| Full-time undergraduate program |
The Amherst admissions process is a bit of a black box, like those at
other highly-selective schools (the College admits admitted 18% of
applicants in 2003). There are certain GPA and SAT score benchmarks (86%
of accepted students were in the top 10% of their HS classes and scored
an everage of 1422 on the SAT), but at Amherst, admissions criteria go
well beyond the numbers. Amherst is a small college of 1,650 students
who are in direct contact with their professors each day. As such, the
unique aspects of each student are prized, and Amherst takes extra care
to consider extracurricular activites, interesting life experiences,
well-written essays, and any other ways in which applicants may stand
apart. Application essays tend to be more on the philospohical side
(responses to quotations from Sartres or narratives of your life
philosophy), and their impact should not be underestimated. Amherst also
mantains active recruiting programs for exceptional athletes, students
of color, economically disadvantaged students, gifted artists and
children of alumni. If you fit into any of these categories, contact
the Admissions Office early and it is very likely to help your chances.
Interviews are not offered, so your ability to come across as bright and
interesting through your application and the materials you provide to
support it is key.
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Amherst College Admission & Application Surveys
