Pre-College Student Life
Campus life is a major component of the college experience. At Summer Pre-College you'll live the life of a UMass Amherst student firsthand, from dorm living to working out in the Rec Center to catching up with new friends over dinner at our award-winning dining commons. If you're joining us at UMass Amherst, downtown Amherst is just a short walk away and offers a host of restaurants, independent bookstores and cinemas. Programs at the Mount Ida Campus include excursions to popular Boston destinations such as Faneuil Hall, Quincy Market, the New England Aquarium, and Fenway Park.
Summer Pre-College students stay in a freshman residence hall in the modern, fully air-conditioned Commonwealth Honors College Residential Community. Each floor is assigned two or more Resident Counselors (RCs), experienced residential staff specially trained to work with high school students. The RCs act as mentors, get participants situated on campus, lead them in various activities, and give them the scoop on Res Life.
Sycamore is centrally located within a 5-10 minute walk of classroom buildings and dining commons.
Sycamore Hall Features:
- Double rooms on single-sex floors
- Two shared bathrooms, with showers, on each floor
- All areas are fully air-conditioned, and there is Wifi throughout the building
- Rooms are equipped with a bed, desk and chair, wardrobe, and a wastebasket
- Rooms come with linens including 2 sheets, a pillow with a case, a blanket, and 2 small towels for each person
- Coin-operated laundry on the second floor
A Residence Director and Assistant Residence Director live in Sycamore throughout the program and are on-call at night. Participants have a 10:30pm curfew each evening.
Pre-College Residential Options
At UMass Amherst, Pre-College students are given the opportunity to express their residential preferences after registration. This includes preferences for sleep schedules, type of room assignment, and mobility accommodations. Typically, students are paired with others from their program who have similar living preferences, and room assignments consist of double rooms.
UMass Amherst is committed to providing a safe and comfortable residential experience for all Pre-College students. As part of this commitment, gender-inclusive housing options are available.
Single-Gender Housing
At UMass Amherst, you can choose to live in single-gender housing. This option offers traditional-style housing with double rooms and communal bathrooms. Each floor is designated for a single gender, but the buildings can accommodate a mixed-gender population.
Gender-Inclusive Housing
Gender-inclusive housing allows students to room with anyone of any gender identity or gender expression, on a designated floor*. This option is designed for students who are trans, gender nonconforming, or who do not identify as a gender. Students who opt for this housing preference will be assigned to a designated floor in a specific community area. This option offers double rooms and shared bathrooms, as well as a private bathroom accessible to all students living on that floor*.
In gender-inclusive housing, roommate pairings are based on a shared preference for this housing option and the compatibility of sleep preferences indicated on the form.
*On the UMass Amherst campus, the residence hall will have a designated floor for gender inclusive housing. On the UMass Mt. Ida campus, gender inclusive housing will be based on individual room assignments.
UMass Dining is ranked #1 in the U.S. for campus food by the Princeton Review!
Students can choose from several dining commons and cafes on campus for meals. The University's award-winning food service provides a wide array of cuisines and features healthy, locally sourced ingredients. It's not unusual at one meal to have a choice between sushi, pho noodles, create-your-own stir-fry, pizza, a pasta bar, or the deli station. Not to mention the soft-serve sundae bar. Three meals a day are included with the program.
The Dining Commons are well equipped to serve students who eat vegetarian, vegan or other special diets, as well as accommodate food allergies. For detailed information, please visit the UMass Dining nutrition page.
So much more than just going to class every day.
Home to amazing universities, beautiful nature, and a diverse arts and culture scene, we're sure you'll love Amherst and the surrounding area!
During your program, there will be plenty of activities to keep you engaged, informed, and supported outside the classroom.
Each night, Resident Counselors will run a series of social activities in the residence hall. Students are encouraged to join in, relax and have fun with new friends! With social events on campus and in the surrounding Amherst area, there's something for everyone to enjoy.
Activity Examples (Subject to change)
Evening Events
- Karaoke, sports, outdoor movie nights, etc.
- Tabletop / video game tournaments, craft nights
- Trips into downtown Amherst and Northampton
Weekend Excursions
- Six Flags New England theme park
- Mass MoCA - modern art museum
- Roller skating / bowling night
- Mini golf
All students get access to the campus Rec Center is a modern, 3-floor fitness facility featuring weight and cardio equipment, a basketball court and jogging/running track, juice bar and lounge spaces. In addition to equipment and facilities, the Rec Center offers a variety of daily exercises classes to students in a range of intensities, including Abs and Guts Blast, Cardio Dance, Cycling, Hip-Hop Club Cardio, Pilates, Step Aerobics, and Zumba.
All UMass Amherst residence halls are locked 24 hours per day, and campus is patrolled 24/7 by the UMass Police Department. Access to the Summer Pre-College residence hall is restricted to pre-college program participants and staff by use of an electronic keycard. The residence hall security desk is staffed from 5:00pm - 1:00am, 7 days a week. Bed checks are performed nightly after curfew by our Program Assistants.
Housing for the Summer Pre-College program is in Brown Hall, centrally located for quick access to classrooms and the dining commons. Brown is supported by dedicated Student Life staff, experienced residential staff specially trained to work with high school students. The Student Life staff act as mentors, get participants situated on campus, lead them in various activities, and give them the scoop on Res Life.
Brown Hall features:
- Double rooms on single-sex floors
- Shared bathrooms, with showers, on each floor
- Lounge space
- Wifi throughout the building
- Rooms are equipped with a bed, desk and chair, dresser, and a wastebasket
Student Life staff live in Brown throughout the program and are on-call at night. Participants have a 10:30pm curfew each evening. Laundry machines are available in an adjacent hall.
Pre-College Residential Options
At UMass Amherst, Pre-College students are given the opportunity to express their residential preferences after registration. This includes preferences for sleep schedules, type of room assignment, and mobility accommodations. Typically, students are paired with others from their program who have similar living preferences, and room assignments consist of double rooms.
UMass Amherst is committed to providing a safe and comfortable residential experience for all Pre-College students. As part of this commitment, gender-inclusive housing options are available.
Single-Gender Housing
At UMass Amherst, you can choose to live in single-gender housing. This option offers traditional-style housing with double rooms and communal bathrooms. Each floor is designated for a single gender, but the buildings can accommodate a mixed-gender population.
Gender-Inclusive Housing
Gender-inclusive housing allows students to room with anyone of any gender identity or gender expression, on a designated floor*. This option is designed for students who are trans, gender nonconforming, or who do not identify as a gender. Students who opt for this housing preference will be assigned to a designated floor in a specific community area. This option offers double rooms and shared bathrooms, as well as a private bathroom accessible to all students living on that floor*.
In gender-inclusive housing, roommate pairings are based on a shared preference for this housing option and the compatibility of sleep preferences indicated on the form.
*On the UMass Amherst campus, the residence hall will have a designated floor for gender inclusive housing. On the UMass Mt. Ida campus, gender inclusive housing will be based on individual room assignments.
UMass Dining is ranked #1 in the U.S. for campus food by the Princeton Review!
The Dining Commons, operated by UMass dining, is located in the Campus Center, just steps from the residence hall. It offers full meal service for breakfast, lunch and dinner on weekdays, as well as brunch and dinner on the weekends. Snacks, bottled drinks and sundries are also available for purchase.
The Dining Commons is well equipped to serve students who eat vegetarian, vegan or other special diets, as well as accommodate food allergies. For detailed information, please visit the UMass Dining nutrition page.
So much more than just going to class every day.
Newton, MA is conveniently located just outside the vibrant city of Boston. During your program, there will be plenty of activities to keep you engaged, informed, and supported outside the classroom.
Each night, Student Life staff will run a series of social activities in the residence hall. Students are encouraged to join in, relax and have fun with new friends! Broken down into a main event and a low-key social event, there's something for everyone to enjoy. During weekends, you'll enjoy excursions to some of Boston's most popular destinations.
Activity Examples (Subject to change)
Evening & Weekend Events
- Main Activity - karaoke, sports, outdoor movie nights, etc.
- Low-key Activity - tabletop/video game tournaments, craft nights
- Faneuil Hall
- Fenway Park
- Quincy Market
- New England Aquarium
Recreation
Conveniently located next door to Brown Hall, the campus fitness center offers all manner of gym equipment. Plus participants have access to outdoor tennis and basketball courts.
Campus Center
The Campus Center hosts the dining commons, ample study space, and a student lounge with a pool table, foosball and air hockey.
The Mount Ida Campus sits on 72 acres in the southwest-most village of Newton, MA. The campus is surrounded by the Charles River Country Club and woodlands. The surrounding neighborhoods are known to be safe and well cared for by their residents.
The Mount Ida Campus has an on-premise security force providing 24/7 patrol, phone, and radio monitoring, as well as visitor management. In addition, an agreement with the City of Newton Police offers emergency support within minutes. The campus is equipped with Blue Light emergency stations, video monitoring and access control throughout campus.
Parking
Free, ample parking is provided to program participants who will be driving to campus.
Transportation
The Mt. Ida campus is accessible via the MBTA's Green Line. By car, the campus is accessible off Interstate 95.
Local to the area? Whether at UMass Amherst or our Mt. Ida campus in Newton, our commuter option offers a full pre-college program with the convenience of living at home.
We encourage commuter students to integrate with residential students for planned social events, lunch during class breaks, and impromptu sports on the UMass fields!
UMass Dining is ranked #1 in the U.S. for campus food by the Princeton Review!
A lunch-only meal plan is included with the commuter option. The University's award-winning food service provides a wide array of cuisines and features healthy, locally sourced ingredients.
The Dining Commons are well equipped to serve students who eat vegetarian, vegan or other special diets, as well as accommodate food allergies. For detailed information, please visit the UMass Dining nutrition page.
Additional meals (breakfast or dinner) can be purchased with cash or credit card.
We offer a full schedule of social activities, college prep workshops, and off-campus excursions to complement your academic program. Commuter students are welcome to participate in all activities.
Each night, Program Assistants will run a series of social activities in the residence hall. Students are encouraged to join in, relax and have fun with new friends! Broken down into a main event and a low-key social event, there's something for everyone to enjoy.
Activity Examples (Subject to change)
Evening Events
- Main Activity - karaoke, sports, outdoor movie nights, etc.
- Low-key Activity - tabletop/video game tournaments, craft nights
- Social and Academic Workshops
- College admissions panels, SAT workshops, etc.
Weekend Excursions
> UMass Amherst
- Six Flags New England theme park
- Mass MoCA - modern art museum
- Yankee Candle Village
- Roller skating/go-karts/bowling night
> Mt. Ida Campus
- Museum of Fine Arts
- Faneuil Hall
- Harvard Square
- Boston Common
- Eataly Boston
Commuter students get access to the campus Rec Centers, either at UMass Amherst or the Mt. Ida campus.
The UMass Amherst campus Rec Center is a modern, 3-floor fitness facility featuring weight and cardio equipment, a basketball court and jogging/running track, juice bar and lounge spaces. In addition to equipment and facilities, the Rec Center offers a variety of daily exercises classes to students in a range of intensities, including Abs and Guts Blast, Cardio Dance, Cycling, Hip-Hop Club Cardio, Pilates, Step Aerobics, and Zumba.
The Mt. Ida campus fitness center offers all manner of gym equipment. Plus participants have access to outdoor tennis and basketball courts.