Why I Chose to be an Honors Student at UMass Amherst

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I started looking for colleges in the spring of my junior year of high school. I was so excited to begin the next chapter of my life at a university I was proud of, and so began the search for the perfect college. I quickly learned that there was no such thing as the ideal match when it came to colleges, but there were certainly things that became apparent that made certain programs stand out over others. Commonwealth Honors College at UMass Amherst was one of the biggest reasons why I chose to attend UMass, and this decision holds three years down the line. Here are my reasons for why I chose to join CHC:

Academic Competitiveness

I wanted a program that would match both my academic ability and academic aspirations. After attending an information session run by the Honors College, I learned about the GPA requirements to stay in the Honors program and the type of expectations that they had for their students. I found this to be really enticing as I felt that the Honors curriculum would be challenging and I would be supported through it. This understanding was validated when I took my first Honors class during my first year as a student. I took Honors medical ethics and from that class, not only did I learn the subject matter, but also how to maintain the workload that an Honors class required. My professor was incredibly accessible outside of class, and even through the COVID interruption, she was able to foster excitement and interest from her class. 

Small Classes

"When it comes to academics, one of the best things about the Honors College is its smaller class sizes."

UMass Amherst is a large school with over 20,000 undergrad students, and I was a little concerned coming into my first year that I would be lost in the mix of other students in my classes. Although some lecture-style classes are required regardless of your position in the Honors College, there are a number of Honors alternatives that you can take within your major to fulfill requirements while avoiding the large lecture style classes. I am a psychology major, and I was able to take Developmental Psychology as an Honors class when it is normally taught in a lecture style. The class was roughly 25 students, and not only were we able to cover more curriculum in this class, but we were also able to go more in-depth into certain topics. I have a personal interest in developmental psychology and it was really wonderful to be able to take this class in a different setting where we were able to explore our interests more clearly.

Residential Life

1. RAP: In addition to moving into the Honors College I also joined a Residential Academic Program (RAP) in my first year. A RAP aligns students with a personal academic interest that they can explore during their first year on campus. I joined the Genetics RAP and took a one credit seminar in my freshman year with a professor who guided our learning on the subject. This was incredibly exciting for me as not only did I get to learn something new from an expert in the field, but I was also connected with other students who had similar interests and lived in my dormitory. Students in RAPs live in the same dorms and are most likely on the same floor. This makes them quite accessible and more approachable as new students navigate the socialization process. 

2. Location of Residence: the Commonwealth Honors College Residential Community is located in a prime spot on campus—right across from the Recreation Center and just a few steps from the W.E.B Du Bois Library. The Honors College is in the heart of campus and allows students to be close to the buildings that they will use most, meaning the dining halls in Southwest, the library, and if they choose, the recreation center. Also, one of my favorite things about the location of the Honors College residential buildings is that they are right across from the athletic fields, giving the rooms a beautiful view of the surrounding hills and mountains and most importantly, the stunning sunsets. 

3. Roots Café: The last thing I'll mention about CHCRC is Roots Café. This dining option is available on the first floor of the Bloom Advising Center. Not only do they supply breakfast each morning using one dining swipe, but they also have a number of lunch and dinner options that can be purchased with dining dollars. They have an espresso machine as well as drip and cold brew coffee, and a supply of pastries throughout the day. Roots Cafe is my favorite place to get breakfast because of the grab-and-go style and options for bagels, breakfast sandwiches, yogurt and granola, and oatmeal.

4. Multi-year Dormitories: I also had the opportunity to live in Birch Hall during my sophomore year. This dorm was set up like an apartment, with two single rooms, one double, a living room, and a bathroom. This was my favorite place to live on campus because I was able to get the pleasure of living with close friends while also having the privacy of a single room.

Honors Thesis

This last reason may come as a bit of a shock to some of you, but the Honors Thesis is one of the reasons I chose to join CHC. As I mentioned earlier, I am a psychology major; I intend to go to graduate school and obtain my PhD in a psych-related field. What this means is that I am setting myself up to write a dissertation which is essentially a long research paper. When I learned that the Honors College requires its students to write an Honors Thesis, I realized that this could be an opportunity to show graduate schools my writing and research ability. Having a senior thesis, especially when you want to pursue graduate work that requires a written thesis, shows your dedication and interest in your chosen field. This was incredibly important to me and to my applications.

"Having a senior thesis, especially when you want to pursue graduate work that requires a written thesis, shows your dedication and interest in your chosen field. This was incredibly important to me and to my applications."

The Commonwealth Honors College at UMass Amherst offers important resources for academic and personal success during your undergraduate career. While the reasons I listed may not be enough to make a decision like where you're going to go for college, I hope that they give you some things to think about when figuring out what is important to you during your undergraduate years.