<p>Williams experts,</p>
<p>What are your alternatives for the One in Jan.? Three weeks in Jan for 4 years without course work could be great but could also be boring? Can you replace with off campus work or programs? How hard is it to get approved to go to an off campus program? Is it just a big party? What's it like for 3 weeks in rural mountain area during the worst part of winter?</p>
<p>I'm a sophmore at Williams, so I'll try and fill you in on this. The one in 4-1-4 is Winter Study, which is pretty much every Williams student's favorite month of the year. Unlike some schools with January semester programs, Williams requires every student to complete a course or project for each of their four years. Freshman year you have to stay on campus, but for the next three years you can do things in other places. On campus there are tons of choices of classes in every department, mostly in somewhat off-beat subjects. Lots of classes in whatever professors love to do and want to share with students. Check out the online course catalog:
<a href="http://www.williams.edu/admin/registrar/winterstudy/courseinfo/courses05.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.williams.edu/admin/registrar/winterstudy/courseinfo/courses05.html</a>
Some classes are really intense, some are very laid back...it's sort of up to you to challenge yourself or take it easy for the month. It's basically Camp Williams for a few weeks-- lots of skiing/snowboarding, sledding, general fun winter stuff with your friends after the craziness that is finals. </p>
<p>You can also go off campus for the month, on a Williams-sponsored trip (those are listed in the course catalog) or on some kind of independently organized internship/research project/etc. </p>
<p>It's a great time on campus, pretty much everyone loves it. It's a definite plus in the Williams column, if you ask me.</p>
<p>wsox, not sure if you are a parent or a student. . . My son is a sophmore at Williams so he's been through one Winter Study. Like Bex56, he loved the experience and is really looking forward to this year. Williams requires freshmen to stay on campus for Winter Study. After that you can join one of the organized travel-study groups or make up your own month's project.</p>
<p>There are about 50 choices, covering all disciplines. The classes tend to be creative and quirky, many taught by experts in their fields. Students are encouraged to try something different, have some fun, expand their horizons. Last year my son took a course that visited art museums of the area -- including New York -- for a behind the scenes view. This year he's doing large format photography taught by a well known art and architecture photographer who lives in the Berkshires.</p>
<p>The school also provides a lot of supplemental activities for this month and there's a lot of time for winter sports and general partying. If they are bored, and they adamantly say they are not, they can sign up for a second course.
From a parents' viewpoint, I find that WS cuts the December holidays a bit short, but other families tell me this is a blessing.</p>
<p>As an aside, I wouldn't recommend Williams to anyone who was winter adverse. Getting outside and doing something active in the "rural mountain area during the worst part of winter" is part of makes Williams Williams.</p>
<p>Momrath--</p>
<p>Who's your son at Williams? I'm a sophomore and I am also taking the large format photography class.</p>
<p>wsox--</p>
<p>Momrath and bex56 have painted an accurate picture of winter study...it's a great time of the year (I'm already looking forward to it). After frosh year, there are numerous winter study courses which give you the option of getting off campus (two of my suitemates are taking an "eyecare in nicaragua course" while one is going to Baha to study geoscience). It is quite easy and encouraged to design your own class and many students do it (they're called "99s"). </p>
<p>With less class time to occupy the students, we obviously all have much more free time. However, the college knows this and plans accordingly--there are tons of planned events happening all through winter study and obviously the impromptu snowball fight or cross country skiing session is not uncommon. Additionally, we have what is known as the "free university" which are courses taught by students for students. </p>
<p>Winter study is a wonderful time and I think you'll have trouble finding a Williams student who doesn't love it.</p>
<p>Thank you everyone. It is my D that is considering Williams. She had some concerns and I want and received the great CC feedback. She is athletic from a cold weather climate and I don't think she would have a problem but I wanted to hear it directly from you. The best part seems to be there are different ways to complete the 1.</p>
<p>haon, I'm not going to reveal my son's identity, except to say he's your friend the artist from Asia. </p>
<p>wsox, Good luck to your daughter. My son and his friends (like haon) have been really pleased with their Williams experience. Let us know if you have any other questions.</p>
<p>I concur about how much fun January can be in Billsville. My freshman year I was on the ski team so we practiced and had a lot of ski meets without feeling the pinch on classwork. One year I took a great studio art course, "Principles of Design" with Tom Krens, who is now CEO of the Guggenheim! Another year we "studied" the 60's! And the fall semester I was in Italy, studying in Rome, I just stayed on for January, meeting up with a professor and a group of grad. students from the Masters Program at the Clark Art Institute. The 4-1-4 has great flexibility and in a real plus for Williams.</p>