I’d doubt if you’d be able to tell the difference between the classes and professor access at w&m and and lib arts colleges. If u like things about w&m , go for it.
If I were you I would go to CC. If you are coming from Boston it will be a huge culture shock to go to a school relatively in the middle of nowhere like Whitman. I know because I went to school in Baltimore, MD then transferred to Norman, OK. Norman is a decent sized town, but it was still quite a shock for me. Colorado College is beautiful and Denver is about 45-1hr drive which is awesome. And honestly, you can always transfer again if you hate it. I know most people don’t even think of that as an option, but nothing is permanent.
I have a good friend with a freshman son at Whitman and he loves it. I have also spent several long weekend vacations in Walla2 (the center of the Washington wine industry). The airport is a 5 minute drive from campus, with easy flights to Seattle. WW is a charming college town, with many good restaurants (from upscale, to reasonable farm-to-table places, to many great taco trucks). The campus is beautiful, and looks like a smaller Wellesley (but with better weather). I understand there is a very strong alumni network. It’s a good choice.