What are some fun facts about Amherst College?

What is special about Amherst?

Amherst is one of the few truly need-blind colleges in the nation: students are admitted without regard to financial need, and each admitted student is guaranteed financial aid equal to demonstrated financial need. The College's financial aid packages are consistently among the most substantial in the nation.

What is Amherst best known for?

Amherst College, located in Amherst, Massachusetts, is known for its rigorous academic climate. Amherst is a member of the Five Colleges consortium, which also includes Smith, Mount Holyoke, Hampshire and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

Why is Amherst College famous?

Amherst's other historical “firsts” include the world's first intercollegiate baseball game, against Williams in 1859; the country's first collegiate physical education and hygiene program, founded in 1860; and the nation's first undergraduate neuroscience program, established in 1973.

What is Amherst College named after?

Amherst College is a prestigious, private liberal arts college founded in the Western Massachusetts town of Amherst in 1821. Amherst College took its name from the town and the town took its name from Lord Jeffery Amherst, a colonial-era military hero.

What Makes Amherst College Unique?

When did Amherst change mascot?

April 3, 2017. Amherst College is proud to announce today that the Mammoths are the first official mascot. The Mammoths were selected as the favorite from among five finalists by a vote of Amherst alumni, students, faculty and staff.

Why did Amherst College change its mascot?

Some argued the decision came more so as a response to the criticism of Lord Jeffrey Amherst, as he was documented to have used biological warfare against Native Americans during his time as a British Army officer.

Is Amherst an all girls college?

Originally established as a men's college, Amherst became coeducational in 1975. Amherst is an exclusively undergraduate four-year institution; 1,971 students were enrolled in fall 2021.

What is the old mascot for Amherst College?

Lord Jeffery Amherst evolved into a symbol of the Amherst College community in the early 20th century and was adopted as an unofficial mascot for its sports teams. The college, after much soul-searching and debate, dropped "Lord Jeff" as a mascot two years ago.

Is Amherst a top 20 school?

Overall, UMass Amherst online bachelor's degree programs placed at No. 20 out of 339 public and private colleges and universities and is the only New England institution in the Top 20.

What are Amherst students called?

Similarly, Amherst called themselves the Lord Jeffs because the namesake of the town Amherst where the college was founded was Lord Jeffery Amherst. I gained appreciation for both mascots, as they were both historical figures and they were both a refreshing change from the overused Tigers, Panthers, and Cardinals.

Is Amherst hard to get into?

The acceptance rate at Amherst College is 7.3%.

For every 100 applicants, only 7 are admitted. This means the school is extremely selective. Meeting their GPA requirements and SAT/ACT requirements is very important to getting past their first round of filters and proving your academic preparation.

Is Amherst a d1?

One of about 450 members of the NCAA's Division III, Amherst student-athletes compete for the love of the game. The college experience is a time of learning and growth a chance to follow passions and develop potential.

Is Amherst College a fun school?

A year ago I feared how homesick I'd be, and now I cant wait to go back to school. This might be in part because I had a freshman workload, but I found a great balance of academics, extracurriculars, and fun (with some of the best friends I've ever had).

How well known is Amherst?

Amherst College Rankings

Amherst College is ranked #2 out of 211 National Liberal Arts Colleges. Schools are ranked according to their performance across a set of widely accepted indicators of excellence. Read more about how we rank schools.

What is Amherst College looking for?

We look for students with qualities of mind and character that will enable them to thrive in our dynamic academic and social environment and take advantage of Amherst's remarkable resources.

Is Amherst Religious?

We strive to foster mutual understanding and respect among students of all religious backgrounds (whether religiously observant or not); to promote dialogue; and to provide appropriate support for and heighten awareness of the diverse religious and spiritual traditions which are present on our campus.

Is Amherst a little ivy?

A 2016 article by Bloomberg Businessweek lists the members of the Little Ivies as: Amherst College. Bates College. Bowdoin College.

Why was Amherst founded?

Amherst College began in 1821 to educate “indigent young men of piety and talents.” From its start, Amherst enrolled students who might not commonly have had access to higher education.

How many kids go to Amherst College?

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Amherst College in 2021, both undergraduate and graduate, is 1,971 students. The full-time enrollment at Amherst College is 1,971 and the part-time enrollment is 0.

Is Amherst College need blind?

Amherst College is “need blind”—applying for financial aid will have no bearing on the admission application process. This "need blind" admission policy applies to all applicants, domestic and international.

What is the sister school to Amherst?

Follow your curiosity, deepen your knowledge and expand your circle even further with the Five College Consortium, an alliance between Mount Holyoke, Amherst, Hampshire and Smith Colleges and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

What is the oldest building at Amherst College?

Built in 1821, South College was the first building constructed for Amherst College. It was completed in little more than three months. Since 1823 it has been used entirely for residence purposes. North College, a mirror image of South, was opened in 1823.

How selective is Amherst College?

This school has a highly selective acceptance rate.

9% of students were accepted during the 2021-2022 school year. Sometimes schools with midrange acceptance rates have higher standards of entry but are still accessible to many students who apply.

What year did Amherst go coed?

We're Coed!

On November 2, 1974, the Trustees voted by a margin of 15 to 3 in favor of coeducation. This vote came after years of debate among members of the Board itself, the College administration, and alumni, faculty, and students.