UVM or UMASS

College Search & Selection
1

Hello,
I am currently awaiting to hear back from American University, but if I do not get in or do not receive enough scholarship money I cant go :frowning: So I’m down to UVM and UMASS as my 2nd and 3rd choice. I think I like UVM better, but to be honest I think that google images is making me a bit biased. So here is a rundown of what I like and don’t like about each college.
UVM Pros:
-Good size, about 9-10,000
-Beauuuutiful campus. The atmosphere of where I live is very important to me; I love the outdoors and I like skiing too so thats a plus.
-Great college town
-I like that the academics seem like something I could definitely handle without worrying about damaging my GPA
UVM Cons:
-The weather. I’m from Long Island so when it’s like 20 degrees here it’s about 5 there. It freaks me out a little but if I love the school it’s a price I’d be willing to pay.
-I’m a journalism major, and Vermont in general is just not as good a place for communications and internship opportunities than Massachusetts.
-I don’t really like “hippy culture” but with so many kids I’m sure I could find people I like
-UMASS and UVM seem to be pretty even that it’s probably not even worth mentioning but I think UMASS in general is looked on as a better school

UMASS Pros:
-Great college town
-Seems to have the best housing and food plans out of all the schools I applied to
-The fact that I could take classes at Smith, Mt. Holyoke, Amherst, or Hampshire

UMASS Cons:
-I don’t like the fact that alot of kids from Long Island seem to go there
-The fact that there’s 20,000 kids really freaks me out. I like small classes and I don’t mind having to take some big freshman classes, but I’ve heard theres alot of kids who dont graduate on time because they couldnt get into their needed classes
-Ugly and huge campus
-Seems to be a bigger party school than UVM

With scholarship, the price of these schools is only a $2,000 difference (UVM being more expensive), and so price is not really a factor. PLEASE let me hear your thoughts on these schools, you don’t even have to read what I wrote just voice your opinion. Thanks!

2

Will you have a chance to visit before you decide?

I’m also from the Northeast and I don’t think the difference in weather is as extreme as you’re suggesting.

I don’t think that MA is necessarily a better place for internships than VT. Burlington is much more of a city than Amherst. It’s not Boston, but it would be very difficult to commute from Amherst to Boston for a year-round internship anyway.

3

I totally get what you’re saying about the internships. I think in my mind I was thinking more on the line of connections for once I graduate. To me, Boston seems like the best place for journalism besides NYC, and so the fact that UMASS offers internships at places like the Boston Globe is what was swaying me. But you’re right, Burlington is more of a city and probably has more for the years that I’m in college.

4

And yes I will be visiting both.

5

I am from New England and UMass has always been looked at as a better school than UVM. I live 20 minutes from UMass and I have never heard of someone using “a bunch of kids from long island go there” as a con haha. But with that being said, its about where you see yourself fitting in. Everyone from my school who went to UVM either smoked pot or was vegan which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it just depends on what type of people you fit in with. Yes, UVM does have a prettier campus, but it also has a better journalism program. Amherst is also a great college town and the surrounding area is beautiful and there are lots of places for hikes and photography, trust me.

6

Can you provide an update on your decision and how things are going?