Profile

Founded in 1970, Hampshire College is known for its alternative curriculum and joie de vivre that allows students to customize their education with an emphasis on portfolios and faculty evaluations rather than GPA. In 2014, Hampshire stopped accepting SAT/ACT in their admissions. Unlike traditional freshman-to-senior matriculation, Hampshire students complete division I, II and III work. At the end of division III, students who pass the division ring the “Division Free Bell.” Is it considered bad luck for a student’s chance to graduate to ring the Div Free Bell before passing the division. As part of the Five-College Curriculum, students can take classes at Amherst College, Mount Holyoke College, Smith College and UMass-Amherst as well as access their libraries, student organizations, events and activities, plus a free bus system between them all. Hampshire students proudly eschew Greek life and much of social life revolves the residential houses. The school plans on installing 19 acres of solar panels on campus and hopes to become the first U.S. residential college producing 100% of its electricity from on-site renewable sources.