Amherst College
Source: amherst.md
Amherst College
Admissions (Class of 2029 / Fall 2025)
- Total applicants: 17,300
- Overall acceptance rate: 9.0%
- Early round: Early Decision — 25.0% vs 6.0% RD
- Class size: 470
- Yield: 40%
Academics
- SAT middle 50%: 1500–1560
- ACT middle 50%: 33–35
- Avg unweighted GPA: 3.92
- Top 10% of HS class: 90%
- Testing policy: Test-optional
Demographics
- Women: 48.3%, Asian: 13.1%, Black: 12.4%, Hispanic: 13.1%, White: 41.9%, International: 9.6%
Financial Aid / Net Cost
| Income Bracket |
Net Price |
| $0–$30,000 |
$4,491 |
| $30,001–$48,000 |
$7,542 |
| $48,001–$75,000 |
$11,659 |
| $75,001–$110,000 |
$19,918 |
| Over $110,000 |
$43,908 |
Athletics
NCAA Division III, NESCAC Conference.
Notable
Open curriculum — no core requirements. Need-blind for domestic and international. Among most diverse LACs (Black 12.4%, Hispanic 13.1%). Five College Consortium.
Admissions Strategy
- ED advantage is significant (25% ED vs 6% RD, ~4.2x multiplier). Only ~10% of applicants choose ED, so the binding commitment sends a strong signal.
- Need-blind for both domestic and international applicants — one of very few LACs with this policy. QuestBridge partner, so low-income students have an additional pathway.
- Holistic review with heavy emphasis on intellectual curiosity. The open curriculum means applicants should demonstrate self-directed learning and broad interests.
Campus Culture & Fit
- Open curriculum (no core requirements) is the defining feature — students love the freedom but some feel lost without structure. Advisors help, but course selection is largely self-guided.
- Among the most diverse LACs in the country (~48% students of color). Students frequently cite the diverse community as a major positive.
- Five College Consortium access (UMass, Smith, Mount Holyoke, Hampshire) expands course options and social life significantly. Amherst is more urban-feeling than Williams due to the college town.
- Smaller than Williams (~1,800 undergrads), creating an intimate but sometimes insular social environment. Greek life was abolished in 2014.
Financial Aid Reputation
- Exceptional — meets 100% of demonstrated need, need-blind for all applicants including international. Over 80% of Class of 2024 graduated debt-free.
- No merit scholarships; all aid is need-based. Very generous for low-income families.
Simulation-Relevant Takeaways
- ED multiplier ~4.2x is comparable to Williams; model both as strong ED-advantage schools.
- Need-blind international policy could attract more international applicants in simulation.
- High diversity stats (Black 12.4%, Hispanic 13.1%) are unusual for a top LAC — relevant for demographic modeling.
Sources
- Amherst College Common Data Set 2024–2025
- research_colleges.json simulation data
- College Confidential: Amherst student/campus culture thread
- The Amherst Student: Open Curriculum pros and cons
- CollegeVine: Amherst campus life and demographics