North Adams, MA: This month I had a chance to attend the annual open house at North Adams State College. I was half an hour late and a little apprehensive as I walked to the campus, but with the help of good directions, I easily found my way to the meeting place for the tour. There were at least ten others who were late also, and after grabbing some cookies and a cup of coffee, I was on my merry way. The girl taking us on the tour was a senior and an English major who knew the campus very well.

I had certain expectations of what the college was like. Although I have lived in North Adams most of my life, I had never seen the entire campus, inside and out. I must say that NASC passed all my expectations. On the whole, I left with the impression that it is a very good school to attend. The tour was thorough and the guide was very friendly. She gladly answered every question asked (I asked most of them).

North Adams State is a smaller sized college with a student body of 2,100. Most of the classes are small, usually about twenty people. The largest class is biology, which has about 40 students. The size of the classes makes it easier to establish relationships with the professors. At this college, you have a face and a name, not just a social security number, and you never have to worry about being lost in a crowd. It is co-educational, with equal shares of males and females, so dating is not a problem. Even though it is small, the college has 14 major programs, with 23 concentrations, and 26 different minors. There are 15 extracurricular activities to choose from (not including sports).

The campus is set in the middle of a residential neighborhood, close to Main Street. Most of the students live in the three dorms: Berkshire Towers, Hoosac Hall, and Flagg Townhouse Apartment Complex. Personally, I would recommend Hoosac Hall, because it is quieter and has more facilities than the others. All of them, though, were good. The professors, some of whom were at the open house, were very outgoing and helpful. I got the chance to talk to the head of the psychology department (my intended major), and found him to be interesting and likable.

Since I live here, I take a lot of things for granted. But for students of the college who don't live in Berkshire County (especially those who come from big cities), the two best things about North Adams are the foliage (thousands come to see it every fall) and the fact that you can walk anywhere around town during the day without putting a combination lock on your pocketbook. And it is the home of moi, published author and future college student, so it has to be a good place to live.

If you're interested in a small college in a place with a lot of scenery and a wide selection of programs and outside activities, consider North Adams State College. Stop by for a visit sometime. I'm sure you won't regret it.




Reviewed in 1991