<p>Could someone provide a little more information about what it is like, please? Who gets in? Do the students feel as though they are separate from the rest of the school? Are the classes smaller?</p>
<p>I have the same questions. Who gets in? The website says top 10% of HS class. Is that just Mass public schools? How about privates that are more difficult? How do the students like it? Does it really feel like a smaller group, or do students get that impersonal University feeling?</p>
<p>Thanks for any input.</p>
<p>I transferred to UMass 2 years ago with 3.5 from another college and I was invited to Commonwealth College. The freshman I talked to in the program have some pretty amazing stats. (Top 10%, high SATs and GPA) I have no idea though who specifically gets in though. One of my friends was accepted to BC and BU and had great stats but wasn’t invited. The honors classes I took were small, challenging, and fun. I enjoyed the various events that were put on for Commonwealth College students as well (Such as various dinners with either movies or professors along with presentations). I didn’t feel that much apart from the University when I was in the program. I also don’t think there are many perks outside of scholarships that you may get if your lucky. Outside of a few honors floors (Which are located in Orchard Hill, pretty far away from every academic building go figure) and being able to take a couple honors courses in the dorms, there really aren’t any other perks. </p>
<p>I am no longer in Commonwealth College though because I feel that it is not worthwhile for my major (Sport Management) as the classes are very researched based and prepare you for grad school and imo not the workforce. Another annoying requirement for Comm. College is the Dean’s Book requirement which require you to take 3 one credit courses over the course of your college career. The classes are always very hard to get into as they fill up quick and the books that are picked can either be very dull or interesting. The requirement is being changed however, but I am not sure of the specifics now.</p>
<p>I recommend Comm. College to anyone who is Pre-Med or plans to go to grad school right after college. I don’t think Comm. College is worth it for students who plan to get a job right out of college where time is better spent networking and getting internships.</p>
<p>I’m an incoming UMass freshman who will be a part of ComCol.</p>
<p>As for who gets in, I know that the requirements for out-of-state students are way stricter than for in-state students. However, it is very possible to transfer into ComCol after a semester or two at UMass if your GPA and/or SAT score isn’t high enough after high school.</p>
<p>ComCol is actually the reason I chose UMass. I think that it really makes the university feel smaller - I’ll be living in one of the honors RAPs this fall and I’ve already met about 75% of my floor via facebook, even though housing assignments don’t come out until Friday.</p>
<p>I think ComCol students can be as separate from or included in the rest of the university as they wish to be. You really only have to take one honors class a semester, although you do have the option to take more - I’m taking three of them this semester.</p>
<p>Perks: smaller class sizes (my math class this semester has 35 kids in it instead of the 80ish I would normally have in a lecture-based math class), ability to move into your dorm a few days early (actual move-in day can be… chaotic, I hear), opportunity to live with other honors students, some classes taught in your dorm (although the non-honors RAPs have this perk as well), opportunity to attend various workshops about jobs and grad school or to hear faculty lectures</p>
<p>Cons: I don’t really know if the Dean’s Book requirement is a con or not. I’m taking the first seminar in the sequence this upcoming semester and, while I expected to hate the book that was assigned, I just finished it and its not actually that bad.</p>