Hampshire College

Non-traditional in a good way

I love Hampshire. As an interdisciplinary school, I am able to study all the things I’m interested instead of being confined to a single major. Classes range from 8-25 people (often on the lower side), and professors genuinely want to help you succeed - I don’t just feel like a number on a roster. With narrative evaluations instead of traditional grades, I am better able to understand what my strengths are in my academic work, as well as what I need to work on, which helps me truly engage with material instead of cramming and then forgetting after an exam. I’ve enjoyed living accommodations. All years get single rooms, which has been a plus - it’s nice to have a private place to unwind after a long day. However, there are still many ways to socialize, since you’ll be living in a hall with 4-10 other people, all sharing a bathroom and lounge. There are also events every day, and with such an intimate class size, you get to know people no matter what. As someone from a big city, I need to be moving around constantly, so the bus system (called the PVTA) has been a life saver. They’re free, reliable, and stop on-campus every half an hour. The buses go directly to all of the five-college consortium campuses (UMass Amherst, Smith College, Mount Holyoke College, and Amherst College), as well as directly into surrounding towns. As college towns, they have a variety of bookshops, restaurants, and boba places, so there’s stuff to do if you need a change of scenery for a bit. As a member of the five college consortium, students can take classes at any of the other schools, making over 7,000 class offerings a semester. It’s super easy to do and I’ve found it very valuable. I will not lie, food is not the best in the world. However, UMass Amherst has been rated #1 campus food in the nation, and if you take a class there you can eat in their dining halls. Just a head’s up. The student population is extremely diverse, not the type of frat-boys and sorority-girls who all dress and look the same. Everyone is passionate about what they study and I have found to be genuinely good people. All in all, I think Hampshire is a unique school that you wouldn’t find anywhere else. I enjoy my time here and can already see that it’ll shape my future in a positive way.