Amherst College - Computers

Quick Stats

College Prowler Take

Computers for long-term student use are found in two locations on campus: Frost Library and the Computer Center. Frost Library is the main library and, as such, lies at the heart of the campus, and there are two computer labs there. The Computer Center is a bit out of the way and has five labs. Both locations have Macs and PCs. Two computer centers may seem too few at first, but they are more than enough for the 1,600 or so students who go here. What is great about the school computers is that if you are working on a paper or project, you can save the documents and other files on your student drive, which is accessible only by them, from any computer on campus. Plus, an overwhelming majority of students bring their own computers, and every room is equipped with an Ethernet connector. Working in the dorm, however, with all your friends loitering about, can sometimes prove extremely inefficient, and when exam periods come around, there are sizeable crowds typing away in the public labs. Outside of finals week, when all those who take humanity courses realize that it’s probably a good idea to get started on those 15-pagers, you’ll surely find a free computer to work on. Even during finals, Computer Center, with its five labs, will most likely not be full, but you can’t count on the Library, since its central location makes it more popular.

The IT department is responsive to student needs and will send someone to your room to fix any problem you may have. The network is fast, which induces many students to download considerable megabytes of music and movies from file-sharing Web sites. That said, you should seriously think about getting your own computer because the workloads can become heavy, and you will want to be able to plan your time independently of Computer Center hours.

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Students Speak Out

AmhSL says: Amherst College 2015 Biological and Biomedical Sciences

There are two main labs on campus... There are two main labs on campus that can get crowded at night and especially around exam time. There are also random desktops all over campus that can be used to check e-mail. I would recommend bringing your own computer because there is wireless access all over campus. 12345 Computers: February 18, 2009 Report

AmhLZ says: Amherst College 2016 Undecided

There are two main computer labs... There are two main computer labs on campus in the libraries. It's usually not too difficult to find an available computer, except for possibly during midterms and finals week. Anyway, most students bring their own laptops, and there is WiFi in all of the dorms and academic buildings. 12345 Computers: February 16, 2009 Report

AmhDJ says: Amherst College 2016 Undecided

Bring your own computer. The... Bring your own computer. The wireless connection all around campus is great. 12345 Computers: February 16, 2009 Report

AmhSF says: Amherst College 2016 Psychology

The computer labs are great, but... The computer labs are great, but it is extremely more convenient to have your own. Amherst has wireless on the entire campus—even outside! You can do you papers in the sunshine if you'd like. 12345 Computers: February 16, 2009 Report

Anonymous says:

The computer network is very... The computer network is very organized. A huge proportion of students have their own computers, so the computer labs are very rarely crowded. There are people managing a help line 18 hours a day, and students can get personalized visits from trained students if necessary. The network managers are also very active in combating spam and viruses. 12345 Computers Report

Facts

Did You Know?

The Daily Jolt—remember the name—is the Web site you’ll most frequently visit while at Amherst. It is student-run and has everything: job listings, the lowdown on parties the upcoming weekend, discussion forums, restaurant reviews, and procrastination games. It also sponsors “the professor quote of the day,” to which students contribute funny, embarrassing, or kinky sentences they’ve heard their professors say in class. (Let me tell you, I couldn’t believe some of the stuff teachers said last year.) You can visit it at http://amherst.dailyjolt.com.

There are Ethernet outlets in every dorm room, in the libraries, and in the Campus Center. Every student is connected to the College network, where there is access to free software for download and use. All students have their own hard drive and e-mail spaces, and when using a College computer they must log in with a personal username and password.

Do you share my computer illiteracy? If you have a problem with either your hardware or software, you can call (413) 542-7921 and a student trained in computer-related troubleshooting will assist you and even come to your room to see what the problem is.

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