<p>The posts on this board make it sound like the coursework is fairly intense. Is it possible to be on a team and still make good grades? And specifically, how are the intro courses in the sciences (pre-med requirements)? Is it possible to earn and an and still have a life outside the library?</p>
<p>Amherst, like any other top college is academically challenging, but very doable (sp?) with good study habits. I can only speak from my D’s experience there, but she is taking classes needed for her MCAT’s, although majoring in something else. She did get A’s first semester, but that was with alot of library and study time. Yes, she did have a VERY full social life as well. As far as including a sport with it, she is in a sport that includes daily workouts, but is not as time consuming as some other sports. Many Amherst students combine the two and do very well.</p>
<p>The short answer is likely not too hard. The short answer, however, really does not tell the whole tale. My S is on a team and the coach is extremely understanding of academic demands. That is why you go to a D3 program. However, you have to be disciplined academically, schedule your time carefully, and be prepared to sacrifice some social life. Of course, it also depends on whether you see yourself as a starter or just “on the team.” Labs can become progressively more complicated as the number of labs increases to work into your schedule if you remain pre-med, a not unimportant issue. Keep in mind that many fall by the wayside and AC is not a pre-med friendly as some other high end schools. I have the sense that many need to take a fifth year somewhere to get ready for the application process.</p>
<p>My D is a varsity athlete and it takes up a lot of time during the season. She is also pre-med and the lab schedules are often challenging in season. Taking two labs in the afternoon can interfere with practice time, but the professors are fairly accommodating about scheduling alternate labs on game days. She has yet to miss a game because of lab conflicts. There are sometimes evening and even early morning labs that, although not ideal, make it possible to not miss as much practice time. My D has heard that a major problem is finding time to arrange for medical school interviews during the fall season, so as not to interfere with game schedules. The science preparation is excellent, but requires diligence. The brilliance of some of the students is impressive, but not intmidating. Professors and TA’s are by and large very helpful. For her it has been much more positive academic and athletic experience than that experienced by another of my children who was an athlete at an Ivy league school.</p>
<p>I thought there were no TA’s at Amherst.</p>