Freshmen: The Charles Pratt building originated in 1885 as the Pratt Gymnasium. It was the first college building endowed by an alumnus, Charles Pratt of the Class of 1879. In 1951, the building was converted into the Pratt Museum, and for several decades, it housed the college’s natural history collection. Recently, the Charles Pratt building underwent another large-scale renovation and, in the fall of 2007, it reopened as the newest and largest first-year dormitory on campus. The Charles Pratt also houses the Writing Center.

Sophomores, Juniors, Seniors: Hamilton House is a sophomore, junior, and senior residence located on Route 9. It was built in 1918 as the Phi Chi Phi fraternity house, but was renamed in 1984 for James S. Hamilton 1906, critic, editor, screenwriter, and author of many Amherst songs, including "Lord Jeffery Amherst."