Hampshire College Admission
Hampshire College Undergraduate Program
Hampshire College Application

The Facts

Hampshire College is a small liberal arts college located in the town of Amherst, Massachusetts, and allows students a huge amount of academic and structural freedom.  The school is home to just over 1,325 undergraduate students and is known for its small class sizes. To qualify for a B.A. at Hampshire, students must complete a unique program consisting of three Divisions.  The school is made up of five interdisciplinary schools; those of social science, natural science, cognitive science, interdisciplinary arts and humanities, and cultural studies. In Division I (which encompasses all of the first year), students collaborate with an advisor, and must complete eight courses, including at least one in each of the five schools. In Division II, students select a concentration and develop an individual plan for exploring their chosen area; this plan will include courses and independent work, and, quite often, internships or field studies. In Division III (Advanced Studies), a major independent study is completed, which must focus on a specific topic. Some of the most popular concentrations at Hampshire College are within interdisciplinary studies, the visual and performing arts, social sciences, history, and English. 

Admission to Hampshire College is somewhat competitive; last year, approximately 2,270 students applied to the school and about 1,246 were admitted; of those, 391 matriculated. The admitted students had an average combined SAT score ranging from 1160 to 1360, and an average comprehensive ACT score ranging from 25 to 29.  Over 67% of those admitted were ranked in the top 25% of their high school graduating class with an average high school GPA of approximately 3.47.

The student to faculty ratio is a low 11:1, and most of the classes are far under twenty students and are primarily discussion based.  The professors make a real effort to know each and every one of their students quite well, both academically and personally, and many student/teacher relationships continue on after graduation. 

The Social Scene

The town of Amherst does house a couple of other small colleges, but the town itself doesn’t really offer much in the way of entertainment and excitement.  It is historical and quite cute, with small shops and cafes for students to frequent.  The resident are generally quite friendly toward college students, and most of the shops in the town are relatively affordable. 

Because the college is so unconventional, there are definitely no fraternities or sororities here, but students seem to have no problem creating their own fun.  The school is notorious for being a mecca for potheads, and there are several on-campus groups whose purpose is promoting the legalization of marijuana.  There are rarely any large, rowdy parties on the weekends; people would rather sit around in their dorm rooms and get high.  Another interesting testament to the “granola” quality of the school; Hampshire even has a food co-op on campus that is quite popular with students.

As far as dating goes, expect lots of dreds and dilated pupils. Hampshire is a waaaay mellow stoner love fest, man.

What’s Good

“People here are really laid back, but still have somewhat of a drive to succeed in life.”

“The professors really care about you.  I’ve even smoked up with a few of mine!”

“The dorms are great and give you a really solid sense of community. We do everything together here.”

What’s Bad

“If you don’t smoke pot, there isn’t really a whole lot to do here on the social front.”

“The town of Amherst is pretty dead.  Everything closes really early, even on the weekends.”

“The lack of structure here can be pretty overwhelming.  Sometimes you just want to be told what you should take.”

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