramas, movies, languages, etc. and I find many ways to pursue it here. It's a little more difficult at larger schools because the social life is a little intimidating, but here at Amherst, there's no intimidation at all. There's all sorts of Asian clubs (I'm actually in China Awareness Organization, Asian Students Association, and Korean Students Association, but there are many others) and even Asian housing (the Asian Culture Theme House). In every single activity I'm in, I feel at home because there are people that I feel comfortable with, Asians and non-Asians.</p>

<p>If you have any other questions, feel free to ask!</p>

3

<p>gobadgers,</p>

<p>I very much appreciate the time you spent to help me (and maybe a few others) out.</p>

<p>It's good to know that the community is friendly, and you have certainly debunked some of the myths my parents have told me about Amherst. I'm also glad there's a lot of these clubs on campus, as I think joining them will let me meet a lot of new people. It's cool that there's actual students from Asia (true asian :P). I'm sure If I really wanted to, finding friends wouldn't be a problem. I've also wanted to take Chinese and/or Japanese at Amherst as well. Are these courses difficult to maintain a good grade? And are they very time consuming? </p>

<p>Another question: do you have regular interaction with the students from the other schools? I've heard that the schools are pretty close together but it's mostly students from UMass visiting Amherst and not the other way around.</p>

<p>haha. very true. I'm sure it'll be similar at any college I attend and again I like the tight, friendly community Amherst has. I know small liberal arts colleges like Amherst are known for their close student-faculty connections. From your example, I can definitely see how open and welcoming the students can be and I feel much more comfortable after reading your post. :)</p>

<p>I am definitely excited to join the Amherst community, so a question is: is it easy to get involved in clubs, sports, etc? As I know that Amherst's culture is very active and unique, and is truly part of the experience that is available only at such a school. I'm glad to hear that you were able to continue pursuing your own interests in such a dynamic community. I hope I'll be able to as well. Can you explain a little more on the whole Asian Housing? I've never heard of it before.</p>

<p>Again, I'd like to thank you for your post and perhaps I will be joining you at Amherst in the fall. :)</p>

4

<p>From my knowledge, Chinese and Japanese here are fairly time-consuming (4-5 hours/week of lecture/discussion), but worth it. I don't know what kind of foreign language background you have, but some of my friends from Asia say that it's not hard compared to what they had back in high school. I always see them stressing out, though, so I bet it's not that easy either. Grades are not bad for introductory language courses, but I would suspect that as you go up the levels, the going gets tougher. Overall, I have to say that foreign languages are a strength here, so if you want to know more, look up the departments on the website or the courses on the course catalog.</p>

<p>I'd say it varies in terms of the other college students. I work at UMass, so I have some opportunity to meet people there. I also attend church service, Amherst Koinonia Church, through which I know a lot of UMass, MoHo, and Smith Asian students. In terms of social gatherings, it's actually pretty even: I find myself hanging out at UMass once in a while and sometimes I'll meet people with UMass friends here on the Amherst Campus. Mostly, it's up to the individual and how social he/she is.</p>

<p>I'd say its TOO easy to get involved. The first week I was here, I applied for about 5 different leadership positions, was taking lessons for two instruments, was in orchestra, a cappella, and about four different clubs; I also applied for 3 jobs, and wanted to write for two campus publications! Everything was simply too accessible because I was hearing about so many new things and the organizations on campus were very open and willing to let me try whatever I wanted. There was also no air of competitiveness in anything I tried, so I was never intimidated by anything (another uniqueness of Amherst--no uptight competition in sports/activities EVER). Obviously, I had to make some decisions over the course of the first semester because there was no way to do all that. But I found that many of my friends here, especially the motivated kind, did the exact same thing, so I have confidence that you will too.</p>

<p>After freshman year, when you are required to live in the freshman quad (some really nice dorms!), you can apply for theme housing. Most theme houses are for foreign cultures, like German, French, Asian, etc. but some are for other things, like Wellness and Health. I'm not sure how it's set up at other schools, but at Amherst, if you get accepted into the theme house (lots of people do), then you will get a single in nice dorm with the people of your common interest. The Theme Houses usually have social gatherings and special events, such as foreign holidays. It's very fun and I know a bunch of people in theme houses who enjoy it a lot.</p>

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<p>While my Chinese is probably not as good as a student from Asia, I am probably fluent enough to comfortable converse with them. As far as Chinese goes, I think it won't be too difficult. However, I don't have much experience with Japanese but from what you've said and what I've researched on their catalog, I think just taking a year or two just to learn the language will not be too demanding.</p>

<p>You seem like a very active individual. And I think the number of activities you're in transcends even the average student at Amherst. I do appreciate the open-ness of the campus to do whatever interests you. But I, at least from what you've said, am no where near as active in my community. Part of the reason I want to attend Amherst is to change myself as an individual, participate more. I'm hoping that this is a good place to do that?</p>

<p>Ooo. Nice dorms are always a plus-- I will surely look forward to my overnight stay. So are these theme houses largely comprised of members from their respective themes? Like is the Asian house mostly Asians? These aren't fraternity-like are they?</p>

<p>hmm. So far you've said only positive things about Amherst. It sounds quite attractive. Is there anything you dislike about Amherst?</p>

<p>Thanks again :)</p>

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<p>It's probably best to break out of the bubble too. High-density Asian populations won't be the case for most of your life... unless you wind up in Asia :)</p>

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<p>Funny you should say that because I didn't consider myself to be all that "active" in high school. But once I came to Amherst, all of that changed. The first things that contributed to that were the Freshman Outdoor Orientation Trips and Orientation week. The FOOT trip was awesome because I got a chance to meet other freshman on a close level and talk to some upperclassmen, the FOOT leaders. Orientation week was basically a week devoted to meeting other freshman. Most schools have 2 days or so to settle in, take campus tours, and register for classes. Amherst has a week of all that plus squad meetings, special events, shows, and random optional activities that all really help in making lots of friends. Spending a very relaxed week with talking with new friends relieves any stress before classes begin. This and the very open environment of Amherst helped me meet lots of new people and instilled new interests and confidence in me. It was simply up to me to take the opportunities presented to me. So when you talk about wanting change, it almost brings back fond memories.</p>

<p>Far from it: theme houses are almost the opposite of frats (Amherst doesn't have any official college-endorsed frats or sororities by the way). The Asian House, to my knowledge, is a floor of a dormitory almost entirely comprised of Asians. There are some non-Asians, but they are very interested in Asian culture and love Asian people. The entire atmosphere is so quiet and friendly that any Asian would love living there. It's very clean, also, and is the meeting place of ASA.</p>

<p>I actually enjoy talking about some negatives too because it gives people a very real and close picture of Amherst. In terms of academics, the only things that I find lacking is good research opportunities, especially in science. I love science (potentially major) and find it a little hard to find real top-notch experience here. Amherst professors and career counselors do the best they can to provide opportunities, but it really doesn't beat the vastness of resources of an Ivy or a top state school. But among the liberal arts schools, I'm certain Amherst is the best (check the rankings, haha), so I can't complain too long about academics in general. Also, the music and science facilities are very mediocre. I know that the school is small, but one would expect that a top academic institution would have nice labs and a fancy recital hall. Not really. I've gotten used to it, but I can't help feeling jealous sometimes when I visit other schools and see their facilities.</p>

<p>Overall with the exception of the dormitories, Amherst is very humble. But I think it is due to all of the resources going into recruiting elite faculty and making our living spaces as nice as possible. Some facilities are nice, like the museum, athletic facilities, and geology building, and the nature and scenery around Amherst is georgeous, so it's not all bad. But if you decide to come to a place like Amherst, just remember that you're coming for the academics, the ideas, the awesome people, and the very bright future that you will have, and not the idealized grandeur of the fancy-looking schools in the city. Amherst has its own beauty in being a quiet, innovative place of study and personal growth. Just a realistic thought.</p>

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<p>Ah, in addition the two common complaints of Amherst students:</p>

<p>Weather-very very cold and miserable during the winter! This may be hard on you as a SoCal resident, but I know plenty of people who survive it. It also rains a lot (typical New England).</p>

<p>Food-Valentine Hall is not bad, but it is crowded often and tends to get repetitive in terms of menu. There are also a lot of budget cuts on the dining, so overall, expect to be wanting to eat out often! Amherst and nearby places have good restaurants, though, so it's not a shabby idea...</p>

9

<p>Yes! That is the change I want to see for myself at Amherst. Become more open. And mistofthekane, that is quite a good point. I’ll bring that up to my parents. This orientation week sounds cool, good for getting to know each other and stuff. This definitely sounds welcoming. Is there a shopping period? for classes and such? </p>

<p>Ohh okay. Good. That sounds quite interesting. Everything about Amherst seems to be appealing…</p>

<p>Lacking research opportunities? Really? Well…I got named a Schupf Scholar. I’m not sure if you’ve heard of it but they like give you one on one work with professors, help you find research at labs and other schools, and even fund that research. I know not a lot of people get it but they seem pretty intent on recruiting me. They’ve sent a lot of emails and it seems it’s relatively easily to get involved in research with this program. If you know anything about this, could you enlighten me? So far Amherst has been pretty vague about it, which is understandable, considering its relatively new.</p>

<p>I’m considering something related to the sciences. Either doing math, or perhaps chem or bio. So do you think that coming to Amherst, I sacrifice some quality of education in those areas? I mean, how bad can the best liberal arts college get (not very)? (and yes it’s tied for first with Williams-tho Amherst is first alphabetically :D) I would think that the liberal arts education is meant to make you into somewhat of a Renaissance man. Like know a bit of everything? </p>

<p>Just a side question: how would you compare Amherst vs Williams, cuz I have both offers but I’m heavily leaning Amherst.</p>

<p>Yes! I very much like that sense of quiet prestige. No grandiose fancy city-schools for me. The environment, the academics, and pretty much everything you said about Amherst appeals to me. I can’t wait to visit and confirm my decision. It definitely sounds like you enjoy being there. :)</p>

<p>Weather I’d actually probably be fine with. I used to live in Canada and it was pretty cold up there too. Tho it’ll surely be a refreshing change from sunny San Diego Weather.</p>

<p>I’m okay with most food. I actually like cafeteria food. Tho hopefully i don’t get sick of it. What’re some restaurants you’d recommend–perhaps for my visit there and hopefully when I attend there?</p>

<p>I can’t believe how fortunate I am to have found someone to answer all my Amherst questions–before I even visit! Is everyone there like you?? That would be awesome. Thanks Again!</p>

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<p>I mean, I do science here and it’s really great (potential Bio Major): I completely recommend it. It’s just that the research opportunities are limited to what the professors have to offer. We don’t have a billion faculty members, so the areas are relatively limited, but it doesn’t really mean anything. The professors are so awesome that you will want to do research just to hang out with them more. And being around them in general really motivates you academically: that’s why I love the science classes that I’m in. The only sacrifice, in my opinion, is huge laboratories and facilities, but that’s a completely personal thing. It might be cool to attend a huge university with all these different buildings and labs, but I would be sacrificing WAY too much in terms of the quality of professors and the amount of interaction with them. Besides, most college students do research during the summer anyway, by applying to programs or contacting professors, so there’s no reason you have to stay at Amherst.</p>

<p>Oh yeah, and I’ve never even heard of scholarship, so maybe it’s something you can ask if you visit at any point…</p>

<p>Okay, I HATE Williams (haha). But that doesn’t mean it’s a bad school. It’s academically very strong and is overall similar to Amherst, except for two key aspects. First is location, and honestly the town of Amherst isn’t much, but Williamstown is virtually nothing. The area the campus is in is just not that beautiful either, in my opinion. Now, there can be disagreement on this, but the second point is much more significant: Williams falls short in diversity compared to Amherst. Most people will attest to this because while they might have some Asians and Latinos, they aren’t from all these different regions and countries–most are from New England or the Midwest. Amherst is almost international meeting place compared to Williams.</p>

<p>Restaurants are sweet, and I don’t even know where to begin. I’m assuming you like Asian, and there happens to be three Japanese, two Chinese, and two Vietnamese restaurants (Miss Saigon is my favorite restaurant). If you’re looking for something more exotic, there’s always Paradise of India, which is very popular. We have a Bertucci’s and a Bueno y Sano in town, which I personally like, and EVERYONE at Amherst goes to Antonio’s pizza at least once (for all their crazy toppings). In addition, there’s a Subway, Judy’s (a nice dinner place) and a Ben and Jerry’s. There’s probably some that I haven’t mentioned, but if you really want to get intense, then you can always go to Northampton which is essentially all that times 100 in terms of restaurants.</p>

11

<p>Yeah, I’m the the teaching quality at Amherst is nothing short of superb, in any subject area. As far as research goes, I think it won’t be too much of a problem for me. </p>

<p>I’ve heard that about Williams too, which is mostly the reason Amherst appeals so much more. yay Amherst!</p>

<p>Sweet. Good food is a plus. I’m actually not that into Asian food, but I’m sure I’ll find plenty of restaurants I like.</p>

<p>Thanks so much for answering all my questions–I feel like I’ve asked a lot. I’m out of questions for now but it was good to get some opinions from a student there. Thanks again. :)</p>