Choosing The Right College School Spotlight: University of Massachusetts-Amherst Written by Emily Toffelmireon March 8th, 2021 I came to College Coach after working for many years in college admissions and high school counseling. As a school counselor, I assisted students in the college application process and wrote hundreds of letters of recommendation, while also helping them and their families cope with any emotional, social, and academic concerns throughout the year. I transitioned from the high school setting to the admissions office when I joined the University of Southern California as an assistant director, reading freshmen and transfer applications and collaborating on admission decisions for over 150 majors, including the liberal arts, engineering, business, cinema, and the fine and performing arts. I subsequently took on the role of senior assistant director in the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, where I coordinated the division's Mork, Stamps, Trustee, Presidential and Dean's merit scholarship selection process, as well as recruitment publications and outreach, and traveled everywhere from Honolulu to Miami presenting to and interviewing hundreds of applicants each year. Learn More About Emily choosing the right college, college lists, There are over 4,000 colleges and universities in the U.S. And while the media tends to focus on just a handful of schools, we at College Coach encourage students to think outside the box during their college selection process and explore a wide range of colleges. As such, we are highlighting a new college each week in our School Spotlight series. Check out the college below, along with the other posts in our series, and you may just stumble upon your dream school! School Spotlight: University of Massachusetts-Amherst Amherst, MA UMass Amherst isn’t just for Bay Staters. This public research university attracts nearly 25,000 undergraduates from 49 states and 45 countries, with sizable populations from New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. Between the reputable honors college and access to four top liberal arts colleges in the area, UMass offers strong students a wide array of challenging academic outlets. The Commonwealth Honors College enrolls approximately 600 new students each year, creating a community of scholars that benefits from close faculty interaction. The $188 million honors complex that combines classrooms, faculty residences, and student housing, opened in 2013. Just minutes from campus lie Amherst, Hampshire, Mount Holyoke, and Smith Colleges. Free and convenient shuttle buses make it easy for students to cross-register and take advantage of thousands of course offerings within the Five College Consortium. So what do UMass students study? A little bit of everything. There are over 100 majors available across ten schools and colleges. The College of Natural Science is one of the largest degree granters on campus, and features programs in animal science, environmental conservation, and computer science. Image Credit: Top, Courtesy of University of Massachusetts Related Resources Read | Posted on March 26th, 2024 California Colleges and Universities: A Treasure Trove of Opportunities Read | Posted on March 5th, 2024 The Top 3 Campus Safety Myths Read | Posted on March 1st, 2024 Celebrating International Women’s Day: Is a Women’s College Right for You?
