Is there a huge difference in prestige between Williams and Bowdoin?

[Anonymous]

Bowdoin's current president came from Williams- she's impressive. A plus for Bowdoin is Amtrak access to Boston and Portland and its less isolated than Williamstown.

[Anonymous]

Prestige advantage Williams but Bowdoin more accessible. Williams better D111 sports and has the Amherst football rivalry. But there are other great LAC ‘s out there like Davidson and Holy Cross closer to attractive cities. Before people discount HC, look at their alumni success. As example the longest serving member of the Harvard Cooperation is Holy Cross grad and fellow HC classmate of Clarence Thomas. Williams does great with Wall Street placement and Bowdoin has Netflix founder but a school like Holy Cross outshines them both especially in corporate board rooms.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:the pc answer here is none

however, the truth is there is a huge difference, that will follow ur kid his whole life

Williams is at least two notches above Bowdoin - and people who will be important in your kids life will know that - whether it’s hiring managers, grad school admissions, coop board approval team, blah blah - the difference is tangible and will impact his life

The co-op board? This is DCUM. No one in the DMV lives in a co-op. Except my 80-something MIL.

No one cares where you went to college.

Lots of NYers here.
Get out of your bubble.

[Anonymous]

For some students, I would pick Williams. For others, Bowdoin.

It’s pathetic to put “prestige” above fit.

[Anonymous]

Prior President of Bowdoin was a Wall Street guy and elevated the schools profile. Btw agree about Holy Cross think its name scares some non Catholics but they are a top 5 LAC for grad outcomes. Williams is extremely remote.

[Anonymous]

People who respect one will respect the other too. That is among the few who have heard of either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Prestige advantage Williams but Bowdoin more accessible. Williams better D111 sports and has the Amherst football rivalry. But there are other great LAC ‘s out there like Davidson and Holy Cross closer to attractive cities. Before people discount HC, look at their alumni success. As example the longest serving member of the Harvard Cooperation is Holy Cross grad and fellow HC classmate of Clarence Thomas. Williams does great with Wall Street placement and Bowdoin has Netflix founder but a school like Holy Cross outshines them both especially in corporate board rooms.

It was about time that the Holy Cross troll made an appearance. You wouldn’t happen to know the Bucknell troll do you? Between the two of you boardrooms and the street are well covered.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Prestige advantage Williams but Bowdoin more accessible. Williams better D111 sports and has the Amherst football rivalry. But there are other great LAC ‘s out there like Davidson and Holy Cross closer to attractive cities. Before people discount HC, look at their alumni success. As example the longest serving member of the Harvard Cooperation is Holy Cross grad and fellow HC classmate of Clarence Thomas. Williams does great with Wall Street placement and Bowdoin has Netflix founder but a school like Holy Cross outshines them both especially in corporate board rooms.

It was about time that the Holy Cross troll made an appearance. You wouldn’t happen to know the Bucknell troll do you? Between the two of you boardrooms and the street are well covered.

Seriously. Holy Cross isn’t part of this discussion. You’re not doing HC any service by continuously injecting its name into conversations about elite LACs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:the pc answer here is none

however, the truth is there is a huge difference, that will follow ur kid his whole life

Williams is at least two notches above Bowdoin - and people who will be important in your kids life will know that - whether it’s hiring managers, grad school admissions, coop board approval team, blah blah - the difference is tangible and will impact his life

The co-op board? This is DCUM. No one in the DMV lives in a co-op. Except my 80-something MIL.

No one cares where you went to college.

Lots of NYers here.
Get out of your bubble.

Oh the irony of you telling people who are on DCUM to get out of their bubble and start looking at things from the perspective of the 1% in Manhattan..

[Anonymous]

As a west coaster, there’s literally no difference for anyone who isn’t in the northeast.

[Anonymous]

I’m not very familiar with LACs I just know that Williams is generally considered the most prestigious of all of them. someone a couple years ahead of DD turned down an HYPSM for Williams. And I was like, what is Williams? I don’t know anything about Bowdoin but associate it a prep school vibe. So that is a hot take from someone who knows nothing.

[Anonymous]

To me, knowing the differences between Bowdoin and Williams (the differences are pretty tiny) is a sign of cultural literacy. It is a sign of mixing in elite circles.

There is nothing wrong with not knowing this. Most people don't. But if you are someone who manages to make the leap from a random state school to an elite law school but then go interview at elite law firms and don't know what these liberal arts colleges are that many partners attended, it will hurt you.

I know I sound like a snob.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m not very familiar with LACs I just know that Williams is generally considered the most prestigious of all of them. someone a couple years ahead of DD turned down an HYPSM for Williams. And I was like, what is Williams? I don’t know anything about Bowdoin but associate it a prep school vibe. So that is a hot take from someone who knows nothing.

I'd say it really isn't the most prestigious, it just has USNews backing it as the top lac for about a decade now. Same way I wouldn't classify Harvard as less prestigious than Princeton.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To me, knowing the differences between Bowdoin and Williams (the differences are pretty tiny) is a sign of cultural literacy. It is a sign of mixing in elite circles.

There is nothing wrong with not knowing this. Most people don't. But if you are someone who manages to make the leap from a random state school to an elite law school but then go interview at elite law firms and don't know what these liberal arts colleges are that many partners attended, it will hurt you.

I know I sound like a snob.

Completely agree. And the flip side is if one of these NESCAC snobs walked into an auto body shop and didn't know the difference between several types of engines, the people in the auto body shop would judge them. Different people prioritize different types of knowledge. And there is nothing wrong with that. One type of expertise does not make you a better person than another. Which is the problem with America today - too many people think they are better than others. I'm a Democrat and my party tends to be very guilty of this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To me, knowing the differences between Bowdoin and Williams (the differences are pretty tiny) is a sign of cultural literacy. It is a sign of mixing in elite circles.

There is nothing wrong with not knowing this. Most people don't. But if you are someone who manages to make the leap from a random state school to an elite law school but then go interview at elite law firms and don't know what these liberal arts colleges are that many partners attended, it will hurt you.

I know I sound like a snob.

Completely agree. And the flip side is if one of these NESCAC snobs walked into an auto body shop and didn't know the difference between several types of engines, the people in the auto body shop would judge them. Different people prioritize different types of knowledge. And there is nothing wrong with that. One type of expertise does not make you a better person than another. Which is the problem with America today - too many people think they are better than others. I'm a Democrat and my party tends to be very guilty of this.

Very accurate. The feeling of superiority is the main reason that our country is so divided today. No communication due to lack of respect for differing opinions, different experiences,and different knowledge.

With respect to the body shop analogy, I think that you are wrong; the body shop folks wouldn't judge, but they would overcharge those lacking knowledge.