<p>mu son is considering applying to umass next fall. can any freshman, please give me their impression (good or bad) about their experience over the first 4 months of being at umass.</p>
<p>i am interested in everything you have to say,... social life, dorms, food, classes, professors..</p>
<p>thanks</p>
<p>Hello nycollegedad,
I'm currently a freshman and I'll try to answer your questions the best I can. </p>
<p>Social Life
There are many different people on campus, which is like a city in itself. Unless he's a hermit, he should have no problem finding people with similar interests. There is so much going on around campus all the time, he'll never be bored!</p>
<p>Dorms
Central: There's Upper Central (which is up a hill and very annoying to hike up on rainy/snowy days when it's slippery) and Lower Central. 6-story brick buildings which look quite nice, friendly atmosphere
Sylvan: 3 apartment buildings. There are suites that feature 4 rooms, a common room, and a shared bathroom. Friends of mine who live here claim they hardly get to know people on their floor since the suite doors are closed all the time.
Southwest: Area with several highrises known for its parties. There was recently a riot - broken windows, fires, etc. - there just last Friday after the school football team lost Nationals. If you can't deal with loud noises, this isn't the place for you as the walls are very thin in some buildings.
Northeast: Very similar to Central but there is no hill and personally I think this location is much better since it's right next to one of the better dining commons, Worcester, and is close to the Campus Center so it's so easy to get to class. My roomate and I are requesting it next year.
Orchard Hill: I've been here only twice so don't have much to go by. They're apartment buildings with 8 floors? or maybe more, not sure. Very quiet and a bit far away from everything.
North Apartments - Private on-campus apartments that's right across from Northeast. Very very nice inside! Each suite has four single rooms, living room, two bathrooms, and a kitchen. Terrible cell phone reception. Mostly upperclassmen. And definetely costlier than regular dorms. But totally worth it if you want a single room and comfort!f</p>
<p>Food
Before I came to UMass, I heard mixed reviews about UMass food. Let me make this clear: it is great. Buffet style with your choice of grill, salad bar, pasta, the daily special, soups, array of fruit, vegetarian and many many other choices. A friend of mine from Bentley came to visit and the dining won her over because her school "serves a different style of chicken and pototato everynight...fried chicken, roast chicken, chicken filet, potato wedges, boiled pototato"
Berkshire dining hall is hands down the most popular of the four on campus. There are restaurant style round booths and spacious windows (wow, I sound like a real estate agent) the place is always packed. The food is supposedly the best on campus but I think it's pretty similar to elsewhere- though the burgers are definetely the best you'll ever have - it's just that the atmosphere makes it so great.
Worcester - Possibly the second most popular, situated next to NE. It also features the Oak Room, which serves sushi every Monday and Wednesday.
Franklin - In Central, cozy home-style atmosphere. Least choice in food of all four dining commons. Omlette station in the mornings, etc.
Hampden - This place is like a maze. You have to go to different rooms to get all your food; the salad bar is in one room, while the pasta and grill are in the next, etc. Again more subdued atmosphere like Franklin but is alot bigger than Franklin. </p>
<p>Classes
Try to sign up for smaller classes. The big lectures with 200 people aren't ideal for getting personal attention from professors. There is the Commonwealth college for honors classes. Check out the Five Colleges Program - Umass students can take classes at surrounding schools Amherst College, Smith, Mount Holyoke, and Hampshire - this is an underrated asset of the school, I don't know why it's not highlighted more often.</p>
<p>Professors
Alot of people use the ratemyprofessors website or go by word of mouth when they want to know the general easiness, effectiveness, and style of a professor. UMass is research school and many professors here are dedicated scholars.</p>
<p>thanks so much for the review. he will be applying there next fall and your info certainly helps.</p>
<p>victorine, thanks a lot.</p>
<p>Let me elaborate on my experiences:</p>
<p>Education:
Depends on the program one is entering into. For myself, I am in the Isenberg School of Management and I find it to be a great program. Everyone in the school is helpful and the school provides a plethora of resources, which I find very useful. As for other departments, I have had friends who have said they are not as good or helpful.</p>
<p>Housing:
I lived in Northeast my freshman year and I thought it was great, as oppose to living in Southwest where riots and parties happen on a daily basis. The bathrooms are not the cleanest but I found my room to be spacious--I had a triple. Currently, I am an RA in sylvan now and its nice and quiet. Overall, housing depends on what area you live.</p>
<p>Food:
Food is...basic. I wish there were more varieties but I suppose it is decent. Overall, most will appreciate it.</p>
<p>Classes:
Do yourself a favor...talk to your professors at least once a week, especially if you need help!! They know the material best and they are there to help and assist you, or even possibly raise your grade ;)<br>
I found that classes, small or large, were decent but it also depends on what classes you choose to take. I prefer business courses and I hate science courses. Either way, you are going to have to work hard for your grades.</p>
<p>|Conclusion|
Umass Amherst is a decent school that offers an array of things. It isn't a horrible school, and your success is dependent on your work ethics. If you put some effort into your studies, you can come out very successful. Keep in mind, Umass is a non-target school so it will be difficult for one to find big name companies. Otherwise, it's an ok school and I recommend ISOM.</p>