<p>Why is this board so particularly dead?</p>
<p>haha yah i wonder too... how come some boards are just dead when its not even a bad school</p>
<p>obviously there must be no U Mass students or parents or prospective students that are interested in posting :p oh well</p>
<p>I'm a UMass student! (well I will be in the fall)... anyone else out there??</p>
<p>i am the mother of a soon to be umass amherst freshman. It would be nice to have any other umass incoming to use this thread. My D is trying to decide on dorms - she has been told that Central and Southwest dorms are THE place to be. Anyone else hear anything about which dorms are better than others?</p>
<p>I heard that Southwest is the party area of the campus, while Central and Orchard Hill are more studies-oriented. Because I'm doing a special English program, I'll be in Butterfield, one of the Central dorms, which is a really nice one. The only other dorm I've been in is Brown Hall, and nobody I talked to said they liked being in the Sylvan Residance area.</p>
<p>My son is a freshman at UMAss/ Amherst comm college. So I am familiar with the school somewhat. Curiouskatie is correct on dorm analysis.</p>
<p>by the way the last two years the UMASS/Amherst board was dead.....many people are unaware that it exists, plus most people do not need info on UMASS/Amherst if they live in MASS. Believe me they have enough friends that can fill them in on the school....</p>
<p>I live in MA, but I would still like more info. it would be nice to know what i'll be getting myself into next year by talking to current students</p>
<p>Hello--I'm a junior living in Maryland and am interested in the Linguistics program at UMASS. One of my sister's professors spoke quite highly of it, but I was curious if anyone here knew more about it/knew anyone in it. How about the foreign language programs, in particular Spanish? </p>
<p>Also, how can out-of-state students (especially ones from states like Maryland, which are much further away) adjust?</p>
<p>for all the fall freshmen - when is everyone's orientation date? my d has hers 6/26-6/28</p>
<p>By the way curiouskatie, we are from MA also, south of Worcester</p>
<p>Hi Songman,
Did your son just finish his freshman year already? I remember communicating with you about UMass but I can't believe a whole year has already passed. How did your S end up doing? My S is graduating at the end of this week from UMass Commonwealth College. Commonwealth Honors College ended up being a great experience for him, I would highly recommend it.
Cama</p>
<p>My orientation is 6/22-24, so it seems like I just missed your daughter!
and cathouse, i live right around worcester as well</p>
<p>Cama- Yes my son adjusted well thanks for asking!- He sort of regrets however, that he did not make more use of Comm COllege advisors etc. The program is there, the students just have to use it. Some do and maybe your son "got it" so to speak, and made use of the resources of UMASS. It was a very good decision for us to make to choose Comm COll/UMASS/Amherst. I am not sure he will stay though, which is an issue more unique to my son's issues regarding college then to anything negative about UMASS/Comm. Coll. While he will remain in college and has made the dean's list for the first semester(not sure on second semester we are all waiting for grades)....he is dealing with other issues regarding the sink or swim attitude of a large state school. It is a double edged sword and I can say as a parent that if a student grabs the bull by the horns, I am not sure why any student would attend a 2nd or third tier LAC when the opportunities and resources of UMASS/Amherst are so vast. Nevermind that the cost is about 10-25,000 less per year than a LAC. They key is taking initiative. If you are seeking hand holding ar a totally laid out (professional) academic roadmap,then UMASS may not be for you. Or probably any state school for that matter. One should consider a good LAC then. It appears that one has to be in their face( at UMASS) to get into your chosen courses and decent dorm assignments ,etc. </p>
<p>All in all though I would say that he adjusted well, made numerous friends and saw three concerts, he also played in three different rock bands,drank alcohol for the first time in his life and witnessed a small Red Sox celebration riot.</p>
<p>Songman,
Glad to hear your S is doing fairly well. Just know that after freshman year and all the huge classes in Core requirement courses, the class size of the classes getmuch smaller and any honors section of a class for Commonwealth College is also capped at a small size. This helped my S to get to know his profs and get involved in his dept. Good Luck I can't belive that we just went to his graduation. Where did the time go?</p>
<p>Cama- Thanks for the info- Did your son take any courses in the 5 college plan? Anything I should know positive or negative? Is your son planning on going to graduate school or working for a few years? Also did he board at Umass/ Amherst all four years or live off campus at one point? thanks</p>
<p>S plans to work for a few years and then to law school. He dormed for three years and was an RA for two years. This past year (senior) he rented a house with a couple of kids right on Sunset Street which is right by the campus. He did not end up taking any classes within the 5 colleges, just didn't have enough time. Did go last summer to the Oxford Summer Seminar and took International Law which helped fulfill some of his Poli Sci Requirements. I cannot say enough how wonderful this experience was, in fact he developed a personal relationship with Dean Slackey (Dean of Commonwealth College) through this program. She is really quite approachable and helpful. Also was in Pi Sigma Alpha, Poli Sci Honor Society which also helped getting to know the profs on a personal basis. He was also able to do an Independent Study with a prof his Senior year by doing research and a thesis and representing UMass at an international relations conference at Annapolis. He also Interned at a Congressman's office first semester of his senior year. So you can see that the opportunities are certainly available and they were not to difficult to seek out. I saw a steady rate of maturity each year.</p>
<p>I am glad to hear that- it is the maturity issue that has hindered his progress at College. Why? It seems that the kids that get what it is all about excel, not through academic skill sometimes, but rather they volunteer,ask,push their way through the system thus creating their own opportunities.</p>
<p>I am curious as to what lead to your/his decision 4/5 years ago to choose UMASS/Amherst Comm. College?</p>
<p>4yrs ago S was invited into the TAP (talent advancement program )for PoliSci at UMass. That is what cemented his choice. Did not apply to Commonwealth College until sophmore year. Became an RA (through a vigiorous selection process) sophmore year which allowed him to have free single room,a small salary and developed great leadership skills.</p>