<p>amherst08:</p>
<p>What unique characters of Swarth and Williams ppl are u talking about?</p>
<p>How's the law, jurisprudence, and social thought major? I think it sounds really interesting. Are there any general required courses? From what I've heard, it's pretty much open-curriculum. I would definitely love the opportunity to create my own schedule and avoid math of any kind!</p>
<p>dont touch ljst unless you want the egomaniac that is austin sarat blindly scribling B on your paper.</p>
<p>I've heard only good things about Sarat. For instance, that he often brought breakfast for his first-year seminar students. I'll have to ask my friends who took his first-year seminar to find out more. Certain profs are known to be brutal graders, but most importantly you learn a lot from them. I don't know what it is with most Amherst students, but I don't find an occasional B to be devastating. It's normal. There's no grade deflation like at Swat, no grade inflation like at Harvard, et al.</p>
<p>It's an open curriculum, so you can take whatever you want, but some majors do have their own requirements. </p>
<p>For LJST, you need to take 11 courses in the dept. You must complete LJST 01 (The Social Organization of Law) and LJST 10 (Legal Theory) by the end of their sophomore year and before declaring your major. Junior year, you need to take 2 seminars, one that's analytic and one that's research--but it's open to choice. As a senior, you take LJST 77 and 78, but that's like a "special topics" class. You do independent research and a writing project.</p>
<p>So other than LJST 01 and LJST 11, no set courses.</p>
<p>What about the content in the major? Is is worthwhile and interesting (which I think it sounds like) or is it too focused and dull? I plan to be a lawyer and I think the major sounds like a pretty good way to start heading that direction.</p>
<p>noxiousnirvana: the "unique characteristics" are probably something like this:</p>
<p>Williams: jocky, preppy, rural.
Swarthmore: intense (not that people at Amherst and Williams don't work hard, but they work harder at Swarthmore), intellectual.</p>
<p>Generally speaking, Williams and Swarthmore are extremes with Amherst in the middle.</p>
<p>To build on what JER is saying, Amherst was a very high choice for my daughter, but it was the most difficult school to characterize of all she visited. I do not mean that necessarily in a negative way, please don't mistake. Of AWS, Amherst had the least readily definable culture. That's not to say the school doesn't have a culture, it just doesn't fit quite as neatly into a box - not quite as focused on academics as Swat, but still rigorous, not as much of a jock school as Williams, but still with a large contingent of sports and athletes, a certain urban edginess that we didn't notice at either of the other 2 (although that might reflect the students she met).</p>
<p>Depending on your point of view Amherst might be the one of the 3 that you most need to visit to get a feel for, or perhaps the one you least need to visit!</p>
<p>Thanks for all of this information you're posting, I feel a lot better about this now. ^^</p>
<p>My questions are as follows:
1. Is the atmosphere in the library very good? What I mean is, are there comfortable chairs and good desks to write on? Or is it more of a "get your books and go back to your room" kind of thing?</p>
<p>-and-</p>
<ol>
<li>Is there a lot of pressure to do things like drink or party? I'm definitely not for drinking or partying, and I'm not for peer pressure either, so I thought this one was pretty important.</li>
</ol>
<p>Thanks so much!</p>
<p>The library is definitely an area where Amherst is lacking. There are comfy chairs and a few tables and desks, but most of the students that I know dislike Frost. (Although many continue to study/work there for the quiet atmosphere.) I really don't use Frost and work in my room. However, President Marx and other faculty members realize the library's problems. There was a huge meeting earlier this year about what the student body would like to see in a new or renovated library. Despite the work on the dorms right now, I believe that soon enough construction will begin on a new library or a renovated Frost.</p>
<p>There isn't pressure to drink or party at all. I could be way off on this, but I think Amherst probably has one of the largest percentages of substance-free residents of most colleges. I currently live in sub-free housing, which completely fills 2 dorms and has overflow in 3 other dorms. That doesn't even count the people who live in non-sub-free, who just don't like to drink or party much. For instance, next year I'm living in the Spanish house, which isn't sub-free, but I don't plan on changing my habits. As for peer pressure, my friends pressure me to hang out more or watch more movies with them, etc. (This semester is super-full with work for me.) You honestly don't have to worry. I recommend living in North. They like to have fun and party (sub-free semi-formals, birthday parties, and the like) but certainly no alcohol involved. Occasionally someone in sub-free will go to a party and drink a little, but I find that they tend to know their limits better than other people. I suppose it's because they don't drink to get drunk.</p>
<p>To sum up this long post: library-not so good, but improving; sub-free is available.</p>
<p>jackson - I'm going to ask some who've taken LJST classes for their insights. But I remember from talking with a couple of my friends who are taking LJST, they all seem to be enthusiastic and intellectually engaged. They pointed out that it's a unique discipline that's not found at other schools. It's not strictly pre-law, but incorporates other things. So in brief, I'd say it does sound interesting and worthwhile, definitely not dull. But I'll get back to you on that when I get some of my friends' responses. (Also, as for avoiding math, it's entirely possible. Not that I'm saying math is unimportant, but after taking calc in HS, I think college is prime time to explore more interesting topics. The open curriculum is great, and you also have a pass/fail option that you can use if you want to delve into a topic that's outside of your comfort zone but not risk sabotaging your GPA... I haven't used it, but it's good knowing you have a safe spot.)</p>
<p>Luni - Frost library. A lot of people say it's an ugly building from the outside, since it was built in the 60s and does look a bit garish. But I find it nice and cozy on the inside, which is what matters. There are definitely places you can go and curl up with your work. Comfy chairs, nice desks, check. Many computers available, check (computers also available at Seeley Mudd). But I also like studying in the campus center nooks. Sometimes, though, UMass students will come to study because they like our space better. That usually happens only during crunch time for finals.</p>
<p>I'm not for partying or wild parties, either. I haven't found any peer pressure for doing so. One out of five freshmen this year applied for substance-free housing. There are lots of spaces set aside for them. Sure, there are certainly those who drink, but if you don't, you don't. Amherst is a place where you can do your own thing without being regarded as weird. Your viewpoints will be respected.</p>
<p>Thanks to both of you for replying! I'm glad to hear about the sub-free rooming and stuff, very comforting. And the prospective work on the library sounds great too. Gracias :D</p>
<p>I want to be an architect. Would attending a liberal arts school be a really bad idea? :(</p>
<p>
[quote]
I want to be an architect. Would attending a liberal arts school be a really bad idea?
[/quote]
Not necessarily. I am more familiar with civil engineering, but I think the rules for architects are similar. Basically, you can become an architect with a liberal arts degree, but it will take longer that way.</p>
<p>The "fast track" to an architecture career is an NAAB-accredited Bachelor's of Architecture (BArch) degree, which usually takes 5 years. This is a professional degree, and will not be offered by liberal arts colleges.</p>
<p>Alternatively, you can get a 4-year bachelor's degree from an LAC, then go to graduate school for an NAAB-accredited Master's of Architecture (MArch) degree, which usually takes another 3 years. As an undergraduate, you will have to make sure that you take certain classes (math, physics, art, etc) that will be required for grad school. </p>
<p>The LAC/MArch path obviously takes longer (7 years vs. 5 years), but in the long run it will give you a broader education that should help you with the non-technical aspects of your career (writing, management, finances, etc). The BArch pathway is shorter, but has a narrower, more technical focus. The LAC path also gives you more options should you decide that architecture is not the right career after all. </p>
<p>You should discuss this issue with some real architects if at all possible. They will probably be happy to give you advice.</p>
<p>thanks for all the posts by the way, it's really helpful. a lot of my questions already got covered but i do have two, still: 1st, does anyone know much about the philosophy department or the history department? 2nd, any opinions on whether i'd get a better idea of amherst coming to the big open house for accepted students in april or just doing an overnight on a regular day? (I visited last summer, but that was a while ago and I didn't get to sit in on any classes or anything). Thanks so much!</p>
<p>Do econ majors at Amherst get recruited heavily by top business firms?</p>
<p>jackson -- I asked one of my friends who took an LJST course whether she thought it was worthwhile/interesting, and she sent me the following response:</p>
<p>"It depends on which classes you take. I took "Law, Violence, and Forgiveness", and the material was fascinating. The class discussed topics ranging from reasons for violence to whether we can truly forgive perpetrators of the Holocaust. I think that the level of interest, though, will vary from person to person. I know that some people in my class weren't too thrilled with the readings, and sometimes they can get a bit on the philosophical side. (There's nothing wrong with that, it's just that some people may want to focus on the practical application.) The LJST major is amazing in general, though, and in my opinion is much more valuable than any run-of-the-mill Political Science major for a prospective lawyer. In fact, I've just started corresponding with a recent graduate who majored in LJST and is now working in Los Angeles - he seems to have benefited from taking LJST courses."</p>
<p>upsilamba -- I'll get back to you on the Philo and History depts. I heard that Philo is making more sections of an introductory course since so many students are expressing interest in it, but I haven't taken courses in those depts yet.</p>
<p>As for whether to come for the accepted students' stay or come on your own... that depends. Arranging transportation might be easier if you go for the accepted students' program, since I think Amherst will foot the bill. And it's always nice meeting other prospective students, getting a feel for your potential future classmates. Also, doing an overnight on a regular day isn't a bad idea, either. There's not a right or wrong.</p>
<p>Dooit -- top business firms, as well as other companies, do recruiting on this campus. I've found the career center to be pretty helpful, and they'll help you through all of that. With that said, top business firms recruit other majors as well.</p>
<p>How's the science department? I'm specifically interested in neuroscience and psychology/brain study stuff. I also plan on being a pre-med, so any thoughts you have on that would be great too!</p>
<p>Ah, one of my friends and floormates is going to be a neuro major and wants to do premed. She says it's one of the most intense majors here, so it'd be pretty tough to double major if you're doing neuro, unless you double major in neuro and bio, but there's a lot of crossover between those. She's pretty happy with it.</p>
<p>The science department is really strong. I'm going to find out more from my more science-inclined friends and report back. I really like the brain, too, though I've been gorging myself on a lot of humanities courses. I think neuro is great for someone who wants to do premed--it makes sense.</p>
<p>I took an upper-level psych course last semester, on Personality. Fascinating stuff. I absolutely loved it... besides the beginning where you have to lay the groundwork with Freud. I liked how we had a lot of class discussion, and hearing my classmates' ideas. The prof didn't just say, "This is what it is" but instead presented different theories on personality to us and asked us if we thought it was valid. Or we'd read articles and she'd ask how we could improve upon the experiment. I got a lot out of the class, and definitely want to take more psych courses, stuff on memory, adolescence, aging, psych and the environment. Just reading the course catalogue is pretty amazing.</p>
<p>thanks a lot! that was some great information. You may have misunderstood me, however, because I'm not planning on double majoring unless you count neuroscience and premed a double major.</p>
<p>I've heard Amherst is great at getting kids into medical school. What else besides academic preparation does Amherst do well in this regard? I'm interested in doing job shadows/working at hospitals (is Amherst near a relatively large hospital?), doing research with professors (are they willing to let undergrads do research?), and getting good internships (does the career center help premeds network and get intenships?)</p>
<p>Thanks again!</p>
<p>Er...there is a hospital in Northampton (Cooley Dickinson Hospital) which is about 15 minutes from Amherst, and a larger hospital (Baystate) in Springfield, a bit over a half hour away. Not so many hospitals, but I used to volunteer at Baystate (in the pediatric ward, not actually doing medical things), and I bet there are some options, though you would probably need a car to do them. There is a pretty good public transportation system between the 5-college area though, and with Smith in Northampton relatively close to Cooley Dickinson, getting there would probably not be too tough.</p>
<p>I couldn't answer any of your other questions regarding the school itself, but if anyone has any questions regarding the town of Amherst or the towns within a 50 mile radius of Amherst, I've lived here all my life...it really is a very lovely area, too. :)</p>