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The University of Massachusetts Amherst. College Pride Day Tuesday, October 25, 2016 Mr. Ambrose. What do the following people have in common?. Your favorite teachers and administrators…. NBA, NFL, and NHL superstars…. Founders and CEOs of famous companies….
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The University of MassachusettsAmherst College Pride Day Tuesday, October 25, 2016 Mr. Ambrose
Location and Vital Stats • UMass Amherst sits on nearly 1450 acres in the scenic Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts, 90 miles from Boston. • The campus provides a rich cultural environment in a rural setting close to major urban centers. • Enrollment: • 23,373 undergraduate students • 6,664 graduate students • 30,037 total students • 1,300 full-time faculty, 18:1 student/faculty ratio
UMass Points of Pride • #27 public university in the country (out of 700) • #1 food at any university (public or private) • Programs in the Top 10 (nationally): • Food science • Kinesiology • Polymer Science • Engineering • Hospitality • School of Management • http://www.umass.edu/gateway/about/points-pride
Academic Offerings • 9 schools and colleges • 6 associate degree programs • 76 bachelor degree programs • You can study whatever you want! • The “big school” advantage • Average class size: 37 students • 63% of classes offered at UMass have fewer than 30 students
What kind of grades do I need to go to UMass? • 2013 Freshman Class • 36,400 applicants for a class of 4,650 • Mean high school rank: top 20% • Middle SAT • Critical Reading 540-640 • Math 570-670 • Mean GPA: 3.72 (on a 4.0 scale) • 3.0 = B, 4.0 = A
How much does it cost? • Tuition/Fees: $14,971 • Room/Board: $11,897 • Total: $26,868 • Though this sounds like a lot, it is very inexpensive compared to the cost of a private institution!
Great Opportunities • Commonwealth College • A private school experience at a public school price • The Five-College Interchange • Study at Smith, Amherst, Mt. Holyoke, and Hampshire for the price of attending UMass • Studying Abroad • Semester-long experience • Year-long experience • Shorter experience
In what academic programs was I enrolled? • Journalism major • English major • Music minor • Honors program • RAP (Residential Academic Program) • Study abroad experience in Italy • Education master’s program
In what activities was I involved? • Marching Band • Marching Band Staff • Concert Band • Jazz Band • Pep Band • Trombone Choir • Kappa Kappa Psi Music Service Fraternity • Volunteer, Amherst Survival Center • DJ, WOCH Student Radio Station • Intramural Softball
What were my favorite classes? • American Popular Music • Biology of Cancer and AIDS • Hemingway • Major British Writers • Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales • Diaries, Memoirs, and Journals • Newswriting and Reporting • Photojournalism • Web Design • American Identities
At UMass, I did some things I couldn’t do elsewhere • I studied photojournalism in Sicily, where I went snow-tubing on an active volcano. • I played my trombone at the Presidential inauguration of George W. Bush in January 2001. • I studied writing with Pulitzer Prize winner Maddy Blais, who capped her classes at 12 students in order to give them individual attention. • I played in a jazz band directed by two-time Grammy award nominee Adam Kolker. • I taught at Springfield Central High School (and chaperoned a prom attended by the rapper Ludacris).
Mr. Ambrose’s College Method • Create a master list of 6-9 schools. • 2-3 “safety” schools • 2-3 target schools • 2-3 reach schools • Don’t get your heart set on one school. • Even if you get in everywhere, certain schools might be too expensive. • Decide the “type” of school you like. • Rural vs. Urban, Public vs. Private, etc. • Decide what you are looking for a school. • Particular majors, sports, drama, Greek life, etc.
What, in particular, can I do as a junior? • Take the PSAT in October. • Take the SAT in January. Get the detailed score report and review it with me in class. • Take the SAT again in March, May, or June. See if your scores have improved. • If you are interested in an upper tier private school, take the SAT Subject Tests in May or June. • Write drafts of college essays for my assignments in class. • Create a master list of schools you like. • Visit a school over April vacation. • Ask teachers (like me) for a letter of recommendation before the summer.
What, in particular, can I do as a sophomore? • Take the PSAT in October. • Review the PSAT with me in December. • Join my PSAT practice group starting in January and continuing right through the summer. (Work to become a National Merit Scholar like Simon Ospenson and Ian Adams.) • Go to college fairs and start to see what kinds of schools are out there. • Get an Advanced score on the MCAS in English and Math. (Earn the John and Abigail Adams Scholarship.) • Work hard in my class so you can take a more rigorous courseload (standard => honors, honors => AP). • Set going to college as your number one goal.
College Day Talking Points and Questions • How did you choose your college? • Did you always know what you wanted to study? Did you change majors? • What would you change about your college experience? • What did you like least/most about your college? • What were some differences between high school and college? • How challenging was the coursework at your college? • Do you have any helpful ideas for beginning your college search? • Who was most helpful in helping you find a college?
Q & A • What do YOU want to know more about? • And don’t forget the college fair next week!
