I know that sometimes, going to such a small school seems suffocating, but there are a lot of perks too! Here are some reasons why we should appreciate Amherst’s tiny student body.
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1. Friendship is all about proximity!
At a small school, your friends will all be within 10 minutes walking distance of you. It’s so much harder to lose contact with good friends when they are just a few feet away.
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2. At a small school, individualized attention is not a myth.
Professors will actually know your name! In addition, if you’re struggling, your professor will notice and probably try to help you out. Office hours are rarely crowded because of small class sizes, so if you’re too shy to ask questions in class, you have more than enough opportunity to ask your professor individually.
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3. You’ll feel more popular!
Even if you’re the most popular person at a large school, maybe only half the student body will know you, but here at Amherst, even if you’re a loner like me, you’ll still recognize most of the people at the dining hall. Also, the fact that there is only one dining hall means that you’ll always see people you know.
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4. You can wake up 5 minutes before classes and still be on time.
It pays to be 50 yards from the science library (or, as we know it, Merrill) in the morning, let me tell you that.
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5. Guaranteed housing all four years!
Although they are not always the greatest options, Amherst does guarantee some sort of shelter all four years, which is a comfort not all colleges can offer. In fact, most colleges only offer guaranteed housing in the first year.