Write up (1):
Name: Vriti Gupta
Graduation year: 2023
Major: Finance
Email: vritigupta514@gmail.com
Hi! I am Vriti, currently a freshman at UMass Amherst. I am planning to do my major in finance. Firstly, I would like to congratulate everybody who got their acceptances from universities and I would like to wish everybody who are still awaiting decisions all the very best. Secondly, just know that it doesn’t matter whether or not you get into your dream school. What matters is what you make out of the opportunities that you are given. A year down the line, you will realize that whatever happened, happened for the best. So celebrate your acceptances and learn from your rejections.
As far as UMass Amherst is concerned, it is a great school with great opportunities. A few things about UMass that might help you make a decision:
- Location- It is in the middle of nowhere, so you will definitely miss out on the “American city life.” However, Boston is just a 2 hour long drive from Amherst and New York is a 4 hour bus ride. So, you can definitely get the best of both worlds. After the campus, Downtown Amherst is the most lively place that you can go to. There are a wide range of restaurants here but if you asked me to pick my favorite two places, I would pick Insomnia cookies (These are the best cookies that you will have in your entire life and it is open till 3 in the morning) and Antonio’s pizza by the slice. Apart from this, Northampton is a 30 minutes bus ride and has one of the best Indian restaurants in the state in addition to a million other ice cream parlors, bakeries and restaurants.
- The 5 colleges consortium- UMass Amherst along with 4 other colleges (that are all within 45 minutes of UMass), namely- Hampshire College, Mount Holyoke College, Amherst College and Smith College forms the 5 colleges consortium. There are various intercollege activities throughout the year but the best thing about this consortium is that you are allowed to take classes in any of the other 4 colleges, so you can definitely look up courses of your interest in these colleges. For more information, visit https://www.umass.edu/fivecollegeinterchange/
- The International community- there are students from over 70 countries that attend UMass and therefore, the international community of UMass is very strong. As an international student, you will have access to a number of resources that will support you in the smooth transitioning to life in a different country.
- Study Abroad Programs- UMass has ties with a lot of schools abroad (in Italy, France, China, India etc.) and it allows you to do one of your semesters abroad. You should look up these programs and see if you find anything that you might like. For more information, visit
https://www.umass.edu/admissions/academic-life/study-abroad/study-abroad
- Clubs and extra-curricular activities- there are over 200 clubs in UMass Amherst and a number of competitions that you can participate in. The football games and the ice hockey games are pretty big there and we have a ice hockey rink in the university. There are two recreational centers, indoor basketball and football courts and a number of other resources that will ensure your entertainment.
- UMass dining- UMass dining was ranked no.1 by the Princeton review. We have four dining commons with amazing food, from sushi to stir fry to pizza and pasta.
- Campus- The campus is huge with four main residential areas- Central, Southwest, Northeast and Orchard Hill. We are also home to the second tallest library in the world and the view from the 23rd floor of Du Bois (the library) is to kill for.
- Greek life- This is pretty big in UMass too. There are a lot of fraternities and sororities on campus in addition to the ones that are in the other four colleges. So, your weekends will definitely be happening.
I hope this helps. If you have any other questions about UMass, please feel free to reach out.
Write up (2):
Name : Kresha Sewani
Year : Sophomore
Major: Commutation
Contact : ksewani@umass.edu
Hi, my name is Kresha and I am currently a sophomore at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. I am majoring in communications and pursuing a minor in Art History. UMass is known for its bustling student life and excellent dining but there is so much to it and here are some things that make Umass special to me.
The Campus: Spanning 1,463 acres, the Umass Campus is very large with four main residential areas, four dining commons, and multiple academic buildings. It also has the tallest academic library in the world. Moreover, Umass provides a free bus service to make your way around campus easier. And having four different residential areas it is easier for you to pick your preferred living experience. From the quiet and calm dorms of Orchard Hill to the more active and spirited halls in Southwest, there is a range of dorms you can pick from to live in.
The Academics : I am currently a Commutations major but I am looking into switching into the BCIC major, which helps you personalize and create your very own major, the reason I am doing this is because Umass does not currently have a film major, however it does have a film department. And they are the best in helping you achieve your goals. Moreover, having the ability to create my own major I will have more control over my academic purists. In regard to class one thing I really appreciate is the smaller discussion sections at almost all lecture classes have. These really help you understand the curriculum which can be difficult to do in a bigger classroom setting. Having discussion sections also helps to give you a smaller and more comfortable space to ask questions in. Lastly, Umass is very flexible with what classes you can take and most beginner classes from other majors do not have any holds on them, so if you wanted to explore a subject that is not in your major or minor you are free to do so.
Student Life: Being in a smaller city Umass lacks some of the bigger city pass times, however it makes up for it with other activities that are fun and interesting. For example, on weekends my friends and I really enjoy driving up to Northampton which is just twenty minutes away and spending the day in cafes or looking at small bookstores and trying restaurants. And at night there is never a shortage of parties or events to go to. Being an international student my freshman year I found it very fun and comforting to part of SASA the south Asian organization at Umass that hosts really enjoyable dances and events. Lastly, the energy and sprit of Umass is amazing this year I have found it so easy to make new friends and really experience college to its fullest.
If you have any more questions please feel free to reach out to me!
mentorme 