I know they can take classes at all the schools, but outside of class do Hampshire students go to parties at UMass for example or attend their sporting events or date those from other schools in the area? Hampshire sounds like an interesting school for my dc, but I think she would also want access to football games, frat parties, a wide variety of kids, but at the same time enjoy a small, intellectual, artsy and cozy school.
Hi there - my son graduated from Hampshire this spring and definitely socialized with students from the other colleges. Primarily with kids he attended classes with from the other colleges. He’s not a football game/frat party kind of guy but that’s all available - particularly at UMass and Amherst College. UMass is again playing football at UMass (they played at Gillette for a couple of years - south of Boston where the Pats play) because of construction on their stadium. And while Amherst College is D3 football, they have a huge amount of team spirit. Amherst is part of the NESCAC conference. So yes. I love that about Hampshire - it’s the best of all worlds.
Thanks, BTMell! Do students meet kids from other schools mostly in classes or do they meet at parties? What about clubs? Do students join clubs at different schools or stick to their own school?
In my son’s case, he socialized outside of class - but met many of the kids he socialized with in class if that makes sense. He majored in theater and has friends - good friends - from three of the other colleges because of classes, performing in plays, etc. I don’ tknow about clubs - that wasn’t his thing but I will ask him!
My D at Amherst College has been to at least one party at Hampshire, one of her friends knew a kid at Hampshire from high school so they went as a small group. I sat in on a class at parent’s weekend and there were kids from 3 of the 5 colleges in it, impressive since there were only 15 in the class, total.
My son loved being able to take classes at the other colleges - and getting to know folks as well. For him it was best of both worlds - a small college but with loads of resources.
As an Amherst College student, I’ve had several classes with Hampshire students in them, and I know that the theater department sometimes has Hampshire students act in plays. However, I don’t think many Amherst students tend to socialize with with Hampshire students outside of these scenarios. I’m sure some of them will come to parties occasionally, but the non-Amherst students at parties here are usually from Smith or Mount Holyoke (for obvious reasons).
I can’t say how often Hampshire kids venture into the greater 5-college environment. But I can say that 5-college kids certainly do come to Hampshire. “Hampshire Holloween” is a world famous example.
My daughter attends MHC. Last winter during the blizzards of 14/15, she had the good fortune of enrolling in x-country skiing at Hampshire as her PE credit. Her small class was mostly other 5-college kids. From the photos they all had allot of fun exploring the winter woods around campus. the 5-college environment offers so much more than the typical college expirence of football and parties with red cups.