www.misterambrose.com college pride day tuesday, october 14, 2014 mr. ambrose the university of...
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www.misterambrose.com
College Pride DayTuesday, October 14, 2014
Mr. Ambrose
The University of Massachusetts
Amherst
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UMass in the Top Ten
Four UMass programs – food science, kinesiology, linguistics, and polymer science and engineering – are ranked among the nation’s best – public or private.
The UMass hospitality program is ranked sixth in the nation – public or private.
The School of Management is ranked tenth in the nation – public or private.
UMass ranked third in the nation for students getting scholarships to study abroad – public or private.
AND UMASS IS THIRD IN THE NATION IN FOOD!!!!
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Location and Vital Stats
UMass Amherst sits on nearly 1450 acres in the scenic Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts, 90 miles from Boston.
The campus provides a rich cultural environment in a rural setting close to major urban centers.
Enrollment: 22,000 undergraduates• This includes 4,650 freshman students• This includes 3,110 honors students• This includes 4,500 out-of-state students• This includes 3,750 students of color
1,170 full-time faculty, 18:1 student/faculty ratio
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Academic Offerings
8 schools and colleges 6 associate degree programs 86 bachelor degree programs 2,253 undergraduate course sections
You can study whatever you want!• The “big school” advantage
Average class size: 37 students 63% of classes offered at UMass have fewer than
30 students
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What kind of grades do I need to go to UMass? 2013 Freshman Class
• 36,400 applicants for a class of 4,650• Mean high school rank: top 20%
Middle SAT• Critical Reading 540-640• Math 570-670
Mean GPA: 3.72 (on a 4.0 scale)• 3.0 = B, 4.0 = A
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How much does it cost?
Tuition/Fees: $13,258 Room/Board: $9,940 Total: $23,198
Though this sounds like a lot, it is very inexpensive compared to the cost of a private institution!
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Great Opportunities
Commonwealth College• A private school experience at a public school price
The Five-College Interchange• Study at Smith, Amherst, Mt. Holyoke, and Hampshire
for the price of attending UMass
Studying Abroad• Semester-long experience• Year-long experience• Shorter experience
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In what academic programs was I enrolled?
Journalism major English major Music minor
Honors program RAP (Residential Academic Program) Study abroad experience in Italy
Education master’s program
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In what activities was I involved?
Marching Band Marching Band Staff Concert Band Jazz Band Pep Band Trombone Choir Kappa Kappa Psi Music Service Fraternity Volunteer, Amherst Survival Center DJ, WOCH Student Radio Station Intramural Softball
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What were my favorite classes?
American Popular Music Biology of Cancer and AIDS Hemingway Major British Writers Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales Diaries, Memoirs, and Journals Newswriting and Reporting Photojournalism Web Design American Identities
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At UMass, I did some things I couldn’t do elsewhere I studied photojournalism in Sicily, where I went
snow-tubing on an active volcano. I played my trombone at the Presidential
inauguration of George W. Bush in January 2001. I studied writing with Pulitzer Prize winner Maddy
Blais, who capped her classes at 12 students in order to give them individual attention.
I played in a jazz band directed by two-time Grammy award nominee Adam Kolker.
I taught at Springfield Central High School (and chaperoned a prom attended by the rapper Ludacris).
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Mr. Ambrose’s College Method
Create a master list of 6-9 schools.• 2-3 “safety” schools• 2-3 target schools• 2-3 reach schools
Don’t get your heart set on one school.• Even if you get in everywhere, certain schools might be
too expensive.
Decide the “type” of school you like.• Rural vs. Urban, Public vs. Private, etc.
Decide what you are looking for a school. • Particular majors, sports, drama, Greek life, etc.
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What, in particular, can I do as a junior?
Take the PSAT in October. Take the SAT in January. Get the detailed score report and
review it with me in class. Take the SAT again in March, May, or June. See if your
scores have improved. If you are interested in an upper tier private school, take
the SAT Subject Tests in May or June. Write drafts of college essays for my assignments in class. Create a master list of schools you like. Visit a school over April vacation. Ask teachers (like me) for a letter of recommendation
before the summer.
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What, in particular, can I do as a sophomore? Take the PSAT in October. Review the PSAT with me in December. Join my PSAT practice group starting in January and
continuing right through the summer. (Work to become a National Merit Scholar like Roger Zurawicki and Nicole Avella.)
Go to college fairs and start to see what kinds of schools are out there.
Get an Advanced score on the MCAS in English and Math. (Earn the John and Abigail Adams Scholarship.)
Work hard in my class so you can take a more rigorous courseload (standard => honors, honors => AP).
Set going to college as your number one goal.
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Some Useful Sites
www.umass.edu www.commonapp.org www.collegeboard.com www.cappex.com www.youniversitytv.com www.princetonreview.com