I got accepted into both UVM Honors and UMass Amherst Honors. I want to study statistics, data science, and physics. UVM has all 3 and UMA has only 1, with it being ~possible~ to specialize in stats through a maths major. I live in Massachusetts, but UMA isn’t giving me much outside of the 3,000$ for the Honors college (this, 3,000$ in need and 6,000$ in loans). UVM is giving me more grant money, but I’m not yet sure of how much they’re giving me for need/loans. I’m awaiting decision from a number of other places (Brown, CMU, UofR, etc.), but of the two, which is better in terms of name/majors/environment? Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
Bias alert. UMass fan here.
Commonwealth Honors attracts some of the finest students in the country. University of Massachusetts:Amherst is a top ranked research uni and top 30 public uni. It is big for New England and has very diverse group of students. The grad schools are very highly ranked in sciences. This will have some overflow with the high quality of ta instructors you will encounter and research opportunities as well.
Burlington has more to offer than Amherst as a town but both are awesome places to go to school.
UVM is known for it outdoorsy type of student body and lifestyles.
U Mass although in a beautiful rural environment, doesn’t have a rural and outdoorsy vibe - in a general sense.
I would wait for final financial decisions to come to you. That would impact my perspective. And you also have your other schools still in play.
Good luck and congrats on the two honors acceptances. Wonderful choices already.
At many colleges there isn’t a meaningful difference between statistics and data science. Or at least, there’s a ton of overlap in courses. UMass also allows you to take courses at Amherst (which does have a Statistics major that is now called Statistics and Data Science), and Smith and MoHo which also have Stat, and Hampshire.
UMass does have Stat as a concentration: https://www.math.umass.edu/undergraduate/departmental-graduation-requirements#stat and DS courses: https://ds.cs.umass.edu/academics/undergrad-courses
“which is better in terms of name/majors/environment?”
I think that they are both very good. I will admit that I am a big fan of both schools.
In terms of name I doubt that there is much to choose between the two in general. There are a few majors such as music where there is a difference, but this doesn’t apply to you. I don’t see any problem with being a math major for undergrad and then getting a master’s in statistics or data sciences (my bachelor’s was in math, my master’s in operations research). I think that U.Mass is better known for computer science.
To me both are in very attractive locations, although Burlington is of course quite a bit bigger than Amherst.
Given that you are in-state for U.Mass, I don’t see any compelling reason to pay the out of state costs at UVM.
“congrats on the two honors acceptances. Wonderful choices already”
Exactly. You have two great choices here.
Despite reputations from yesteryear. UMass is not on the Princeton review top 20 for alcohol consumption rankings. Either in the beer or hard alcohol categories. And it isn’t on the top 20 weed schools. UVM was I think number two in that list. Not a judgement at all just a data point.
Wait till you have your full financial aid package. Look at your net cost.