BioPioneers, BioTAP, and Emerging Scholars require an invitation to apply to join these programs. Students who qualify for these RAPs will be contacted by the appropriate academic department with an invitation to apply.
Pathways in Education (formerly Partners in Education) requires an invitation to join the program but does not require an application.
Important application deadlines for each program will be listed below. Applications are reviewed by the academic department overseeing each RAP. Academic departments will notify students of their acceptance into their programs by mid-May.
Bio-Pioneers RAP
Join Bio-Pioneers RAP at UMass Amherst for a focused and supportive first-year experience! This exclusive year-long program is for declared life science majors who are first-generation college students. Bio-Pioneers RAP offers a smooth transition to college life, celebrates first-generation identity, and provides academic and social support. With dedicated courses, academic advising, tutoring, and peer collaboration, students build a strong foundation in science. Engage in campus life through discussions, events, and a week-long orientation before the start of the academic year. Secure your spot by following the application procedures in the invitation letter. Embark on a journey of personal and academic growth with Bio-Pioneers RAP!
- Program Coordinator & Contact: Syde Orange – @email & Amy Sliwa - @email
- Required courses: Bio 151: Introductory Biology I, Bio 191B: Bio-Pioneers Seminar, and spring semester courses
- Course types: 4-credit Gen Ed (BS) and 1-credit seminar
- Eligible students: By Invitation Only - First generation, first-year life science majors (animal sciences, biochemistry & molecular biology, biology, environmental sciences, microbiology, pre-veterinary science & CNS exploratory track students interested in declaring a life sciences major)
- Program location: Crabtree Hall in Northeast Residential Area
- Learn more about the program
BioTAP Honors RAP
Explore the exclusive Biological Sciences Talent Advanced Program (BioTAP) at UMass Amherst! This invitation-only RAP is tailored for first-year Commonwealth Honors College students admitted as biological science majors. Limited to 48 students, BioTAP offers a unique opportunity to connect with motivated peers and faculty, fostering lasting relationships within the biology, biochemistry, microbiology, and life sciences community. To join, accept the invitation, apply, and enroll through the Join a RAP page. Benefit from upper-class mentors providing academic and personal support, exclusive programming, and insights into the goals and opportunities within the university's biological sciences departments. Elevate your academic experience with BioTAP!
- Program Coordinator & Contact: Meghan Gerson – @email
- Required courses: Bio 161H: Quant Biology of the Cell and Bio 191L: BioTAP Seminar
- Course types: 4-credit Gen Ed (BS) and 1-credit seminar
- Eligible students: By Invitation Only - First-year Biology, Biochemistry & molecular biology, and Microbiology majors also admitted to the Commonwealth Honors College
- Program location: Sycamore Hall in Commonwealth Honors College Residential Community
- This is a roommate restricted program. Students must live with another student in BioTAP.
- Learn more about the program
Emerging Scholars RAP
Join the thriving community of Emerging Scholars RAP at UMass Amherst—a signature Residential Academic Program in collaboration with Commonwealth Honors College. Tailored for first-generation, under-represented, and under-resourced students, this program identifies individuals with strong academic potential. Participants can transition into the Honors College during the first year, provided they earn 12 UMass credits with a 3.4 GPA. The Emerging Scholars RAP offers intentionally limited-capacity courses for faculty interactions, critical thinking skills, and intellectual discussions applicable throughout your academic journey. Open to students of any discipline, this invitation-only program requires living together for the first academic year in Melville Hall.
As an Emerging Scholar, you'll benefit from mentoring opportunities, interactions with cohorts, personalized academic advising, and connections to campus support programs, cultural centers, faculty, and staff. Engage in co-curricular events and join a network of successful alumni who have excelled in graduate schools, careers, and leadership roles. If invited to apply, carefully read your acceptance letter and visit the Join a RAP page for important timelines. Elevate your academic experience with Emerging Scholars!
- Program Coordinator & Contact: Dr. Ann Marie Russell – amrussell@umass.edu
- Required courses: Sociology 110H: Honors Introduction to Sociology, English Writ 112H: Honors English Writing, and Honors 191EH: Emerging Scholars Seminar
- Course types: 4-credit Gen Ed (DUSB), 4-credit Gen Ed (CW), and 1-credit seminar
- Eligible students: By Invitation only - first-year, first-generation, and underrepresented students interested in joining the Commonwealth Honors College after being admitted to UMass Amherst. Eligible students will be invited to apply.
- Program location: Melville Hall in Southwest Residential Area
- This is a roommate restricted program. Students must live with another student in the Emerging Scholars RAP.
First Year Honors RAP: Contemporary Topics
The First Year Honors RAP empowers Commonwealth Honors College students to excel as they begin their UMass journey. By equipping students with resources and tools to succeed both in and out of the classroom, this program ensures a smooth transition to college life. Participants live in the CHCRC and enroll in HONORS 191FP: Front Page Seminar, a small, discussion-based one-credit course that explores critical topics like immigration, mental health, and climate change through engaging discussions and analysis of current events. With fewer than 18 students per seminar, participants form lasting connections with peers and faculty, sharpen essential skills like public speaking and critical thinking, and unlock opportunities for mentorship and co-curricular success.
"‘The RAP allowed me to connect with classmates and professors right away, making UMass feel smaller and more welcoming.’ — Rebecca, Honors RAP Participant"
To join the First Year Honors RAP: Contemporary Topics, complete the application form by May 9, 2025.
- Program Coordinator & Contact: Alice Feldman - alicefeldman@umass.edu
- Required course: Honors 191FP: Front Page Seminar
- Course Type: 1-credit seminar
- Eligible students: first-year Commonwealth Honors students
- Program locations: Oak and Sycamore Halls in Commonwealth Honors College Residential Community
- Learn more about the program
Innovation & Entrepreneurship (I&E) RAP
Fuel your passion for innovation and entrepreneurship with the Innovation & Entrepreneurship RAP at UMass Amherst! Tailored for first-year students, this transformative experience unfolds in the fall semester, featuring a course on entrepreneurship and the economy. Open to students from all majors, the program sparks creativity, hones entrepreneurial skills, and cultivates a vibrant culture of collaboration and innovation.
Engage wholeheartedly in your creative pursuits through interdisciplinary collaboration, idea sharing, and venture creation. Join a network of ingenious thinkers, inventors, and successful entrepreneurs. Access pitch and showcase events, connect with mentors, alumni, and networks in your desired disciplines, have exclusive access to the I&E Incubator Space, and utilize the brand-new MakerSpace. Participate in Bootcamps, workshops, events, and hands-on activities designed to ignite and nurture your interests. In the spring semester, continue working on your venture projects, culminating in presentations and collaborations at the end of your first year. Ignite your entrepreneurial spirit with the Innovation & Entrepreneurship RAP!
Apply for the I&E RAP! Applications will be accepted until May 9, 2025.
- Program Coordinator & Contact: Amy LeClair – aleclair@umass.edu & Gregory Thomas – gsthomas@umass.edu
- Required course: Resource Economics 106: Economics is Everywhere
- Course type: 4-credit Gen Ed (SB)
- Eligible students: Any first-year students
- Program location: Webster Hall in Orchard Hill Residential Area
- Learn more about the program
Pathways in Education RAP (formerly known as Partners in Education)
Elevate your business education with the Pathways in Education RAP at UMass Amherst's Isenberg School! This initiative aims to promote diversity in business professions and offers a first-year Residential Academic Program for students from underrepresented populations pursuing a Bachelor of Business Administration degree.
To be considered, students must have applied to the Isenberg School as incoming freshmen, demonstrating a strong academic record. Eligible students are selected by the Isenberg School and the University's Undergraduate Admissions Office. Invitations are extended directly by Isenberg, and once invited, follow the Join a RAP page for essential timelines and details to become a proud member of this exclusive program!
- Program Coordinator(s) & Contact(s):
- Meg Smith – @email - Admissions/Enrollment
- Jesenia Minier-Jennings - jminierjenni@umass.edu - Director/Programming
- Program Advisor(s) & Contact(s):
- John Aube – @email - Academics/Enrollment
- Denny Bobot - dennyb@isenberg.umass.edu - Career Exploration/Programming
- Required courses: Econ 104: Introduction to Macroeconomics and School of Management 191: Corporate Seminar
- Course types: 4-credit Gen Ed (SB) and 1-credit seminar
- Eligible students: By Invitation Only: first-year Isenberg School of Management students from underrepresented backgrounds
- Program location: Wheeler Hall in Central Residential Area
- Learn more about the program.
Public Interest Technology (PIT) RAP
Join the Public Interest Technology RAP at UMass Amherst to live and learn among peers who care deeply about realizing socially responsible solutions to the challenges of our technology-driven world. Tailored for first-year students, this transformative experience is open to students from all majors. Become a part of the growing community of public interest technologists on campus and form lasting connections with friends and faculty who will ease your transition to college life and set you up for mentorship and success both within and beyond the classroom.
Throughout the semester, we will consider:
- What strategies we can use to promote socially responsible use of technology
- What we can do as citizens to make the tech-driven world a better and safer place
- How we can use technology to solve complicated problems facing our communities
PIT serves as a critical foundation for 21st century education, for people who create technologies, and for those who work with them, which is all of us. This RAP will not focus on coding but will focus instead on thinking analytically, broadly, and strategically about technology as a tool to solve complex societal problems.
Apply for the PIT RAP! Applications will be accepted until May 9, 2025.
- Program Coordinator & Contact:
- Donna Baron - pit@umass.edu
- Faculty
- Emily Nutwell - pit@umass.edu
- Required courses: CICS 127: Introduction to Public Interest Technology
- Course types: 4-credit Gen Ed (SI)
- Eligible students: Any first-year student
- Program location: Leach Hall in Northeast Residential Area.
- Learn more about the PIT RAP and the Public Interest Technology Initiative.