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Amherst College
Boltwood Avenue, Amherst, MA 01002 -5000 - View Map View Map
tel: (413)542-2000
School Notes Overview:
Founded in 1821 as a nonsectarian institution for "the education of indigent young men of piety and talents," Amherst College is now widely regarded as the premier liberal arts college in the nation, enrolling a diverse group of approximately 1,600 young men and women.
School Overview:
 
County Hampshire County, MA
Title IV Eligible Yes
Carnegie Classification Baccalaureate (Liberal Arts) Colleges I
Institution Level 4 or more years
Institution Control Private, non-profit
Full-Time Undergraduate 1,612 students
Total Enrollment 1,612 students
Total Dormitory Capacity 1,632 students
% Students Receiving Some Financial Aid 48 %
% Students Receiving Federal Grants 12 %
Avg. Amount Of Federal Grants Received $4,622
% Students Receiving State/Local Grants 3%
Avg. Amount Of State/Local Grants Received $1,041
% Students Receiving Institutional Grants 45%
Avg. Amount Of Institutional Grants Received $26
% Students Receiving Loans 28%
Avg. Amount Of Loan Received $2,736
School Notes:
  • Amherst College is located in Amherst, Massachusetts, a town of 35,000 people in the western part of the state. The college's 1,000-acre campus is adjacent to downtown Amherst.
  • Renowned for its talented students, committed faculty, and rigorous academic life, Amherst offers the B.A. degree in 33 fields of study. With a faculty-student ratio of 1 to 8, Amherst's classes are characterized by spirited interchange among students and acclaimed faculty skilled at asking challenging questions. Students participate in sophisticated research, making use of state-of-the-art equipment and facilities. And Amherst's open curriculum allows each student—with the help of a faculty adviser—to chart an individual course through the more than 800 courses offered at the college; there are no distribution requirements. Honors work is encouraged and in recent years has been undertaken by nearly half of the graduating class.
  • Amherst is a member of the Five Colleges, a consortium with nearby Smith, Mount Holyoke and Hampshire Colleges and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Students may take courses at any of the colleges, and the schools' proximity adds to Amherst's rich social and extracurricular life.By any measure of accessibility and quality Amherst is consistently ranked among the top schools in the country. Its outstanding resources, dedicated faculty and rigorous academic life allow the college to enroll students with an extraordinary range of talents, interests and commitments. Profile last updated: 12/10/2009.
In the News:
  • Bullets headed to Sweet Sixteen (Gettysburg Times)
    posted on March 8, 2010 at 01:02:59 pm
    BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Gettysburg College women’s basketball team will continue to dance this postseason as senior Courtney Fields and sophomores Julie McGrory and Sara Kinsley combined for all but nine points in a 71-55 victory over Utica College in the second round of the NCAA Division III Tournament on Saturday night at Moravian College.
  • Author returns home to Ridgefield roots (The Fairfield Citizen)
    posted on March 8, 2010 at 12:33:09 pm
    RIDGEFIELD -- Have you ever wondered what it would be like to move halfway across the world to a new country, leaving everyone you knew behind? What if that place was completely different in every way imaginable from what you were used to?
  • Williams women advance to face No. 1 Amherst (North Adams Transcript)
    posted on March 8, 2010 at 08:30:36 am
    Monday March 8, 2010 ITHACA, N.Y. -- The Williams College women’s basketball team advanced to the NCAA Division III Sweet 16 on Saturday night with a 94-77 win over DeSales University. The Ephs’ reward? A date with the top-seeded team in the nation. Williams will play at NESCAC rival Amherst College (29-0) on Friday night.
  • Wesleyan to award Simmons honorary degree (The Brown Daily Herald)
    posted on March 8, 2010 at 05:14:05 am
    By: Nicole Boucher President Ruth Simmons is one of four people who will be awarded an honorary degree from Wesleyan University May 23, according to an e-mail sent to the Wesleyan community....
  • Amherst College women wear NESCAC hockey crown after 2-1 overtime victory over Trinity (The Republican)
    posted on March 8, 2010 at 02:36:50 am
    Courtney Hanlon scored from the right circle a little less than six minutes into overtime off tri-captain Kate Dennett’s feed, giving Amherst College a 2-1 victory in the New England Small College Athletic Conference women’s hockey final in Amherst.
  1. Hampshire College - 1,359 students - 3.0 mi. away - view location
  2. Smith College - 3,093 students - 7.1 mi. away - view location
  3. Mount Holyoke College - 2,127 students - 8.8 mi. away - view location
  4. Marlboro College - 341 students - 33.8 mi. away - view location
  5. Franklin Pierce College - 1,635 students - 36.0 mi. away - view location
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Note: Data has been gathered from several government and commercial data sources, along with self-reported data from private school administrators. Private School Review does not ensure the timeliness or accuracy of the information on this site.
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