What in the world is with the Amherst hate?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:These threads are so weird.

+1
Absolutely pointless and suffused with insecurity.

[Anonymous]

It's the best LAC bar none.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Amherst gets way too much hate for how strong it actually is. It’s easily one of the top liberal arts colleges—honestly better than Pomona or Williams in many ways.

It’s need-blind for international students, has incredible financial aid, and one of the most diverse student bodies among elite schools. The open curriculum and access to the Five College Consortium make it academically unmatched.

People underrate Amherst because it’s less flashy, but by the numbers—and by outcomes—it’s a clear leader. Stop sleeping on it.

I am skeptical of all these consortiums that schools advertise. Talk to students and it seems like 95% never take advantage of them at all, mainly because of commuting inconvenience.

Also, I don't get how getting access to UMass, Smith, Mt. Holyoke and Hampshire makes it "academically unmatched". Ironically, it's the access to UMass that provides the most course optionality.

In fairness, a place like Swarthmore gets access to classes at UPenn (in addition to Haverford and Bryn Mawr).

The claremont schools are adjacent to each other and really well integrated.

Because Claremont is a university. They don't claim to be, but there's functionally little difference between them and Cambridge.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These threads are so weird.

+1
Absolutely pointless and suffused with insecurity.

And adolescence. The kids are here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These threads are so weird.

+1
Absolutely pointless and suffused with insecurity.

And adolescence. The kids are here.

You included

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let’s be real—Williams is still the gold standard for liberal arts colleges. The academics, alumni network, and tutorial system put it in a league of its own. The idea that Amherst somehow “beats” Williams is a stretch.

And Pomona? Please. It benefits from the California name and the 5C branding, but take away the weather and consortium and it’s mid at best. It doesn’t have the same intellectual culture or rigor. It’s more like a small West Coast hybrid than a true LAC.

As for Amherst—it's solid, but it’s definitely overrated. The open curriculum is a double-edged sword, and a lot of people overhype the “diversity” angle without looking at depth of scholarship or faculty engagement. I'd honestly put Haverford above Amherst. Haverford's honor code, academic intensity, and intellectual seriousness make it a true LAC standout. Amherst is lucky to still be in the top 6, let alone top 4.

Let’s not confuse prestige with substance.

I see comparisons to Pomona on a lot of other SLACs’ threads, but the reverse is not the case. I think it is pretty obvious which school is on a major upswing and which schools are fighting to maintain what they have.

Parents here have a strange hate boner for the west coast. It doesn’t really
She sense to me, because the love seems more directed to New England than the DMV

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Amherst gets way too much hate for how strong it actually is. It’s easily one of the top liberal arts colleges—honestly better than Pomona or Williams in many ways.

It’s need-blind for international students, has incredible financial aid, and one of the most diverse student bodies among elite schools. The open curriculum and access to the Five College Consortium make it academically unmatched.

People underrate Amherst because it’s less flashy, but by the numbers—and by outcomes—it’s a clear leader. Stop sleeping on it.

I am skeptical of all these consortiums that schools advertise. Talk to students and it seems like 95% never take advantage of them at all, mainly because of commuting inconvenience.

Also, I don't get how getting access to UMass, Smith, Mt. Holyoke and Hampshire makes it "academically unmatched". Ironically, it's the access to UMass that provides the most course optionality.

In fairness, a place like Swarthmore gets access to classes at UPenn (in addition to Haverford and Bryn Mawr).

The claremont schools are adjacent to each other and really well integrated.

Because Claremont is a university. They don't claim to be, but there's functionally little difference between them and Cambridge.

OMG. A+ trolling!

[Anonymous]

is Haverford really looked at as a peer of Amherst or Williams?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:is Haverford really looked at as a peer of Amherst or Williams?

It used to be. It was known as the most rigorous lac back in the day. You can see the effect of that still in its grad school admit rates.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Amherst gets way too much hate for how strong it actually is. It’s easily one of the top liberal arts colleges—honestly better than Pomona or Williams in many ways.

It’s need-blind for international students, has incredible financial aid, and one of the most diverse student bodies among elite schools. The open curriculum and access to the Five College Consortium make it academically unmatched.

People underrate Amherst because it’s less flashy, but by the numbers—and by outcomes—it’s a clear leader. Stop sleeping on it.

I am skeptical of all these consortiums that schools advertise. Talk to students and it seems like 95% never take advantage of them at all, mainly because of commuting inconvenience.

Also, I don't get how getting access to UMass, Smith, Mt. Holyoke and Hampshire makes it "academically unmatched". Ironically, it's the access to UMass that provides the most course optionality.

In fairness, a place like Swarthmore gets access to classes at UPenn (in addition to Haverford and Bryn Mawr).

The claremont schools are adjacent to each other and really well integrated.

Because Claremont is a university. They don't claim to be, but there's functionally little difference between them and Cambridge.

OMG. A+ trolling!

The Claremont schools are modeled after Oxford wait-for-it….UNIVERSITY

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Amherst booster(s) is insufferable. Cue the hate. The overly enthusiastic nonsense this person, or these individuals, is spewing comes with a corresponding backlash. Amherst may well be a good school but it’s not comparable to Harvard or Stanford and the insinuations that it’s superior need to stop.

It's perfectly comparable to any top university for undergraduate education. It's also arguably superior to any of the schools that you mentioned for undergraduate education. That same argument holds for at least 9 other SLACs as well. Those who insinuate that research universities are superior need to stop. Different people have different preferences and that should be respected.

+1. Well said

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:is Haverford really looked at as a peer of Amherst or Williams?

In terms of prestige, no (unless you’re really old). When considering certain aspects, such as community and academic rigor, there is a strong argument to be made.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These threads are so weird.

+1
Absolutely pointless and suffused with insecurity.

And adolescence. The kids are here.

+1. A huge portion of these posters.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are a lot of low class losers here with degrees from satellite campuses of tier 3 state schools (how was college in Altoona?) who get their jollies out of being contrarians and getting a rise out of people. Ignore them. They probably couldn't find Amherst on a map and despite thinking their kids are so smart they will end up at the same places they went to.

This!

[Anonymous]

We ❤️ Amherst!