Admission & Financial Aid Access to Amherst (A2A)
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As part of Amherst College's commitment to a diversity of perspectives and life experiences, the Office of Admission will be hosting Access to Amherst (A2A) in the fall to introduce prospective applicants to Amherst's campus, student body, faculty, and classes. A2A is available to all prospective rising high school seniors who reside in the U.S., regardless of citizenship or background (non-US citizens who reside in the US, including undocumented students, are welcome to apply). The programming centers the experience of students from marginalized communities – such as African-American, Hispanic/Latinx American, Native American, and Asian-American students, first-generation students, students from families with limited financial resources, rural, urban Title I schools, and those who may not be able to visit campus on their own. A2A offers educational sessions on selective admission, affordability, liberal arts, and success in college. Should you have an interest in attending, we encourage you to apply no matter your demographic or economic background.
Benefits of an A2A Application
In addition to the possibility of participating in A2A, submitting an application offers some other benefits:
- A fee waiver for Amherst's admission application fee is provided to all students invited to participate in A2A. Some students who apply to A2A will also receive a waiver for the application fee to encourage their applications to Amherst, regardless of whether they are invited to participate in A2A.
- Some students who apply to A2A will be invited to participate in a virtual Mock Application Workshop with admission deans, regardless of whether they are invited to participate in A2A.
- A2A applicants who eventually decide to apply for admission to Amherst College will have the option of using their A2A application essay in satisfaction of Amherst's Writing Supplement requirement.
Applying to A2A
To apply to participate in A2A, you must complete and submit our online A2A Application.
To be eligible for the program, you must:
- be a high school senior residing in the US in the fall of 2023
- complete an on-line application
- submit a short essay in response to a prompt on the application (350 word max)
- submit a copy of your transcript through your junior year (an unofficial copy will be accepted)
- submit a list of confirmed or intended senior classes
Recommended additional materials:
- academic writing sample (with comments from a teacher or evaluator, if possible)
- school profile
Questions?
Check out our A2A Frequently Asked Questions.
Other questions? Email admissionprograms@amherst.edu.
2023 A2A Applications Now Closed
The 2023 application deadline has now passed and the application for our fall A2A program is no longer available.
If you submitted your application by the deadline, you may expect to be notified of our decision approximately three weeks after the deadline, so keep an eye on your email!
If you are a current junior, check back in May 2024 for the Fall 2024 A2A program application.
Funding Opportunities
Students selected to visit Amherst for Access to Amherst will receive 100% of round-trip transportation costs (airline, bus, or train) will be hosted on campus by current students. Typically, about 75% of the students who attend A2A decide to apply to Amherst, although they are under no obligation to do so. A fee waiver for Amherst's admission application fee is provided to all students invited to attend A2A. Some students who apply to A2A will also receive a waiver for the application fee to encourage their applications to Amherst, regardless of whether they are invited to attend.