Williams vs. Wellesley

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Middlebury College has a significantly larger student population than Williams College. More students/faculty/administrators, etc. can make a school feel less isolated.

Middlebury may be a little larger, but isolated actually means "not near to other places" - both in the dictionary, and in the context of PP's inquiry. Middlebury is indisputably more geographically isolated than Williams.

Also, the gap in size isn't that significant. It's about 500-600 students (in total, not per year). And Williams, despite having fewer students, in fact has a larger academic staff than Middlebury, per the Common Data Set.

If you don't have a car, Midd is better option just based on the town.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Middlebury College has a significantly larger student population than Williams College. More students/faculty/administrators, etc. can make a school feel less isolated.

Middlebury may be a little larger, but isolated actually means "not near to other places" - both in the dictionary, and in the context of PP's inquiry. Middlebury is indisputably more geographically isolated than Williams.

Also, the gap in size isn't that significant. It's about 500-600 students (in total, not per year). And Williams, despite having fewer students, in fact has a larger academic staff than Middlebury, per the Common Data Set.

Middlebury College has over 2,600 undergrads while Williams College has about 2,000. Middlebury's student body is 30% greater than Williams College.

I understand the term isolated, but in this context I think that the size of the undergraduate student bodies has an effect on the feeling of "isolation".

Maybe a more appropriate definition of "isolation" at either school is being a non-athlete.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Middlebury College has a significantly larger student population than Williams College. More students/faculty/administrators, etc. can make a school feel less isolated.

Middlebury may be a little larger, but isolated actually means "not near to other places" - both in the dictionary, and in the context of PP's inquiry. Middlebury is indisputably more geographically isolated than Williams.

Also, the gap in size isn't that significant. It's about 500-600 students (in total, not per year). And Williams, despite having fewer students, in fact has a larger academic staff than Middlebury, per the Common Data Set.

Middlebury College has over 2,600 undergrads while Williams College has about 2,000. Middlebury's student body is 30% greater than Williams College.

I understand the term isolated, but in this context I think that the size of the undergraduate student bodies has an effect on the feeling of "isolation".

Maybe a more appropriate definition of "isolation" at either school is being a non-athlete.

I am the poster who asked for clarification as to Williams “isolation” (mentioned several times on this thread) vs the feel at Middlebury. But yikes now new line of inquiry - pp, are you saying that non-athletes feel isolated at both colleges? That was not at all the image DC and I have of either college (nor Wellesley)- can you please expand? Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Middlebury College has a significantly larger student population than Williams College. More students/faculty/administrators, etc. can make a school feel less isolated.

Middlebury may be a little larger, but isolated actually means "not near to other places" - both in the dictionary, and in the context of PP's inquiry. Middlebury is indisputably more geographically isolated than Williams.

Also, the gap in size isn't that significant. It's about 500-600 students (in total, not per year). And Williams, despite having fewer students, in fact has a larger academic staff than Middlebury, per the Common Data Set.

Middlebury College has over 2,600 undergrads while Williams College has about 2,000. Middlebury's student body is 30% greater than Williams College.

I understand the term isolated, but in this context I think that the size of the undergraduate student bodies has an effect on the feeling of "isolation".

Maybe a more appropriate definition of "isolation" at either school is being a non-athlete.

I am the poster who asked for clarification as to Williams “isolation” (mentioned several times on this thread) vs the feel at Middlebury. But yikes now new line of inquiry - pp, are you saying that non-athletes feel isolated at both colleges? That was not at all the image DC and I have of either college (nor Wellesley)- can you please expand? Thanks!

I don't think of Wellesley as sporty, but Midd and Williams absolutely are. I do know non-athletes who have gone to both, but the students I know who have loved their experiences there fit the stereotype: preppy, skiing, private school kid, play 1 or more varsity sports.

[Anonymous]

Does she want a party culture or not? If she doesn’t care about single gender v coed and academics are considered on par and both have strong alumni/ae networks, does she want to spend the weekends drinking beer from kegs? It’s easier to get that college party experience at Williams. Wellesley has basically none, but the women can access this in Boston with the bus to MIT frats. Wellesley the town is cute as is Williamstown. Most people would pick Williams over Wellesley unless they are drawn to wellesley for a very specific reading.

[Anonymous]

I think your DD needs to visit and decide between the two. Comparing stats etc won’t be that helpful as someone with good grades from either of these schools will be well set up for grad school or first jobs out of college. It’s more about preferences. Good luck to your DD!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does she want a party culture or not? If she doesn’t care about single gender v coed and academics are considered on par and both have strong alumni/ae networks, does she want to spend the weekends drinking beer from kegs? It’s easier to get that college party experience at Williams. Wellesley has basically none, but the women can access this in Boston with the bus to MIT frats. Wellesley the town is cute as is Williamstown. Most people would pick Williams over Wellesley unless they are drawn to wellesley for a very specific reading.

Wellesley had a ton of fun parties when I went, but I was also in one of the societies which is Wellesley’s Greek life. It’s also a pretty easy drive to Back Bay for MIT frat parties - take turns being a designated driver and I think it was about 15 minutes. I took the bus a couple times first year but after that I and a bunch of friends all had cars.

[Anonymous]

If you visit Williams and have any interest in art, be sure to make time to visit not just the Clark Art Institute adjacent to the campus (a great smaller museum, esp but not only for Impressionism and post-) but also to drive ~10 minutes down the road to MassMOCA (contemporary art in a huge repurposed old factory). Each of these would be a huge cultural asset in their own right - to have two within ten miles (plus the good Williams Art Museum on campus) is an incredible concentration of art collection and research in the northern Berkshires.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Middlebury College has a significantly larger student population than Williams College. More students/faculty/administrators, etc. can make a school feel less isolated.

Middlebury may be a little larger, but isolated actually means "not near to other places" - both in the dictionary, and in the context of PP's inquiry. Middlebury is indisputably more geographically isolated than Williams.

Also, the gap in size isn't that significant. It's about 500-600 students (in total, not per year). And Williams, despite having fewer students, in fact has a larger academic staff than Middlebury, per the Common Data Set.

Middlebury College has over 2,600 undergrads while Williams College has about 2,000. Middlebury's student body is 30% greater than Williams College.

I understand the term isolated, but in this context I think that the size of the undergraduate student bodies has an effect on the feeling of "isolation".

Maybe a more appropriate definition of "isolation" at either school is being a non-athlete.

I am the poster who asked for clarification as to Williams “isolation” (mentioned several times on this thread) vs the feel at Middlebury. But yikes now new line of inquiry - pp, are you saying that non-athletes feel isolated at both colleges? That was not at all the image DC and I have of either college (nor Wellesley)- can you please expand? Thanks!

Middlebury College athletes have a term or nickname that they use to refer to non-athletes.

My impression is that athletes at Williams College and at many SLACs are the happiest students and that social divides exist at many SLACs between athletes and non-athletes.

SLACs are great for two sport athletes. Isolation is countered by travel for competitions and close camaraderie among teammates.

[Anonymous]

Even though there may be social divides at SLACs, if admitted to either of Williams College or Wellesley College, you will have won the college lottery simply because of the academic aspects of each of these schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Middlebury College has a significantly larger student population than Williams College. More students/faculty/administrators, etc. can make a school feel less isolated.

Middlebury may be a little larger, but isolated actually means "not near to other places" - both in the dictionary, and in the context of PP's inquiry. Middlebury is indisputably more geographically isolated than Williams.

Also, the gap in size isn't that significant. It's about 500-600 students (in total, not per year). And Williams, despite having fewer students, in fact has a larger academic staff than Middlebury, per the Common Data Set.

Middlebury College has over 2,600 undergrads while Williams College has about 2,000. Middlebury's student body is 30% greater than Williams College.

I understand the term isolated, but in this context I think that the size of the undergraduate student bodies has an effect on the feeling of "isolation".

Maybe a more appropriate definition of "isolation" at either school is being a non-athlete.

I am the poster who asked for clarification as to Williams “isolation” (mentioned several times on this thread) vs the feel at Middlebury. But yikes now new line of inquiry - pp, are you saying that non-athletes feel isolated at both colleges? That was not at all the image DC and I have of either college (nor Wellesley)- can you please expand? Thanks!

Middlebury College athletes have a term or nickname that they use to refer to non-athletes.

My impression is that athletes at Williams College and at many SLACs are the happiest students and that social divides exist at many SLACs between athletes and non-athletes.

SLACs are great for two sport athletes. Isolation is countered by travel for competitions and close camaraderie among teammates.

Lots of athletes use that term. It's a weird slur that seems like more like a defense mechanism when I have heard it used in conversation.

Some athletes are happy to expand beyond the team socially and some never seem to want or be able to do this. I don't think you can really generalize.

[Anonymous]

My impression is that athletes at Williams College and at many SLACs are the happiest students and that social divides exist at many SLACs between athletes and non-athletes.

SLACs are great for two sport athletes. Isolation is countered by travel for competitions and close camaraderie among teammates.

Nope. My friends -- all non-athletes -- who are recent Williams grads and loved it have never cited this (or anything remotely like this) as an issue.

I'm not saying it's garbage, necessarily, but it does smack of someone casting about to try to find an overly simplistic (and inaccurate) way to categorize the differences between thousands of diverse colleges and universities out there.

Coupled with DCUM's chronic class paranoia that "they" -- the wealthier, the more gregarious, the more athletic -- are out there having more effortless fun than poor pressured DC who's been strategizing for college applications since turning 13.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

My impression is that athletes at Williams College and at many SLACs are the happiest students and that social divides exist at many SLACs between athletes and non-athletes.

SLACs are great for two sport athletes. Isolation is countered by travel for competitions and close camaraderie among teammates.

Nope. My friends -- all non-athletes -- who are recent Williams grads and loved it have never cited this (or anything remotely like this) as an issue.

I'm not saying it's garbage, necessarily, but it does smack of someone casting about to try to find an overly simplistic (and inaccurate) way to categorize the differences between thousands of diverse colleges and universities out there.

Coupled with DCUM's chronic class paranoia that "they" -- the wealthier, the more gregarious, the more athletic -- are out there having more effortless fun than poor pressured DC who's been strategizing for college applications since turning 13.

That's good to hear. A friend's kid is having a hard time at Williams in terms of social life. She's a nice, well-rounded kid and has been struggling to find her people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

My impression is that athletes at Williams College and at many SLACs are the happiest students and that social divides exist at many SLACs between athletes and non-athletes.

SLACs are great for two sport athletes. Isolation is countered by travel for competitions and close camaraderie among teammates.

Nope. My friends -- all non-athletes -- who are recent Williams grads and loved it have never cited this (or anything remotely like this) as an issue.

I'm not saying it's garbage, necessarily, but it does smack of someone casting about to try to find an overly simplistic (and inaccurate) way to categorize the differences between thousands of diverse colleges and universities out there.

Coupled with DCUM's chronic class paranoia that "they" -- the wealthier, the more gregarious, the more athletic -- are out there having more effortless fun than poor pressured DC who's been strategizing for college applications since turning 13.

Your friends may have loved their time at Williams, but also may have experienced or recognize the athlete/narp divide and just not cared for whatever reason. It is real at Williams, Amherst, Midd, etc. Don’t know about Wellesley.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

My impression is that athletes at Williams College and at many SLACs are the happiest students and that social divides exist at many SLACs between athletes and non-athletes.

SLACs are great for two sport athletes. Isolation is countered by travel for competitions and close camaraderie among teammates.

Nope. My friends -- all non-athletes -- who are recent Williams grads and loved it have never cited this (or anything remotely like this) as an issue.

I'm not saying it's garbage, necessarily, but it does smack of someone casting about to try to find an overly simplistic (and inaccurate) way to categorize the differences between thousands of diverse colleges and universities out there.

Coupled with DCUM's chronic class paranoia that "they" -- the wealthier, the more gregarious, the more athletic -- are out there having more effortless fun than poor pressured DC who's been strategizing for college applications since turning 13.

Your friends may have loved their time at Williams, but also may have experienced or recognize the athlete/narp divide and just not cared for whatever reason. It is real at Williams, Amherst, Midd, etc. Don’t know about Wellesley.

I have heard kids carry on about this at other schools beyond a few nescacs. But it applies to all manner of cliques. You can lead a horse to water but you can't make them drink. Some people will get out of their lax, theatre, track, computer science, etc. comfort zone and some will refuse.