<p>UMass will start offering an ED plan - so they can compete!!! - called FIRST CHOICE - Bene's - housing/class registration preferences, on-line courses for credit while in high school and $2000 scholarship - answer by mid-december. (make sure to check out the fee's tho .......not much of a bargain!!)</p>
<p>UMASS is offering an ''early action'' program, which allows prospective students to enroll in another school with no penalty - except the loss of a non-refundable fee of about $400!!!!! School officials said it is more student friendly than the binding 'ED' programs offered at other schools.</p>
<p>This should be interesting - lol. I really wonder when MASS will finally
GET-IT??? oo and get it enough to let kids graduate in 4 years also. My kids - and us - would have nothing to do with out own states Univ - wonder why - our Univ system is in such a mess - the incentives for MASS kids to go to our own Univ system might be tuition provided - a couple of special programs for that, but....................that is LESS than 25% of the actual cost of going there - fees and housing/dining expenses are unbelievable - they sure could learn from other successful state Univ management programs.</p>
<p>If they REALLY wanted to make it interesting, they should offer 'guaranteed' classes at the 5Cs, particularly Amherst and Smith, for the UMass price. :)</p>
<p>Not a joke to me. In 3 years, my son's app for the EA may be there. UMass is a respectable school. The basics can be frosted on the top with a couple of courses in the consortium with some imagination and determination. I am definitely going to check out the offer. Those kids are going to face the biggest numbers rat race in elite college admissions, and prices are going up, up, up. I see no reason to put my nose up to some offer like this.</p>
<p>You can compare UMASS to other state university systems - similar in size and offerings - and you may be surprised at what the differences are - and the financial difference is not that much - for the same quality education and in some cases better. The on-going tuition/fees hikes in the UMASS system do not equate to the improvements of education for the students in Mass. They have actually cut programs/facilities yet continue to raise the costs to the students - sometimes w/no warning to these students also - less than 1 semester. Having 2 family members in the 'system' now - who can't wait to get out - 1 is in 5th year and 1 will transfer out next fall - it has been frustrating to see them/their families and their peers suffer the consequences of what the state of Mass has done to the Univ system over the last 5 years.</p>
<p>Jeepmom - From what I can tell from their web site, UMass complies with the standard candidate agreement date - you don't HAVE to send in the deposit until May 1, just like all of the other schools in the U.S. UMAss has always been "rolling admissions" so any switch to earlier notification isn't really much of a change for them. They're just letting candidates know a bit earlier, not changing to binding early decision. It is the same program offered by thousands of other schools across the country, including many, many public universities (i.e., Wisconsin, Michigan, some of the cal states, U of Oregon, etc.)</p>
<p>Where - at these other schools - does it tell you about having to pay a ''penalty'' for not attending with EA???? - ''UMASS allows prospective students to enroll in another school with no penalty EXCEPT the loss of a non-refundable fee of about $400''!!!! Officials said it's more student friendly than the binding ''ED'' programs offered at other schools.""</p>
<p>I certainly would consider this situation to be more binding than any other EA I have heard of - what this is telling me is that you would have to pay a fee - in order to do this - cuz you will loose it you don't go there - sounds pretty binding in it's own way to me.</p>
<p>These programs are scheduled to be offered this coming fall - so I doubt they are on the site at this point - since it was just announced this weekend.</p>
<p>Bluebayou - If they REALLY wanted to make it interesting, they should offer 'guaranteed' classes at the 5Cs, particularly Amherst and Smith, for the UMass price. </p>
<p>It really would be great if they offered guaranteed classes to the students that are at UMASS itself - AND a dorm room - they over subscribe every year and kids end up living in lounges/quads in doubles/hotels - and not only at the Amherst campus either - at some of the others as well. Having watched what has gone at UMASS over the past several years - it makes me very sad that our kids in Mass have had to deal with things out of their control so often that have really affected their higher education. Watching other state Univ's gain such strong reputations during this time has been difficult - and seeing what ole Pres Bulger did to this Univ system is beyond belief - happy dance the day he was booted out of there - maybe they will be able to find someone who can really get the Univ system of Mass back on track - I really hope so.</p>
<p>UMass Amherst is overcrowded, huge, and a mess... but there are advantages. Kids in the top 5% of their class (at least in my day) got a fully tuition waiver - this might be based on MCAS scores now. You got special honours dorms and classes, and you can take courses at Smith and Amherst at no extra charge. Not a bad deal.</p>
<p>Also, some other Mass. colleges are good - ULowell is great for engineering, and Framingham State is great for teaching. Both are smaller and cheaper than UMass Amherst (FSC is about 2,000 students total and $4,000 per semester, all included). There are good deals if you look for them.</p>
<p>UMASS has just announced also that they are raising tuition and housing at 3 of their larger campuses - 5th time in 3 years!!!!! So this z$2000 scholarship probably won't go too far.</p>
<p>Ariesathena--ULowell is now UMass Lowell and it is still primarily a commuter school. And it's not small, with 10,000 students. I got my MEd there in 1992, and was pleasantly surprised by the quality of most of the teachers, esp. in the sciences. I know a few of the engineering professors, since I went to MIT with them. Still, it's not of the same quality as UMass Amherst. And it's in Lowell. Which is not exactly the world's most charming city.</p>
<p>DMD: I'm a Mass. native with friends who went to Lowell. Charming city, no. Pretty campus, no. Campus life, sports teams, any of that - no. Some of the dorms are good (there's really nice 8-man suites), it's not Zoo-Mass Amherst, and, for what you pay, you'll get a good education. I'm just pointing out that it can be another viable option - though Amherst is certainly the flagship school.</p>
<p>A friend of mine who earned her PhD at UMass Amherst took her son to visit last year. While she was there she stopped in to see a former professor of hers. When her son was out of earshot he advised her not to send him there, not even to the honors program. He said all of the cost cutting measures have seriously compromised the quality of education. It's a real shame.</p>