Anonymous
Post 09/06/2025 21:03     Subject: Which among WASP would you choose to ED and why?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Amherst by a mile ... it's just a special place.


Amherst like Pomona just seems comfortable in its skin - probably as both really fill their ranks mostly from self selection - where a significant point about Williams that’s rarely talked about is that the bulk of athletes were striving for an ivy, and weren’t good enough - but grades/scores/apps were, so they dropped down. If you strike at at all ivies, Williams is the next rung down. No athlete is targeting Williams at the beginning of junior year - it’s after the kid’s junior year sports season where kid (and mom and dad) realize the hard truth that junior isn’t ivy material. Next best thing to impress the folks at the country club? Williams!


Why wouldn’t they next step down from Ivy be Pomona? Or Amherst? Or Swat?

I don’t really get this “dig” for two reasons. A. Sounds like Williams is the step down from HYP. Not the others. And B. Many people don’t care if the men’s squash players or women’s hockeys players weren’t good enough squash or hockey players for the Yale team but their grades/scores/apps were at the level. Okay!
Anonymous
Post 09/06/2025 20:59     Subject: Which among WASP would you choose to ED and why?
Amherst has the most athletes of the WASPs. Over 40%. But I do think it’s a good place for a student athlete.
Anonymous
Post 09/06/2025 20:55     Subject: Which among WASP would you choose to ED and why?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Amherst by a mile ... it's just a special place.


Amherst like Pomona just seems comfortable in its skin - probably as both really fill their ranks mostly from self selection - where a significant point about Williams that’s rarely talked about is that the bulk of athletes were striving for an ivy, and weren’t good enough - but grades/scores/apps were, so they dropped down. If you strike at at all ivies, Williams is the next rung down. No athlete is targeting Williams at the beginning of junior year - it’s after the kid’s junior year sports season where kid (and mom and dad) realize the hard truth that junior isn’t ivy material. Next best thing to impress the folks at the country club? Williams!


Thus makes no sense, implying a significant gap between the #1 and #2 SLACs.
Anonymous
Post 09/06/2025 19:08     Subject: Which among WASP would you choose to ED and why?
Anonymous wrote:Amherst by a mile ... it's just a special place.


Amherst like Pomona just seems comfortable in its skin - probably as both really fill their ranks mostly from self selection - where a significant point about Williams that’s rarely talked about is that the bulk of athletes were striving for an ivy, and weren’t good enough - but grades/scores/apps were, so they dropped down. If you strike at at all ivies, Williams is the next rung down. No athlete is targeting Williams at the beginning of junior year - it’s after the kid’s junior year sports season where kid (and mom and dad) realize the hard truth that junior isn’t ivy material. Next best thing to impress the folks at the country club? Williams!
Anonymous
Post 09/06/2025 19:00     Subject: Which among WASP would you choose to ED and why?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:There is no benefit to applying ED to any and they will openly tell you that. So no reason to get locked in when one has the same chance of acceptance in RD.


Everyone from our HS (well respected private outside DMV) who has 3.8 and applied during ED had been accepted to Pomona in last 5 years. Literally 100% acceptance rate for that profile

That means they’ve really liked the students coming from your child’s highschool and likely those students are getting into good grad programs or are achieving fellowships
Anonymous
Post 09/06/2025 18:42     Subject: Which among WASP would you choose to ED and why?
Anonymous wrote:WASP =
Williams
Amherst
Swarthmore
Penn? Pomona?

Are those 4 a well known grouping on this forum?


Pomona, and yes.
Anonymous
Post 09/06/2025 18:22     Subject: Which among WASP would you choose to ED and why?
S is slippery rock
Anonymous
Post 09/06/2025 18:19     Subject: Which among WASP would you choose to ED and why?
WASP =
Williams
Amherst
Swarthmore
Penn? Pomona?

Are those 4 a well known grouping on this forum?
Anonymous
Post 09/06/2025 16:51     Subject: Which among WASP would you choose to ED and why?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Oldest child went to Amherst, middle one to Williams - both for sports. DCUM area so pls don’t ask sport etx. Amherst kid luved the school and experience, and felt it was full of kind, fun, nice, high end academically but pretty regular kids at the end of day. Williams kid enjoyed time for the most part, but felt a very real and pervasive pretentiousness throughout the student body - both amongst the athletes and non-athletes. Top caliber kids for sure, but she compared the obnoxiousness to be similar to Duke kids - who she can’t stand for the most part. Amherst is the clear winner in our family, and hoping #3 enjoys her overnite..



Your post confirms our impression after visiting both. We found Williams impressive but it did feel snobbish and rather chilly socially. Amherst had a friendlier, more low-key feel. Amherst moved to the top after the visits (including other LACs), and NARP DC is very happy there now.


Also unhooked DC got in ED.
Anonymous
Post 09/06/2025 16:48     Subject: Which among WASP would you choose to ED and why?
Amherst by a mile ... it's just a special place.
Anonymous
Post 09/06/2025 16:41     Subject: Which among WASP would you choose to ED and why?
Anonymous wrote:But what if you have a snobby kid?


Williams is perfect.
Anonymous
Post 09/06/2025 16:38     Subject: Which among WASP would you choose to ED and why?
Anonymous wrote:But what if you have a snobby kid?


Cornell, Duke, Wesleyan, USC, SMU
Anonymous
Post 09/06/2025 16:19     Subject: Which among WASP would you choose to ED and why?
But what if you have a snobby kid?
Anonymous
Post 09/06/2025 16:11     Subject: Which among WASP would you choose to ED and why?
Anonymous wrote:Oldest child went to Amherst, middle one to Williams - both for sports. DCUM area so pls don’t ask sport etx. Amherst kid luved the school and experience, and felt it was full of kind, fun, nice, high end academically but pretty regular kids at the end of day. Williams kid enjoyed time for the most part, but felt a very real and pervasive pretentiousness throughout the student body - both amongst the athletes and non-athletes. Top caliber kids for sure, but she compared the obnoxiousness to be similar to Duke kids - who she can’t stand for the most part. Amherst is the clear winner in our family, and hoping #3 enjoys her overnite..



Your post confirms our impression after visiting both. We found Williams impressive but it did feel snobbish and rather chilly socially. Amherst had a friendlier, more low-key feel. Amherst moved to the top after the visits (including other LACs), and NARP DC is very happy there now.
Anonymous
Post 09/06/2025 15:21     Subject: Which among WASP would you choose to ED and why?
Oldest child went to Amherst, middle one to Williams - both for sports. DCUM area so pls don’t ask sport etx. Amherst kid luved the school and experience, and felt it was full of kind, fun, nice, high end academically but pretty regular kids at the end of day. Williams kid enjoyed time for the most part, but felt a very real and pervasive pretentiousness throughout the student body - both amongst the athletes and non-athletes. Top caliber kids for sure, but she compared the obnoxiousness to be similar to Duke kids - who she can’t stand for the most part. Amherst is the clear winner in our family, and hoping #3 enjoys her overnite..