Hampshire College of the 21st Century is NOT Hampshire College of the 20th Century
86F here.
I toured Hampshire College in the early 1980s when I was still in High School. What I liked about it was its rustic charm - situated in the hills of S. Amherst abutting the Holyoke Range. There would be epic trails and miles of bike riding on local roads. I also liked the fact that nearby towns Amherst, S. Hadley and Northampton were packed with fun places to shop, good bookstores, good restaurants and of course, good music venues.
My time at Hampshire was exactly so. Fantastic hikes, beautiful trails and back roads. Lots of epic journeys with my friends (we didn't have cars) and an overall excellent experience.
I encouraged my younger sister to apply to Hampshire in 2001 and took her on a tour of the campus at that time. But the school had changed. Strange vibes were seeping in. The Hampshire I knew had a strong biology/science foundation; the New Hampshire seemed to be spending an awful lot of time on sex. The old Hampshire fostered outdoor activity: a kayaking club, a rock climbing club, weight lifting and nutrition focus. The new Hampshire fostered "queer" and "lesbian/gay" studies.
After that tour with my sister, on the drive home, I apologized to her. I told her that the Hampshire I experienced was a great school with a lot to offer a young pre-med student and that this new version was probably not what she was looking for.
We toured BU and Harvard next. She wrote a fantastic essay and got into both. I'm pleased to say that she's a doctor now working out of a clinic in Chelsea.
I feel bad for all the kids who thought Hampshire was one kind of school and who had the rug pulled out from under them.