Attacks, Rowdiness Rattling Many at UMass-Amherst

[Lafalum84]

toddsmom, if your daughter is happy, has friends and is doing well, why would you suggest she transfer? UMass is a big place. It clearly has problems, but if they're not affecting her I wouldn't move her. If she were unhappy or having issues with classes or professors it would be different.

On the other hand... I have a friend whose daughter signed up for housing for her junior year before leaving campus at the end of sophomore year. She heard nothing from UMass, so 2 weeks before fall semester started she called to get her room assignment. The response? "You don't have a room. You weren't chosen in the lottery." She had 2 weeks to find a suitable off-campus apartment. Two trips and many tears later, she found a place that was a 15 minute drive from campus. Just something to keep in mind as enrollment continues to climb.

That could be what's fueling some of the drinking/violence as well. It's harder to police students living off-campus, and as the number of students applying soars (thanks to ridiculous private college tuitions), I suspect the number of students forced to live off-campus will rise as well. Unless the state comes up with some money for new dorms.... ha!

[OG57]

back in my day UMASS was completely wild but so was UCONN. Though fun can still be had at UCONN, it is no longer a "party school". Perhaps the difference is the long-term investment that Connecticut has been willing to make in an effort to create a world-class university.

[collegemomof1son]

My son was accepted early action into the College of Engineering at UMASS. Since we live just 20 mintes away we are very aware of the reputation of this school. Yet we were impressed with their Engineering program. He applied to 5 Engineering schools and was admitted into all 5; he is also the recipient of an Abigail Adams Scholarship, but when all was said and done he has chosen Northeastern as his number 1 pick. He attended open houses at his accepted schools and when he came home we asked him for his impression of UMASS. His answer : " Mom UMASS is no Northeastern". So unfortunately, like many of you on this thread ,we will be paying big bucks when a perfectly good alternative sits in our backyard, done in by its reputation!