Colby College vs. Amherst College Overview
You’re wrestling with a tough question: “Should I go to Colby College or Amherst?“
Colby College
Amherst College
Can you get in?
Calculate Your ChancesCan you get in?
Calculate Your ChancesThis complete guide analyzes both the quantitative and qualitative differences between Colby College and Amherst College . This comparison is particularly valuable at understanding the cultural nuances between the colleges since it uses student videos to capture the “vibes” of campus - these videos are exclusively available on CampusReel :)
Differences between Colby College and Amherst College
Before we get into the nitty-gritty, let’s go through a general overview of the high-level differences between Colby College and Amherst College . The table below summarizes some of the most important statistics around competitiveness, costs, etc.
| Colby College | Amherst College | |
|---|---|---|
| In-state Tuition | $49,120 | $50,562 |
| Net Price | $25,530 | $18,848 |
| Average Financial Aid | $43,154 | $47,490 |
| Total Undergraduates | 1857 | 1795 |
| Average SAT Scores | 1270 - 1460 | 1360 - 1553 |
| Acceptance Rate | 23 | 14 |
| Location | 4000 Mayflower Hill Drive | Boltwood Avenue |
| City Name | Waterville | Amherst |
WARNINGS: Based on net price alone, Amherst College is the cheaper option. However, this sticker price may not adequately represent the difference in living costs between Waterville and Amherst. Colby College is in a New England and Amherst is in a New England - sometimes off campus meals and housing costs can dramatically vary between schools
Is Colby College or Amherst College Harder to get into? Which school is easier to get into?
If you’re looking at acceptance rate alone, then Amherst College is more difficult to get into. However, each college is looking to fill its incoming class with a variety of students with different strengths, backgrounds, etc.
Therefore, the acceptance rate alone is not a good indicator that Amherst College is a better school or will be more difficult for you specifically to get into. On the flipside, Colby College is easier to get into based on acceptance rate alone.
You can use the below college admissions predictor to determine your likelihood of acceptance at either school.
How Do Colby College Dorms Compare to housing Options at Amherst?
Both colleges provide on-campus living options. Colby College charges for on-campus living, while Amherst charges N/A for on-campus living. Most importantly, though, check out the video below for a sample of dorm tours at each school.
Colby College and Amherst student body differences
The table below helps demonstrate the student body differences as well.
| Colby College, % | Amherst,% | |
|---|---|---|
| White | 61.6 | 42.120000000000005 |
| Hispanic | 6.41 | 13.43 |
| Black | 2.64 | 11.700000000000001 |
| Foreign | 10.549999999999999 | 9.64 |
| Others | 18.8 | 23.1 |
How different is the Colby College campus compared to Amherst College campus?
The Colby College campus is located in Waterville, ME and is characterized as Town: Remote (in urban cluster more than 35 miles from an urbanized area). The Amherst campus is located in Amherst, MA and is characterized as Suburb: Large (outside principal city, in urbanized area with population of 250,000 or more).
Which school gives more financial aid?
Colby College provides $43,154 whereas Amherst provides an average of $47,490.
How does Colby College academics compare to Amherst?
When analyzing academics between Colby College and Amherst College we’ll look at both what current students are studying and also where they end up after graduation. After all, college should prepare you for a career! Analyzing each school’s outcomes is super valuable to understand the value of the degree.
| Majors | Colby College | Amherst |
|---|---|---|
| Agriculture agriculture operations and related sciences | N/A | N/A |
| Natural resources and conservation | 41 | 10 |
| Architecture and related services | N/A | 4 |
| Area ethnic cultural gender and group studies | 13 | 29 |
| Communication journalism and related programs | N/A | N/A |
| Computer and information sciences and support services | 16 | 30 |
| Communications technologies technicians and support services | N/A | N/A |
| Personal and culinary services | N/A | N/A |
| Engineering | N/A | N/A |
| Education | 6 | N/A |
| Engineering technologies and engineering related fields | N/A | N/A |
Which is better: Colby College or Amherst College ?
We’ve compared dorm life, costs, outcomes and more to provide the most complete comparison between Colby College and Amherst. But, you’re smart enough to know that numbers paint a terrible picture for truly understanding what each college and community is like. And, the real answer to which school is better is: the school that’s right for you. No matter who you ask, if they know what they’re talking about, the answer is the same: the “better” school is whatever is the best fit for you personally. That’s why it’s extremely important to check out all the videos on CampusReel for each school.
How does Colby College social life compare to Amherst?
It’s tough to understand the nuances of social life with data alone. That’s why we’ve brought in real student videos to show how Colby College social life differs from Amherst.
Check here.
Check here.