The alumni office at Hampshire College has continued to ask me for contributions during the past twenty-five years since I was administratively withdrawn from Hampshire due to their overzealous bureaucracy. Each time I have received one of their fundraising letters, I have made a point of contacting them and telling them the entire story of how Hampshire College messed up my life with its petty bureaucratic rules.

No Reply from Hampshire College Administration

Twice, I forwarded copies of my letters to the President of Hampshire College in addition to the alumni office. The best reply I ever got back was one alumni office telemarketer who said to me, “I had no idea.” It wasn’t until 2008 after one particularly long description of what had gone on that the alumni office had the good idea to take me off of their mailing and call lists.

Disregard for the Individual

If Hampshire College had been willing to work with me in 1985 to help me complete my degree by recognizing me as an independent student and allowing me to take adequate loans to complete my degree by 1987, maybe they would have had a contributing alumnus.

Ruining my Credit

If Hampshire College had not then sent me to collection, which ruined my credit and almost ruined my chances of getting a degree at all, I might have eventually contributed something to them.

Not Valuing Study Done at Other Schools

If Hampshire College had valued my work at UMass even one semester, allowing me to return and complete a Hampshire degree instead of a UMass BDIC degree, then maybe I could consider myself an alumnus.

Not Valuing Real Life Experience

And even if Hampshire had valued the skills that I had worked so hard and for so many years to build, and had given me even a part-time position at the Lemilson Program, allowing me to keep my home in Massachusetts, I might have in time forgiven the ten years they cost me.

Hampshire College Building Nothing but Bad Will

In retrospect, the difference in price between the full tuition and the student loans that I could have taken to remain enrolled was only about $4000 per year for each of the three years, assuming that Hampshire could not adjust my financial aid based on my income instead of my parents.

Hampshire is Very Short Sighted.

Now as a forty-seven year old who has started four businesses and paid off two homes, I recognize that $4000 a year would have been such a small amount for Hampshire to carry until I graduated, and it brings me to tears to think that this is what cost me ten years of my life.

No Compassion for Students

If Hampshire had offered even a moment of compassion at any time during this ordeal, I would have eventually moved on and in the course of my lifetime I might have then contributed $40,000 or $400,000 back to Hampshire.

Purpose for a College Education

What I now understand is that the purpose for a college education from Hampshire College’s is for them to get my tuition money.  Then when I get a job the purpose for a college educations is then for me to become an income source for them as an alumni contributor.  It is clear that Hampshire College has no interest in education or any regard for the impact of their actions on the lives of their students.

A Waste of My Time

Even Hampshire must realize that with enough abuse the college education value goes down to the point that no one will contribute to them.   After twenty-five years of living in Amherst Massachusetts, I have sold my home and have moved out of state. I have posted this site to warn potential students about Hampshire College, the failed educational experiment that I had the misfortune of attending.