Most of my general education classes are very easy, basic reviews of the advanced classes I took in college. The workload is minimal, which I find frustrating because I took extra classes to challenge myself. Even taking a 300 level class that is supposed to be taken junior year, I am still not challenged enough here. Most classes I am in are large lectures, which makes getting to know your professors nearly impossible. Lots of students are here for the parties and whatnot, and this makes studying difficult in the dorms. Also, some professors use online exams that you take on your own time. This means no memorization or understand required, they are open book.
Do you enjoy the experience at your school?
During the week, I do enjoy it here. It is a beautiful campus and not too bad of a walk. Hanging out with friends from the dorm and stuff is a lot of fun, and there are always lots of cool activities to do. However, on weekends, it's always loud and there are drunk people EVERYWHERE. It's called ZooMass for a reason. I live on the quieter side of campus and yet I am often awakened by drunken yells. It's frustrating to me to not get any school work done over the weekend because people are so loud.
Do you feel you’re getting value for the money you’re spending on college?
I'm here on scholarship and financial aid, not paying a thing. This was the main reason I came here. It is a good school for most majors, and a GREAT school for some (management and engineering are the two I can think of right now) so if you can stand being around a lot of people who make a lot of noise definitely come check it out.
Do you have any tips for prospective students?
-Check out reviews online or ask your older friends who attend which professors to take classes with. There are some great professors here, and also some that are awful.
-Take Microbio 160. I'm not a science major at all, terrible at science in high school, but this has been my most enjoyable and interesting class
-Don't worry if you come in without a major. UMass is very good about helping you figure out what you want to do with your life. There is even a special class you can take to help you figure it out.
-Bring earplugs. Trust me, at some point you will need to write a paper or do homework on a Thursday or Sunday night, and this will be a lot easier if you can't hear the drunks.
-Keep an open mind about living areas. If you're coming here to party, there's plenty going on outside of southwest. If you're coming to study, look at living in northeast or central.
-Wear comfortable shoes when you come for a tour. Some of the dorms in Central and Orchard Hill are indeed on a very steep hill. The campus isn't super hard to walk - it takes about 15 minutes to get across - but the hills are painful in flip flops or heels.
-Visit a Dining Commons (Worcester, Berkshire, Hampshire, or Franklin) when you come visit. If you only eat at BlueWall or The Hatch, you won't get to see the food that you'll actually be eating most of the time as a student. The food is inconsistent in quality. If you come, buy lots of easy mac and other microwave foods
Which types of students will excel at your college?
-partiers who want a cheap school
-in-state students looking for a cheap school with good quality
-commuters from the area (noise is much less of an issue if you live off campus)
-anyone who enjoys people watching. there's enough strange behavior here on weekends for a large psychology study, and it can be funny to watch the stupid things people do while severely intoxicated.
Most of my general education classes are very easy, basic reviews of the advanced classes I took in college. The workload is minimal, which I find frustrating because I took extra classes to challenge myself. Even taking a 300 level class that is supposed to be taken junior year, I am still not challenged enough here. Most classes I am in are large lectures, which makes getting to know your professors nearly impossible. Lots of students are here for the parties and whatnot, and this makes studying difficult in the dorms. Also, some professors use online exams that you take on your own time. This means no memorization or understand required, they are open book.
During the week, I do enjoy it here. It is a beautiful campus and not too bad of a walk. Hanging out with friends from the dorm and stuff is a lot of fun, and there are always lots of cool activities to do. However, on weekends, it's always loud and there are drunk people EVERYWHERE. It's called ZooMass for a reason. I live on the quieter side of campus and yet I am often awakened by drunken yells. It's frustrating to me to not get any school work done over the weekend because people are so loud.
I'm here on scholarship and financial aid, not paying a thing. This was the main reason I came here. It is a good school for most majors, and a GREAT school for some (management and engineering are the two I can think of right now) so if you can stand being around a lot of people who make a lot of noise definitely come check it out.
-Check out reviews online or ask your older friends who attend which professors to take classes with. There are some great professors here, and also some that are awful. -Take Microbio 160. I'm not a science major at all, terrible at science in high school, but this has been my most enjoyable and interesting class -Don't worry if you come in without a major. UMass is very good about helping you figure out what you want to do with your life. There is even a special class you can take to help you figure it out. -Bring earplugs. Trust me, at some point you will need to write a paper or do homework on a Thursday or Sunday night, and this will be a lot easier if you can't hear the drunks. -Keep an open mind about living areas. If you're coming here to party, there's plenty going on outside of southwest. If you're coming to study, look at living in northeast or central. -Wear comfortable shoes when you come for a tour. Some of the dorms in Central and Orchard Hill are indeed on a very steep hill. The campus isn't super hard to walk - it takes about 15 minutes to get across - but the hills are painful in flip flops or heels. -Visit a Dining Commons (Worcester, Berkshire, Hampshire, or Franklin) when you come visit. If you only eat at BlueWall or The Hatch, you won't get to see the food that you'll actually be eating most of the time as a student. The food is inconsistent in quality. If you come, buy lots of easy mac and other microwave foods
-partiers who want a cheap school -in-state students looking for a cheap school with good quality -commuters from the area (noise is much less of an issue if you live off campus) -anyone who enjoys people watching. there's enough strange behavior here on weekends for a large psychology study, and it can be funny to watch the stupid things people do while severely intoxicated.