| Full-time undergraduate program |
In terms of selectivity, Amherst is in an elite group of schools, with an
admissions rate similar to the "lower Ivy" schools (everything besides
Harvard, Yale, and Princeton). SAT scores above 1400 (and often 1500),
top quality high school activities, and a high class rank are the norm
for applicants, and are usually a necessary but not sufficient condition
for admission.
Amherst, like most top schools, accepts the common application. However,
there is also a required supplement with an additional essay. Generally,
the student is provided with three essay "prompts" and must choose one.
Of the three, there are generally two more mundane questions about
leadership or a current issue, and then a third question that is
intentionally ambiguous. When I applied, I used the third question,
which I believe gave me more of a chance to show some creativity.
Like Amherst's rival, Williams College, Amherst generally sends two
groups of regular decision acceptance letters- usually a small group of
letters sent to a small fraction of the class in mid-March, and then the
rest of the batch in early to mid-April.
Amherst, unlike most schools, has neither alumni interviews nor on-campus
interviews.
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Amherst College Admission & Application Surveys
