umass amherst application supplemental essays

University of Massachusetts Amherst 2023-24 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

Regular Decision Deadline: Jan 15

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University of Massachusetts Amherst 2023-24 Application Essay Question Explanations

The Requirements: 3 essays of 100 words each

Supplemental Essay Type(s): Why, Community

UMass Amherst’s supplement asks one question with two prompts: why here? It’s the most classic question around, and the 100 word limit really lightens the load. The key to this simple supplement is budgeting your information wisely to ensure that each essay you write is not only distinct, but reveals something totally new to admissions. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: a straightforward supplement is an indication that your answers should be impeccable!

Please tell us why you want to attend UMass Amherst? (100 words)

It doesn’t get simpler than this: why here? Although the word limit is tight, the key to any successful Why essay is good old fashioned research. So set aside a little time to pore over the UMass website and figure out exactly what aspects of the school excite you most. You’ll want to keep your explanation top line, but personalize it with specific details about the clubs, departments, and other opportunities you hope to take advantage of. Consider the physical as well as social and scholarly aspects of the school. Maybe you like that it’s close to home. Or maybe you’re all about moving to a remote location very far away from where you currently live. If you’re a language buff, maybe that linguistics department is calling your name with a side of study abroad. But don’t go too crazy on the academics, you’ll have time to go deep on your scholarly interests in the next essay, and as we said, space is tight. What do your particular choices and interests say about you as a person? What do they say about UMass Amherst? How do you and UMass fit together?

At UMass Amherst, no two students are alike. Our communities and groups often define us and shape our individual worlds. Community can refer to various aspects, including shared geography, religion, race/ethnicity, income, ideology, and more. Please choose one of your communities or groups and describe its significance. Explain how, as a product of this community or group, you would enrich our campus. (100 words)

This is a classic Community Essay, through and through. Where do you come from? What has shaped you as a person and how has that made your perspective unique? What traditions or aspects of your community would you like to share at UMass Amherst? What you address can be a larger cultural community or as specific as your community theater troupe. Address the role that your community plays in your life, then consider why your particular background or experience within this community will enrich UMass Amherst’s campus. How will it help inspire and/or inform others? What is important to you and how will your experiences in communities bring something of value to the community at UMass Amherst?

Please tell us why you chose the Majors you did? (100 words)

We told you to save the academics for later! Now you can get into it about why you love a certain subject. Most importantly, though, you will want to explain why you want to study it at UMass Amherst in particular. Where do your interests link up with the work of a particular professor or program? Maybe you still covet the rock collection you started in 5th grade and have your eye on UMass Amherst’s geology program. And maaaaybe you’ve been looking for a way to share your passion for mineral formations with the world, which is what makes the earth science teaching track absolutely ideal for you. Drill down to the details that sync up with your passions and interests. And if you’re undecided, that’s okay too! Immerse yourself in the course catalog and rejoice in your many options. Can you describe how you would explore different subject areas? What makes UMass Amherst the perfect place to discover your passion?

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Admission & Financial Aid Information about the Writing Supplement

Section navigation, amherst college writing supplement options.

Below you'll find the prompts for the writing supplement in the 2023-24 application cycle (Fall 2024 entry term).

In addition to the main essays you must write as part of the Common Application, Apply Coalition with Scoir, or QuestBridge Application, Amherst requires a supplementary essay of all applicants.

There are three options for satisfying Amherst's supplementary writing requirement for the first-year application: Option A, Option B or Option C. Applicants may elect only one of those options. Before deciding, you should carefully read the descriptions of all three options (including specific conditions associated with Option B and Option C) to determine which is most appropriate for you. Please note that these descriptions are provided for convenience of preview only; your actual writing supplement should be submitted through the Common Application or Apply Coalition with Scoir online system (unless you are submitting the QuestBridge application only , in which case you will be instructed on how to email, mail or fax your supplement to our office).

Option A  

Choose one of the following quotations, and respond to the question posed, in an essay of not more than 350 words. It is not necessary to research, read, or refer to the texts from which these quotations are taken; we are looking for original, personal responses to these short excerpts. Remember that your essay should be personal in nature and not simply an argumentative essay.

"Amherst College is committed to learning through close colloquy and to expanding the realm of knowledge through scholarly research and artistic creation at the highest level. Its graduates link learning with leadership—in service to the College, to their communities, and to the world beyond." – from the Mission of Amherst College

Prompt 1 Question: What do you see as the benefits of linking learning with leadership and/or service? In your response, please share with us a time where you have seen that benefit through your own experience.

"We seek an Amherst made stronger because it includes those whose experiences can enhance our understanding of our nation and our world. We do so in the faith that our humanity is an identity forged from diversity, and that our different perspectives enrich our inquiry, deepen our knowledge, strengthen our community, and prepare students to engage with an ever-changing world." - from the Trustee Statement on Diversity and Community

Prompt 2 Question: In what ways could your unique experiences enhance our understanding of our nation and our world?

"Strong commitment to the freedom of inquiry lies at the heart of Amherst College’s mission to create a home in which the liberal arts may flourish. As a small residential liberal arts college that prides itself on the ability, curiosity, and diversity of its students, Amherst seeks to create a respectful environment in which members of its community feel emboldened to pursue their intellectual and creative passions." – from the Amherst College Statement of Academic and Expressive Freedom

Prompt 3 Question: Tell us about an intellectual or creative passion you have pursued; what did you learn about yourself through that pursuit?

Option B 

Submit a graded paper from your junior or senior year that best represents your writing skills and analytical abilities. We are particularly interested in your ability to construct a tightly reasoned, persuasive argument that calls upon literary, sociological or historical evidence. You should not submit a laboratory report, journal entry, creative writing sample or in-class essay. Also, if you have submitted an analytical essay in response to the "essay topic of your choice" prompt in the Common Application or Apply Coalition with Scoir writing section, you should not select Option B. 

Curious about Option B?  Learn more ....

If you are/were an applicant to Amherst's Access to Amherst (A2A) program, you may use your A2A application essay in satisfaction of our Writing Supplement requirement. If you would like to do so, please select Option C. However, if you would prefer not to use your A2A essay for this purpose and you want to submit a different writing supplement, select either Option A or Option B. Option A, Prompt 2 is the same prompt as the A2A application essay; if you would like to submit an updated version of your A2A application essay, please choose Option A.

Please note that Option C is available only to applicants to Amherst's A2A program. Non-A2A applicants must choose either Option A or Option B.

Amherst College Supplemental Essays Guide: 2021-2022

Not sure how to approach the Amherst essays? CollegeAdvisor.com’s guide to the Amherst supplemental essays will show you how to write strong Amherst essays to maximize your chances of admission. If you need help crafting your Amherst supplemental essays, create your free CollegeAdvisor.com account or schedule a free advising consultation by calling (844) 343-6272.

Amherst College Essay Guide Quick Facts:

• Amherst College is ranked #2 in National Liberal Arts Colleges.
• The Amherst college acceptance rate is 12%, which makes it a most selective school according to U.S. News . 
• We recommend answering the Amherst essays comprehensively and thoughtfully.

What is the acceptance rate for Amherst College?

According to U.S. News , the Amherst College acceptance rate is 12%. Based on the low Amherst College acceptance rate, U.S. News lists Amherst as a most selective school. 

The Amherst College acceptance rate also places Amherst at number 27 in the list of the Top 100 schools with the lowest acceptance rates. 

So, how exactly are acceptance rates calculated? Like all percentages, the Amherst College acceptance rate is based on a ratio: the total number of applicants to the total number of accepted students. 

While this ratio may seem simple, many factors influence the Amherst College acceptance rate. These factors include how many seats are available in the incoming class, tuition rates, location, and more. The Amherst College acceptance rate can also be impacted by any policy changes to the admissions process, such as the university’s decision to go test-optional due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Five College Consortium

Another factor that influences the Amherst College acceptance rate is the fact that Amherst students can also take classes at any of the schools in the Five College Consortium . Under this program, Amherst students can register for courses at Hampshire College, Mount Holyoke, Smith College, and University of Massachusetts at Amherst. This opportunity attracts many students and contributes to the low Amherst College acceptance rate. 

Across the country, college acceptance rates continue to decrease as qualified students apply to more schools each year. However, don’t let the low Amherst College acceptance rate stop you from applying. Instead, focus on crafting a strong, unique, and engaging Amherst supplement essay. The Amherst College acceptance rate is just one piece of the admissions puzzle. 

Want to learn more about the Amherst College acceptance rate and acceptance rates in general? Read our blog article here.

Does Amherst College have any supplemental essays?

Yes. All applicants have the option to choose one of three Amherst supplemental essays to submit. You’ll also respond to the main essay prompt in the Common App , Coalition App , or the QuestBridge application.  

One of the optional Amherst supplemental essays asks you to choose from a list of four Amherst essay prompts; the others ask you to submit a graded paper or write an essay for Amherst’s A2A program. The Amherst essays are your chance to show how you’ll shape your education and expand your knowledge. 

For a detailed list of application requirements aside from the Amherst supplemental essays, please visit Amherst’s website.

How many essays does Amherst require?

In addition to the main essay prompt found in the 2021-2022 Common App , Coalition App , or the QuestBridge application , there are three optional Amherst supplemental essays. Applicants must select only one of the Amherst supplemental essays to submit. 

We have provided the prompts for the Amherst supplemental essays below, along with a strategy on how to respond to each of the Amherst essay prompts. All applicants must complete one of the Amherst supplemental essays. However, you can choose which Amherst supplement essay to complete. 

Need some assistance choosing a Common App essay prompt? Get some helpful advice from our essay guide.

How do I write an Amherst College supplemental essay?

First, read the descriptions of all three Amherst supplemental essays to decide which option is best for you. Think about what you hope to convey in your Amherst supplement essay. We will list out each of the Amherst essay prompts in the next section of this guide. 

Amherst College prides itself on admitting dynamic, innovative thinkers with strong writing skills, and the Amherst supplemental essays reflect that ideal. The Amherst essay prompts are designed to identify students who will forge their own path and discover their passions at Amherst. Consider how you can showcase your intellect and values in the Amherst supplemental essays. 

Open curriculum

Additionally, Amherst College is known for its open curriculum, where students can plan and design their own program of study. As you prepare to write your Amherst supplement essay, reflect on the five tenets of how learning happens at Amherst: adapt to new situations, pull it apart, get your hands dirty, make a beautiful mess, and create your own answers. Use the Amherst essays as a chance to show the admissions team how you embody Amherst’s style of active learning. 

Reflect on each of the Amherst essay prompts before choosing one. Remember, the Amherst supplemental essays are your chance to paint a picture of who you are apart from your transcript and test scores. This makes it even more crucial to think carefully as you choose a prompt for your Amherst supplement essay. 

We have outlined each of the Amherst supplemental essays below, along with a breakdown of how to approach the Amherst essays. 

How to Write Amherst College Supplemental Essays – Option A (Optional)

In addition to the essay you are writing as part of the Common Application, Amherst requires a supplementary essay from all applicants. There are three options for satisfying Amherst’s supplementary writing requirement: Option A, Option B or Option C. You may select only one of these options. Before deciding, carefully read the descriptions of all three options. 

Option A: Please respond to one of the following quotations in an essay of not more than 300 words. It is not necessary to research, read, or refer to the texts from which these quotations are taken; we are looking for original, personal responses to these short excerpts. Remember that your essay should be personal in nature and not simply an argumentative essay. (300 words).

“Rigorous reasoning is crucial in mathematics, and insight plays an important secondary role these days. In the natural sciences, I would say that the order of these two virtues is reversed. Rigor is, of course, very important. But the most important value is insight – insight into the workings of the world. It may be because there is another guarantor of correctness in the sciences, namely, the empirical evidence from observation and experiments.” – Kannan Jagannathan, Professor of Physics, Amherst College

“Translation is the art of bridging cultures. It’s about interpreting the essence of a text, transporting its rhythms and becoming intimate with its meaning…Translation, however, doesn’t only occur across languages: mentally putting any idea into words is an act of translation; so is composing a symphony, doing business in the global market, understanding the roots of terrorism. No citizen, especially today, can exist in isolation – that is, untranslated.” – Ilan Stavans, Professor of Latin American and Latino Culture, Amherst College, Robert Croll ’16 and Cedric Duquene ’15, from “Interpreting Terras Irradient,” Amherst Magazine, Spring 2015. 

“Creating an environment that allows students to build lasting friendships, including those that cut across seemingly entrenched societal and political boundaries… requires candor about the inevitable tensions, as well as about the wonderful opportunities, that diversity and inclusiveness create.” – Carolyn “Biddy” Martin, President of Amherst College, Letter to Amherst College Alumni and Families, December 28, 2015. 

“Difficulty need not foreshadow despair or defeat. Rather achievement can be all the more satisfying because of obstacles surmounted.” – Attributed to William Hastie, Amherst Class of 1925, the first African-American to serve as a judge for the United States Court of Appeals.

Respond to a quote

Option A of the Amherst supplemental essays asks you to write a response to one of the four quotes listed above. As you read through the Amherst essay prompts, are there any topics that stand out to you? Can you highlight an aspect of your identity, experiences, or values with a specific Amherst essay prompt? Is there a particular activity, leadership role, or life experience that you can link to one of the Amherst essays? 

Each of the Amherst essay prompts will let you share something different about yourself that admissions officers may not see elsewhere in your application. Spend some time with the Amherst essay prompts to decide which one is right for you. 

Write what you know

For example, if you want to create policies that promote social change across society, you might consider writing a response to the third Amherst essay prompt. In this Amherst essay prompt, President of Amherst College, Carolyn Martin, talks about how creating an inclusive environment can foster connection across groups of people. Martin also states that having candid discussions about our differences might lead to better friendships. 

Perhaps you recently became friends with someone who views the world differently than you. Use this Amherst supplement essay to discuss how you could communicate with one another to bridge these differences in opinions, values, or beliefs. Write about this in your Amherst essay and share how you found common ground. For example, maybe you helped your friend realize the value of spirituality when you introduced them to your religion. Or, perhaps you learned to appreciate your friend’s culture after you vacationed with their family.

Try a different approach

You could also interpret this Amherst essay prompt in another way. Perhaps you were involved in a tense, discriminatory experience at your school and a friend or classmate stood up for you. How did that make you feel? Did your friendship become stronger after this event? In your Amherst essay, be sure to include how talking about the situation led to better outcomes for all involved. 

Whatever story you decide to share in this Amherst supplement essay, make sure to discuss your own response to the event. Use this Amherst essay to highlight your humility and compassion for others, regardless of their beliefs. 

Discuss a challenge

Maybe you are better prepared to discuss a challenge you’ve faced. If so, consider the fourth prompt for the Amherst supplemental essays. Use this Amherst essay to talk about any hardships that you have overcome. How did this issue affect your life? What did you learn about yourself after facing this problem? Did you achieve a greater perspective or better outlook on life because of this event?

For example, you could write about how you experienced food insecurity as a child. Use this Amherst supplement essay to describe what that was like and how your upbringing influenced your decision to create a sustainable food center in your neighborhood. 

Or perhaps you lost a parent or caregiver at a young age. Describe how this loss impacted your life. What new obstacles did you and your family encounter because of this event? How did you make it through? 

Additionally, consider selecting this prompt for your Amherst essay if the hardship you endured affected your academics, including your GPA or test scores. By selecting this Amherst essay prompt, you have the chance to address the factors that might undermine your academic profile. 

Try freewriting

Are you struggling to choose between the Amherst essay prompts? Consider starting with a writing exercise. Choose 2-3 of the Amherst essay prompts that interest you and set a timer for 10 minutes. In those 10 minutes, write as much as you can about that topic. Once the timer goes off, review your work. Couldn’t stop writing about one Amherst essay topic? Select that option as your final Amherst supplement essay prompt. 

Finally, do not research or reference the original texts from these Amherst essay prompts in your Amherst supplement essay. Instead, write a personal, thoughtful response to one of the Amherst essay prompts. 

Still unsure how to approach the Amherst essays? Read our article for more tips on how to write a great essay. 

Amherst Essay Draft Key Questions: 

• Did you choose a topic for your Amherst supplement essay that connects to your own identity, values, or interests?
• Does your response highlight an aspect of your identity that supplements your application as a whole? 

How to Write Amherst College Supplemental Essays – Option B (Optional)

Option B: Please submit a graded paper from your junior or senior year that best represents your writing skills and analytical abilities. We are particularly interested in your ability to construct a tightly reasoned, persuasive argument that calls upon literary, sociological or historical evidence. You should NOT submit a laboratory report, journal entry, creative writing sample or in-class essay. If you have submitted an analytical essay in response to the “essay topic of your choice” prompt in the Common Application writing section, you should NOT select Option B. Instead, you should respond to one of the four quotation prompts in Option A. 

For Option B of the Amherst supplemental essays, you must submit a graded paper that showcases your analytical writing skills. This Amherst essay prompt is unique and quite different from other prompts. Before you choose one of your graded papers from junior or senior year, there are a few things to keep in mind for this Amherst essay. 

Grade and comments

First, the admissions team prefers that students submit a paper that shows both a grade and comments from your teacher on it. There is no need to rewrite your paper or provide a “clean” copy for submission. All submitted papers must be written in English. Additionally, consider choosing a paper that is about 4-5 pages in length. This will provide enough material to showcase your writing skills to the admissions committee. Do not select an overly long paper just because you think it will give you a better chance of being admitted. The paper you choose to submit for this Amherst essay should not exceed 8-10 pages. 

Below are a few examples of appropriate papers to submit for this Amherst supplement essay: 

• A research-based sociological essay, such as an evaluation of the origin of an indigenous community’s values and belief systems. 
• A literary analysis essay, such as an examination of the rhetorical devices found within the novel To Kill a Mockingbird.  
• A research-based historical essay, such as an analysis of the factors that contribute to climate change.

Show progress not perfection

If you are nervous about submitting a paper that earned a less than stellar grade or that has several comments on it, don’t be. It is okay to show your reader that you aren’t perfect. Use this Amherst supplement essay to show that you can develop an argument and evaluate specific, appropriate evidence to support your conclusion. 

Finally, select Option B of the Amherst supplemental essays ONLY if you did not already submit an analytical essay for the “essay topic of your choice” prompt in the Common App or Coalition App.

Curious about Option B of the Amherst essay prompts? Review the FAQ page about this Amherst supplement essay option here.  

Amherst Essay Draft Key Questions:

• Does your paper show off another aspect of your critical thinking and analytical writing skills that isn’t emphasized in other parts of your application? 
• Are you proud of the paper you submitted? Are you excited to show it to the admissions team?
• Does your paper showcase your intellectual curiosity and engagement? 

How to Write Amherst College Supplemental Essays – Option C (Optional)

Option C: If you are/were an applicant to Amherst’s Access to Amherst (A2A) program, you may use your A2A application essay in satisfaction of our Writing Supplement requirement. If you would like to do so, please select Option C. However, if you would prefer not to use your A2A essay for this purpose and you want to submit a different writing supplement, select either Option A or Option B. [Please note that Option C is available only to applicants to Amherst’s A2A program. Non-A2A applicants must choose either Option A or Option B]. 

Every fall, Amherst hosts the Access to Amherst (A2A), formerly called Diversity Open House (DIVOH) weekend program for prospective students. This free program is designed to introduce prospective applicants to the Amherst campus, faculty/staff, classes, etc. Priority is given to students from historically excluded groups, such as first-generation, African-American, Hispanic/Latinx, Native American, and Asian-American backgrounds, as well as students who may have limited financial resources. To be considered for the A2A program, students must submit an online application that includes a written response to a short essay. 

Keep in mind

If you have already applied to A2A or have previously been admitted to the A2A program, you may resubmit your essay for the Amherst College application. However, if you will not or have not already participated in this program, you will want to respond to either Option A or Option B of the Amherst supplemental essays. 

Read more about the application and selection processes to Amherst’s Access to Amherst (A2A) program by visiting their website.

• Did you select Option C ONLY if you are/were an applicant to Amherst’s Access to Amherst (A2A) program?
• Have you resubmited your A2A essay for this Amherst supplement essay option without any changes?

How important are Amherst College essays?

In short, the Amherst essays are a vital part of your application. For the Class of 2023 , Amherst College received over 9,720 applications. Of those applications, only 1,240 students were admitted to the college and 492 students ultimately enrolled. This makes your Amherst essays a major piece of your profile. 

Most applicants have strong GPAs, high test scores, and impressive résumés. The admissions committee looks to the Amherst supplemental essays to help identify students who will exemplify their mission statement to “seek, value, and advance knowledge, engage the world around them, and lead principled lives of consequence.” In other words, your Amherst essay should highlight your intellectual curiosity, civic engagement, and individual values. Additionally, responses to Amherst essays should show how you are a good fit for the Amherst community. 

Want to learn more about the Amherst admissions process and how high quality Amherst supplemental essays can make a difference? Check out the video below from Bloomberg for an inside look!

Amherst College Supplemental Essays – Final Thoughts

Writing thoughtful responses to the Amherst supplemental essays can seem overwhelming. However, don’t let the Amherst supplemental essays stop you from applying! Instead, use the Amherst supplemental essays to show who you are beyond your transcript. Reference this guide often as you tackle the Amherst supplement essay. Good luck!

This 2021-2022 essay guide on Amherst was written by Claire Babbs , UT Austin, ’12. Want more help responding to the Amherst University essay prompt? Click here to create your free CollegeAdvisor.com account or schedule a free advising assessment with an Admissions Expert by calling (844) 343-6272.

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, does university of massachusetts amherst have supplemental essays.

Hey guys! I'm looking into the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and I'm curious about the application process. Do they require any supplemental essays? If so, what are the prompts and how should I approach them?

Hey there! Traditionally, UMass Amherst does have supplemental essays as part of their application process. That being said, I can't speak for every specific application cycle, so it's super important you check on their admissions website, as well as the Common App, to see if there are essays.

In terms of how should you go about responding to the prompts, I don't know if I'm the best person to speak on that as I've never applied to UMass Amherst, but I can say that Collegevine has some great resources for this purpose. Specifically, [this post] ( https://blog.collegevine.com/how-to-write-the-umass-amherst-essays) explains how to write the UMass Amherst essays and provides great step-by-step approaches to the essays. Definitely check it out!

About CollegeVine’s Expert FAQ

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How to Write the Amherst College Essays 2023-2024

Amherst College is a private liberal arts school located in the picturesque college town of Amherst, Massachusetts. A small school with a student body of just under 2,000 undergraduates, Amherst is very selective. 

Amherst boasts an open curriculum , meaning that students have only one required writing seminar outside of their major, rather than a full set of general education requirements. Around 40% of juniors study abroad, and Amherst’s financial aid follows along, meaning that students pay the same amount as if they were studying on-campus. Students can also take classes at one of the four nearby colleges—Mount Holyoke, Smith, Hampshire, and UMass Amherst—through the Five College Consortium .

To apply to Amherst, you’ll have to submit two supplemental essays and two optional ones. Let’s break these down.

Read this Amherst essay example to inspire your own writing.

Amherst College Essay Prompts

Prompt 1 (optional): If you would like to share more about yourself that is not captured elsewhere in your application, please tell us more here. (175 words)

Prompt 2 (optional): If you have engaged in significant research in the natural sciences, mathematics, computer science, social sciences or humanities that was undertaken independently of your high school curriculum, please provide a brief description of the research project: (50-75 words)

Prompt 3: Please briefly elaborate on an extracurricular activity or work experience of particular significance to you (175 words)

Prompt 4: Choose one of the following options:

Option A: Please respond to one of the following quotations in an essay of not more than 350 words. It is not necessary to research, read, or refer to the texts from which these quotations are taken; we are looking for original, personal responses to these short excerpts. Remember that your essay should be personal in nature and not simply an argumentative essay.

Option a1: “rigorous reasoning is crucial in mathematics, and insight plays an important secondary role these days. in the natural sciences, i would say that the order of these two virtues is reversed. rigor is, of course, very important. but the most important value is insight—insight into the workings of the world. it may be because there is another guarantor of correctness in the sciences, namely, the empirical evidence from observation and experiments.” – kannan jagannathan, professor of physics, amherst college, option a2: “translation is the art of bridging cultures. it’s about interpreting the essence of a text, transporting its rhythms and becoming intimate with its meaning… translation, however, doesn’t only occur across languages: mentally putting any idea into words is an act of translation; so is composing a symphony, doing business in the global market, understanding the roots of terrorism. no citizen, especially today, can exist in isolation—that is, untranslated.” – ilan stavans, professor of latin american and latino culture, amherst college, robert croll ’16 and cedric duquene ’15, from “interpreting terras irradient,” amherst magazine, spring 2015., option a3: “creating an environment that allows students to build lasting friendships, including those that cut across seemingly entrenched societal and political boundaries… requires candor about the inevitable tensions, as well as about the wonderful opportunities, that diversity and inclusiveness create.” – carolyn “biddy” martin, 19th president of amherst college, letter to amherst college alumni and families, december 28, 2015..

Option A4: “Difficulty need not foreshadow despair or defeat. Rather achievement can be all the more satisfying because of obstacles surmounted.”  – Attributed to William Hastie, Amherst Class of 1925, the first African-American to serve as a judge for the United States Court of Appeals

Option B: Please submit a graded paper from your junior or senior year that best represents your writing skills and analytical abilities. We are particularly interested in your ability to construct a tightly reasoned, persuasive argument that calls upon literary, sociological or historical evidence. You should NOT submit a laboratory report, journal entry, creative writing sample or in-class essay. If you have submitted an analytical essay in response to the “essay topic of your choice” prompt in the Common Application writing section, you should NOT select Option B. Instead, you should respond to one of the four quotation prompts in Option A.

Option c: if you are an applicant to amherst’s access to amherst (a2a) program, you may use your a2a application essay in satisfaction of our writing supplement requirement. if you would like to do so, please select option c. however, if you would prefer not to use your a2a essay for this purpose and you want to submit a different writing supplement, select either option a or option b. [please note that option c is available only to applicants to amherst’s a2a program]., prompt 1 (optional):, if you would like to share more about yourself that is not captured elsewhere in your application, please tell us more here. (175 words).

This essay is found in the school questions section, and allows you to disclose more information about your identity. Here, Amherst is looking to better understand who you are and this is a great opportunity to showcase aspects of your background that might not be clear from a cursory glance at the other parts of your application.

Typical responses might include sharing more about your culture or ethnicity, your gender identity or sexual orientation, your family history, or socioeconomic background. However, you can choose to center your response around any part of you that you feel has influenced your perspectives, values, and opinions.

You have about 175 words, which isn’t enough to write a full-fledged essay, but is enough space to provide an anecdote or two and then a more in-depth analysis.

For example:

My family celebrates not one, but three new years. 

In late November, my father helps me find a gold scarf that perfectly matches my kurta. As everyone else dances gracefully in concentric circles at the garba, I fumble along behind my older cousins and try to match their steps without trampling on their toes. 

In January, we ring in the New Year three hours early with Ryan Seacrest, toasting apple cider and watching the snow fall in Times Square – an impossibility in our southern Californian suburb.

A month later, we go to my aunt’s house, where he and my cousins have prepared a feast of banh chung and banh day to ring in the Lunar New Year. I stumble through a conversation with my grandmother as she asks me questions about my schooling in Vietnamese. 

Though I can’t quite grasp the raas’ beat, keep my New Years’ resolutions, or handle my uncle’s spicy pho, I love that these celebrations have brought and will continue to bring me closer to my cultures each and every year.

This response shows admissions officers how the student melds their identities rather than telling them. Ideally, your anecdote will be filled with imagery while also communicating information about yourself rather straightforwardly.

Prompt 2 (optional):

If you have engaged in significant research in the natural sciences, mathematics, computer science, social sciences or humanities that was undertaken independently of your high school curriculum, please provide a brief description of the research project.(50-75 words).

Note that this prompt is optional. Only respond to it if you have conducted significant research outside of class, meaning that you didn’t receive credit or a grade for it and didn’t do it as part of a course. If you haven’t done so, it’s advisable to skip this optional prompt. What counts as significant external research? Here are some examples:

• Summer camps during which you completed a research project, like SSTP, YSP, or RSI
• Science fairs taken beyond the school level, perhaps to regional, state, or national competitions 
• Independent research into a topic that interests you, like learning more about the history of your favorite hobby or how programming languages differ from each other

Once you decide what to write about, one of the toughest parts of responding is likely going to be sticking to the constricting word count of only 75 words. With such a short word limit, it is advisable to provide a few key details: 

What was the project? Give a brief description of your research query and what you did to explore it.

Why did you do it? What sparked your interest or led you to pursue this project?

When did you complete it and how long did you spend on it?

Who did you work with, if anyone, and where did you publish or present it, if applicable.

Although providing this many details in so few words may seem overwhelming, it’s easier once you realize you can combine some of them. Here are a couple of examples:

•   Last summer, as part of my participation in FSU’s Young Scholars Program, I worked with a peer over the course of six weeks to explore the effects of bonding various heavy metal atoms to protein structure through x-ray crystallography at cryogenic conditions. (What, When, and Who)
• Driven by my curiosity and love of Margaret Atwood’s work, I spent the last three months of my sophomore year researching the biblical references in The Handmaid’s Tale and how they tie together. (What, Why, and When)

If you’re having trouble cutting your answer down, go line by line and take out any parts that don’t provide key information. If it doesn’t answer one of the five questions above, it probably isn’t necessary.

Please briefly elaborate on an extracurricular activity or work experience of particular significance to you. (175 words)

Amherst also has another prompt embedded in the school questions section about extracurricular activities (this is the classic “ extracurricular prompt “). Although you’ve already listed your activities with short descriptions, this is a chance to elaborate on one that has a particularly deep meaning to you. This is an opportunity to show admissions officers a more in-depth look at one of your commitments. 

Try to avoid cliche topics , such as being part of a winning sports team or general member of a club. Try to start your response with an anecdote that vividly explains a significant moment during this experience. 

For example, if you’re a hospital volunteer, you can mention a particular patient interaction that opened your eyes to a healthcare career, or a particular doctor or nurse that you shadowed who changed your perspective on the field. 

Also, don’t discount non-traditional work experiences or extracurriculars – these can help set your application apart and provide a more well-rounded view of your high school experience. If you had to work after school, babysit your siblings, or frequently cook meals and perform other household tasks for your family, these are valid essay topics. It can also serve as an explanation for why you couldn’t participate in as many traditional extracurriculars like sports teams and clubs.

Furthermore, keep your prospective major in mind when answering this prompt. This is an especially effective strategy if you are applying to a competitive academic program and want to showcase your dedication to the subject. 

For instance, if you are applying as a computer science major, you can talk about self-driven projects such as building your own computer or website. Get into the nitty-gritty of what parts or coding segments you struggled with the most, taking readers into your journey and thought processes.

There are a number of ways to approach this prompt, but make sure that its content does not overlap with your other essays. For example, if you’ve already mentioned another extracurricular or aspect of your family life, don’t use this opportunity to further elaborate on that unless you have something truly unique to share. 

Prompt 4: Options A, B, C

Amherst’s main supplement has many choices, which might seem overwhelming. But don’t worry, we’ll break it down further for you. For this essay, you’ll choose from three options. Option A asks you to respond to one of four quotations in a personal manner. If you choose Option B, you’ll be asked to submit a graded persuasive essay from your junior or senior years of high school that is backed by evidence. Option C allows you to submit your A2A (formerly DIVOH) application essay, if you applied to their diversity open house weekend.

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Our chancing engine factors in extracurricular activities, demographic, and other holistic details.

Our chancing engine factors in extracurricular activities, demographic, and other holistic details. We’ll let you know what your chances are at your dream schools — and how to improve your chances!

Note that this is the first of three options for the supplemental essay. If you choose this prompt, you’ll write a response to one of four quotes, which are listed below. This should be a personal reflection on the quote. Think about what it means to you and how it relates to your life and experiences. You may be tempted to research the quotes, but as the prompt says, avoid this urge. You have all of the material you need to write a great response. If you happen to disagree with a prompt, feel free to do so. Don’t feel pressured into conforming to what the quote says as long as you can write a response that supports your view and back it up with personal anecdotes.

If you’re interested in the sciences, this would be a great prompt for you to respond to. Use this prompt as a way to demonstrate not only your passion for science, but your capabilities. Jagannathan says that in the sciences, having insight into how the world works is more important than reasoning. Take this opportunity to show that you have both.

Here’s a few ways to approach this prompt:

Demonstrate your fascination with the world: What about the applications of science excites you? Maybe you love exploring how different fields of science overlap in pharmaceutical development. Perhaps you enjoy studying the effects of various compounds on protein structure. Regardless of what your interest is, convey it very specifically in your response. Including details and examples will help substantiate your interest and provide substance to your response.

Show that you have the necessary skills: Make sure your response is personal and not just abstract by providing examples of how rigor and insight have played a role in your scientific ventures. For example, you could talk about how you extended your science fair project about dominoes falling over to be about the structure of buildings during hurricanes.

This demonstrates insight into how models can be used to effectively explore natural phenomena that cannot be directly altered. This insight is essential as no matter how many times or how hard you try, it is not feasible to conduct an experiment of altering building distances and observing them during hurricanes. Thus, in this case, insight was more important than rigor and enabled you to explore an issue. Even if you have no formal research experience, you can still respond to this prompt in an effective way. For example, you could talk about an experience that you had during a science class, perhaps during lab, in which you demonstrated rigor and insight.

If your interests lie in the humanities, social sciences, or business, consider responding to this prompt. Stavans provides quite a few real-world examples about the importance of translation: translation of languages, ideating, creating a symphony, international business, and terrorism. If you connect with any of these concepts, write about this connection. If not, consider other applications of the quote. Here’s a few examples of what you could write about:

Dance, art, or music: These are often seen as translations of feelings and expressions. If you have experience with any of these, you could write a beautiful essay about it. For example, if you’re passionate about dance, your response could be about how you use it as an escape from negative feelings, channeling them into your dance instead of into your life. You could also talk about feedback you’ve gotten from others about how your dancing makes them feel, or about how watching others makes you feel.

Literature: If you’ve read translated works, you could write a great response about them, but be sure to make it personal. As an example, you could write about how reading various translations of Camus’s The Stranger led you to realize how minute changes in stories or speech can affect perception, making you more careful about what you say now.

A group project: Have you ever had an idea that sounded great in your head and had trouble conveying it? Have you ever struggled to merge the ideas of multiple people? Group projects are great examples of translation of ideas at work, so if you’ve experienced a substantial one, talk about it. Be sure that your response showcases positive attributes, such as leadership abilities, communication skills, or empathy.

Code-switching: As students who speak multiple languages know, sometimes conversations can become a mashup of different languages. Perhaps this led to you introducing a new word to your friends or connecting to two languages and cultures rather than one. If so, write about it. This could lead to a great response about connecting various heritages and identities, which many immigrants and descendants of immigrants can relate to.

Are you interested in politics and social change? This prompt could be great for you. Martin speaks about the importance of communication, saying that being frank about differences is important to create and maintain friendships despite, or perhaps because, of them.

One option for responding to this prompt is to provide an example of a friendship you’ve had with someone who was different from you. If you were to do this, speak about how recognizing these differences facilitated your friendship and celebrating them opened up new possibilities. For example, you could write about how your friend introduced you to your new favorite food from his culture or going to your friend’s cultural celebration made you appreciate music more.

Another option is to talk about a time that you experienced an environment unlike that which Martin describes. Perhaps you were part of a clique that discriminated against a group of students and you realized that this was wrong. You could write about how approaching these other students opened you up to new ideas and experiences and led to more lasting and meaningful friendships than you had before.

An important part of the prompt references “candor about the inevitable tensions,” which you could incorporate by talking about how you and your new friends spoke about the discrimination openly rather than just pretending it never happened, which is what led to the strength of your friendships. Another example is if you had a friend who was facing difficulties due to race, gender, or any other factor, and you spoke up about it, being vocal and open despite the fact that these are often controversial subjects. Perhaps you were discriminated against and a friend spoke up.

Regardless of what example you use, be sure to highlight openness and compassion. Demonstrating an ability to speak about controversial subjects will show maturity and poise.

Option A4:“Difficulty need not foreshadow despair or defeat. Rather achievement can be all the more satisfying because of obstacles surmounted.”  – Attributed to William Hastie, Amherst Class of 1925, the first African-American to serve as a judge for the United States Court of Appeals

This prompt is a great opportunity to talk about any hardships that you’ve encountered. What obstacles have you had to overcome in your life? This is a very personal question and your response could be about anything from being bullied to experiencing homelessness. Know that no hardship is too little. If it significantly affected your life, it matters. Especially consider responding to this prompt if the hardships you’ve faced have negatively affected your academic performance, as this could be a way to address that in a positive manner.

Keep in mind the following points while crafting a response:

Don’t be too personal: Although providing details so that the reader fully understands the issue is essential, try not to include more personal details than necessary. Doing so could detract from the main point of the essay or make you seem unprofessional. For example, if you were to write about experiencing difficulties finding a job, it would not be advisable to write about how cruel various managers were for not offering you a job opportunity. As another example, if you were writing about how your parents’ divorce affected you, there’s likely no need to include the details of what went wrong in their relationship.

Don’t be frivolous: Be sure that the topic that you choose matters to you. Although you may be tempted to write about your horrendous teacher who robbed you of your A in Spanish, this story won’t showcase any of your positive attributes. Try to write about an example that shows resilience and strength leading to achievement in the face of hardships.

Be positive: As the quote references achievement after difficulty, make sure you put a positive spin on your essay. Your response should be focused on the achievement rather than the difficulty. For example, if you write a response about failing to convince the school board to switch to compostable lunch trays, don’t spend the whole time talking about their objections due to budgeting. Instead, you should focus on how you responded to this letdown by researching other impactful ways for the cafeteria to become more environmentally friendly, and you implemented a food waste program where students could drop off their unopened lunch items in a box for anyone to take.

If you choose Option B, be sure to carefully read the directions. Do not select Option B if you chose to submit an analytical essay for the Common Application.

An appropriate paper should be:

• From your junior or senior year
• Supported by evidence
• Not too long ( ideally 4-5 pages double-spaced, or 8-10 pages max ).

Here are some examples of appropriate essays to submit:

• An analytical essay based on a piece of literature, such as an interpretation of a poem supported by analysis of rhetorical devices
• A historical essay based on research, such as an essay about which factor was most important in the development of a war

Make sure that the essay that you choose to submit meets the requirements and fully demonstrates your writing and analytical skills. If you’re unsure, it would be a great idea to ask the teacher who graded it what they think.

We strongly recommend submitting an essay on the shorter side, as a longer one might take up too much of the admissions officer’s time.

If you truly want to demonstrate your interest in Amherst, it’s also preferable to choose option A, where you respond to one of the quotations. Doing “extra work” for your application shows that you are more invested in the school.

Amherst hosts two diversity open houses (A2A) in the fall for up to 100 prospective students, covering their transportation fees, housing, and meals for the weekend. Participants get to stay with a current student in their dorm, attend classes, and experience life on campus. These weekends are open to all high schoolers, but preference is given to underrepresented minorities and those from financially disadvantaged families.

Selection is based on an application, which includes an essay. If you were an A2A applicant, you may reuse your essay to apply to Amherst. As with Option B, however, we recommend that you respond to Option A and write a new essay if you wish to truly show your interest in Amherst.

We at CollegeVine wish you the best of luck on your supplemental essay for Amherst!

For more about Amherst, check out this YouTube video, where a 2018 grad shares her experience as a student at Amherst College.

You should also check out the post How I Got Into Amherst College , for a close look into the profile of an accepted Amherst student.

Where to Get Your Amherst Essays Edited

Do you want feedback on your Amherst essays? After rereading your essays countless times, it can be difficult to evaluate your writing objectively. That’s why we created our free Peer Essay Review tool , where you can get a free review of your essay from another student. You can also improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays. 

If you want a college admissions expert to review your essay, advisors on CollegeVine have helped students refine their writing and submit successful applications to top schools.  Find the right advisor for you  to improve your chances of getting into your dream school!

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

Admission & Financial Aid Information about the Writing Supplement

Section navigation, amherst college writing supplement options.

Below you'll find the prompts for the writing supplement in the 2023-24 application cycle (Fall 2024 entry term).

In addition to the main essays you must write as part of the Common Application, Apply Coalition with Scoir, or QuestBridge Application, Amherst requires a supplementary essay of all applicants.

There are three options for satisfying Amherst's supplementary writing requirement for the first-year application: Option A, Option B or Option C. Applicants may elect only one of those options. Before deciding, you should carefully read the descriptions of all three options (including specific conditions associated with Option B and Option C) to determine which is most appropriate for you. Please note that these descriptions are provided for convenience of preview only; your actual writing supplement should be submitted through the Common Application or Apply Coalition with Scoir online system (unless you are submitting the QuestBridge application only , in which case you will be instructed on how to email, mail or fax your supplement to our office).

Option A  

Choose one of the following quotations, and respond to the question posed, in an essay of not more than 350 words. It is not necessary to research, read, or refer to the texts from which these quotations are taken; we are looking for original, personal responses to these short excerpts. Remember that your essay should be personal in nature and not simply an argumentative essay.

"Amherst College is committed to learning through close colloquy and to expanding the realm of knowledge through scholarly research and artistic creation at the highest level. Its graduates link learning with leadership—in service to the College, to their communities, and to the world beyond." – from the Mission of Amherst College

Prompt 1 Question: What do you see as the benefits of linking learning with leadership and/or service? In your response, please share with us a time where you have seen that benefit through your own experience.

"We seek an Amherst made stronger because it includes those whose experiences can enhance our understanding of our nation and our world. We do so in the faith that our humanity is an identity forged from diversity, and that our different perspectives enrich our inquiry, deepen our knowledge, strengthen our community, and prepare students to engage with an ever-changing world." - from the Trustee Statement on Diversity and Community

Prompt 2 Question: In what ways could your unique experiences enhance our understanding of our nation and our world?

"Strong commitment to the freedom of inquiry lies at the heart of Amherst College’s mission to create a home in which the liberal arts may flourish. As a small residential liberal arts college that prides itself on the ability, curiosity, and diversity of its students, Amherst seeks to create a respectful environment in which members of its community feel emboldened to pursue their intellectual and creative passions." – from the Amherst College Statement of Academic and Expressive Freedom

Prompt 3 Question: Tell us about an intellectual or creative passion you have pursued; what did you learn about yourself through that pursuit?

Option B 

Submit a graded paper from your junior or senior year that best represents your writing skills and analytical abilities. We are particularly interested in your ability to construct a tightly reasoned, persuasive argument that calls upon literary, sociological or historical evidence. You should not submit a laboratory report, journal entry, creative writing sample or in-class essay. Also, if you have submitted an analytical essay in response to the "essay topic of your choice" prompt in the Common Application or Apply Coalition with Scoir writing section, you should not select Option B. 

Curious about Option B?  Learn more ....

If you are/were an applicant to Amherst's Access to Amherst (A2A) program, you may use your A2A application essay in satisfaction of our Writing Supplement requirement. If you would like to do so, please select Option C. However, if you would prefer not to use your A2A essay for this purpose and you want to submit a different writing supplement, select either Option A or Option B. Option A, Prompt 2 is the same prompt as the A2A application essay; if you would like to submit an updated version of your A2A application essay, please choose Option A.

Please note that Option C is available only to applicants to Amherst's A2A program. Non-A2A applicants must choose either Option A or Option B.

FAFSA delays and end of affirmative action are colliding for a chaotic college admissions season

Ailine Rodrigues was accepted to all 11 colleges she applied to. An aspiring first-generation student, she still doesn’t know if she can afford her top choice or other four-year institutions because of delays with the federal government’s financial aid program.

“It’s really frustrating,” Rodrigues said. “My mom all the time [is] asking me if the college has said anything about how much we’re going to pay, and I don’t know how to answer her questions. So I come to my college counselor, and I ask them, but they don’t know either.”

The lengthy logjam in the financial aid program is disrupting the college acceptance season this spring just as colleges and applicants learn how the US Supreme Court’s ban on affirmative action last year — and the schools’ efforts to mitigate it — will affect diversity on campus. About one month before students are typically expected to secure their spots at universities, the federal government has not told many families how much aid they will get.

“This has been a disaster,” said Jade Franco, program officer for the Boston Foundation’s Pathways to Postsecondary Success, which helps prepare low-income students in the Greater Boston region for higher education and careers. “The students who are coming from backgrounds that have more obstacles to overcome — those students have really struggled, and feel very frustrated and broken by this year’s financial aid process.”

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To apply for federal aid and scholarships, students have to provide extensive financial information to the federal government through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA. Many colleges use that data as the basis for the financial aid packages they offer to students, usually by late March — often much earlier. Students are normally required to send deposits to secure their spots by May 1.

This year, however, errors , delays, and bureaucratic dysfunction disrupted the rollout of what was supposed to be a simplified FAFSA form. For example, students had trouble submitting their parents’ Social Security numbers, especially if one or both parents were undocumented, and faced long wait times for assistance. About 30 percent fewer students completed the federal financial aid form this year as of March 15, according to the National College Attainment Network’s FAFSA Tracker.

Financial aid will undoubtedly loom large in students’ decision-making. In 2020, about 72 percent of all undergraduates received some type of financial aid, according to the US Department of Education, including about 81 percent of Black students, 72 percent of Latino students, 70 percent of white students, and 66 percent of Asian students.

As a workaround, some schools are rushing to put together aid offers, collecting their own financial information, or are pushing back deadlines for students to submit deposits.

Higher education watchers worry the botched rollout means low- and middle-income students will not be able to weigh multiple offers and make informed decisions. And although students can request extensions for their deposits, students from marginalized backgrounds are less likely “to ask for help and raise their hand to ask,” Franco said.

“It’s adding more steps and red tape,” she said.

Bob Bardwell, executive director of the Massachusetts School Counselors Association, said he is concerned some students will instead take a job or a gap year, or attend a community college rather than enroll at a four-year school.

“FAFSA is a complete nightmare,” Bardwell said. “These are families who may decide higher ed is not worth it. That is a shame. The government is supposed to be helping them.”

A spokesperson for the US Department of Education said it remains “focused on helping students and families through this process and supporting colleges produce aid offers as quickly as possible.”

“We have now processed more than 6 million FAFSA forms and [are] now returning to normal processing timelines, which means colleges and institutions will receive student records within one to three days after submission,” the spokesperson said. “The department continues to encourage schools, states, and scholarship organizations to provide flexibility and as much time as possible for students to make important enrollment decisions.”

Heading into this year’s admissions season, some college leaders feared the Supreme Court’s affirmative action decision would cause fewer students of color to even apply to elite colleges. In California, for example, applications to top public universities from Black and Hispanic high school graduates fell after the state banned affirmative action in 1996.

Preliminary data from this year’s admissions cycle, however, suggest that hasn’t happened: The number of Black, Latino, Native American, and Pacific Islander applicants to four-year colleges using the Common App was up 10 percent from a year earlier, and the number of first-generation applicants grew 4 percent, according to data published recently by the Common App. And several colleges, including Harvard University and Brown University, reported in December they accepted higher percentages of first-generation students in their early admissions rounds.

That may be in part because many colleges took steps last year to encourage Black and Hispanic students to apply, including sending representatives to talk with students at more high schools with high proportions of students of color.

“I was a high school counselor for six years, and that was a really big thing when you have a [college representative] come to school and talk to students,” said Kendra Grinnage, an associate principal with higher education consulting firm Kennedy & Company.

Colleges also developed stronger partnerships with community organizations that work with low-income high school students and retrained admission officers to ignore applicants’ race.

The high court’s decision did not end admissions policies where colleges consider factors such as applicants’ life experiences and the challenges they’ve overcome. Many colleges added supplemental essay questions to give applicants the opportunity to talk about how factors such as culture, ethnicity, gender, and community have influenced their identities, world views, and ambitions.

The University of Massachusetts Amherst, for example, now asks students to reflect on a community or group that has defined or shaped their world, and how being a product of that community would enrich the campus.

“Having just a little bit more information that puts things in context was very helpful,” said Jim Roche, vice provost for enrollment management at UMass Amherst.

However, these changes made the application process, already an opaque and stress-inducing experience, more confusing for some students, who questioned whether they should discuss race or not, said Adam Nguyen, founder of Ivy Link, which works with wealthy families and students to improve their chances of being selected to top colleges.

“Should I bring up race if I’m not in a previously protected class?” Nguyen said. “That is what students were wondering about. What challenges did I overcome?”

Some colleges admitted more students this year, which “gives them a better chance to end up with a diverse class,” said Wes Butterfield, an Iowa-based enrollment consultant with Ruffalo Noel Levitz who advises colleges. “You’re doing it based on volume.”

Applications to UMass Amherst surpassed 50,000 for the second year in a row, with accepted students up 1.5 percent from a year ago. UMass accepted 29,567 students this year; the first-year class is 5,275 students.

Applications from students in underrepresented groups, meanwhile, grew 11 percent, and admissions from those groups increased by 7 percent. African American, Latino, Native American, and Alaskan Native students account for 17 percent of the undergraduate population at UMass Amherst.

Rodrigues, a senior at the Academy of the Pacific Rim Charter School in Hyde Park, moved with her family to Massachusetts from Cape Verde when she was a toddler. She was accepted to Northeastern University in Boston, UMass Amherst, and Saint Anselm College in Goffstown, N.H. Her top choice is Northeastern because of the school’s robust internship and co-op programs.

Northeastern’s total sticker price before financial aid for the current academic year is $86,821, while the average annual cost students pay to attend the school is $34,255, according to the Department of Education’s College Scorecard.

Her mother urged her to apply to community college if her financial aid packages don’t arrive before deposits are due.

“If FAFSA doesn’t give us any money, that would probably be my only choice, because we can’t pay that much,” Rodrigues said.

Hilary Burns can be reached at [email protected] . Follow her @Hilarysburns .

English Department to Launch New Writing, Rhetoric and Literacy Studies Concentration for Fall 2024

The Department of English in the College of Humanities and Fine Arts will feature a new concentration in its fall 2024 undergraduate curriculum designed to prepare its students to enter a variety of in-demand professional fields, including publishing, education, legal studies, writing for nonprofit organizations, digital content strategy and more.

The new concentration, Writing, Rhetoric and Literacy Studies (WRLS), will lead students through a sequence of five introductory, intermediate and advanced courses taught by leading scholars of writing, rhetoric and literacy studies.

“The English Department at UMass Amherst has long been known for its strengths in composition and rhetoric, providing leadership for the university’s groundbreaking College Writing and Junior Year Writing courses since 1980,” said David Fleming , professor of English, who teaches courses in rhetoric. “But in the last decade or so, we’ve seen a growing demand from students for more courses in writing. We’re excited to now unveil this new five-course concentration within the English major in Writing, Rhetoric and Literacy Studies, as well as a letter of specialization for non-majors.”

Students will develop skills in public writing, community research, drafting and revision, editing and publication, audience analysis, digital rhetoric, and multimodal composition. Students can gain experience analyzing and crafting writing for different audiences and with a view to the public good. They will practice writing across a range of genres, from grant proposals and policy statements to digital essays.

The curriculum equips students with valuable skills in verbal and written communication, qualities prized among employers across professions and applicable in any career. It also gives students the option to choose from a variety of electives to design their own course path in pursuit of a wide range of careers or graduate programs.

“With a new 200-level introductory course and a more encompassing view of the field of writing studies, the new program brings together an exciting range of scholarly, practical and professional topics,” Fleming adds. “It also recognizes one of the fastest growing and most vibrant areas of study within English studies, both nationally and here at UMass.”

The concentration has been approved by the UMass Faculty Senate, and students can begin enrolling for courses for the 2024-25 academic year. A listing of fall 2024 courses counting toward the concentration and specialization is available on the Department of English website .

Students who wish to add English with a WRLS concentration as a second major should contact English Undergraduate Program Coordinator Celeste Stoddard at  [email protected] or stop by the English Undergraduate Advising Office at E345 South College.

For more information, contact Janine Solberg, director of the WRLS concentration at [email protected] .