Amherst College
Reviews

Amherst College is unique because...

Amherst College is unique because it is in a relatively rural/suburban area but is also within 10 miles of four other colleges (UMass, Smith, Mount Holyoke, and Hampshire). The town of Amherst is relatively small, but it offers all the amenities of a college town: great food (try Antonio's, Fresh Side, and Chez Albert), a couple of bars, and various convenience stores. Although the location of Amherst may, at first glance, seem random or unappealing, it is quite nice to be amidst the beautiful hills and fresh air of western Massachusetts, while being also being close enough to Boston and New York City for a weekend trip.

The campus is pretty diverse, but...

The campus is pretty diverse, but I feel like everybody is pretty well assimilated into the dominant culture, whatever that is. It's hard to notice differences unless you really get to know the people, and then you find out all these interesting things about them.

There are great restaurants within...

There are great restaurants within walking distance and short drives away. There are also a lot of delivery options. The best places in town are Judie's and Pasta E Basta and The Pub.

There is a pretty reliable bus...

There is a pretty reliable bus service if you want to go farther away, but downtown Amherst is less than a 5-minute walk. There are also good shuttle services to the airport in Hartford, Connecticut.

Our campus has a fair amount of...

Our campus has a fair amount of diversity. Since financial aid is given to students who need it, we are able to have a wide range of economic backgrounds. We also have a lot of international students. This is the part of the population that is well publicized, but otherwise the majority is white, upper-middle class.

Amherst is a pretty close...

Amherst is a pretty close community. There are lots of great restaurants and shops. Large chain and grocery stores are a really quick car or bus ride away. There's also Northampton, a little down the road, that has much more to do. There are four other schools nearby, and we see their students in class and at social events.

Sports are very important at...

Sports are very important at Amherst. It seems that most students are involved in some sport at some time in their college career.

The buses are free but are...

The buses are free but are sometimes unreliable and do not run as often as one would like.

The police are strict about the...

The police are strict about the rules but do not actively search for offenders. Just be smart, don't cause problems, and you will be fine.

Freshmen can't bring a car, but it...

Freshmen can't bring a car, but it isn't hard to find parking in general.

It's really cold, so bring a coat.

A lot of people smoke weed. If you...

A lot of people smoke weed. If you want to do other drugs, it's not that hard to find coke. You can find drugs if you look hard enough, just like at any college, but most people here just drink.

There are some good Italian,...

There are some good Italian, Mexican, and Chinese places, but the best/cheapest stuff is just to get pizza or calzones delivered. Judie's is really good if you want to go out.

All the freshman dorms are...

All the freshman dorms are gorgeous, but if you like to go out on the weekends avoid living in North or South.

It's a friendly town, and all the...

It's a friendly town, and all the people you meet are really nice. There are some good bars and restaurants in town but not a ton else. There are four other major colleges/universities within five miles.

There are a few "underground"...

There are a few "underground" frats, but they don't play a major part other than throwing the occasional event.

Parties can be hit or miss. A lot...

Parties can be hit or miss. A lot of the time people pre-game and end up traveling around until a suitable place is found. Alcohol is always free at parties though. Also, if you are interested, there are several other colleges in the area where you can go.

From a spectator's point of view,...

From a spectator's point of view, varsity sports here aren't great. People rally for the big games, but it's not nearly at the level of a state school. If you plan to play a sport, though, the teams are usually a great community to get involved with.

In general, the facilities are in...

In general, the facilities are in great shape. Any that aren't are either in the process of being renovated or will be soon. The gym is large, free, and convenient. The student center could use some new arcade games, but it's still functional, and the dining hall is well kept. No big complaints here.

There is one dining hall on...

There is one dining hall on campus, Valentine or "Val," which I like because the whole campus eats together, but the limited hours can be extremely annoying at times. The food itself is typical of most colleges, except we have waffle machines and panini presses open at most meals, which I would highly recommend. Since the budget cuts, there have been a lot of complaints about the variety of choices offered, but when students get tired of Val, there are several good and inexpensive places to eat literally five minutes from campus.

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.

Off-campus housing here is...

Off-campus housing here is virtually nonexistent—almost everyone lives on campus all four years.

The professors at Amherst are...

The professors at Amherst are terrific overall—they are very knowledgeable in their respective fields and always available during office hours outside of class. The workload is fairly rigorous, as expected, but it is manageable if you are willing to put in the work. Academically, I would say that almost all of the departments here are very strong, and Amherst definitely lives up to its reputation.

Amherst's campus is extremely...

Amherst's campus is extremely safe, aside from the occasional security incident or theft. I'm never afraid to walk around campus alone at night. The campus police are pretty lenient with parties but will shut one down if it gets too loud or out of control.

There are a lot of intramural...

There are a lot of intramural options. I play varsity baseball, but it doesn't seem like enthusiasm is great for sports on campus. However, there is great support for soccer and basketball.