<p>Yes, Amherst has a tight-knit community. Does it act as one unit? Not really, but I don’t think that acting as one unit is necessarily a good thing. Amherst is very diverse and full of people with strong opinions. To put it mildly, we’re not always in agreement. But as a campus community with only 1,700 students and 20,000 alumni, you can bet on a strong sense of solidarity when it comes to helping each other out. There is a lot of love here. There’s conflict, too, but even that comes out of a true concern for the community. By “community” I don’t mean just the Amherst community, I’m talking about the world at large - There are great people here who truly want to make it a better place and who live by some variation of Terras Irradient.</p>
<p>On physics research: The short answer is yes, you will get to conduct your own research. You might start off as a research assistant, but grants will allow you to do your own research when you have some experience under your belt. If you get started early, it’s not hard to be managing yourself by junior or even sophomore year. For the longer answer, see my post earlier in this thread.</p>
<p>Hi Keilinger, just a quick question… I know that at amherst, only 50 students per year are allowed to live off campus (not including freshmen). I’m an independent person and was hoping to move out on my own by sophomore year. Nothing against dorms they just don’t sound right for me. How competitve would it be for me to be granted permission to live off campus? This is actually quite important to me, and i don’t think i’ll apply to the school if i won’t have a very good chance on getting permission. Which would be a shame because aside from the residency requirement the school looks just perfect… Thanks for the help!</p>
<p>Hi 1234abcd113, I actually lived off campus as a sophomore. You’ll have to submit a form online and then meet with the Dean of Residential Life, so they don’t make it easy - but you can definitely do it. Your reason for wanting to live off campus is a valid one. If you show that you’re committed to your decision and that you know that you can find housing on your own, I don’t think you’ll have a problem. I recommend searching late spring of freshman year if you want to find something within walking distance. If you want more detailed information on this, please send me a PM.</p>
<p>Hi Keilinger!</p>
<p>I am student from China who is accepted into Amherst Class of 2017. I am trying to decide between Amherst and University of Chicago and would really appreciate advice from you. </p>
<p>I plan to do Political Science at college. Other academic interests include philosophy, economics and history. </p>
<p>I’ve heard many stories about how great academics at UChicago are–the Core Curriculum, the highly intellectual culture, and especially its strength in the social sciences. But Amherst is said to be top-notch in these programs, too.
Also, Amherst is known for emphasis on undergrad teaching, but professors at UChicago are also said to be very approachable and classes are usually small, compared to other institutions of its size. </p>
<p>A few questions:
Which school do you think has a higher caliber of student, when it comes to selectivity?
Which one do you think gives its students more edge in applying to grad schools?
Purely academic-wise, which school will be a more enriching experience? (I’m worried about the limited number of course offering at Amherst)</p>
<p>Thanks a lot!</p>
<p>^ You may want to think about creating a new thread in the Amherst and UChicago forums for this, as you’ll get way more responses.</p>
<p>UChicago and Amherst are both great schools. In terms of grad school admissions and a career, having either name will help open doors for you. You can look at SAT scores and admissions rates to get one answer to your question about which school has higher caliber students, but the truth is that there plenty of brilliant people at each school. (My guess is you’ll find that there is a wider spectrum of intelligence/intellectual earnestness at each school than you think.) Because the schools are so similar in prestige, I would urge you to also think about fit. Could you see yourself being here for four years? It sounds fluffy, but most people will have the best experiences (socially and intellectually) where they are happiest. If you can, try to visit both schools before making a final decision.</p>
<p>You might have heard about the Five College Consortium. Because you can take classes at any of the four surrounding colleges, the small course catalog shouldn’t an issue. That said, I know some people who have complained that there aren’t classes they want to take or that their schedule won’t accommodate a certain class. I suggest taking a look at the website to see the courses offered for the majors you’re interested in. With regard to the course catalog, I’ll also add that I really don’t think you’ll have a problem finding classes because you have varied interests. If one wanted to take most of their classes in a single* esoteric field, I can see how the course catalog might be a problem.</p>
<p>After having experienced life at a larger university, I’ve become a big fan of the LAC model. As I see it, the major disadvantage to Amherst is its location. If you aren’t attached to being near a city (and there are many good reasons for that), Amherst could be perfect for you. Professors will do anything to help you perform at your best. In discussion, you will work on your ability to analyze arguments and issues from multiple perspectives and your classmates won’t just sit there - they’ll build on each other’s ideas and go deeper. I could not imagine having a better education anywhere else.</p>
<p>Sorry if there are typos. If something doesn’t make sense, let me know. I typed this on my phone. Good luck with your decision!</p>
<p>Hi Keilinger, </p>
<p>Thanks so much for your answer! and for the efforts on typing it on the phone! </p>
<p>I have decided to commit to Amherst! At this point in time, I am not able to fly over to the states to visit. But I feel like Amherst will be a more well-rounded college experience with an intellectual exploration that can parallel uchicago’s. </p>
<p>Just out of curiosity, how come you can do a domestic study at Harvard? I didn’t see a program with Harvard on the Amherst website. </p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>Congrats! :)</p>
<p>Colleges that don’t have their own study abroad programs will provide lists of programs offered by other institutions, but for whatever reason do not tend to advertise domestic study. IMO, it’s a great way to shake things up and still have a good educational experience. Columbia and UPenn also take visiting undergrads, fyi.</p>
<p>Hi Keilinger and other current students, appreciate your generosity and good advice!</p>
<p>My D is interested in premed. Do you know much about the program at Amherst?
- Is it difficult to get into the program?
- How difficult is it to remain in the program after 4 years? I’ve seen posts on the Williams forum that many premed students are weeded out throughout the four years.
- Is it difficult to maintain a high GPA in a science major? What is the average GPA? Again I see Williams is around 3.3-3.4.
- What is the acceptance rate to med schools?
- Is it possible to play a varsity sport while in premed? Would lab work conflict with practices/games?</p>
<p>@keilinger, how do you find out about the domestic study opportunities at the Ivys you mentioned?</p>
<p>lz48880: I’m sorry but I don’t know much about pre-med. I don’t think you need to apply - you just take the pre-requisites for med school and check in with the pre-med advisor every once in a while. The overall GPA average at Amhesrt is the same as at Williams, but I don’t know about science GPAs. Some students are weeded out, sure, but that’s because pre-med is tough in general. If you get a chance to visit, you may want to ask how much of the weeding out is due to loss of interest as opposed to getting a C or lower in builder classes. Amherst students routinely get into the best med schools in the country… as I’m sure Williams students do. Hate to say anything good about our rivals, but we’re rivals because we’re so similar! 
I know people who play sports and are pre-med, but have no idea how they manage to do it. Coaches are relatively flexible on making up conditioning workouts since we are DIII. But yeah, it looks rough. At the same time, there are people who do it. Wish I could give you more definitive answers.</p>
<p>leonello: There’s no list of schools that take visiting students. If you’re interested, you’ll have to search for the specific schools at which you want to spend a semester/year. If they have a visiting undergrads program, they’ll also have a website with info on applying.</p>
<p>What’s the party scene like at Amherst?</p>
<p>I’m also curious about the party scene. During admitted students weekend I went to a few parties at the socials and they were just not my scene. I don’t really like the typical kind of “frat” party. I don’t mind drinking but I definitely prefer it in a more laid back setting. Are the socials the only type of parties on campus?</p>
<p>Eira, I was at one of those parties at the overnight open house! Really wasn’t my thing either</p>
<p>I would also like input about the party scene! I’ve been reading that the college and police have become more strict with alcohol policies and the party scene. how true is that? are students still able to have a fun night out on weekends?</p>
<p>Are there any First Year Seminars and/or professors you would recommend? My son is between “Voting and Elections” w/ Leise, “Romanticism and the Enlightenment” by Brandes, and “Encounters with Nature” by Courtwright. He is trying to find out more about the seminars. Any info would be appreciated!</p>
<p>I’ve had Leise for Math Modeling (coding) and I really think she’s a great professor who is enthusiastic and knowledgeable. She helped bring Steven Strogatz (the NY Times math column writer) to Amherst and I know she is a big fan, so check him out. FYS is always more about critical reading and writing than math, but if your son is interested in a slightly mathematical take on elections, this could be perfect. Her workloads tend to be very manageable, which makes it another good choice for a freshman. </p>
<p>That said, all three professors get good reviews. It may be helpful to consider professors’ backgrounds and the courses they normally teach, because that’s the lens they’ll likely bring with them into the FYS.</p>
<p>Keilinger - have you ever taken a class with Austin Sarat? If so, what were your thoughts?</p>
<p>I am an international student (I’m from Asia particularly) and next year will be my junior year in high school. I’ve done lots of research and I’ve fallen in love with Amherst ever since. I’m thinking of ED to Amherst next year but I’m not quite sure if us Asians stand much chance. Irrespective of my stats, can someone tell me if an outsider like me has a chance? I mean, lately I’ve seen many people apply ED to Amherst but they’re all native students or have some legacy or of the same sort.</p>
<p>I would like to join PKMGSoledad on this! I’m actually a Singaporean student who is defying Asian stereotype by being atrocious at all things Math, but is interested in a career in English Lit. I’m thinking of applying ED to Amherst but I’m not sure about the chance Asians (esp Singaporeans) stand with getting into a school like Amherst.</p>
<p>That being said though, Amherst sounds like the perfect school for me, and all the answers here only make me fall in love with it even more. So thank you so much for this thread!</p>
<p>From what my son tells me, Sarat has a very definite style. Very challenging, pushing the students, putting them on the spot, but extremely intelligent and a profoundly great experience for students who respond to that style. My son sat in on a class once and was impressed, but also could tell it wasn’t the kind of learning style that works best for him.</p>
<p>He had a great FYS --this was 5 years ago, so not available now-- but he just loved it. It was one he sort of got stuck with (and didn’t have an initial attraction toward) because there were very few that would work with the practice schedule for his sport… but as things turned out he really enjoyed it and it made a big impact.</p>