Wilson Admission Center
The Wilson Admission Center is home of the Office of Admission. During normal operations, information sessions and tours are run out of this building.
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Applying to Amherst
Diversity Outreach
⭐ Applying to Amherst
Amherst seeks, above all, to enroll exceptional students of strong and vibrant intellectual promise who have the demonstrated qualities of mind and character that will enable them to thrive in our dynamic academic and social environment and to take full advantage of the remarkable resources our community offers. A successful Amherst student is someone who will embrace the academic freedom provided by our open curriculum, engage with our talented and accomplished professors, and contribute significantly to a student population whose diversity of both background and perspective fosters a process of mutual education within and beyond the classroom curriculum.
First-Year Applicants
First-year applicants to Amherst may choose to apply under either the Early Decision or Regular Decision options by submitting the materials below:
♦ Common Application, Coalition Application OR QuestBridge Application
♦ Amherst College Writing Supplement
♦ $65 Application Fee (non-refundable) or Fee Waiver (requested through Common Application, Coalition Application or Amherst's Quick Pass).
♦ School Report
♦ Secondary School Transcript
♦ Counselor Recommendation (College Counselor/Guidance Counselor)
♦ Two Teacher Recommendations (English, Math, Science, Social Studies or Foreign Language)
♦ Optional Standardized Test Results for the SAT or ACT (either self-reported or official scores).
♦ Early Decision Agreement (for ED applicants)
♦ First marking period grades from senior year (for ED applicants)
♦ Mid-Year School Report Form (as soon as first trimester/first semester grades are available)
♦ Mid-Year Transcript (as soon as first trimester/first semester grades are available)
♦ TOEFL or IELTS Results (if needed for International Student Applicants)
DEADLINES:
Early Decision: November 1, 2021
Regular Decision: January 3, 2022
International Applicants
Regardless of your citizenship or geographic location, you should follow the same first-year or transfer application process that other students follow. The only additional application requirement for international student applicants (both first-year and transfer) is demonstration of English proficiency.
Any applicant whose first language is not English is required to take and submit official score reports from English proficiency testing: either the TOEFL-Test of English as a Foreign Language (both the internet-based TOEFL iBT test and the paper-delivered TOEFL test are accepted) or the IELTS-International English Language Testing System (IELTS), unless the applicant satisfies the waiver eligibility conditions.
For those international applicants required to submit evidence of English language proficiency, the following minimum scores are strongly recommended:
♦ 100 on the internet-based TOEFL (iBT) or TOEFL Special Home Edition: 25 or above for each section
♦ 627 on TOEFL ITP for China: 64 on Listening; 64 on Structure & Written Expression; 63 on Reading
♦ 25 or above for each of the three sections of the revised TOEFL Paper-delivered test.
♦ 7.5 overall band score on IELTS Academic or IELTS Indicator: 7.5 or above for each component score
Transfer Applicants
A student may apply for transfer admission to Amherst after completing the equivalent of 32 semester hours of transferable liberal arts coursework at another college or university. (Courses in progress at the time of application are included in determining transferable credit.) To be competitive, you should have at least an A- average in your college courses.
Transfer applicants must submit the following materials by the appropriate deadline:
♦ Common Application for Transfer Students or Coalition Application for Transfer Students
♦ Amherst College Supplement to the Common Application or Coalition Application
♦ $65 Application Fee (non-refundable) or Fee Waiver (requested through Common Application, Coalition Application or Amherst's Quick Pass).
♦ College Report
♦ College Transcripts (from all post-secondary institutions at which you have completed college coursework)
♦ Mid-Term Report (if applicable)
♦ List of Courses in Progress (at time of application, if applicable)
♦ Two College Instructor Evaluations (referred to as "Academic Evaluator Recommendations" on the Common Application)
♦ Secondary School Transcript
♦ TOEFL or IELTS Results (if needed for International Student Applicants)
DEADLINES:
Spring Enrollment: November 1, 2021
Fall Enrollment: March 1, 2022
U.S. Veteran Applicants
Amherst is seeking to enroll qualified students who are actively serving or those who have previously served in the U.S. Armed Forces. As part of our commitment, Amherst College participates in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Yellow Ribbon Program. For qualifying admitted students, Amherst does not cap Yellow Ribbon spaces and offers an uncapped maximum school contribution per student. Should you fully qualify for the Yellow Ribbon Program and choose to use your benefits, your tuition at Amherst will be 100% free.
Amherst College financial aid is also available as an alternative to using the GI Bill®. All applicants are encouraged to apply for need-based financial aid through the Office of Financial Aid.
⭐ Diversity Outreach
Amherst College is proud of its efforts to achieve and sustain diversity in our community. Across many dimensions of diversity—geographic, racial/ethnic, socioeconomic, academic, extra-curricular—Amherst has assembled an exceptionally vibrant student body and is one of the most diverse of all liberal arts colleges in the country.
Demographics
With students coming from 48 states and more than 50 countries, Amherst is one of the most diverse colleges in the country. Nearly 48% of our students identify as US students of color, 15% are first-generation, 24% are eligible for Pell grants, and about 10% are international. Amherst is proud of the diversity represented among our student body and the Resource Centers we offer to students from underrepresented communities.
Access to Amherst (A2A)
As part of Amherst College's commitment to diversity, the Office of Admission hosts Access to Amherst (A2A) each fall to introduce prospective applicants to Amherst's campus, student body, faculty, and classes. A2A is available to all prospective students, but the selection committee prioritizes the invitation of students from traditionally underrepresented groups, such as African-American, Hispanic/Latinx American, Native American, and Asian-American backgrounds, as well as first-generation students. To support socioeconomic diversity, the selection committee will also prioritize students from families with limited financial resources, regardless of cultural or racial background. Those are priorities for participation, but are not meant to imply any exclusivity regarding the program or selection process. Should you have an interest in attending, we encourage you to apply no matter your demographic or economic background.
Diversity Outreach Interns
Diversity Outreach Interns are current Amherst students who work with the Office of Admission to reach out to prospective students from different cultural, ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. The Diversity Outreach Interns can provide information and personal perspectives on what the Amherst College community has to offer. Meet these students, learn more about their work and contact them with questions through our Diversity Outreach Interns page on our website.
QuestBridge
Amherst is one of over 40 colleges and universities participating as institutional partners with QuestBridge, a non-profit program dedicated to connecting academically outstanding, low-income high school seniors with highly selective colleges and universities that are committed to making higher education affordable for all.
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