Hi readers! Welcome back! Sit back, relax, and enjoy the story of my wonderful Be A Mammoth experience.
The college application process…what an experience. When I was in high school, the thought of beginning to research and apply to colleges that I will eventually have to choose from to be the one I will spend the next four years at was a thought that overwhelmed me greatly! I remember going to my first college fair with my mom, where there were countless tables of colleges to talk to, was my first introduction to just how many colleges there are to choose from.
In thinking about which colleges I would apply to, I knew that there were a few characteristics that were important to me, such as the size of the college, the form of academics, the location, the opportunity to participate in an athletic program, and affordability. As a low income student from the underrepresented area of New Mexico, I knew that a main component of attending an out of state college would be the financial aid provided to me.
In my application process I applied to nine schools in the regular decision cycle. A few of the colleges that I applied to were outside of reasonable driving distance to visit. Even though I had never seen these colleges with my own eyes, I knew that they would be a good fit.
One day, I received an email from one of the schools I applied to about an opportunity to take part in a fly in program. These programs were for students to be flown out by the college in order to experience the campus in a fully funded program. I was so grateful for the opportunity to see various colleges that I would not have been able to otherwise.
For Amherst College, I had received my acceptance letter before I had visited the college. Even though I was almost certain that Amherst was the place for me, I was unsure if the campus would have the vibe that I was looking for and would be happy with for the next four years.
Once I was accepted, I received an email that invited me to apply for the Be A Mammoth program that is open to all admitted students, but I would be given the opportunity to have my travel fully funded by the college. This opportunity excited me greatly! I knew that I may not otherwise have the opportunity to visit Amherst, and I knew that this would give me the final piece of the puzzle to accepting a college.
In flying to Amherst alone for the first time, I was nervous to experience the campus outside of a computer screen. My wonderful student host that allowed me to stay in their room for the time that I would be at Amherst picked me up when I arrived! She helped me get settled in, and have a place to rest before the busy scheduling that was to come.
The Be A Mammoth experience was a wonderful way to meet potential students that I would be spending my next four years with. I was able to explore the campus, eat in the dining hall, attend a class, and pretend that I was an Amherst student for the weekend.
My decision was further solidified after I was able to experience the campus myself, thankfully due to the generosity of the Be A Mammoth Program. Now, as a way of giving back, I have been a student host for the Access to Amherst program and for Be A Mammoth. I hope that the next prospective mammoth’s experience will be as great as mine.
Thanks for reading! If you have any questions about Amherst, or would like to talk further, email me at cjaeger27@amherst.edu.