<p>My younger sister was accepted as a transfer student at Amherst. While she is very happy and excited, I did some research on the college and have a few questions/concerns. </p>
<p>For starters, my biggest concern is the reputation that I keep seeing attached to Amherst as being a preppy, cliquish college that has a lot of affluent prep school students. My family is not wealthy by any stretch. We have struggled just to pay the bills. So my first question is, how true how is this characterization, and how accepting are students of the less wealthy? </p>
<p>Second, she is transferring from a community college in Washington state. How are transfer students received? I have read that cliques tend to form early, which leads me to believe that a junior transfer could feel left out and find it hard to integrate.</p>
<p>My final question is about the party scene. My sister has a good sense of humor, is liberal (politically), and is just an overall cool, likeable person. However, she is not into the party/club scene at all. She NEVER goes to parties and never drinks. She prefers low-key things like going to see a movie and talking with friends over coffee. Will she be outcast if she never accepts invitations to parties and nights out to bars? </p>
<p>To recap, Im concerned that a west coast, low income, non-partying transfer student could have troubles fitting in at Amherst. </p>
<p>Some of the stereotypes I have read about Amherst may be inaccurate, but they seemed to come up again and again . Any input on the college, and how you feel my sister would fit in would be much appreciated.</p>
<p>My son will be a freshman, not a transfer student, but other than that he is low-key, doesn't drink or do drugs, loves visiting with friends over coffee and watching movies, is from the west coast, liberal politically, and is a major financial aid case (how is it possible to thank Amherst College enough???)... so if your sister will be out of place there, she at least won't be out of place all by herself. ;)</p>
<p>At least for freshmen, there is an option for substance-free dorms, so there must be at least a few people there who want some refuge from party-culture. I bet your sister will find some wonderful company at Amherst. When we visited (limited sampling, I know) we found the students and staff incredibly nice and friendly.</p>
<p>D is a rising senior, heavy FA, very conservative politically (the minority at Amherst) doesn't party or drink - in fact, works security at school functions and parties, so she can't drink. She has made wonderful friends, some even sophomore year. Loves to have friends over to her room for TV watching, playing trivia games, or going to the movies. Her experience has been wonderful - in fact, she wants to represent Amherst at College Days at the HS's around here when she graduates, she loves it so much. Good luck to you and your sister. She can't have picked a better place., As to substance free dorms, upper classmen have the option of Health Awareness (is that the right term?) dorms or floors where it is sub free. Congratulations on being accepted and I know she will have a great time!</p>
<p>I am very low-income, and have made friends from a variety of economic backgrounds. I am also very chilled out, not remotely preppy, and have met a number of similar people. Your sister will love Amherst, and feel very welcome.</p>
<p>I meet a lot of capitalist pigs, but I actually don't know any conservatives. There is an Amherst Republican organization, but I think they just go around beating women and blacks they think are "getting out of line." You know, typical conservative stuff.</p>
<p>Also, don't do Health and Wellness. The people there are crazy. Your best bet as a junior is to find a suite with some friends you know aren't prone to drinking or partying and hope for the best. Underclassman housing typically isn't the best.</p>
<p>All in all, I don't know any West Coast, low-income, non-partying students, but I know people who fit two out of three of those categories and they get along with everyone fine. Probably the only thing that'll get you lambasted is political orientation, but keep the pro-Bush talk to a minimum and you'll probably live.</p>
<p>First, what exactly is Health and Wellness?</p>
<p>Second, I found a rather disturbing article in Business Week about Amherst (from 2006). Here are a couple excerpts that I found especially troubling:</p>
<p>Excerpt 1: The worst indignity was when she put on her apron to work in Valentine Hall, or Val, as the campus cafeteria is known. Although the job was part of Cardona's financial-aid package, it was an alienating experience. "A lot of the affluent students have no consideration for the staff," she says. "Even my friends wouldn't look at me when I was in my apron."</p>
<p>Excerpt 2: Val, it turns out, is the crucible of class and other identifying social markers at Amherst. During meals inside the sprawling Georgian complex, students sort themselves out by race and status. On a fall evening during the supper rush, Michael Simmons, a black student from Chicago, looks over the balcony and decodes the scene. "Down there is what they call the Black Hole," where mostly low-income minority students sit, he says. Over there, at the far end of the cafeteria, "is where the athletes congregate. You can't walk over there unless you play a sport or know a lot of people. It's an unspoken fiat, but it is very well-followed."</p>
<p>The sources cited in the two excerpts are/were two distinct students at Amherst (excerpt 1 is from someone who is now an aide to President Marx and excerpt 2 is from the student body president).</p>
<p>If these are accurate representations of Amherst, it is very disturbing. A college with the academic reputation that Amherst has shouldn't be a place of class and race segregation; a sort of higher level high school. I always imagined colleges on the level of Amherst being places where those old high school issues were checked at the door in favor of an inclusive atmosphere where academic and intellectual curiosity permeate and overwhelm the campus.</p>
<p>You have a romanticized image of elite colleges, but I can tell you that Amherst is probably among the very best of them in this respect. Your sister will be fine, relax.</p>
<p>Since I go to Amherst, I can safely say that most of that article is nonsense. People do sit in groups divided among their friends generally because when you go to dinner, you will sit with your friends. But I sit in many different places when I go and I would not feel weird sitting somewhere supposedly for some specific group. it would just be weird to sit at a table where no one knows you although you can do that. </p>
<p>Class and income rarely come up among my friends, and I am not friends with people based on race or class, so I think that article is silly. I will say, however, the one thing I do notice is that a lot of blacks/hispanics do sit in one specific area a lot in Val. That is the only example of division I have seen, but the question is what is that the result of, minorities identifying more with each other or because no quote "wealthy" kids would be friends with them. The latter is nonsense. </p>
<p>And I always say hello to my friends when they are working in Val. I don't know who would have a problem with people having a job.</p>
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"Down there is what they call the Black Hole," where mostly low-income minority students sit..."
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</p>
<p>Haha, I hope I won't gravitate toward this 'black hole' so to speak. I don't want to unconsciously self-segregate myself, and it bothers me deeply to see gangs of one race roaming about campus, whether they be black, Hispanic, or Asian. Although, this is interesting. I have observed lately that all of my closest friends are "low-income minority students," that the people whom I've know least well are those who come from better off backgrounds.</p>
<p>I'd imagine that this is the scenario that unfolds at many of our nation's best universities and LACs. Is this the "real world" everyone speaks of?</p>
<p>I think it depends on who you live with. D's best friends are those she made freshman year, and has added others, too. There was a mix on her floor. Her friends are wealthy and poor. It's who became friends, and economics or race didn't enter into it at all.</p>
<p>Given that Amherst is known to be cliquey, and given that the dining halls seem to echo this idea, what sort of difficulty would a junior transfer have in being accepted and finding a close group of friends? I am actually very similar in background and in personality to the way the original poster described his sister. Will a transfer student outside the normal Amherst demographics find trouble integrating?</p>
<p>It won't be a problem as long as you join clubs, sports, or any organization. That's how you meet people. You can also make friends with people in your dorm. I don't think it is that hard to make new friends if you are open.</p>
<p>Puppies and sunshine and the elderly and...what about non-traditional students? A 25-year-old probably would be shunned in this cliquey atmosphere, no?</p>