Amherst vs. Tufts

pnlibarts
Tue, 07 Apr 2009 11:12:42 +0000

I know there are many, many posts like this, but after getting all of the information, I am still at a loss for what to do. I was accepted by both Amherst and Tufts, and I’m interested in IR (that is, I would major in PoliSci with the IR certificate at Amherst). I also am a bassoonist, and I would like to perform in some capacity (chamber ensembles or orchestra, probably) in college.

Here are a few questions that I still have after visiting:

1. I spoke with a student from the DC area, and he said that the Amherst area has been a nice break from the city life. For me, as a resident of a small city in Michigan, I’m worried that my cabin fever at home will just transfer over to cabin fever in Amherst. Does anyone have experience with this kind of issue?

2. The same student (a history major) said that when he studied abroad with IR majors from Tufts, he felt like he could hold his own on IR with them because Amherst provides students with a wide variety of courses and still manages to go in-depth. Has anyone felt like Amherst did not provide enough of an opportunity to focus in on a major?

3. I’ve heard that Amherst is intensely sports-oriented. I swim in my high school but assume that I won’t be able to keep up at Amherst. Is it just that many students are also athletes, or is there a sort of student-athlete expectation?

Thanks everyone!