DCUM Forum

Anonymous

11/01/2025 03:50 Subject: The Williams Prestige

Anonymous wrote:Penn isn’t in the category of HYP, Stanford or Duke.

Laughable to mention Duke among those other schools.

Anonymous

11/01/2025 03:42 Subject: The Williams Prestige

Anonymous wrote:Williams is the real deal. The only LAC with almost-ivy level prestige.

Which is meaningless because Williams isn’t the LAC with the best outcomes- it’s CMC, Washington and Lee, and Colgate.

Anonymous

11/01/2025 03:36 Subject: The Williams Prestige

Williams is the real deal. The only LAC with almost-ivy level prestige.

Anonymous

10/31/2025 23:27 Subject: The Williams Prestige

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Less than 1% of the population is even remotely aware of Williams. What Williams prestige? No one cares.

Yah, but the 1% who is aware holds all the power 🤷‍♀️

Maybe, but Williams is still not viewed favorably by them.

Anonymous

10/31/2025 23:25 Subject: The Williams Prestige

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What famous people have gone to Williams? I can think of a senator and a CNN anchor, and that’s about it. And neither of them are _that_ famous, all things considered.

Lina Khan - FTC chair, 2021-2025

She’s pretty unpopular and really doesn’t do much today.

Unpopular among billionaires and CEOs, meaning she was very good at her job. For the ordinary American she was the GOAT of keeping monopolistic behaviors in check.

Anonymous

10/31/2025 23:17 Subject: The Williams Prestige

Anonymous wrote:Less than 1% of the population is even remotely aware of Williams. What Williams prestige? No one cares.

Yah, but the 1% who is aware holds all the power 🤷‍♀️

Anonymous

10/31/2025 23:13 Subject: The Williams Prestige

Anonymous wrote:Lol... Williams was NEVER on the level of a truly elite university, and the value/general lay prestige of LACs has only decreased over time.

And if we're comparing it with its peer group, Amherst seems to be more well-known.

Hard disagree. I am head of HR at a large financial institution, and every year we recruit at the SLACs’ + Women’s LACs’ campuses, in addition to the Ivies & MIT. In contrast, we never go to state flagship campuses or universities south of Philly. Which isn’t to say we don’t recruit undergraduates from there, it just isn’t a focus for my firm, so these kids have to be motivated and creative and figure out a way to come to us for interviews.

Separately, NYC is about to elect a 33-year old Bowdoin grad for mayor who is very smart (even though I am in disagreement with all of his proposals).

Anonymous

10/31/2025 23:08 Subject: The Williams Prestige

Penn isn’t in the category of HYP, Stanford or Duke.

Anonymous

10/31/2025 23:00 Subject: Re:The Williams Prestige

Anonymous wrote:Blah blah blah. These are all second rate Harvard-wannabe institutions. If you want small classes, go to Princeton (these students can’t get in, so they brag about their “little” ivy). Harvard, Stanford, Penn…these are institutions that actually change the world. Williams? It’s reach barely makes it to Albany.

Thanks chatgpt

Anonymous

10/31/2025 22:22 Subject: Re:The Williams Prestige

Anonymous wrote:Blah blah blah. These are all second rate Harvard-wannabe institutions. If you want small classes, go to Princeton (these students can’t get in, so they brag about their “little” ivy). Harvard, Stanford, Penn…these are institutions that actually change the world. Williams? It’s reach barely makes it to Albany.

So you're advising people who can't get in to schools like Princeton to go to Princeton?

Anonymous

10/31/2025 20:44 Subject: Re:The Williams Prestige

Blah blah blah. These are all second rate Harvard-wannabe institutions. If you want small classes, go to Princeton (these students can’t get in, so they brag about their “little” ivy). Harvard, Stanford, Penn…these are institutions that actually change the world. Williams? It’s reach barely makes it to Albany.

Anonymous

10/31/2025 20:35 Subject: The Williams Prestige

Anonymous wrote:Williams
15411 applied
1272 admitted
8.25

pomona
12249 applied
866
7.07

feels like splitting hairs. this is from cds

easier for woman to be admitted at both.

Because it is. I don’t know why we care about Williams or Amherst or pomona or whoever. It’s one of the incessant conversations on this board for three schools that are far more similar than different.

Anonymous

10/31/2025 20:30 Subject: The Williams Prestige

Williams
15411 applied
1272 admitted
8.25

pomona
12249 applied
8668
7.07

feels like splitting hairs. this is from cds

easier for woman to be admitted at both.

Anonymous

10/31/2025 20:27 Subject: The Williams Prestige

Anonymous wrote:I mean it’s the best lac, but there’s a reason it has no prestige…it’s great and all to be able to pay for good professors to teach, but real universities do actual research that helps people. The LAC model is pretty easy to ride the ranks, because it just requires rich people and economics degrees (look at the rise of CMC in past years).

+1, these LAC threads are often circular and a waste of time.

Anonymous

10/31/2025 20:24 Subject: The Williams Prestige

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Williams is a very special place. Academics are top notch and I loved the campus when we toured. While there was plenty of charm, there were also very modern renovated and new buildings that were impressive (similar to Middlebury but unlike Amherst) and the nearby town was very charming and great place for pizza, vintage shopping, ice cream. My DS just fell in love. And tutorial classes can occur between only 2 students and 1 teacher which is an amazing resource to deepen your understanding. Probably the smallest student to teacher ratio for any LAC.

Of the SLACs we toured (Williams, Midd, Bowdoin, Amherst, Carleton, 5Cs) Williams was my DS's favorite by a mile.

Williams student-faculty ratio: 7:1
Pomona student-faculty ratio: 7:1
Amherst student faculty ratio: 7:1
Swarthmore student faculty ratio: 8:1
Mind you, this is with tutorials, so the average Williams class actually runs a bit larger

Bowdoin 9:1
Middlebury 9:1

At 7:1, the PP you were replying to was right, Williams DOES have the lowest student-faculty ratio. So what if Pomona and Amherst tie Williams. And Swat, Bowdoin, Midd are all even lower.

What is the meaningful difference between a 7:1 or 8:1 faculty ratio? I don’t see why lac parents get so hung up on these details. At UChicago, it’s 5:1- are they 40% better at educating their students? These are LACs we’re talking about- they’re all tiny with a ton of attention.