In October, I was able to travel to Western Massachusetts and visit each of the member colleges of the Five Colleges Consortium: Hampshire College, Amherst College, Smith College, Mount Holyoke College, and University of Massachusetts Amherst. Each of the colleges was unique and catered to different students but because of their close ties, every student is able to take advantage of classes and programs at all five campuses.
We started our tours on Monday at Hampshire College on the outskirts of Amherst, the newest of the Five Colleges. Founded in 1970, it was formed by the other four colleges to serve as a laboratory of education and to explore how higher education can be different than what had been expected. With that in mind, they break up their academics into "Divisions," in which Division 1 (first year) serves as a introduction to collegiate studies and general classes, Division II (sophomore and junior year) lets students focus on their eventual major and Division III (senior year) where students work on a yearlong project that goes beyond the classroom and results in a tangible capstone for their collegiate career. Additionally, the college avoids traditional grading, opting instead to provide written evaluations after each class which, they boast, helps their graduates stand out when applying for jobs and lets the students have true feedback. The campus felt fresh and exciting and students were clearly passionate about the school. This could be a great school for a student who wants something new out of college and wants to have the freedom to explore their passions in a smaller environment.
We then drove just 10 minutes down the road to the center of town to visit Amherst College. Amherst boasts an impressive campus, and they were especially excited to show us their new, immaculate science building and talk about their new student center, which will be finished by 2026. An academically rigorous school, Amherst was quick to point out their Open Curriculum, which meant that there is no core curriculum and students are instead simply encouraged to take whatever classes that seem to inspire them. They were also proud of their generous no-loan financial aid policy, which also applies to international students. The campus is beautiful and the early afternoon brought out students to lounge on the colorful fall day. I was especially excited to see a prominent statue of the Poet Robert Frost on the main quad. Amherst is one of the most competitive liberal arts colleges in the country and could be a good fit for a student who wants to work hard and surround themselves with other high achievers.
Our last college of the day was Smith College, where we were immediately blown away by the beauty of a campus that overlooks a stunning lake. An all-girls school, the community at Smith was what I immediately noticed. Our tour guide loved to talk about her friends and classes, and I was most impressed by their housing. Like Darlington, their dormitories are smaller "Houses," and many students stay in the same house for their entire time at Smith. The common areas and signs in front reminded me of the Darlington School houses and their passion mirrored the passion of RUMPUS. Walking distance to the bustling town of Northampton, the location was superior and the amenities were as nice if not nicer than Amherst; their library was especially impressive and blew the entire tour group away. The students seemed to love their all-female classes, but with the consortium they also have the flexibility to take classes with male students and attend social and sporting events at the other colleges. This would be a great college for students who are looking at a female focus experience that builds on the house experience at Darlington.
We woke up early the next day to head to Mount Holyoke College, the other all-female college in the consortium. Like at Smith, the students have the ability to live in their own female-focused place, but have the flexibility of the consortium. Mount Holyoke seemed more focused on the sciences and their facilities did reflect that. I especially loved the amphitheater at Mount Holyoke that celebrated the class colors and mascots, which were also present throughout the rest of the campus. The Blue Lion, Green Griffin, Red Pegasus, and Yellow Sphinx mascots rotate between each graduation class and the colors determine what each student's Mount Holyoke mascot is. Mount Holyoke would be a great college for those who love to rep their grade while maintaining a more female-oriented education.
To finish our tour, we finally headed to the only public and largest institution of the consortium, University of Massachusetts Amherst. Coming into a large public university was a culture shock after the four smaller colleges. We were immediately surrounded by huge skyscraper dorms and a Division 1 FBS football stadium. They dropped us off at one of their many dining halls to show off what has become the most-awarded dining program in America. The food was delicious and the options were mind-boggling (my brother in law, who attended Amherst College, had told me earlier that he had taken classes at UMass Amherst just so he had an excuse to eat their dining hall; it made sense once I tried the build-your-own stir fry). As a larger university, there are many more majors offered and they offer the "big college" feel of an SEC school (just substitute football for basketball and hockey). With scholarships offered to out-of-state students, UMass Amherst could be a great option for students looking to balance the feel of a big school in the North at a lower price.
Overall, I was impressed by each of the Five Colleges and their relationship to one another. Students are able to easily register for classes at any of the five campuses and there is a free bus system that transports students day and night between each college. The colleges all have their own strengths and focuses, and I would love to share my experiences of the colleges with any student that might be interested in schools in New England. On the October weekend we visited, the trees were covered in perfect fall colors. and it was a welcome respite from the overly warm "fall" we've been experiencing.
