Amherst, MA · Private · 839 undergraduates · rural
Hampshire College
Moderately selective
No traditional majors and a three-division academic system culminating in a major self-directed project.
Institutional profile
Well established Strong in career outcomes, and solid in academic standing.- Admission
- 70.4% admitted
- Price by income
- Varies across five income ranges
- Completion
- 63.3%
2,216 applicants in the reported year
Compare recent average annual costs by household income
$46,938 median earnings 10 years after enrollment
What sets Hampshire College apart
Academic design
Students advance through Division I exploration, a self-designed Division II concentration, and a year-long Division III project, with portfolio reviews and narrative evaluations replacing the normal credit-and-letter-grade structure in most Hampshire work.
Campus pattern
The Amherst-area campus has a small alternative-college culture, while Five College Consortium access broadens courses, libraries, events, and social life across the Pioneer Valley.
Defining feature
No traditional majors and a three-division academic system culminating in a major self-directed project.
Can I get in?
70.4% admitted
Start with academic preparation, then show why this particular academic and campus environment fits you.
Recent applicant pool
2,216About 70 in every 100 applicants were admitted.
Record over scores
No score range is published for the entering class, so the transcript, the course rigor, and the required materials carry the file.
In the season card
Where your GPA sits in the entering class
The full entering-class GPA distribution for Hampshire College, in nine bands from 4.0 down, with your own record marked on it.
See where I landIn the season card
What Hampshire College weighs when it reads a file
See how this college describes the role of grades, testing, essays, recommendations, activities, and demonstrated interest.
- Course rigor
- GPA
- Test scores
- Essay
- Recommendations
- Extracurriculars
- Demonstrated interest
What moves the application
The evidence that separates a strong file
Show preparation for this curriculum
Students advance through Division I exploration, a self-designed Division II concentration, and a year-long Division III project, with portfolio reviews and narrative evaluations replacing the normal credit-and-letter-grade structure in most Hampshire work.
Make the fit specific
No traditional majors and a three-division academic system culminating in a major self-directed project.
Account for the tradeoff
Keep academic direction and school-specific choices coherent across the application.
How to apply
Rounds, route, and required materials
Build the calendar around the earliest realistic application round and make the school-specific case concrete.
$0 application fee
Can I afford it?
Compare annual cost by household income.
Start with the average net price for your income range, then set that estimate beside your other realistic options.
In the season card
Average annual cost by household income at Hampshire College
Compare recent average net prices across five federal income ranges and estimate a 4-year cost for yours.
- $0–30k
- $30–48k
- $48–75k
- $75–110k
- $110k+
Is it worth it?
Completion, debt, and earnings
No traditional majors and a three-division academic system culminating in a major self-directed project.
Degree completion across the reported entering cohort
First-year students who return for year two
And what that comes to against what they earn.
Reported 10 years after enrollment
Academic portfolio
Largest bachelor’s fields
How many students finish in each field, and median earnings four years after completing the program.
Fine and Studio Arts
Sociology
Design and Applied Arts
Film/Video and Photographic Arts
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
What is campus life like?
Hampshire College beyond the classroom
The Amherst-area campus has a small alternative-college culture, while Five College Consortium access broadens courses, libraries, events, and social life across the Pioneer Valley.
A defining academic feature
Students advance through Division I exploration, a self-designed Division II concentration, and a year-long Division III project, with portfolio reviews and narrative evaluations replacing the normal credit-and-letter-grade structure in most Hampshire work.
What shapes an ordinary week
The Amherst-area campus has a small alternative-college culture, while Five College Consortium access broadens courses, libraries, events, and social life across the Pioneer Valley.
What changes the experience
No traditional majors and a three-division academic system culminating in a major self-directed project.