Amherst College

Private · Elite · MA

Photo: David Emmerman (CC BY 3.0)

School data & stats

TypePrivate

LocationMA · Northeast

SettingUrban

Undergrads1,911

Student:faculty6:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate75%

6-yr grad rate93.9%

Drop-out rate2.7%

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition$70k

Out-of-state tuition$70k

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity63.6%

Gender diversity54.9%

International13.1%

Identity—

Overview

Amherst, in western Massachusetts, is widely regarded as one of the very best liberal-arts colleges in the country. It is known for an open curriculum with no core requirements at all, exceptional need-based financial aid with no loans, and membership in the Five College Consortium alongside Smith, Mount Holyoke, Hampshire, and UMass Amherst, which multiplies its effective course catalog and social scene well beyond what its own small size would suggest.

Academics

With no distribution requirements, Amherst students design their own path through the curriculum from the very first semester, guided by faculty advisors rather than a fixed set of general-education boxes to check. Classes are small and taught entirely by faculty, never teaching assistants, and the Five College Consortium extends the course catalog into fields Amherst itself doesn't offer, from Smith's engineering program to UMass's larger research facilities.

Campus & student life

The open curriculum shapes campus culture as much as the classroom — students tend to be self-directed and intellectually curious by necessity, since no one is telling them what to take. The Five College Consortium also opens up social life and events across four neighboring campuses, a wider social world than Amherst's size alone would provide, with a free bus connecting all five campuses. The rural Pioneer Valley setting means outdoor life and college-town culture dominate over any nearby city.

Getting in

Amherst's process is holistic and highly selective, and because the open curriculum requires genuine self-direction, the college looks for applicants who show real intellectual initiative rather than just strong grades earned in required courses. Essays that reveal how a student thinks, rather than simply what they've achieved, tend to matter more here than at a school with a fixed core curriculum.

After graduation

Graduates go on strongly into law, medicine, academia, and finance, backed by generous need-based aid that removes loans from the equation entirely and by a tightly connected, loyal alumni network known for mentoring current students. A notably high share pursue graduate study relative to peer colleges.

Worth knowing

The open curriculum is a genuine, distinctive feature — Amherst has no general education requirements of any kind — and the no-loan financial aid policy is a real, funded commitment, not just a headline figure. Students who prefer structure and clear requirements should weigh that carefully against Amherst's design.

amherst.edu ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate9%

Enrolled mid-50%SAT 1490–1580 · ACT 33–35

Test policyoptional

Rec letters3

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

Early decisionNov 9

Regular decisionJan 5

Verified from the school’s admissions page ↗

Applying (2026-27 cycle)

Apply through Common App, Coalition (Scoir), or QuestBridge.

Amherst offers a binding Early Decision plan and Regular Decision; QuestBridge applicants follow the QuestBridge Match calendar.

Supplemental essays (4)

Option A, Prompt 1
"Hope and curiosity — these are qualities that are the foundation of what Amherst College means, of everything that we do here. Curiosity is at the core of a liberal arts education — a spirit of inquiry that shapes not only what our students do in the classroom, but also how they learn from and about each other." — Michael A. Elliott, 20th President of Amherst College. What does curiosity mean to you? How do you experience curiosity in your own life?
350 words · Required · Option A: choose one of three quotation prompts (or Option B / C instead)
Option A, Prompt 2
"We seek an Amherst made stronger because it includes those whose experiences can enhance our understanding of our nation and our world. We do so in the faith that our humanity is an identity forged from diversity, and that our different perspectives enrich our inquiry, deepen our knowledge, strengthen our community, and prepare students to engage with an ever-changing world." — from the Trustee Statement on Diversity and Community. In what ways could your unique experiences enhance our understanding of our nation and our world?
350 words · Required · Option A: choose one of three quotation prompts
Option A, Prompt 3
"We are working together to build a community that makes room for both true disagreement and true connection, one that practices the kind of recognition and robust negotiation that the everyday life of democracy requires, and one that explicitly prepares our students to work for the greater good in their professional and personal endeavors." — Presidential Priorities: Serving the Greater Good. Tell us about a time that you engaged with a viewpoint different from your own. How did you enter that engagement, and what did you learn about yourself from it?