Take More Five-College Classes

The Five College Consortium — comprising Amherst College, Smith College, Mount Holyoke College, Hampshire College, and the University of Massachusetts, Amherst (UMass) — allows students to cross-register and share resources across campuses. While Amherst proudly touts the consortium as a hallmark of its college experience, it feels as though there are far fewer Amherst students enrolling in Five College courses than the number of non-Amherst students taking classes on our campus. This imbalance is both ironic and troubling, given how heavily the consortium is promoted during admissions and orientation.

The lack of engagement is not simply a reflection of student disinterest, but rather a symptom of deeper structural and informational barriers that make cross-enrollment and collaboration seem daunting and inaccessible. This striking gap between Amherst’s promotional narrative and the lived reality of its students reveals a disconnect between what the college advertises and what it actually facilitates.

Taking a Five College class is an invaluable opportunity that embodies the very spirit of a liberal arts education. This opportunity can help students broaden their perspectives; access research resources and specialized courses unavailable at Amherst; and experience new academic environments that vary in teaching style, scale, and community. For example, students can take languages such as Norwegian or Sinhala through the consortium's Center for World Languages, which offers a wide range of learning formats, such as tutorials with a mentor from another college. Many students also take graduate-level courses at UMass, taking advantage of specialized courses and research at a larger university.

However, several barriers prevent students from taking full advantage of the Five College Consortium. Logistical challenges, informational barriers, unreliable transportation, cultural tendencies, and demanding academic schedules all contribute to the low participation. For students without cars, a Pioneer Valley Transit Authority (PVTA) bus ride to Smith can take an hour — making using the Five College Consortium difficult and often an impractical choice. Students with rigid course requirements and demanding schedules often feel like they have little flexibility to take external classes. Amherst’s culture of efficiency — and the subtle pressure to always be productive — can make long bus rides feel burdensome rather than adventurous. Combined with a tendency to stay within the comfort of Amherst’s academic “bubble,” these cultural forces further discourage participation in the consortium. 

Beyond logistics, a significant information gap also contributes to the problem. Many advisors and professors are themselves unfamiliar with the range of Five College courses available or the registration process required to access them. Departments offer little information on which Five College classes count toward the major; this becomes even more confusing in light of the fact that the college restricts consortium options to only “liberal arts courses” for credit, which can be vague and confusing. As a result, students are often left to navigate the system on their own, relying on scattered online resources or word-of-mouth advice. For those without peers who have taken a Five College class, the process can feel especially discouraging.

Of course, there’s nothing wrong with taking all of one’s classes on Amherst’s campus —  many students thrive both academically and socially without ever leaving it. But for those who want to explore beyond Amherst, the current system does too little to support them, making what should be an exciting opportunity feel unnecessarily complicated and inaccessible.

The benefits of consortium classes extend beyond academics, too. The consortium encourages students to explore the Pioneer Valley, meet peers from other campuses, and exchange perspectives that deepen their own education. These connections often spark friendships, collaborative study opportunities, and a stronger sense of community across the five colleges. If more Amherst students understood how to navigate the enrollment process, perhaps more would take the first step to explore beyond the confines of Amherst’s campus.

Change can start with the student body itself. Those who have taken Five College courses can share their experiences to demystify the process and encourage peers to explore classes beyond Amherst. 

Hearing guidance from advisors, staff, and professors would also be very impactful. In addition to increased student initiatives, Amherst faculty and staff need to be better informed about Five College offerings and actively share that knowledge with students. The administration could improve communication about the realistic obstacles of using the Five College Consortium and provide clearer guidance, reliable transportation, and accessible informational resources. Professors could highlight specific courses in the consortium, framing these experiences as valuable complements to Amherst’s own curriculum. The administration can make the registration process more transparent: While we commend the registrar for already holding Zoom sessions for registration every semester, students could also benefit from webinars or in-person workshops on registering for Five College classes. If students were aware of potential barriers and given concrete ways to overcome them, they might be far more likely to take advantage of the consortium.

Greater engagement with the Five College Consortium means a richer education and a more connected community across the Pioneer Valley. The consortium creates opportunities for unique collaboration, and now Amherst’s administration has a chance to fulfill its promise and vision for how it can enhance students’ academic lives. The consortium should not be treated as a distant or inaccessible perk, but as a practical, valuable opportunity that every student can realistically take advantage of.

Unsigned editorials represent the views of the majority of the Editorial Board (assenting: 11; dissenting: 0; abstaining: 0)