Download
1 / 26
260 likes | 367 Views
Discover UMass Amherst's scenic campus, academic offerings, rich culture, and success stories of notable alumni. Learn about enrollment, costs, programs, and vibrant campus life.
E N D
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!
