The Alumni Biographical Files document the lives of Amherst alumni from 1821 to the present. The files contain writings and correspondence of alumni, as well as newspaper articles, photographs and objects relating to their lives and careers. Most alumni files include questionnaires submitted by alumni to the Alumni Office for inclusion in one of the Amherst College Biographical Records. There are also some items that pertain to an entire class, such as copies of class resolutions or class anthologies.

The files are organized chronologically by class year, and wihthin each class in alphabetical order by last name. Files of non-graduates (who are nevertheless considered members of their incoming class) are usually located in a separate alphabetical series at the end of each class group. Information on the entire class is in a folder at the beginning of each class group. Because of this collection's self-indexing arrangement, a box and folder list is omitted in this finding aid; however, there is an appendix that lists unpublished manuscripts in the Alumni Biographical Files and Class Shelves.