University of Massachusetts--Amherst Student Reviews

Academic Life

It really depends on the class, or the major, but all of my professors within my major know me by name. Because I am in such a small major, there aren't many kids in my classes, so it makes it a lot more personal than the GenEds I've taken where there are up to 400 people in a classroom at once and the professor wouldn't even notice if you never came to class except for when there's a test. Some giant lecture professors do make an effort to give parcipitation credit during class though, which I think is great. People can raise their hands to answer a question, and the TA will give credit where credit is due. Landscape Architecture is a GREAT major, if you're into plants and building models and giving presentations, and not getting much sleep . . . but you really get close to your classmates, and are in pretty much every class with them, so getting help with homework is really easy to find. The professors are usually always around, even at 1 o'clock in the morning, they can sometimes be found in their office, or even socializing with my classmates and answering questions on a Studio project that is due. The General Education requirements aren't all that bad, they really make you get out there and see what is out there for classes. I would never have taken some of the classes that I did if it weren't for the requirment, and I learned a lot. Some majors, like mine, get rid of the language requirement, and I'm greatful for that. I've taken 6 years of French in my life, and I think enough is enough, I mean, I love language, but I have so many other things to do, rather than take more of the things I already know, I took GenEds like Greek Myth, African American History, Women's Studies, Bio 105 (good bio class, no lab requirement), Chem 111, Calc. 131 and 132, Physics 151 and 152, and so much more. I have more time for Band and Choir now too, which is even better.