The University of Massachusetts - Amherst

UMass Amherst is a real mixed bag. The campus is very ugly and the buildings are not maintained. The surrounding area is beautiful. However you WILL get bored. Once you turn 21 the bar scene is great. You can bring a car and I highly reccomend it, as you are likely to feel trapped and bored if you stay on campus frequently. Parking is a huge hassle. I transferred after 3 sememsters and one major warning I can give people is that the classes at UMass tend to be very challenging compared to the schools with which it competes. You may find yourself having to go to classes and extra discussions 5 days a week and having to do lots of homework. Meanwhile your friends at other schools won't have as much homework and will at least have Fridays off. The general student population is fairly birght and motivated, however frequently obnoxious. Overall I am happy that I left UMass, the negatives just outweigh the positives. With tuition continuing to increase the school just isn't a deal. Since for that lower state tuition you will be living in the middle of nowhere, feeling trapped with seemingly unnecessary amounts of schoolwork. General intro classes are huge, made up of hundreds of students. However the environment of the school can be fun, and you are attending a well known University, the overall education is just mediocre at best. Think twice before coming here or go for a year and transfer.

1st Year Male -- Class 2007

Faculty Accessibility: B, Individual Value: F