Williams College

[Anonymous]

We are thinking about Williams College. Can anyone shed light on their experiences with the school? Good, bad and ugly (within reason!)

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Educationally really tops, small classes, completely undergraduate focused of course, in the top 3-4 of SLACs along with Amherst, Pomona and Swarthmore. So other student will be super motivated and smart.

Very focused on sports, so a huge percentage of students are varsity athletes, field teams in just about every sport, so for a small school that is huge percentage of kids. Depends on the individual student whether they find this good bad or indifferent. Less arts and involvement with social justice and community service than some peer SLACs (Swarthmore, Wesleyan, Bowdoin perhaps). Compared to other SLACs has the reputation for being somewhat preppier and more conservative politically (at least than other northeast schools) however there is clearly a wide political spectrum on campus and thus probably more diverse and balanced in that respect then some other SLACs that tilt pretty monolithically liberal.

Gorgeous environment/campus, but very very isolated, truly miles and miles from any urban area or even mid-sized city, difficult to get to and from. Social life 100% campus as a result and alcohol seems to fuel everything, and there are few other choices since no town or city activities or at least very few.

The last was in the end a down side for my DD who in the end chose to go to Pomona because it was less isolated, had a larger campus community with the other 4 colleges, and seemed to have more of an arts and political scene, even though she was a serious athlete.

[Anonymous]

That seems like an accurate assessment. Williamstown is charming but the downtown is 2 blocks long. Western MA is beautiful but it wll be cold a good chunk of the school year (which wouldn't bother me - I went to school in colder states). Agree on the political bent - more kids from Williams go on to business school than the other crunchier liberal arts schools. There was a large Williams contingent in my b-school class. We will look at it again for DC2 (DC1 liked it but didn't apply).

[Anonymous]

Some family and friends went. It is absolutely top-of-the-heap academically. The name alone is a huge door-opener. Tight alum network. One down-side, perhaps for some people, is the remoteness -- it is really, really far away from everything.

[Anonymous]

The isolation and "alcohol" seem to be "issues".

[Anonymous]

Alcohol is an issue at most colleges particularly the SLACs. It is not a problem exclusive to Williams.

[Anonymous]

I know 3 Williams alums - all are extemely smart, high achievers, very successful. One of them I consider to be pretty elitist/arrogant. The other two are simply extremely bright. I think it does attract people who are competitive, very smart, going places, etc.

[Anonymous]

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.

[Anonymous]

I ultimately chose another similar nescac school over williams, but the only thing i would add is that it is very isolated...that is what i wanted, but it is a shock and not for everyone. Also about as diverse as a lacrosse tournament in bethesda. But that is not unique to williams.

Among prospective employers, the top small lib arts schools are jus as highly thought of as ivys.

[Anonymous]

I was admitted to Williams many years ago and turned it down to attend Princeton, but it was a really tough decision. When I'd first started looking at schools, I fell in love with Williams, based primarily on what I'd read in various college guides. This was all a bit of a mystery to my middle-class, Southern parents, but they let me run with it and visit the school on my own.

To me, Williams was the perfect small LAC in a beautiful town, but it was also a long way away from the DC area, where I'd grown up, whereas it was easy to get to Princeton from DC by either train or car. The admissions director at the time, a gentleman by the name of Phil Smith, was incredibly nice. I was, of course, predisposed to like him, since he'd admitted me to his school, but what I'll never forget was that, after I'd sent him a letter explaining in far more detail than was necessary why I'd decided to go elsewhere, he quickly responded with a note wishing me good luck and saying it was Williams's loss. All of which made me wonder even more whether I'd made the right decision, since the vibe from Princeton was much more along the lines of "we'll let you know if you're good enough to come here" and "OK, we've admitted you, so surely you'll come." I ended up having a great time at Princeton, and had some excellent professors, but the relationship that students there tended to have with administrators was much more arm's-length.

While this is more biography than advice, the relevance is that everyone that I've ever met from Williams since then, in either a personal or professional capacity, has been like Phil Smith in his or her own way - always very bright, but also extremely polite, with a touch of old-school class. It really does seem to be a school that not only attracts, but also cultivates, people with both brains and manners. I'm inclined to think the fact that it's a smaller school in a remote area, where people know they are going to be spending a lot of time with each other, has something to do with that.

[Anonymous]

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.

[Anonymous]

Those of you who know both Williams and Bowdoin.... any differences? Comments?

[Anonymous]

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

[Anonymous]

Dartmouth alum here. The frat scene at Dartmouth is not on its way out at all. It is as "vibrant" and integrated into the social life of the campus as it has always been. Fraternity row is a main street on campus. The campus is more diverse and intellectual than it was years ago, but the dominant social scene is very much fraternity/sorority (whether or not you join).

It's not all bad. But it is the reality.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
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

Sounds to me like there's plenty of alcohol at Williams, but that perhaps you don't need to be a freshman girl or know the secret password to obtain access to it.