Amherst College Top Questions

Amherst is very small, which has its ups and downs. There is definitely a community feel to the campus which is often great, but it can be stifling at times. There isn't that much interaction with the town (sometimes there is, but not too much -- and rarely anything negative). Overall, I really like Amherst. There are many incredible people here. The only downside is when they don't push themselves to achieve the most that they can.

I feel a certain freedom to pursue what I want to pursue, when I want to pursue it, and the only things holding me back time and my own willingness at Amherst. Since the school is well endowed, I never feel like I am missing any opportunities my friends at larger missing. Although the school is unquestionably small, this is something to embrace. Life at a small college, in an area with many colleges, does create the "bubble" mentality. However, schools like Middlebury and Williams are far more guilty of this than Amherst. One can venture out of Amherst with relative ease if he or she wishes. Moreover, when one leaves, the name recognition of Amherst is known by the right people. Sure the school does not carry the national fame of Harvard or Yale, but the right people know about Amherst, and it often says a lot about one's familiarity with good schools if one knows about Amherst. Students frequently complain about dining services; students congregate at our one dining hall on campus. But they are more than adequate. Most of the complaints come from the silly hours they still employ. The college is undergoing a HUGE renovation of all its dorms, so at times, it feels like things are in flux. However, all the freshmen dorms are now completed. School pride reached a high when the men's basketball team captured the D III National Championship in 2007. On the whole, students feel connections to the school in a variety of ways, not just athletics.

In general, I love attending Amherst College. My only "problem" is a lacking school spirit. Outside of our better publicized sporting events, students can be really passive when it comes to supporting each other's events.