The University of Massachusetts - Amherst

Date: Jun 01 2013
Major: Nursing (This Major's Salary over time)
I don't even know where to begin with UMass-Amherst. At first glance, UMass-Amherst is a beautiful school with an overall friendly student body. The class sizes are small enough to where most professors know your name. The school is constantly renovating its buildings and therefore, the resident halls are top-notch. The administration at UMass is trying very hard to improve UMass's poor reputation. The school has several great programs, with one of the most competitive ones being nursing. UMass's nursing program has surprisingly been ranked as the top nursing program in the state. Unfortunately, some of the other programs of study are just mediocre. At UMass, it really depends what you choose to study when it comes down to whether you receive a good education or not.

Socially, UMass is a friendly school. Most of the students at UMass care a great deal about their social lives, and the overwhelming majority tends to party- maybe a little too much. As a freshmen, going out, drinking, and meeting new people may be fun, but with not much to do around town, that scene can become old and repetitive by the time sophomore year rolls around. As someone who likes to be well-rounded (get my work done, play sports, socialize) it is somewhat annoying that all ANYONE wants to do here is drink. I don't mean drinking to get tipsy or a little drunk… there are large amounts of students blacking out on wednesday nights and hungover on tuesdays. As a rising senior, I wish i could be around people who can keep me focused on important things for my career, not just on drugs and alcohol. UMass is still a fun school, but I'm realizing, do I only want to go to a school because it's fun? I'd rather not feel like the odd man out for not wanting to smoke weed and get drunk 4-5 days a week. As a senior, I'm doubting how well UMass has prepared me for the real world, but that is also tied to differences in programs offered. I do like parts of UMass, but I sometimes wish I went to a more normal school.