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Chat Transcript Date: September 12, 2006 Topic: Amherst CollegeChat ParticipantsLexi Hurd, Admissions FellowDino Beslic, Student Sara Ruddock-Harris, Student Mekka Smith, Student Justin Holtzman, Student Will Pruitt, Student Grisel Gamboa, Student Monica Li, Student Transcript: September 12, 2006. 4:00pm to 5:00pmBen Good evening everyone. Thank you for joining the QuestBridge College Chat. My name is Ben and I will be your moderator. Tonight, we have representatives from Amherst College. I’ll let each of them introduce themselves. Amherst_Will Hi everyone. I'm a senior Political Science and Black Studies double major from Silver Spring, MD. Amherst_Sara Hi, my name is Sara I am a sophomore at Amherst, double-majoring in Neuroscience and Black Studies Amherst_Sara I'm from Brooklyn, NY Amherst_Monica Hi. I'm Monica. I'm a sophomore at Amherst considering a major in Political Science. I grew up in Columbus, Ohio. Amherst_Grisel My name is Grisel Gamboa and I am a member of the Amherst Class of 2007. I am a double major in Economics and Spanish. I grew up in Chicago. Amherst_Mekka Hello, I'm a senior from Atlanta, GA. My majors are Spanish and Psychology. janelle In what ways do you think Amherst offers a better education than top universities (not liberal arts colleges)? Amherst_Will At Amherst, undergraduate students enjoy the privileges that graduate students enjoy at universities. Amherst_Will For example - Amherst students are often offered internships to help their professors with their research Amherst_Sara Amherst is better than large universities because you can have a one to one relationship with your professors (better recommendations), you can use all the facilities (no grad students), better housing (bigger endowment), etc. Amherst_Sara There are about 1600 people at Amherst and there is a BILLION dollars (literally) endowment for all of us to share Amherst_Lexi Liberal arts colleges focus largely on a breadth of knowledge and allow you to build specific skills that can be translatable to any discipline vicky Does Amherst have graduate programs? Amherst_Will No. Amherst only has undergraduate students Amherst_Monica At Amherst, all the resources are devoted to undergrads. That means that the professors are here for YOU. Amherst_Will "Take your professor out" is a program through which the college pays for students to eat dinner with their professors Tony2 How helpful is Amherst with Financial Aid Packages? Amherst_Sara Amherst is great with financial aid. More than 50% of my class is on financial aid. janelle For those of you who are students, what was it about Amherst that made you choose it? Amherst_Monica The thing that "made it" for me was the overall feeling I got once I stepped on campus. Everyone was so nice and welcoming that I just felt at home right away. Amherst_Lexi For liberal arts - I learned how to read well, write well, critically think- and that's what all grad schools and jobs are looking for Joelle What about your professors - how would you "rate" them...approachable, good teaching methods....etc. Amherst_Sara Definitely approachable Terrell How is the diversity at Amherst? Amherst_Will Amherst is very diverse Amherst_Will The president of the college has committed himself to increasing the socioeconomic diversity on campus Amherst_Will Last year's class consists of Amherst's highest African American and Latino student populations vicky Is there housing for all four year students? Amherst_Monica There is housing for everyone all four years. Molly B Are tutors available to assist; I am concerned about upper div. math. Amherst_Sara There are tutors available through the dean of student office. They are all majors in their subjects. vicky What percent of undergraduates go to grad schools? Amherst_Lexi 84% of Amherst grads will go to grad school within 5 years of graduating Fakhra Hi. I recently applied to the Amherst visitation program. When do we find out if we were accepted or not? Amherst_Lexi September decisions have already been made for the open house programs Amherst_Lexi October ones are still under review Amherst_Lexi If you have questions about open house programs call the admissions office at 413-542-2328 Amherst_Lexi During regular hours courtney What are the class sizes? Amherst_Sara The smallest class I have been in is a five person Black Studies class and the largest was a 100 person intro to Chem class, which also had 15 person discussion group. Joelle How does the housing work? Coed? How many roommates? Amherst_Mekka Most of the housing is coed, but you can elect to live on single-sex floors if you choose Amherst_Monica For freshman year, you will fill out a questionaire that asks you about living habits, whether you want to live in substance-free, co-ed, etc. and then you will be assigned to a freshman dorm with 1 roommate based on that. After freshman year, you enter roomdraw either by yourself or with a group of friends. This is essentially a randomly arranged list based on seniority. You can also live in language or culture houses. Tony2 How generous are these Financial Aid Packages? Amherst_Monica I found my financial aid to be very generous. janelle For those of you who are students, what was it about Amherst that made you choose it? Amherst_Will I chose amherst because of the open curriculum, the accessibility of the professors, the high quality of the academics, the networks, and the endowment Joelle How does the housing work? Coed? How many roommates? Amherst_Sara Most dorms are coed. There is usually a floor in one of the dorms reserved for all women. Housing is selected for freshman using the housing survey and for upperclassmen using the lottery. Most people only have one roommate, but some do have two. After sophomore year the majority of people on campus have a single to themselves. I have had a single since freshman year. Tony2 How helpful is Amherst with Financial Aid Packages? Amherst_Will Amherst financial aid packages are very helpful. The financial aid office pledges to meet 100% of your demonstrated need through grants, scholarships, loans, and work study Joelle And what about job opportunities. Do companies come to campus to recruit? Amherst_Monica The career center hosts a continual stream of companies that recruit on campus. Amherst_Mekka Companies do have on-campus recruiting. We have a great Career Center that has almost limitless resources Terrell Do you ever feel "trapped" at Amherst because of its small size? Amherst_Sara No, because there are 5 other college nearby. Tony2 How are the dorms? Are they roomy or cramped? Amherst_Monica The dorms are fairly spacious. Molly B Can you take courses at nearby colleges? Amherst_Will Yes. In fact, most students do. The other schools offer different class dynamics. Many students also study abroad vicky Do the students interact with the community? Amherst_Sara Yes, there are a lot of opportunites for community service and the school recently received a new grant for 13 MILLION dollars for a new community outreach building vicky Do you consider geographical factors when admitting students? Amherst_Lexi We do not limit our applicants based on geography- we take all qualified applicants regardless of where they are from Molly B Can you take courses at nearby colleges? Amherst_Mekka Yes, you can take classes at the other 4 schools in the 5-college consortium; UMASS, Smith, Mt. Holyoke, and Hampshire Joelle How does the dance program work within the five colleges? Amherst_Will As I'm sure you know, Amherst has a theatre and dance major. Students within this major also take classes at the other colleges. Amherst also hires a number of visiting professors for it. cmac What are your core requirements? Amherst_Monica We don't have any. You are, however, required to take a freshman seminar, but you can choose from many topics. cmac Do you recommend forwarding your application through QuestBridge for regular admissions if you don't qualify for the scholarship? Amherst_Lexi Yes, forward your Questbrige application through Amherst_Lexi It will be easier Amherst_Lexi There will be another supplement- but we will give you instructions on that when the time comes cmac Are the seminars chosen by lottery? Amherst_Monica You order the classes based on your preferences, and then they try to assign you to one of your top choices. cmac What's your most popular study abroad program? Amherst_Grisel We dont have set programs. Instead we are able to apply to pre-approved programs all around the world. If there is not a program that interests you, you can have the study abroad department help you find a program perfect for you janelle How many students take advantage of the 5 College Consortium? What kinds of classes do the other colleges offer that Amherst doesn't? Amherst_Lexi 54% of students will take a 5 college class- and you can browse the other colleges' course catalogues- it isn't really that there are different courses just more of them from different topics Molly B Mekka, do the students socialize within the 5 colleges? Amherst_Mekka Yes, there is a calendar that lists all of the events happening in the valley, so we know what's happening on other campuses. In addition to taking classes at the other schools, students frequent discussions, plays, parties, etc. Fakhra What is the average loan a low income student gets at Amherst? Is it possible for students with no parent contribution to get no loans - their financial aid packet would therefore only consist of grants and work-study? Amherst_Lexi For QuestBridge students- there is generally no parental contribution at Amherst- it is possible to have no loans as a student as well Terrell Did you find that there were many activities and things to do on the weekends on/off campus? Amherst_Mekka There is always something going on. You will never be bored. janelle Have any of you done research? If so, what did you do research on? Just wondering what kinds of research opportunities are available. Amherst_Grisel I am writing a Spanish thesis this semester on a topic that interests me and I will be working alongside the head of our Spanish department courtney Do you have a good sports program? Amherst_Monica Yes. Many students participate in varsity or intramural sports. Joelle I noticed on your application they do not ask for a videotape of dance. So how do you audition for the major? Or do you have to? Amherst_Lexi You do not have to audition for a dance major- you can just simply begin taking classes in the department Terrell Did you find that there was many activities and things to do on the weekends on/off campus? Amherst_Sara Yes, there are tons to do on campus. Amherst gives the social council and the Association of Amherst students thousands of dollars per year to do activities on campus. There is so much to do on campus you rarely have to leave, but if you want to go somewhere else, UMass, with 30,000 people, is around the corner. janelle Have any of you done research? If so, what did you do research on? Just wondering what kinds of research opportunities are available. Amherst_Will I am writing a thesis. Many students receive paid internships over the summer to do research for their thesis papers. Because Amherst doesn't have graduate students, the professors often ask their strongest students to help them with their research (esp. over the summer). There are plenty of financial resources for students interested in doing research. I have been offered research positions from two of my professors vicky Do you take interviews in the admission process? Amherst_Lexi We do not conduct interviews at Amherst albert Is it common for Amherst students to visit Boston on a frequent basis? Amherst_Grisel There are buses that travel to Boston that can be taken from town. It's really easy and simple. It is also easy to travel down to NYC via bus or train Amherst_Monica It's also easy to get around the area even if you don't have a car. The bus system is free. Terrell What majors would you say Amherst is strongest in? Amherst_Sara All of our majors here at Amherst are great, especially Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Psychology, English, Black Studies, Sociology, Political Science, Economics, and Law Social Thought and Jurisprudence (LJST) Amherst_Lexi We do not have any departments that are stronger than others per se, we do have some that are larger- and those are English, Psych, Economics, Political Science cmac Is there any type of athletic requirement? Amherst_Mekka There is no athletic requirement for graduation or anything of that sort Amherst_Grisel No there is not. We don't require swim tests either, in case that's what you were worried about Amherst_Will Mo there is no athletic requirement, in fact, the only requirement Amherst students must meet is their freshman seminar. All students at Amherst take a freshman seminar of their choosing. Other then that, Amherst has no requirements dada Going to NYC to Amherst by train... does it involve transferring to a bus? Jonathan Nope. You can get on an Amtrak train called the Vermonter. It goes straight to NYC Molly B It seems that double majors are popular...do you get overwhelmed? Amherst_Monica It's actually fairly easy to double major because we have no core curriculum. Amherst_Sara I am majoring in both black studies and neuroscience and I don't fell overwhelemed. I have ample time to be involved in campus life. Don't get me wrong, it is hard work, but it is not overwhelming. Plus, you don't have to double major. Joelle How easy is it to change majors once you have declared one at the end of sophmore year? Amherst_Mekka Youa can always add a major, regardless of your year. Amherst_Will Very easy... I changed my major at the end of my sophomore year from law, jurisprudence, and social thought to political science. It's simply a matter of very brief paper work. courtney What is your student to teacher ratio Amherst_Grisel 8:1 Joelle How many students bring cars to campus? Amherst_Will Freshman aren't allowed to bring cars to campus, but a little over half of upperclassmen bring cars Amherst_Grisel Freshmen year, you are not allowed to bring cars, but many students bring cars up to school after freshmen year. cmac Are the dorms wireless? Amherst_Mekka Yes cmac Is the first semester pass/fail? Amherst_Monica No, however, there's a freshman drop option for one class if a student is really struggling. cmac What's your favorite thing about your school? Amherst_Justin The open curriculum. vicky Do we need cars? What's the setting of Amherst? Amherst_Lexi No cars are needed- there is a free bus system that connects all the 5 colleges and the local mall Molly B Does the cold weather bother you? Amherst_Grisel It gets really cold. It was really cold last night, but you get used to it Amherst_Sara I'm from new York and I thought I knew cold, but I didn't. It does get cold in Amherst, but when it snows it looks like a postcard so it's okay. Amherst_Grisel The snow is fun cmac Do you have minors? Amherst_Mekka No Amherst_Lexi No, we do not have minors- but we have an open curriculum (no general education requirements) so students may double major relatively easily alex Tamaki How big are average classes? Amherst_Will It depends on the class... Intro to Psychology usually has over 100 students, but lectures typically have 10-20 students and seminars typically have less albert Is med school a popular option among the Amherst students? Amherst_Will Yes cmac How many courses must you take a semester? Amherst_Monica Generally, at least 4. Sir Johnny If you apply to Amherst or any other colleges using early decision, how much less grant will you get from FAFSA? Amherst_Lexi None- financial aid is the same early or regular decision Kimberly How prevalent is alcohol on campus? Amherst_Monica It's certainly prevalent. However, there are a good number of students who do not drink. Amherst_Grisel There is no pressure to drink on campus, but alcohol does exist like most college campuses Amherst_Will Although quite a few students drink, you don't have to in order to have fun. I don't drink and I have a blast. A lot of people don't drink. Those who want to live in substance free housing can live in "Health and Wellness" Dorms... I was a resident counselor in one my junior year. vicky Do you have a lot of active clubs in variety? Amherst_Monica We have many active campus organizations, and if we're lacking something, you can always start your own. Fakhra Is there a limit to how many recommendations may be sent? Amherst_Lexi There is no limit to the number of recommendations you can send, BUT only send additional recs if they say something significantly different than the other three you are required to submit cmac Do you have fitness centers for those who don't participate in a sport but still want to stay active? Amherst_Monica Yes, we have a gym and other athletic facilities. Amherst_Justin Yes. I don't play a sport, but I work out four to five days a week. There's a great gym for lifting, a pool, an indoor track, nature trails, etc. if you're interested. There are also non-credit Physical Education courses that some students take. vicky Do you require any projects in order to graduate? Amherst_Lexi No projects are required per se, although some majors will require a thesis Terrell I'm actually kind of afraid that Amherst might be too difficult for me, but what kind of students were you in high school? Amherst_Will Amherst offers a variety of resources to help you with your work. The academic peer mentors, the writing center, and the quantitative skills center are frequently used by students with a variety of comprehension levels. I didn't have the highest gpa or the highest SAT at my high school. A lot of the students here did. But I'm doing just as well, if not better, than they are because I take advantage of these resources mom Are there substance free dorms? Is there a contract and how serious is that considered? Amherst_Sara There are substance free dorm on campus. All the freshman dorms are dry (there can be no open alcohol in their common areas) and one of the freshman floors are substance free. Also, the theme house I live in this year is dry. If you are caught with alcohol in a dry dorm you are fined and campus police come to confiscate the alcohol and report the student with it. alex Tamaki What is the housing situation at Amherst? Amherst_Grisel When you are a freshmen, all the freshmen live together in freshmen dorms. The upperclassmen have a lottery that helps determine housing Amherst_Mekka Most people live in college housing all 4 years. There are specific freshmen dorms so all freshmen will live together. We have themed housing, such as Newport, which is a French and Spanish themed house; and Drew House, which is a black culture theme house. There are substance free dorms. Amherst_Will A lot of the dorms are being renovated. Next year, all the freshman dorms will be newly renovated. The rooms on campus are generally larger than most other campuses. cmac How's the food? Amherst_Monica Not fantastic, but tolerable. Amherst_Sara The food is pretty good compared to home. Very good compared to other colleges. Amherst_Will The dining hall offers a variety of options for different tastes and diets, including vegans and vegetarians Amherst_Will Some days are better than others dada I heard that though Amherst requires a minimum of two SAT IIs, and having less than three is a big disadvantage. Is that true? Amherst_Lexi Amherst does require two SAT IIs (unless you take the ACT), and having less than three is not a huge disadvantage because, as admissions officers, we will only consider your top two SAT II scores albert How's the Hispanic population? Amherst_Grisel The Hispanic population is strong. This freshmen class has one of the largest Hispanic populations. vicky What percent of the year would you say is cold? Amherst_Monica 60-70% Amherst_Grisel From October to early April, maybe cmac Do you have to purchase a meal plan? Amherst_Sara All freshman have a meal plan included in their room and board. This meal plan is good for unlimited meals for the entire year. Amherst_Grisel The meal plan is part of board and you are allowed to have as many meals per day. There's an option for upperclassmen to get rid of breakfast and have as many meals as they want after 11:30 am. The cost is part of board vicky So if you take the ACT then you don't have to take SAT IIs? Amherst_Lexi If you take the ACT, then no SAT I or SAT IIs are required cmac How big is the political scene on campus? Amherst_Monica Many students are active in political groups and publications, and the majority are generally conscious of politics. Amherst_Will Some students are extraordinarly politically active while others are less so, but the college brings quite a number of political speakers (professors, supreme court justices, presidential candidates, etc) Amherst_Will Scalia came one year Amherst_Will Al Sharpton, Ann Coulter, etc. Kimberly What does "cold" mean? That means different things depending on the person. Amherst_Sara Real cold. In the winter it can hit -1F, but in the summer it can be 90F Kimberly How would you describe the political climate on campus (among the students, faculty, administration) Amherst_Monica Like almost all schools, Amherst is liberal, but that doesn't mean that there isn't a conservative presence on campus. Joelle How is the student body? Artsy, intellectual, liberal, conservative? Amherst_Will All of the above albert Is there a notoriously difficult major at Amherst? Amherst_Sara Black studies, physics and math are known to be hard. cmac What's the biggest impact that Amherst has had on your life for the better? Amherst_Mekka Don't forget, difficult usually translates into very rewarding!! Amherst_Will Amherst has made me a more critical writer, reader, and all around thinker Amherst_Monica Amherst has made me think more critically about everything I read, hear, do, etc. Amherst_Grisel Amherst has helped me become a critical thinker and a problem solver alex Tamaki What are the English and Philosophy departments like? Amherst_Will Very strong. The English professors here are among the most quoted intellectuals in the field. Both departments have professors who are extensively published and lettered Quee Do you think Amherst being a small school hurts your chances at job placements? Amherst_Lexi Definitely not. Amherst is very recognized in the job market - on-campus recruiting is already underway, and Amherst alums are very excited to have fellow alums working with them Amherst_Monica No. There are many recruiters here all the time. Amherst_Justin Absolutely not. I work with the Pre-Business Group on campus and we brought in alums from many of the top investment banks and consulting firms. At the PBG Career Fair, companies including Goldman Sachs, Monitor Group, Bank of America, and Merrill Lynch were present. Amherst_Will Definitely not. Amherst grads become leaders in absolutely every field you can name - law, education, business, medicine, politics Amherst_Will Amherst grads include numerous CIA directors, FBI heads, an American president (Calvin Coolidge), wealthy investment bankers, Pulitzer Prize winners, Nobel laureates, (and the list goes on) alex Tamaki I have seen Amherst compared with Williams. Are you very competitive with them? Amherst_Grisel Yes we are Amherst_Sara Heck yes! GO Jeffs. vicky What are Jeffs? Amherst_Mekka Lord Jeff is our mascot. Amherst_Lexi Lord Jeff is Lord Jeffrey Amherst- the founder of our school cmac What's one thing you'd like to change about your school? Amherst_Grisel The food. But town has wonderful alternatives to our dining hall Amherst_Sara Nothing! I love this school. I have learned so much about myself academically and socially since I have been here! Jeena Are any of you premed? Does Amherst prepare you well for medical school? Amherst_Grisel Lots of my friends are premed. They all just took the MCATs this last year. They were very prepared and felt confident with their preparation at Amherst mom Is a 3/2 engeneering program offered and what schools are involved? Amherst_Grisel Sorry, we do not have such a program Amherst_Lexi There is a 3/2 program offered with Dartmouth- not many people are involved with it from my experience, but it does exist Joelle Is a lot of the teaching/learning hands on? Amherst_Will Yes... lots of discussion based classes Amherst_Sara Yes, I have spent countless hours in office hours with my professor personally explaining problems that I didn't understand. Jeena Do you know what the percentage of premed students who apply to med school from Amherst get in? Amherst_Lexi 94% who apply to med school get in, 84% to law school Joelle Does Amherst take AP scores? Or is it just for placement Amherst_Lexi Amherst takes APs and IBs for placement vicky Do any TAs teach the classes? Amherst_Will No Amherst_Mekka TAs may lead additional sessions, but not regular classes alex Tamaki Are students very competitive with each other at Amherst? Amherst_Will No... everyone has respect for each others talents. Competition isn't necessary cmac Is the library open 24 hrs? Amherst_Grisel The library does close. During the week, I think it's open until 1 am vicky How well do all the students know each other? Do all 1660 students know everyone? Or just in your dorms? Amherst_Will The campus is small enough for you to get to know a lot of the students here vicky How well do all the students know each other? Do you all 1660 students know everyone? or just in ur dorms? Amherst_Monica You will get to know at least the people in your class (in addition to many from other classes) very well. vicky What is the average debt after graduating? Amherst_Lexi Average debt is $9,000 Amherst_Lexi But for QuestBridge students- there is no loan portion Amherst_Justin ZERO if you are accepted through Questbridge. Jeena What do you do for fun on the weekend? Amherst_Monica There are various campus activities and parties going on. Amherst_Will Poetry slams, concerts, parties, cosmic bowling, roller skating, shopping, campus center fairs (including dance dance revolution), karoake Amherst_Grisel There's always something going on around Amherst, either on campus or in town. I go to movies, go out to dinner, do work in town, sometimes go to New York. cmac When do your semesters end? When are exams? Amherst_Mekka We take exams before Christmas break and in May alex Tamaki What kind of student work opportunities are available? Amherst_Grisel There are lots of different things, from working in the dining hall, library, gym, to doing research for a professor during the semester Amherst_Sara There are student work opportunities in wide array of places on campus. You could work in the career center, the library, the cafeteria, the mail room, the admissions office, the community outreach office, the theatre and dance department, the music department, student security, ... mom Are varied religious groups offered and what is the involvement rate? Amherst_Will Yes... there are a variety of religious groups on campus. The college hires a number of religious ministers as full time advisors to students who choose to use their services vicky Do you close down during the summer and winter? Do the students have to return home? Amherst_Mekka Students can stay on campus and do research with professors or work with various departments Amherst_Monica There are definitely students still around for breaks because of summer research/jobs or for interim programs. Jeena What are your surroundings like? Do you go into nearby cities, or is it just a rural town? Amherst_Will Amherst has 4 other colleges within a 20 minute bus ride. There is a heavy student population around here. The area is very intellectual, and it doesn't feel like a small town because of the type of population that is here Amherst_Grisel It's easy to get around. Boston and NYC are not that far. There are lots of towns close to Amherst that have good places to eat and shop. Also, rural amherst is fun. alex Tamaki If we do not "match" through QuestBridge, is there any difference between using the QuestBridge application or Amherst's regular application? Amherst_Lexi No preference is given to either application- QuestBridge or our own. Do what is easiest. There may be a small supplement if you do not match Jeena Is the courseload really tough? Is there a gpa that is almost impossible to get? Amherst_Monica The courseload is certainly not easy but it isn't impossible (unless you want it to be). Amherst_Will No. Academic advisors (professors assigned to you) help devise schedules that will challenge you without crushing you. It's possible to do very well here academically cmac How many hours of homework on average do you have nightly? Amherst_Sara Your work load depends on your classes. If you are in math and science courses you may have a problem set due every week. If you are literature classes you may have a book to read a week. Amherst_Will It depends on the classes you are taking. I take heavy reading courses. I usually have 3-4 hrs. of reading per night Molly B How many times a week do classes meet? Amherst_Monica That depends. Classes usually meet 3 times a week for about an hour each time or twice a week for longer periods. Amherst_Sara Lectures usually meet for about 3 hours per week, labs 3-4 hours, and discussion section 1 hour. Jeena Is there grade deflation or inflation? Amherst_Will It depends on the department and the person you talk to Amherst_Will In general, classes are challenging but not impossible Vicky If I don't become a QuestBridge finalist, but just an applicant, do I have to pay the fee waiver and is the financial aid package big? Amherst_Lexi If you are a low-income student, you are still invited to use a fee waiver and your financial aid package will not be significantly different than if you were a finalist mom Can the meal plans be used at connecting colleges? Amherst_Will No Amherst_Sara No, but you can put AC dollars on your ID card and eat at the campus cafe Joelle What is the average pay for students working on campus? Is the money that you will presumably earn doing these jobs on campus attributed to your demonstrated financial need or no? Amherst_Lexi Average jobs here pay around $7.25/hr. and your money generally goes toward a work-study alex Tamaki AC dollars? Amherst_Grisel Amherst College dollar Molly B Does the professors stay for the discussions? Amherst_Monica Many classes I've taken are already very discussion oriented. Professors are always willing to stay after class to talk to students. You can also always drop by office hours or make appointments, too. Amherst_Sara Discussions are ususally held at another time and depending on the department the professor will lead the discussion group, like chemistry and physics alex Tamaki How big is the town of Amherst? Amherst_Mekka Downtown Amherst is pretty small Amherst_Sara The town is small but there are over 35,000 college students in the pioneer valley and 34,000 residents of the town Molly B So, the discussion is mainly for the students after the lecture? Amherst_Will Discussions usually take place during class and are moderated/led by the professors. Often times, controversial discussions continue in dorm rooms and lunch tables mom Are any single rooms offered and does each room have a bathroom /shower? Amherst_Will Yes. Single rooms are offered, but the bathrooms are shared Amherst_Mekka There are plenty of singles available, although freshmen will usually have a roommate. Bathrooms are communal Cmac Do you have a special RA or teacher assigned? Amherst_Will Each residence hall has an RC (freshman residence halls have even more) and each student receives an advisor their freshman year. When students declare majors, the receive major advisors Jeena How nice are the dorm facilities? Are they new? Amherst_Will Yes. Most of them are newly renovated. They're really pretty, clean and spacious alex Tamaki Do students get to know their professors very well, or is it more impersonal? Amherst_Sara No, most student know their professors very well Amherst_Justin First year seminar professors are known for inviting their classes over for dinner. Many other professors do the same. Another perk of attending Amherst: when prominent speakers come to Amherst, small groups of students are often invited to private receptions. This afternoon, I, along with fifteen to twenty other students, had the opportunity to meet for discussion and snacks with John Deutsch, class of 1960, who is a former CIA Director and a Director of a number of publicly held corporations including Citigroup and Raytheon.
cmac If you use QuestBridge for regular admissions, you're still required to pay for whatever financial aid doesn't cover, right? Amherst_Lexi As far as financial aid goes for regular decision, students go through the regular financial aid pool here- however, depending on your family's financial situation you may have a package with no student loans or parental contribution Amherst_Lexi There is a sliding scale- the lower-income your family is, the less loans you will have as a student and the less your parents will pay janelle Are bathrooms single gender or co-ed? Amherst_Sara All freshman and new dorm bathrooms are single sex, but in some dorms the bathroom are co-ed Amherst_Mekka In the newer buildings, the bathrooms are single-sex. In some of the older ones, they are/can be coed, but only if all of those residents are comfortable with it. cmac How safe do you feel on campus? Amherst_Sara Extremely safe Amherst_Monica Very safe. Many students don't even lock their doors . . . not that I recommend it. vicky How diverse is the community outside of Amherst? Amherst_Sara Very diverse vicky Are you required to bring laptops? Amherst_Monica No. It's extremely helpful, but we also have a computer center that's open pretty late. Amherst_Will The campus has a number of computers available for everyone's use alex Tamaki Do dorms have internet connections? Amherst_Monica The entire campus is blanketed by a wireless network. Amherst_Sara All the dorms on campus have wireless and wired internet access both in the rooms and in the common areas cmac How easy is it to get from class to class? Amherst_Will Very easy... as in anywhere from a 2 - 4 min. walk max. alex Tamaki Do you get to know students from other departments very well, if at all? Amherst_Sara Yes we are not segregated by majors. We eat with each other and live with each other Joelle How important is GPA and class rank in the admissions process? Is everyone's GPA unweighted? And do you look at high school profiles when reviewing applications? Amherst_Lexi Like most schools, GPA and class rank are considered in the admissions process- we want to make sure that the students we accept will be able to handle the work load here. We consider whether or not the GPA is weighted or unweighted, we get both types- and yes, we look closely at high school profiles when reviewing applications Molly B Do many students choose junior abroad or another school? Amherst_Will Yes... many students study abroad and quite a few do a domestic exchange Amherst_Grisel Many students choose to study abroad for at least a semester. I was in Buenos Aires last fall mom Do most students graduate in four years? Amherst_Will Yes, over 90% vicky Do you accept any transfer students? Amherst_Monica Yes. moon I'm wondering if I would be able to take classes in environmental studies as well as theater at the same time there Amherst_Justin Yes. You may take any four or five classes for credit during the semester. Joelle Did any of you apply through QuestBridge? Amherst_Justin I did. Any questions? vicky Do you have a social work program? Amherst_Monica Not specifically for social work, but we do have many volunteer programs. Mom Whats the diversity/race relations like? Amherst_Grisel There are people from everywhere at Amherst. There is no typical Amherst student Amherst_Will Amherst is unique in the sense that it brings extraordinarly talented students from a variety of different backgrounds and views into conversation with each other. No doubt, ignorance and prejudice exist on campus, but students are for the most part tolerant (if not curious) about races other than their own Vicky If you want to stay over 4 years, like stay for a 5th year, do you have to pay for that? Amherst_Sara You have to petition one of the deans to stay for a 5th year. Katie What is your favorite thing about Amherst? Amherst_Will The open curriculum Amherst_Monica The people. Amherst_Grisel The relationships you can build with the professors and staff. They really want to succeed in everything
Ben I believe that’s all the time we have for today. Thank you for joining us, and a special thanks to all the representatives from Amherst College. Amherst_Lexi Thank you for having us! Amherst_Lexi Tt is a pleasure Amherst_Monica Thanks everyone Amherst_Will Thank you | |