DMV kids at UMass Amherst

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Any insight about five college consortium ?

I'm curious about this, too. How much of the consortium is lip service, and how much exchange actually happens in reality? How easy do they make it to take classes at other schools? Are the cross-enrollment options limited to certain courses, or can students take any classes they want?

My current HS junior wants to ensure the availability of some specific types of classes within their (non-STEM) major in order to suss out potential grad school paths, and ensure they have the right foundational classes for the field they ultimately pursue. Wondering whether they might be able to piece together the things they want to explore with classes at the other schools, with UMass as the cheaper base option (assuming they could get some merit).

The Amherst area is on our Spring Break road trip itinerary, but it would be useful to know in advance what portion of the Five Colleges sales pitch can be taken with a grain of salt.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any insight about five college consortium ?

I'm curious about this, too. How much of the consortium is lip service, and how much exchange actually happens in reality? How easy do they make it to take classes at other schools? Are the cross-enrollment options limited to certain courses, or can students take any classes they want?

My current HS junior wants to ensure the availability of some specific types of classes within their (non-STEM) major in order to suss out potential grad school paths, and ensure they have the right foundational classes for the field they ultimately pursue. Wondering whether they might be able to piece together the things they want to explore with classes at the other schools, with UMass as the cheaper base option (assuming they could get some merit).

The Amherst area is on our Spring Break road trip itinerary, but it would be useful to know in advance what portion of the Five Colleges sales pitch can be taken with a grain of salt.

My understanding is they can take two courses per semester in the other colleges and they have bus services that goes between the five colleges.
In addition they can participate in sports, clubs and use different facilities.
But it will be interesting to find out more from recent college parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any insight about five college consortium ?

I'm curious about this, too. How much of the consortium is lip service, and how much exchange actually happens in reality? How easy do they make it to take classes at other schools? Are the cross-enrollment options limited to certain courses, or can students take any classes they want?

My current HS junior wants to ensure the availability of some specific types of classes within their (non-STEM) major in order to suss out potential grad school paths, and ensure they have the right foundational classes for the field they ultimately pursue. Wondering whether they might be able to piece together the things they want to explore with classes at the other schools, with UMass as the cheaper base option (assuming they could get some merit).

The Amherst area is on our Spring Break road trip itinerary, but it would be useful to know in advance what portion of the Five Colleges sales pitch can be taken with a grain of salt.

Students from the smaller, fancier colleges are more likely to take classes at UMass than vice verss. UMass iid one of the biggest universities in New England and has a huge variety of programs that not available at the D supposedly better private schools. As a college student at one of the local “elite” colleges I was challenged to to the max in my classes in technical and engineering classes at UMass. UMass students went to other schools out of curiosity and interest, and to please the parents, I guess! The gifs college consortium haf great social advantages and created a sort of dispersed “mega college town” in the region.

[Anonymous]

^“ Five College “ not “gift”

[Anonymous]

There is an actual 5 Colleges website, where they discuss joint programs. I think if your child wants to be part of a program at one of the other schools they should connect with the profs in the target department at the other schools. They might be very open and happy to talk to. Student with that degree of interest. If they don’t write back it wouldn’t bode well.

[Anonymous]

Can anyone comment on the Isenberg School of Business at UMA Amherst? My kid was just reading that it is no longer direct admit. As with any college certain programs really stand out(even over rank of the overall college).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is an actual 5 Colleges website, where they discuss joint programs. I think if your child wants to be part of a program at one of the other schools they should connect with the profs in the target department at the other schools. They might be very open and happy to talk to. Student with that degree of interest. If they don’t write back it wouldn’t bode well.

This is a good idea—thanks. Will point them in that direction, and see how the spring break visit goes.

I suspect my kid will find a likely, a target, and a reach for their list if they really like the area. Would help if they could focus on overall fit and cost, and not have to worry as much about the nitty-gritty details of the academic program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can anyone comment on the Isenberg School of Business at UMA Amherst? My kid was just reading that it is no longer direct admit. As with any college certain programs really stand out(even over rank of the overall college).

My HS senior was just admitted to Honors College and a specific program within the business school.

I don’t know if that’s changing for future years.