Williams, Amherst, Pomona: how are the different or the same in terms of rigor, styles of student who excel/best fit...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In terms of academic emphasis, Pomona is much heavier STEM than both Williams and Amherst. Its best departments are Physics, Mathematics, Chemistry, Biology, and Neuroscience. Of the computing research association outstanding undergraduate research award, Pomona was the only liberal arts college represented for the 8 scholars chosen. There’s currently a math professor who is the next President of the Mathematical Association of America. This is not to say Williams or Amherst aren’t also exemplary at stem (they are!) but at Pomona, you’re gonna see a lot more Alice Schafer Prize scholars walking around (there’s been 3 in the past 5 years) compared to Beinecke Scholars.

I believe Williams has the most Leroy Apker award winners, so I'm not sure where you got the notion that Pomona was stronger in qphysics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't know much about Pomona but I think both Williams and Amherst are wonderful for students looking at a small liberal arts college. I believe Amherst had a record number of applicants for class of 2029 with over 16,000 apps, don't recall for Williams. I doubt a student can go wrong at either school for humanities or STEM.

Williams is much better than Amherst for stem.

Perhaps years ago that may have been true, no longer in 2026. Williams may have a slight edge in theoretical math/physics but Amherst's consortium and the open curriculum may be better for CS and other interdisciplinary STEM. Both send about same percentage of students to PhD programs. Neither school is "much" better than the other.

Williams students are getting more awards and more recognition in Math, Physics, Chemistry, and Geosciences. Amherst is better for psych and bio. Especially math, there is no argument that Williams is much better than Amherst

I don't think so - similar for major awards normalized for size. The interdisciplinary sciences may be better at Amherst esp the research environment offered by UMass and the other LACs.

Amherst students hardly use Umass in the way you think they do. They aren’t joining Umass labs, nor are they taking more than maybe 1 or 2 classes there.

Why aren't they joining UMass laba?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have a kid at Amherst and he has never considered going to Umass for classes or for research. One poster is entirely speaking from an incorrect view. Our kid has taken a few smith classes, but they’re in the minority.

Why not? Is he aiming for PhD programs and if so, why not take grad classes?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In terms of academic emphasis, Pomona is much heavier STEM than both Williams and Amherst. Its best departments are Physics, Mathematics, Chemistry, Biology, and Neuroscience. Of the computing research association outstanding undergraduate research award, Pomona was the only liberal arts college represented for the 8 scholars chosen. There’s currently a math professor who is the next President of the Mathematical Association of America. This is not to say Williams or Amherst aren’t also exemplary at stem (they are!) but at Pomona, you’re gonna see a lot more Alice Schafer Prize scholars walking around (there’s been 3 in the past 5 years) compared to Beinecke Scholars.

I believe Williams has the most Leroy Apker award winners, so I'm not sure where you got the notion that Pomona was stronger in qphysics.

Well that wasn’t said at all, so maybe that’s where I didn’t get it!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't know much about Pomona but I think both Williams and Amherst are wonderful for students looking at a small liberal arts college. I believe Amherst had a record number of applicants for class of 2029 with over 16,000 apps, don't recall for Williams. I doubt a student can go wrong at either school for humanities or STEM.

Williams is much better than Amherst for stem.

Perhaps years ago that may have been true, no longer in 2026. Williams may have a slight edge in theoretical math/physics but Amherst's consortium and the open curriculum may be better for CS and other interdisciplinary STEM. Both send about same percentage of students to PhD programs. Neither school is "much" better than the other.

Williams students are getting more awards and more recognition in Math, Physics, Chemistry, and Geosciences. Amherst is better for psych and bio. Especially math, there is no argument that Williams is much better than Amherst

I don't think so - similar for major awards normalized for size. The interdisciplinary sciences may be better at Amherst esp the research environment offered by UMass and the other LACs.

Amherst students hardly use Umass in the way you think they do. They aren’t joining Umass labs, nor are they taking more than maybe 1 or 2 classes there.

Why aren't they joining UMass laba?

I think some do, especially if they get a summer internship. However, STEM kids in lab courses are already at a disadvantage in terms of scheduling 6 credit courses: lectures plus discussions plus labs. DC is taking two this semester, and an overload, feels he has zero time to add in extra transit time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's quite nice to live in a real college town with bars, restaurants open until 2:00 AM, boba shops, etc, as opposed to Williamstown.

I mean, there are a couple bars. And Whitmans is open til 1am. But I think most socializing is in the houses

My MIL lives in Amherst. What bars are open til 2am? The one on the corner by the stop and shop but that's a UMass bar and you'd have to drive over there.

I specified "restaurants open until 2:00 AM." Antonio's, Royal Chicken and Kebab, Taqueria del Pueblo, and DP Dough are walkable from AC campus and open that late, and McDonald's and Domino's also deliver that late.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's quite nice to live in a real college town with bars, restaurants open until 2:00 AM, boba shops, etc, as opposed to Williamstown.

Williams is not the place for someone who wants the above or for someone who wants instant name recognition. Williams students are more likely to “self select” for that reason.

Wow. Williams students are so special that they hate themselves

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's quite nice to live in a real college town with bars, restaurants open until 2:00 AM, boba shops, etc, as opposed to Williamstown.

I mean, there are a couple bars. And Whitmans is open til 1am. But I think most socializing is in the houses

My MIL lives in Amherst. What bars are open til 2am? The one on the corner by the stop and shop but that's a UMass bar and you'd have to drive over there.

I specified "restaurants open until 2:00 AM." Antonio's, Royal Chicken and Kebab, Taqueria del Pueblo, and DP Dough are walkable from AC campus and open that late, and McDonald's and Domino's also deliver that late.

only because you're being a pill

I wouldn't consider dominos, dp dough, or Antonio's restaurants. None have seating except for the counter at Antonio's . Royal Chicken has one table I think. They used to be a food truck. It's all fine for delivery, but you were saying these other campuses dont have this and they literally all do. They have DP Dough and domino's specifically, those are chains. Next you'll be telling us about Insomnia cookies. Taqueria del Pueblo isn't open til 2am. They close at like 8pm, 11pm maybe on weekends.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's quite nice to live in a real college town with bars, restaurants open until 2:00 AM, boba shops, etc, as opposed to Williamstown.

I mean, there are a couple bars. And Whitmans is open til 1am. But I think most socializing is in the houses

My MIL lives in Amherst. What bars are open til 2am? The one on the corner by the stop and shop but that's a UMass bar and you'd have to drive over there.

I specified "restaurants open until 2:00 AM." Antonio's, Royal Chicken and Kebab, Taqueria del Pueblo, and DP Dough are walkable from AC campus and open that late, and McDonald's and Domino's also deliver that late.

only because you're being a pill

I wouldn't consider dominos, dp dough, or Antonio's restaurants. None have seating except for the counter at Antonio's . Royal Chicken has one table I think. They used to be a food truck. It's all fine for delivery, but you were saying these other campuses dont have this and they literally all do. They have DP Dough and domino's specifically, those are chains. Next you'll be telling us about Insomnia cookies. Taqueria del Pueblo isn't open til 2am. They close at like 8pm, 11pm maybe on weekends.

Pay no attention, someone is cruising Google and posting like they know something.

[Anonymous]

NP I used to live in Northampton and have spent time in the other areas. The area around Amherst (College) has more than Williamstown (although not a lot more) and less than Claremont.

As for McDonalds, Dominos, and DP Dough (which is new since I lived there, but those are all over). Those are not selling points.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In terms of academic emphasis, Pomona is much heavier STEM than both Williams and Amherst. Its best departments are Physics, Mathematics, Chemistry, Biology, and Neuroscience. Of the computing research association outstanding undergraduate research award, Pomona was the only liberal arts college represented for the 8 scholars chosen. There’s currently a math professor who is the next President of the Mathematical Association of America. This is not to say Williams or Amherst aren’t also exemplary at stem (they are!) but at Pomona, you’re gonna see a lot more Alice Schafer Prize scholars walking around (there’s been 3 in the past 5 years) compared to Beinecke Scholars.

I believe Williams has the most Leroy Apker award winners, so I'm not sure where you got the notion that Pomona was stronger in qphysics.

Well that wasn’t said at all, so maybe that’s where I didn’t get it!

You said Pomona was heavier in STEM (which includes physics) that Williams and Amherst, and that physics is one of Pomona's departments. Together these imply that Pomona is stronger in physics than Williams and Amherst.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In terms of academic emphasis, Pomona is much heavier STEM than both Williams and Amherst. Its best departments are Physics, Mathematics, Chemistry, Biology, and Neuroscience. Of the computing research association outstanding undergraduate research award, Pomona was the only liberal arts college represented for the 8 scholars chosen. There’s currently a math professor who is the next President of the Mathematical Association of America. This is not to say Williams or Amherst aren’t also exemplary at stem (they are!) but at Pomona, you’re gonna see a lot more Alice Schafer Prize scholars walking around (there’s been 3 in the past 5 years) compared to Beinecke Scholars.

I believe Williams has the most Leroy Apker award winners, so I'm not sure where you got the notion that Pomona was stronger in qphysics.

Well that wasn’t said at all, so maybe that’s where I didn’t get it!

You said Pomona was heavier in STEM (which includes physics) that Williams and Amherst, and that physics is one of Pomona's departments. Together these imply that Pomona is stronger in physics than Williams and Amherst.

Not at all. By heavier, I mean more majors and student culture. No one said it’s better at Williams, ever.

[Anonymous]

Williams Pomona and Amherst are all about the same for physics. No mind blowing research is coming out of any of those departments, which is fine, because that is not why they are created.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In terms of academic emphasis, Pomona is much heavier STEM than both Williams and Amherst. Its best departments are Physics, Mathematics, Chemistry, Biology, and Neuroscience. Of the computing research association outstanding undergraduate research award, Pomona was the only liberal arts college represented for the 8 scholars chosen. There’s currently a math professor who is the next President of the Mathematical Association of America. This is not to say Williams or Amherst aren’t also exemplary at stem (they are!) but at Pomona, you’re gonna see a lot more Alice Schafer Prize scholars walking around (there’s been 3 in the past 5 years) compared to Beinecke Scholars.

I believe Williams has the most Leroy Apker award winners, so I'm not sure where you got the notion that Pomona was stronger in qphysics.

Well that wasn’t said at all, so maybe that’s where I didn’t get it!

You said Pomona was heavier in STEM (which includes physics) that Williams and Amherst, and that physics is one of Pomona's departments. Together these imply that Pomona is stronger in physics than Williams and Amherst.

What?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's quite nice to live in a real college town with bars, restaurants open until 2:00 AM, boba shops, etc, as opposed to Williamstown.

I mean, there are a couple bars. And Whitmans is open til 1am. But I think most socializing is in the houses

My MIL lives in Amherst. What bars are open til 2am? The one on the corner by the stop and shop but that's a UMass bar and you'd have to drive over there.

I specified "restaurants open until 2:00 AM." Antonio's, Royal Chicken and Kebab, Taqueria del Pueblo, and DP Dough are walkable from AC campus and open that late, and McDonald's and Domino's also deliver that late.

only because you're being a pill

I wouldn't consider dominos, dp dough, or Antonio's restaurants. None have seating except for the counter at Antonio's . Royal Chicken has one table I think. They used to be a food truck. It's all fine for delivery, but you were saying these other campuses dont have this and they literally all do. They have DP Dough and domino's specifically, those are chains. Next you'll be telling us about Insomnia cookies. Taqueria del Pueblo isn't open til 2am. They close at like 8pm, 11pm maybe on weekends.

My bad, looks like Taqueria del Pueblo changed their hours. They used to be open until 2 AM on weekends.

I was comparing Amherst to Williamstown. Amherst has more late night options than Williamstown does. I'm pretty sure that's an objective fact.