Ask a Frosh

<p>This is probably not a question you would know the answer to, but I had one bad math SAT score that's really worrying me, everything else is good. Do you know of anyone who has gotten in with a less-than-stellar SAT score?</p>

<p>jrg6:
Do you mean academic advising? They just stared a new program where students as well as faculty help freshman with their class choices, but I haven't really used it at all. Someone else would probably be able to answer that better.</p>

<p>pigeon:
I actually do know someone here who's SATs were, according to him, "really, really crappy." That test isn't everything, so, I wouldn't feel too worried about it.</p>

<p>Oh yeah, sorry, I meant academic advising. Do you have a faculty advisor who has helped you? How was it when you were trying to figure out what classes to take?</p>

<p>Thanks, and have a nice thanksgiving</p>

<p>Yeah, everyone has a faculty advisor, but they're there mainly to make sure you know about the divisional requirements and such when you pick your classes. If you want help finding good classes to take that might interest you, thats what the academic peer advisors can help you with, as those are upperclassmen that already have experience with the college. </p>

<p>Also asking the opinions of any upperclassmen you might know, as well as visiting Factrack, are another two ways you can get a good feel for what you're signing up for before you do.</p>

<p>In my mind, Williams' main drawback is the isolation of the town. I know you've touched on it before, but I would love to hear some of your experiences with this. Can you find all of the necessities in Williamstown? When you were looking at colleges, did you see isolation as a pro, con, or neither? How about now--do you think the location has more positives than negatives?
Thanks so much for taking the time to do this! :)</p>

<p>How far away is Williams from the nearest bigger town?</p>

<p>btlesgirl - exactly what i wanted to ask,, anyone has an answer for bltlesgirl/?</p>

<p>umm i just found this.. williamstown :</p>

<p>Population: 8424
Population change 1990-2000: 204
Land area: 46.9 sq miles </p>

<p>Land Use Summary:
77.8% forest, wetlands, & open space
13.7% agriculture
7.4% residential
0.8% commercial, industrial, transportation
0.3% water</p>

<p>Population data from the 2000 census;
Land use data MassGIS 1999</p>

<p>The nearest city is Albany, which is about an hour away. Other than that, there's North Adams, Pittsfield... not really much to say about the large towns.</p>

<p>When I was looking at colleges, I thought I'd like one in the middle of a city, with lots of people around, like MIT or Harvard in Cambridge. But when I actually visited the places overnight, I found that I liked smaller towns like Williams or Princeton alot better.</p>

<p>You can get basically all you need in Williamstown -- theres a Stop and Shop down the road, and alot of girls I know like to shop online for clothes and other things you can't get so eaisily.</p>

<p>I personally think its kind of nice to be basically alone in a valley, assuming you can go home every now and then. I've never really felt the need to leave town that much while I've been here -- the only times I have have have been to see a movie or two at the Berkshire Mall, or to eat at The Forge (great wings place). I really like the Purple Valley, and so do most of the people around here (as far as I can tell), but its not for everyone.</p>

<p>im an international who applied early.... whats the atmosphere for overseas students?</p>

<p>Ephbeef -</p>

<p>In my experience, students at places like Williams tend to focus on the college community and may be much more likely to take advantage of the opportunities/events/facilities the school offers than students at an urban school do -- and the top rural LACs may be more aware of the need to provide such things for their students than larger and particularly more urban schools are.</p>

<p>I also think that many of the students at the top LACs, having already shown some initiative in taking a slightly or vastly different path than most of their peers, are likely to take initiative to take avail of the special opportunities that their chosen paths offer.</p>

<p>Of course, it isn't for everyone, by any means ...</p>

<p>heba:
The only thing different for international students is that during First Days you have to do alot of extra stuff (paperwork, random meetings, etc.), but other than that, international students are just like everyone else. Some people I know had a little bit of trouble adjusting to writing papers or something like that, but other than that, everyone I know from overseas is doing fine.</p>

<p>You mentioned chicken wings, so I understand if you don't know this, but how hard is it to be a vegan/vegetarian at Williams?</p>

<p>[Sorry, ephryhmes, also frosh on campus!]</p>

<p>I think Williams does a really good job of catering to the vegetarian/vegan population. Every single item on the menu is labeled [and "Vegan" is indicated on all the appropriate stuff.] Mission has an excellent salad bar, too. And there's soymilk and yogurt, as well. Well, my opinions may be slightly skewed since I'm neither vegan nor vegetarian. But I know quite a number of them, and they are all smiles at the dining hall!
So to answer your question: It is not at all difficult to be a vegan/vegetarian at Williams.</p>

<p>That's really encouraging, thanks!</p>

<p>heba: I'm also an international and I was accepted early...almost a whole year ago!! The atmospher for ints s great...williams really takes so much care of us. I mean, each one of us had a private meeting with the dean and she asked us if we were OK and if we had adjusted well...that's not something you'll get everywhere. There's a pretty active INternational Club...which organizes things like trips to NYC over Thanksgiving for internationals who couldn't go home. I can't go home this winter and I've even been given a place to stay for free! The community is so helpful and friendly. And the reinstated host family program is great too.
Good luck!</p>

<p>ladylazarus12- that sounds amazing! you're obviously very happy there. at this point however im just worrying about december 15th :) thank you for the good luck lets see what happens....counting down the days!</p>

<p>Since classes are so small, is it hard to get into the ones you want. Is there some sort of pecking order for choosing students? Is it first come first served on registration day? Are there any student web / print/ anythings that rate the professors so I don't get stuck with the teacher from Ferris Bueller..."Bueller? Ferris Bueller? Anyone?" Thanks. By the way is any one dorm best as a frosh?</p>

<p>I got kicked out of one of my classes for the first semester, but got into everything I signed up for for the spring. In the course catalogue, they list how people are chosen for classes -- some give preferences to underclassmen, some to people in a certain major, etc etc.</p>

<p>There's also a little something we have called FacTrack where people leave comments about professors. Saved me from taking a particulary bad class next year.</p>

<p>As for dorms, you're either in the Frosh Quad or Mission. Frosh Quad is mostly doubles, while Mission is almost exclusively singles. And we have a dining hall in the building. So... both have their pros and cons, but I really like where I ended up.</p>