Williams College

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Alum here, so of course I am a bit biased. I would emphasis the amazing alumni network that seems to have connections in practically every sector. I did have a hard time adjusting to the remoteness, but I wouldn't say it is hard to get to. I grew up in dc so it was either an 8 hr drive or a direct flt from dca to albany & then a 45 miute drive (taxi ride) which is doable. The campus is spectacular, and the student body is diverse. There seem to be clubs or groups catering to every interest. Yes, there is a finance & business focussed contingent, but there are equal numbers of students interested in much more liberal careers. It is a very welcoming environment as far as sexual orientation. I graduated from what people on here consider one of the top private high schools in dc and I still found Williams to be very challenging as far as really requiring you to step up in class & defend your view. Even standard first year classes are often taught at boardroom style tables & heated debates ensue.. You definitely can't get by on memorization. As far as alcohol, I don't think it is any more of an issue than at other schools. I loved that there were no sororities or fraternities or eating clubs. Several of the club sports (rugby & water polo) do seem to have more of an alcohol culture, but I don't think that is unique to Williams. Sports are big, in a way by default bc as a small school to field so many teams, a high percentage of students are one or 2 sport athletes, but those that don't play definitely don't feel left out. Overall, I couldn't have asked for a better 4 yrs.

I think this is a huge plus - the lack of fraternities, sororities, or eating clubs. I attended a SLAC in New England and the fraternity culture not only emphasized alcohol (which doesn't need emphasis at any school), but served as a divisive force, socially speaking. Eliminating the divisiveness of clubs is huge in the context of a small school IMO.

This would appear to be very true. Whil Dartmouth is obviously not a small LACs, for those not aware it has had major issues with frats etc. involving alcohol. The frat scene is really on its way out the door.....in most schools anyway

Actually it's not true that frats and sororities are on the way out. Apparently they are rebounding right now and schools that haven't had them before are adding them. There was a recent article on this - maybe in the NYT. The majority of my DCs friends from HS have joined sororities in college.

As for Dartmouth - the issue isn't so much the alcohol as it is the hazing (obviously these two are related, but at schools like D. there are going to be alcohol problems even without greek life.). While I think the recent rolling stone article needs to be read with a grain of salt, I do think the hazing culture is a problem there.

[Anonymous]

What's the dig against eating clubs?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What's the dig against eating clubs?

They promote self-segregation and, in some cases, refuse to admit students who aren't considered socially acceptable. So, for example, at Princeton, clubs like Ivy and Cap and Gown decide that some sophomores aren't good enough to eat in their clubs, while other clubs have an open "sign-in" process and accept members until they are full.

It's a tradition, and schools like Princeton do love their traditions, but their continued presence discourages some kids from applying or attending the university, and I can readily see why someone at a smaller school like Williams, in particular, would view their absence as a good thing.

[Anonymous]

Actually find interesting re PP concerning the "non" demise of Frats. The Dartmouth scenario has been heavily notarized. Word now is that the young man subject of the hazing has been awarded book rights (great another "kiss and tell" book!). Based on all accounts, it was and has been a combination of alcohol and carousing ...."so to peak". Aside from all of that, the real issue is whether/if the frats really provide anything? Other posts about Williams College have made it clear that their network of contacts is alive and well. Yet, this school has not frats etc. Therefore, it begs the question on just how valuable are such organizations in today's colleges? WIlliams seems to do quite well without them...(and there are others e.g., Trinity College, other Ivies).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Alum here, so of course I am a bit biased. I would emphasis the amazing alumni network that seems to have connections in practically every sector. I did have a hard time adjusting to the remoteness, but I wouldn't say it is hard to get to. I grew up in dc so it was either an 8 hr drive or a direct flt from dca to albany & then a 45 miute drive (taxi ride) which is doable. The campus is spectacular, and the student body is diverse. There seem to be clubs or groups catering to every interest. Yes, there is a finance & business focussed contingent, but there are equal numbers of students interested in much more liberal careers. It is a very welcoming environment as far as sexual orientation. I graduated from what people on here consider one of the top private high schools in dc and I still found Williams to be very challenging as far as really requiring you to step up in class & defend your view. Even standard first year classes are often taught at boardroom style tables & heated debates ensue.. You definitely can't get by on memorization. As far as alcohol, I don't think it is any more of an issue than at other schools. I loved that there were no sororities or fraternities or eating clubs. Several of the club sports (rugby & water polo) do seem to have more of an alcohol culture, but I don't think that is unique to Williams. Sports are big, in a way by default bc as a small school to field so many teams, a high percentage of students are one or 2 sport athletes, but those that don't play definitely don't feel left out. Overall, I couldn't have asked for a better 4 yrs.

I think this is a huge plus - the lack of fraternities, sororities, or eating clubs. I attended a SLAC in New England and the fraternity culture not only emphasized alcohol (which doesn't need emphasis at any school), but served as a divisive force, socially speaking. Eliminating the divisiveness of clubs is huge in the context of a small school IMO.

This would appear to be very true. Whil Dartmouth is obviously not a small LACs, for those not aware it has had major issues with frats etc. involving alcohol. The frat scene is really on its way out the door.....in most schools anyway

Actually it's not true that frats and sororities are on the way out. Apparently they are rebounding right now and schools that haven't had them before are adding them. There was a recent article on this - maybe in the NYT. The majority of my DCs friends from HS have joined sororities in college.

As for Dartmouth - the issue isn't so much the alcohol as it is the hazing (obviously these two are related, but at schools like D. there are going to be alcohol problems even without greek life.). While I think the recent rolling stone article needs to be read with a grain of salt, I do think the hazing culture is a problem there.

Fraternities are thriving at many universities, when they offer housing. It's because capital development funding is down. That's the only reason.

[Anonymous]

Proximity to the amazing collection of the Clark Art Institute is a plus.

[Anonymous]

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/22/education/edlife/prepping-students-for-sorority-rush.html?_r=1&ref=fraternitiesandsororities

Here's the article I was recalling - which is actually about sororities but talks about the rise of sororities at a number of schools (schools like NYU and GW, not U of Alabama)

[Anonymous]

We visted the school last spring. It was indeed quite beautiful. From a scholastic standpoint it truly is impressive. DD, however, has reservations about the "remoteness". We don't live in the "big" city but do live the burbs with easy access to many different things (necessities). It appeared to us that it would take some getting used to but not necessarily something you can't get over. Given the number of years that its been existence, one would think that all of those students who have mtriculated managed to get along just fine...remoteness and winters notwithstanding!

[Anonymous]

It has a retention rate of @95%, so yes.

[Anonymous]

We too are giving this college a good luok. But, we have heard that it is tremendously overpriced and that students can obtain just as goo, if not better, education at the less expensive schools. This post is NOT intended to be a knock against Williams. Rather, curious to know if others feel similarly that its just not wrth the mone?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We too are giving this college a good luok. But, we have heard that it is tremendously overpriced and that students can obtain just as goo, if not better, education at the less expensive schools. This post is NOT intended to be a knock against Williams. Rather, curious to know if others feel similarly that its just not wrth the mone?

We've been talking about schools for a few years as our children advance in age and we would disagree with your premise about the "quality of education" aspect and I suspect that's not what you actually meant. I would guess that any of the schools at the level of Williams impart the same level of education. In fact, if that were the polestar then our kids should pick schools nearly only by price. At the level of Williams and similar, you are buying the feel of how your kid will like it and hopefully that will impart happiness and success in terms of good prep for law/med school or a grounding in business (or whatever their career aspirations). You are also buying a brand no different than Ralph Lauren clothing, which includes the social grouping, peers and alumni network.

What I'd like to know is how it compares to bowdoin as an earlier poster asked and also Kenyon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Actually find interesting re PP concerning the "non" demise of Frats. The Dartmouth scenario has been heavily notarized. Word now is that the young man subject of the hazing has been awarded book rights (great another "kiss and tell" book!). Based on all accounts, it was and has been a combination of alcohol and carousing ...."so to peak". Aside from all of that, the real issue is whether/if the frats really provide anything? Other posts about Williams College have made it clear that their network of contacts is alive and well. Yet, this school has not frats etc. Therefore, it begs the question on just how valuable are such organizations in today's colleges? WIlliams seems to do quite well without them...(and there are others e.g., Trinity College, other Ivies).

Frats are alive and well at Trinity College. Unfortunately.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We too are giving this college a good luok. But, we have heard that it is tremendously overpriced and that students can obtain just as goo, if not better, education at the less expensive schools. This post is NOT intended to be a knock against Williams. Rather, curious to know if others feel similarly that its just not wrth the mone?

Is Williams any different price wise than it's SLAC peers? They all seem like they are in the same range. The alternative is state schools and the options will vary depending on your state of course. And they are a bit of apples and oranges - UMD is a very different experience than Williams. Of course you can get a good education at both.

For me, the SLACs are worth it. But you may decide it is not worth the investment.