AMHERST — What are the odds that among 5,500 undergraduate students who will gleefully flip graduation tassels at the University of Massachusetts’ flagship campus Friday there would be not one, but two sets of triplets?

What are they odds these six college students would come from towns 23 miles apart? That they’d meet one another as freshmen, only to discover they’d been in the same triplets play group as children?

A long shot, by any measure. But true, just the same.

Here’s how it went: Elizabeth Lundin from Middleborough met Carson and Mackenzie McGrath from Stoughton in their first semester on campus, when the three were living on the same floor in Pierpont Hall.

“We were like, ‘Oh, we’re triplets,’ and then Liz was like, ‘Oh, I’m a triplet,’ ’’ Carson said. “It was cool. I don’t really know a lot of triplets.’’

Soon enough, the three women made the connection that Lundin’s brothers, Nicholas and Alexander, and the McGraths’ brother, Will, were also UMass students.

In subsequent conversations with their parents, they discovered their play-group connection.

All six seem mildly mystified about why their story would be noteworthy — “It’s our lives, we don’t find it too interesting,’’ Carson said ­— although they admit new acquaintances are understandably curious when they learn they are triplets.

“You know when you’re in class and your professor says what’s a good fun fact about you? That’s my go-to,’’ Mackenzie said. “It’s a dumb ice breaker.’’

UMass spokesman Ed Blaguszewski said that in his 14 years on campus, he’s not been aware of a single set of triplets to graduate, let alone two sets in one year, which he’s taken to calling a “double triple.’’

After they met in their first year on campus, the Lundins and McGraths did not go on to become fast friends. But in an interview in the Student Union Tuesday, it was clear their shared triplet experience led to a mutual understanding that fostered a certain kind of bond.

For example, the questions asked when someone finds out they are triplets? They spontaneously took turns spouting off the litany: Are you telepathic? Are you identical? Do you all look alike? What’s the weirdest thing about being triplets? Can you feel what they feel? What’s it like to share a birthday? Who was born first?

While they mock-groaned every time one of them recalled such predictable questions, they also understand what’s behind them.

“I know it’s interesting,’’ Carson said. “It’s a unique relationship you have with your siblings.’’

That they wound up at UMass boils down to economics: All six applied to multiple colleges but when push came to shove, UMass offered the best deal.

For the Lundins, Alexander (who happens to be two minutes older than his siblings) informed his family he was heading to UMass.

“Alex decided, and then we decided it was a good idea,’’ said his sister.

Naturally, both sets of parents were thrilled, not just for the savings, but also because ferrying their children to and from college suddenly became much more manageable.

They all said the UMass campus is so big and its student body so diverse that they had no trouble staking out their own territory.

And they all pursued different interests: In the McGrath family, Carson studied journalism and wants to be a magazine writer. This summer she’ll be interning at New England Public Radio. Mackenzie, an English major, wants to work in social media for a sneaker company (“I just love sneakers,’’ she explains). Will studied kinesiology and plans to enter a master’s program in a year. He wants to work with athletes.

As for the Lundins, Nicholas, an economics major, has a job lined up in Internet technology. After graduation, he heads to Virginia for training. Liz, who majored in psychology, wants to become a social worker, eventually earning a master’s degree, but for now she’s going back home to look for an internship. Alex, who majored in history with a classics minor, will return home to begin his job hunt.

The Lundins, who are 21, realized early on that if they didn’t make plans to see one another, they most likely would not, so they implemented a weekly family dinner.

“We weren’t really seeing each other a lot on campus,’’ Nicholas said. “It was good to catch up with each other, and you kind of vent if you need to.’’

The McGraths, 22, didn’t do anything that formal.

“We’re never usually in the same place all together,’’ Carson said. Every so often, they’d run into one another, and that was a happy occasion.

“It’s nice just to run into your sibling in the world,’’ she said

As of Tuesday, the triplets were still absorbed in studying for finals and finishing up their last papers. So in answer to yet another random question from a curious person, they weren’t quite sure if they’d be marching in commencement together because they hadn’t had time to think about it.

But all six agreed that being at UMass as triplets made for a better experience.

“It was nice to come to college with people you know,’’ Nicholas said.

“I feel lucky that we all went to the same school together, because it prolonged us breaking apart,’’ Carson said. “I’m one-third of one thing. That’s unique.’’

Laurie Loisel can be reached at laurieloisel@gmail.com