For some of you who have already gotten your decision, or those who will find out soon, I figured I would make this thread to allow you all to ask any pressing questions you have about Amherst! Whether it be about classes, or sports, or dorms, or something else, I will try my best to answer! I know there are lots of questions you can find the answer to online, but some are better answered coming from a student. If you have a more private question, don’t hesitate to message me and I’ll try to answer it the best I can.
Fire away!
MODERATOR’S NOTE: Anyone is free to ask or answer questions in this thread.
Looking at your name, I guess you are doing Econ/Math in college. If that’s true, how do you think the level of these subjects is at Amherst, from a student point of view - professors, difficulty, overall progress you see in yourself etc. Its the direction I am interested in myself, even though I haven’t heard a decision yet it would be good to know
@greenstudent Definitely one of the things that has surprised me the most is how truly devoted the professors are to their students. I can safely say that my professors have invested more time in my education than I ever received in high school. Professors almost always have at least 5 office hours a week where students can come and ask questions they need answered. This probably sounds very cliche, but it is not to be overlooked.
@MeHowPL Yes, I actually declared my Econ and Math double major last week. The professors in both departments are fantastic – knowledgeable, helpful, and experts in their field. Our math department is particularly strong – I can only think of one professor not well-liked by the student body. This being said, the math major is VERY challenging. Abstract math is not for the fainthearted. The econ major (except for maybe Advanced Econometrics) in my and others experience is generally one of the easier majors, but still very well-regarded and popular.
Can you describe the social atmosphere and the recent changes to Amherst’s social scene without the Socials? I’m a bit worried about Amherst being too split between super geeky and super athletic and into partying, as I’ve heard many people complain that parties and other events are largely dominated by athletic teams and that socializing is much harder if you’re not on a team.
This is a bit of a silly question, but how is the Internet connection? I work in translating and it requires a decent connection when I have to do live sessions…
The university of Rochester is known for being holistic in their admission decisions. Now i wonder what chance an international requiring aid with 1280 has at getting into Amherst… Are they that holistic?
@ricka8 The social scene has changed a lot here at Amherst the last two years. With the destruction of the socials, there has been a pretty noticeable decline in the amount of partying on campus, for better or worse. Being an athlete, it is much easier (usually) to find parties. It is harder to find great party venues if you are a non-athlete, but definitely not impossible. I guess it depends on how you are as a person and how you approach partying/social interactions while here. In sum: finding good parties can be a challenge as a non-athlete, but it is definitely not impossible.
@kmissmoo Funny you ask that, our internet has been acting kind of wonky the past few days, lol. But generally it is very good. I can typically FaceTime and stream media just fine. You shouldn’t have a problem.
@Jujuondatbeat I guess I don’t fully understand your question. Amherst is definitely holistic, but they also want to see an aspect of you that puts you a “step above” other applicants. A 1280 would be a step below most people here, and it is typically very hard for internationals to get admitted.
Thanks for your helpful answer! For you personally, how is the social scene working out? Are you okay with the changes and still fit in well socially? And since its easier for athletes to party does that increase the divide?
@ricka8 The social scene is fine. Everyone I have met seems to find a solid friend group or activity to do on campus. There are enough activities during orientation week that you will surely make some friends to begin with. I think destroying the socials was a good idea, but not replacing them with something similar was not. We have Greenway now - which is great - but now there are less places to party.
@GWTWFan No idea. Hopefully not one of the cliche ones. :-/
For admitted students college visit in April, what’s the best airport to land in? Flying in from Denver. Once landed, what’s the best transportation method from the airport to the college, renting a car?
@TiggerDad The best airport is definitely Bradley, in Hartford. It’s a little under an hour away. You could also go to Logan, but that’s much further away. Usually only internationals fly into there.
You could rent, or you could just uber. Alternatively, but a little more expensive, you could get a Valley Transporter to Amherst. Lots of options. Depends on who is coming. Are you coming with your daughter/son? If there is more than one person coming, that might change things. If it is just the admitted student, I’d recommend flying into Bradley (BDL) and then have them get an uber to campus. If the parent is coming, they could stay at Lord Jeff Inn, which is a short walk from campus (it is pretty much on campus).
@Economathematics – Thanks! exactly the kind of info I was looking for. Yes, I’m flying in with my son. With so many folks coming in for the college visit, I’d assume that Lord Jeff Inn would be booked pretty quickly. I also assume that the offer of travel fund for those students staying overnight in a dorm, this doesn’t cover the parent’s? The admission email didn’t get into the specifics.
Can someone with social anxiety and fear of speaking in public thrive at Amherst? Are there resources available to help deal with anxiety, stress, self-esteem issues, and other mental illnesses?
@TiggerDad Glad I could help. When I visited during accepted students weekend (alone), Amherst paid for my flight/transportation/food and I stayed with a student, so there was no cost for me. Depending on why your son is visiting depends on what Amherst will pay for. But Amherst will not pay for you to visit, I am 100% sure of that. If you want to get a spot at the Lord Jeff Inn, I’d recommend calling ASAP. There might still be rooms available.
And I just have to add, no offense to you, that it was definitely a growing experience for most of the students who came alone during admitted students weekend. It lets them glimpse what it would really be like at college – when they have responsibility of themselves and their own decisions.
@zofro99 Definitely. There are a plethora of resources to help people with all of the things you listed.
@TiggerDad – Hartford may be the closest airport to the campus, but Logan may be a better choice if both of you are visiting. First of all, airfares from Denver to Logan are probably going to be cheaper than Denver to Hartford. Next, my strong guess is that no one flies nonstop from DEN to Hartford. So although Logan is an extra hour of driving c/w Hartford, you’ll make up that time by not having to make a connection. (This all assumes you’d be renting a car).
And if you have a car there are a myriad of hotel choices other (and better) than the Lord Jeff Inn.
