University applications support to top UK universities
A comprehensive consultation to support your Oxbridge application
Everything you need to know to gain admission to an Oxbridge university
An exclusive service for those applying to Oxford and Cambridge
Personal statement writing support and resources
Admissions test practice, support and resources
Interview practice, support and resources
Application support for international applicants
Tuition support to aid your application to Oxbridge universities
Postgrad applications support
University applications support to top US & Ivy League universities
Ivy League & US university application consultation
Admissions expert led, one-day Common Application Essay workshop
Everything you need to know to gain admission to an Ivy League university
Admissions test practice, support and resources for the SAT
Free SAT preparation course, designed to cover all aspects of the SAT to maximise your SAT score
Learn the complexities of US higher education. For students aged 14-18 and their educators.
Master the SAT with over 900 practice problems
Master the ACT with over 900 practice problems
Support for students struggling to begin and maintain their study process
Guidance for athletes looking to apply to US universities
Tutoring for those applying to Ivy League universities
Application support for those looking to study medicine
Free medicine e-learning course guiding you through every step of applying to medical school.
UCAT preparation trusted by students and schools
1-1 tuition from expert UCAT tutors and doctors
Medicine interview and MMI preparation
Resources and guidance on writing a personal statement that will stand out
Outstanding summer schools and experiences for students planning to apply for medicine
Doctor-created practice questions, giving you everything you need to conquer the UCAT
Exclusive 7-session cancer research programme
Support and guidance for law applications and careers
LNAT admissions test preparation
Choose from our range of LNAT prep packages, including e-learning, tutoring and practice tests
1-1 tutoring to get you ready for the LNAT
Insights and strategies you need to get into law school
Explore life as a lawyer with our law summer schools
Expert tutors to prepare you for A Level Law
2-hour personal statement crafting masterclass
Everything you need to know to become a barrister or solicitor in the UK
What is the LNAT and how can you prepare?
Expert guidance for your drama school application
Generate the perfect audition piece
A guide to Drama Schools in the UK
Get the latest on the audition process
Learn the secrets of the Drama School audition
Learn about the top Drama schools in the UK
Free SAT preparation course covering all aspects of the SAT
Free personalised university and career pathway report
Tutoring services for all ages and levels
Book a Free Tuition Consultation
Entrance exam prep from highly experienced 11 Plus tutors.
100% success rate tutoring GCSE students
1-1 tutoring for the International Baccalaureate (IB)
Exceptional tuition services for A-Level students
Experienced and qualified online tutors for students around the world
Tutors specialised in teaching children with special educational needs, including dyslexia, dyscalculia, Autism and ADHD
Tutors to help challenge and accelerate the learning of gifted students
Fully managed home schooling programmes, delivered by highly experienced tutors
Tutoring to get your child ready for the 7 Plus
Prepare for senior school entrance with our 11 Plus tutoring
Tutors to prepare your child for 13 Plus Common Entrance exams and ISEB Pre-Tests
Prep for the drawing task for Cambridge Architecture applicants
Close reading and essay-writing tutoring for students applying for English at Cambridge
Tutoring for the Modern and Medieval Languages admissions test at Cambridge
Preparation for the Engineering and Science Admissions Test
Expert preparation for the LNAT for aspiring lawyers
Latin and Ancient Greek tutoring for the Oxford CAT
HAT tutoring for applicants to Oxford for History
Prep for the Mathematics Admissions Test at Oxford
Languages tutors to prepare for you for the MLAT
Physics Admissions Test tutoring to get you test ready
Tutoring for both sections of the Thinking Skills Assessment
Maths tutors to prepare you for the Cambridge Sixth Term Examination Paper
Preparation for the Test of Mathematics for University Admission
Experience a medical career with our range of summer schools
Explore life as a dentist on our incredible summer school
Join us this summer to experience a career in psychology
The perfect summer school for budding vets
Enhance your university applications and get ready for uni life
Discover a world of scientific innovation on our summer schools for ages 12-18
Immersive career experience for budding engineers
Incredible summer school for aspiring architects
Experience a career as a computer scientist
Incredible range of business summer schools for students aged 11-18
Immerse yourself in life as a trader or investment banker
Uncover economic theory and practice on our interdisciplinary summer schools
Unleash your creativity and explore your artistic side
Experience a career as a fashion designer
Discover the worlds of journalism and digital content creation
Write, shoot, and direct your own film on our amazing summer school
Improve your English on our summer schools for ages 8-17
Learn more about the law and experience a career as a lawyer
International politics, diplomacy, policymaking and more on our summer school
Master the art of leadership with our range of summer schools for ages 12-17
Ofsted-registered activity day camps. Childcare for children aged 4-14 during the holidays
Ski camp in the Swiss Alps for ages 13-17
Pick from a range of locations across the UK
Programmes at Ultimate Activity Camps
FAQs for Parents
Get a free report with your own personalised university and career pathway in under 60 seconds
A range of e-learning pathways and courses to empower you and your university application
Your guide to successfully navigating the journey to medical school
Resources used to support hundreds of students through their Oxford application journey
Resources used to support hundreds of students through their Cambridge application journey
Your essential guide to navigating the competitive journey of applying to top universities in the United States
Our comprehensive SAT preparation course
Award winning resources and e-learning courses to supercharge your education and university application
Prepare for the Oxford History Admissions Test
Prepare for the Oxford Classics Admissions Test
Prepare for the LNAT with this free LNAT Practice Test
Prepare for the UCAT with this free UCAT Practice Test
Prepare for the Oxford Thinking Skills Assessment
Get ready for the Test of Mathematics for University Admission
Prepare for the Oxford Physics Admissions Test
Prepare for the Oxford Modern Languages Admissions Test
Free guides on university admission to ensure you ace your application
Free guides to help you navigate the Oxbridge admissions process
Navigate the Ivy League admissions process with our comprehensive free guides
Get a free report on which university and career pathway is right for you
Examine jobs likely to emerge or decline over the next few decades
Explore the crucial role of Grade Point Average (GPA) in academic and professional success
Introducing the new ESAT and what it could mean for you
The UCAS Personal Statement is changing
Browse the full suite of Dukes Plus products
Products and services to support your university application
World class tuition for students at any level
Life changing career experiences
Summer schools and pre-university experiences
Ultimate holiday activity camps
Tuition and exam prep services for schools, from 7 Plus to A Levels
Mock examinations to get your pupils ready for the 7 Plus and 11 Plus
Flexible simulated mock interview sessions that can take place at your school
Tailored interview prep for students in Years 5-8
In-school seminar for parents on the 11 Plus process
Half-term and holiday revision workshops for 11 Plus, GCSE, and A Level
Proven e-learning resources for Oxbridge, US and medicine prep for your students.
Comprehensive training and guidance to help schools support applications to the world’s top universities
Admissions test days, courses and mentoring with evaluations and mock papers
Help your students shine in their interviews and maximise their chances of success
Everything your students need to get started on their path to med school
A programme to empower students and teachers to make successful applications to top universities
Our team serves as in-house university advisors at your school
One-on-one tutoring and SAT/ACT courses for group preparation for Ivy League applications
A multitude of services to help you get your students career-ready
Understand medical school applications and careers in medicine with our Insight Day
Discover the fundamentals for forging a successful career in medicine
Help students kickstart their legal careers with out Aspire Conference
A talk covering all aspects of the application process, ending with a Q&A session
Dukes Plus is a family of specialised consultancy services and educational experience providers.
A family of schools and educators, brought together by a common purpose: to give children the foundations for an extraordinary life, through education.
Dukes Club, an extraordinary community of parents, pupils, staff and alumni.
An annual initiative that celebrates the joy and benefits of learning poetry by heart and reciting it, across generations.
We look for people who put their heart into what they do, and then help them to lead.
Guide
Sun 19 Jan 2025 • 11 min read
Ivy League grads share their secrets on how to get into UMass. Learn about top programs, entry requirements, crafting a standout essay, and securing recommendations. Get tips on applying for scholarships and financial aid to boost your admission chances.
Contents
The University of Massachusetts (UMass) is a world class public university and one of the largest in Massachusetts. It comprises 5 different college campuses, with the majority of students being placed into UMass Amherst. UMass has a reputation as being a really friendly and accepting college, with it topping the leagues for the most LGBTQ+ accepting college as well as placing top 20 for most students of colour enrolled at a public university.
UMass also has plenty to offer, with a variety of undergraduate degrees and being one of the best-funded research institutions in the state. UMass Alumni have become Nobel Laureate, Pulitzer Nobel Laureate, Pulitzer Prize winners, Breakthrough Prize winners, and much more. If UMass sounds like the place for you, keep reading to find out more about how you can boost your chances of being accepted!
So you’ve decided that Imperial is THE university for you, great! Now it’s time to figure out what you want to study. UMass has a range of different courses from Business to Psychology to Politics, and it is renowned for its Nursing and Computing programmes. However, these programs are also the most competitive, with the University having special requirements for students who want to study them.
Here is a list of the most highly selective majors at UMass, and the requirements that you’ll need to get in.
UMass uses GPA and course rigour as one of its main parameters for its admissions process. Among enrolled 2021-22 first-year students, 30% hailed from the top 10% of their high school class, while 69% earned a place in the top 25%. However different subjects have different entry requirements, with some courses even being specific about the grades they require for individual subjects, such as engineering and computer science.
Unlike other Universities in the US, UMass does not require SAT/ACT scores and they are an optional component. For students who did sit the SAT exam, they had a score of around the mid 50%, and an ACT range of between 28-33.
For international students, the University Website does not outline any specific grade requirements, however you can expect them to be aligned with the requirements for its home students. Students should be aiming to place in the top 25% of their year groups in order to be sure that they secure a place.
There is also an English language requirement that all overseas students must meet in order for their applications to be considered. Currently UMass has a wide array of qualifications that International students can use to show their proficiency in English including the TOEFL and IELTS exam scores.
In order to demonstrate competency in English, all undergraduate applicants must either achieve the minimum score in one of the English tests the university accepts, or prove that they are exempt from the English language requirement.
For details on the full list of English qualifications accepted and the rules on English language exemption, please visit the university’s website.
Moving onto one of the most important steps of your UMass application: the college essay. Your college essay is your opportunity to show off your unique personality and interests, use it to convince the admissions officer that you deserve a place on your course because you will make the absolute most of it!
Many students might want to study a subject because they like how it sounds or they think they might make a lot of money doing it in future, but you can make money studying any degree, so why choose this one? In order for your personal statement to be successful, you have to get to the root of why you want to study your course at your chosen university. Is it because you want to make an impact on other people’s lives? Is it because you think you can be a source of innovation? Because you’re passionate about political movements or because you have always been the person your family called to fix broken remotes and laptops? Whatever reason you have for wanting to study your chosen degree, don’t be afraid of sharing the parts of your life that it comes from.
As much as it is important to share your reason for studying your chosen course, starting off your personal statement with “since I was 5 years old I’ve wanted to be a … ” might be the quickest way to bore the admissions officers. Instead of using well rehearsed lines about thoughts you definitely didn’t have at 5 years old, speak about the lessons you found interesting at school, the museum that you went to, the ted talk you watched or the business you shadowed. These are much more likely to keep the admissions officers attention, and show that you have made efforts outside of school to pursue and further your academic interests.
While the admissions officer wants to get to know more about you and your interests, they do not need to know that you have a purple belt in karate or that you’ve had a pet dog since you were 8. Make sure that everything you mention in your personal statement can be linked back to either 1) what makes you interested in the course and 2) what makes you suitable for the course (and karate lessons don’t really go hand in hand with your interest in …).
My final tip is this – Please read over your work – out loud. In the excitement of getting all your thoughts down on paper you may have made a few (or a lot) of grammatical errors, which is why you have to read over your work. If you can’t read it out loud, then an admissions officer probably won’t be able to either, and then you’ve written a thousand words worth of brilliance that the world will never get to appreciate. So make sure that you watch out for things like run-on sentences, that your paragraphs have a clear flow and that your personal statement has a beginning, middle and end.
What a lot of students don’t realise, is that your UCAS application will have to be sent with a letter of endorsement from a referee at your school. For those students who are able to choose who writes their letters, I would suggest setting up a meeting with them early on in the application cycle, so both you and your referee have more than enough time.
When choosing a referee it is important to consider the following factors:
For those students who are not able to choose their referee, do not panic, there are still a couple things you can do to try and make sure you have the best recommendation possible.
If you’re not someone who usually answers questions in class, well you are now! If a teacher notices you are engaging with the subject then they are more likely to write about it in your reference
Asking questions shows you have a genuine interest in the subject and want to deepen your understanding. The questions don’t have to be based solely on the work you do in class, you can ask them about the application of the topic you are covering, or about relevant things you may have heard on the news.
Everybody appreciates being helped out now and again, and so do teachers. Ask them if they need help with anything during lessons or after school – the more likely you are to leave a good impression, the better they will reflect about you and the more positive your letter of recommendation will be.
Lastly you should know how you are going to be funding your studies. There are many different funding opportunities, with most universities offering scholarships,bursaries or grants! Read the website to find out what’s on offer for your circumstances, as the scholarships may vary based on whether you are a home or overseas student, your subject and your socioeconomic circumstances, so make sure to filter through the results to find one that’s best for you!
Also be sure to make a note of deadlines, it’s best to start looking at the scholarship offers after you have finished your application to give yourself the best shot at being chosen.
1. Research, Research, Research. The more you know about your chosen subject, the more dedicated and passionate you come across in your application.
2. Super Curriculars over extracurriculars. The admissions officers want to know that you’ve made an effort outside of your school curriculum to learn more about your future course. So tell them all the lectures you’ve attended, programmes you helped run and mentoring that you’ve done with younger students that’s relevant to your course. Do not tell them about how you like to play guitar or your favourite meet up spots, as interesting as it may be, they do not need to know.
3. Stay Organised! Keep track of upcoming deadlines and make sure you have scheduled in time for preparation in between your revision schedule.
4. Attend Open days. Open days are a great way to see what life at UMass would be like! As well as talk to current students and staff and get a feel for your future course. Why not ask them what they like best about the University/course and use that in your interview.
5. Be yourself. The most important piece of advice I can share is to be yourself! Be genuine about your interests and passions, and really show the University how much they can gain by having you as a student there!
6. Stay off of chat rooms/student groups/social media threads, or anything that will make you think more negatively or question your worth and ability! The fact that you are aiming for a world class education already speaks volumes about yourself, you do not need to be a Nobel laureate or a CEO to be able to get into the university you want to go to, and having those things won’t guarantee you a place either!
The UMass acceptance rate is around 63 %, making it far from intimidating. The acceptance rate also varies by subject, with some subjects, notoriously nursing and computer science, being harder to get into than others.
UMass is a world class university, ranking within the top 200 universities globally
UMass is not a Russell Group or an Ivy league university.
It is not difficult to get into UMass, with an acceptance rate of around 63%, as long as you have the right GPA then the University is likely to accept you.
As affirmative action has been ruled out by the supreme court in the US, it is hard to say for certain.
For more information on how Dukes can assist with your UMass application, book a free consultation.
Share: