<p>There seems to be a trend that if you apply to UMASS AMHERST, you also apply to UNH and UVM. I curious of current students or prospective students why you would choose one over the others- aside from the obvious which would be the cost, if you are an in-state student. My son has been accepted to all 3. He was accepted into the Honors College at UMASS. However, he likes the Burlington area of UVM. However, you can't beat the school spirit of UNH- especially their hockey team. What are other people's opinions?</p>
<p>Not a student, but a parent of a Umass Amherst student. If he’s interested in Engineering, UMass Amherst has the most highly rated engineering program of the 3. Amherst is a great college town. UVM is very expensive for OOS. UNH’s campus is nice as is Durham, but UNH is probably not as strong academically as the other 2 (with certain exceptions).</p>
<p>My daughter loved the Burlington area and the school atmosphere but readily admits she dreads the cold. UVM.</p>
<p>Applied to UNH as a safety school but after the tour she liked it well enough to sign up for admitted students day.</p>
<p>UMass Amherst is a slight reach, maybe too big, but we are in-state and her father wanted her to “at least try”.</p>
<p>UConn may also be a reach but she liked the size and the atmosphere. She has toured it twice.</p>
<p>Which programs at UNH do you believe are the strongest?</p>
<p>I think it depends on your kid. UVM has a much different vibe to it than UMass. Without trying to stereotype too much I think you will find a much more laid back, “hippy” like feel to UVM. That would not have worked so much for my daughter. Also, the area is beautiful and the town has a lot to offer, but my daughter found the campus a little run down. The dorm we toured was absolutely horrendous. Very small, cramped, very run down. They are very expensive for OOS students. One of the cafeterias is nicknamed “grundle”, and if you do a search on Urban Dictionary you will see what that term refers to. For some reason the tour guide actually told our group this information. Gross.</p>
<p>UMass is larger, but they do a lot to help the students connect up and make the campus seem smaller. They are doing a lot of new construction so the campus is improving quickly. I believe the Honors dorms are due to open in the fall of 2013. The town is within walking distance and you have to 5 College Consortium.</p>
<p>Yes, my son did not even apply to UVM. I do not think he would do well in the “hippie” atmosphere (although he would enjoy having many spirited discussions with people there that think differently than he does.)</p>
<p>His 1st choice is UConn (he is looking at Mech Engineering). He spent a week there last summer attending a program called Exploring Engineering for high school students and we have attended an Open House too. He says he feels the most at home there. it is a lovely campus and they are putting alot of money into it (renovating old buildings, building new ones, hiring more faculty, etc.)</p>
<p>Although we did apply to UMass Amherst and UNH, too. We will see. Since we are instate, UMass makes sense. We are going crazy still waiting to hear from both UMass and UNH even though he applied EA.</p>
<p>UVM may feel more hippie than UMass but the whole Amherst/Northhampton, MA area is extremely liberal.</p>
<p>Good luck with the wait. That was the hardest part. My daughter absolutely loves UMass and I am so glad I am not paying OOS tuition!</p>
<p>I think of the 3 schools, my son is leaning towards UVM. However, even with the merit scholarship that he received it is still expensive, especially when his younger brother will be going to college in two years. He likes the Burlington area and the atmosphere of the college and feels that it offers the most academically challenging programs. He is looking forward to attending an admitted student visit day to get a more in depth feel for the school. The cost of UMASS is the big selling point for UMASS. My husband was a student there in the mid- 70s and really didn’t care for the school. Of course, he was a shy kid from a small high school. I think UMASS has worked on it’s reputation and has improved much from the 70s but it is still very large. My son is graduating from a large public high school and is much more outgoing than my husband. My assumption is that he would be fine there- especially since he will be in the honor’s college which I assume will help make a large school smaller. In my opinion, UNH is the best fit because it has the most college spirit, is only 45 minutes from our house and right on the Downeaster train line which stops in the next town over from us. I think it is academically challenge but not to the point, that he will have to study 24/7. It has the activities that he likes to participate in, he’ll have friends from both home and camp that attend there and has the most college spirit. I’m nervous of the party school image of UNH. I’m actually hoping that at any school he attends, there will be options for weekend activities other than partying!</p>
<p>Hope you don’t mind me asking, but we are also from MA and my son was accepted to UNH as well. Any mention of Merit money in his acceptance letter or in a follow-up?</p>
<p>We found out tbat my son was accepted to UNH through the portal. He received the formal letter of acceptance about a week after it was posted on the portal and then he received the merit aid letter a few days later. UMASS merit aid came with the letter of acceptance. UVM merit aid letter came about 3 weeks after the letter of acceptance.</p>
<p>UMass is just so much better academically than UVM and especially UNH. Am I biased - yes from having gone there many moons ago. However I have a D that went undergrad to UNH (fought hard for UMass but lost the battle). Well she quickly went to grad school at UMass and can’t believe the upgrade in the caliber of students/professors and just overall environment.</p>
<p>Of course everyone is entitled to their opinion and many reasons exist for picking one school over another but in terms of pure academics only UConn matches up to UMass in New England state schools!</p>
<p>Are you speaking about all school at UMASS are academically better than UVM. I know that its professional schools are tops- especially engineering, nursing and management but my son will be pursuing a liberal arts education. Also, outside of academics which do you think offers the most options (other than partying) and has the most school spirit?</p>
<p>MACLASS,</p>
<p>It is probably true that professional schools really stand out but I think overall most areas are strong. Thats not to say a certain program may be stronger elsewhere (UVM maybe). Unfortunately I can’t compare much to UVM - I really thinks UM has it all over UNH in every way. I don’t have enough connections with UVM but I will say that friends and friends children who have gone to UVM have always seemed to be happy with their choice when all is said and done. Obviously that says a lot for UVM.</p>
<p>Hi MACLASS - both UMass and UVM are in great college towns. I like Burlington and have fallen in love with Amherst. It is hard to beat what the 5 College Consortium has to offer that UMass is part of (along with Amherst, Hampshire, Mt. Holyoke and Smith Colleges). If you’re enrolled at any of the five, you can take classes and participate in activities as if you’re a student there and getting from one campus to another is quite easy - public transportation is very good between all five colleges. My older son is at Hampshire College in Amherst and has taken about half his classes at Amherst College. He’s a theater major and has participated in theater productions at Amherst and also at Smith. The pioneer valley offers so much and in that regard, has it all over Burlington VT which is I think a bit more isolated geographically. My older son has several friends who are at UVM who love it there which I think says a lot about it. Also, getting to and from Amherst is easy - by train, bus, etc. There’s even a bus from Amherst to New York City that costs a dollar!</p>
<p>To me, UMass seems to have more in the way of school spirit - and how could it not be fun to go to Foxboro to a football game? My younger son has applied to UMass and did not apply to UVM because he felt UMass would be a better fit for him. </p>
<p>Of course my dream is that both my boys would be in the same town - but I’m not holding my breath!</p>