<p>so i don't know much about williams, but i do have several assets available to me - one is that my brother attended williams (i know that sibling legacies technically don't matter but i'm sure it would have a psychological effect)
- the other big one is that one of my brother's good friends is going to be an admissions counselor this coming year, which could help my chances</p>
<p>thus i've decided to probably apply to williams early decision, but i'm not 100% sure on this yet. i'm within the 'qualified' pool of applicants in terms of stats, so i don't have a bad chance of getting in, but i'd just like somebody to refute the impressions i've encountered about williams:
1.) The abundance of single dorms - how does that affect things relative to doubles at other colleges?
2.) when i've visited williamstown it always seemed relatively unimpressive and the whole population seems very tiny - could anybody argue the positives of such a small, locked campus slash population?
3.) the whole athletic mentality i hear about - i mean, i like playing soccer and ultimate frisbee with friends, but i totally dislike people who are completely into sports</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Singles are a glorious, glorious thing at Williams. And trust me, they make a difference. Most of my friends at other schools have had roommates or at least suite mates for nearly every year of their college lives, yet I've had a single for the past two years and will have one for my senior year. That said, singles don't isolate their occupants-- you'll be in close proximity to plenty of other kids, so if you want social interaction, you've got it.</p></li>
<li><p>The student body is small, and so is the community, but most people tend to think that this contributes towards a tighter-knit community. True, anonymity is a rare commodity at Williams, but it's also true that people get more opportunities to branch out and have many different types of friends. And I'd say the biggest asset would be the fact that the small student body translates into a low student/teacher ratio. Every teacher I've ever had has known my name, and I've had close relationships with more than one of them. That's not something you can get at most places.</p></li>
<li><p>Williams is the "jock" school of the LACs, but athletics don't dominate EVERYTHING. Athletes take their sports seriously, but rarely do they let it get to the point where the only friends they have are fellow team members. Williams students are a diverse bunch, and student-athletes participate in myriad other activities such as performance arts, clubs, ethnic organizations, etc.</p></li>
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<p>mers, if you need convincing, then don't apply ED just because it will increase your chances. I'd second everything that crnchy said, but I would add that Williams and Williamstown are not for everyone. Presumably, you're familiar with the atmosphere having visited your brother and from what you say you have misgivings. Trust your instincts; if you still decide to apply to Williams do so under RD so that you have an out in the event that it's not a good fit for you.</p>
<p>Yeah, if you aren't entirely convinced, don't do ED. If you're accepted ED, you're bound to this place, and I wouldn't want that to happen if I wasn't completely sold to Williams.</p>
<p>Given the concerns you have raised and crnchycereal's responses (assuming them to be generally accurate), you owe it to yourself to look carefully at some other options, both in terms of LACs and larger schools in more urban areas. Living in a single room surrounded by athletes and stuck in a small New England village may not be your cup of tea.</p>
<p>Everyone ahs said this already,but i just thought I should reinforce the statement. Do NOT apply ED to a school you're not ABSOLUTELY sure you want to attend. If you need convincing, you're probably better off applying RD. We're only saying this for your benefit lol How would you feel ebing stuck in Williamstown for 4 years when tehre may be somewhere else you're mcuh better suited? Williams is definitely top of the line, but they are so many great schools. DOn't feel like you need to be "sold" on it. It may just not be for you. Maybe when it's April and you feel rushed to pick....but not now.</p>
<p>the thing is, my parents are kind of pressuring me to go there just 'cause its probably the best possible school i have the best chance for. Plus the way i see it, i can't really tell much about colleges before actually living there anyway. Everybody says college is what you make of it, so i figure even if there are parts of Williams that i don't get favorable impressions of, it won't really matter much in the long run.</p>
<p>Don't let anybody pressure you to go to a college that may not be right for you. You can apply RD and, if accepted, decide later when you have a better idea what you want. From the tone of your posts, I agree with the others that you should not apply ED.</p>
<p>I'm a Williams alum, and like most everyone else on this forum I'd say don't go ED. I had an ok experience there, but the things that bug you about the school wound up bothering me and several of my friends as the years went on. First - it's small and far, far away from any big cities. At first, I didn't mind the small town - there were so many other things to discover. But after a year or two, the lack of things to do after class besides sports, lectures, homework, hiking and partying got really annoying (I know that's a long list but it gets really, really boring....). Going abroad helped that, but coming back was even harder after being back in a big city for a semester. So...if you're already worried about that issue I'd think seriously about finding a school that's a little closer to a city.
Second - Williams IS a jock school. Yes, not everybody is an athlete and YES, students are diverse but it's still a jock school. Every day at 3:45 the campus virtually empties - athletes go to practice, non-teammembers go to the gym or take a nice long run, and everyone else heads to the library until dinner. It's true that there aren't many jock-cliques at Williams - most of my friends were on various teams while I wasn't - it's just that being a non-athlete at a jock school means you're in for a ton of boring alone-in-the-library time while all your friends are at practice. Like I said before, it's a situation that can be fun for a while, but gets old after 2 years.
And another thing - you might think this is a weird aspect to criticize, but the school is NOT a "fuzzy" place to be. Everything from the student body to the faculty and staff to the place itself seems to hold to the independent new englander worldview - which means that if you need help (real help, as in conversation and caring) - in class, finding a major, figuring out what to do afterwards, catching up after a bout with mono, you name it - you'll probably be disappointed. I only met with my advisor twice in all four years, and he'd stare at me blankly and offer no help at all when I'd go to him for advice on this course or that.
Oh, and unless you're living in the Odd Quad and don't mind being seen as a huge geek, you're not going to be around people who love sitting around and debating politics or talking about what they're learning. They'll talk about work - how much they have, how stressful it is, etc - but for the most part the whole milieu isn't what I expected from the top-rated LA school in the country.
So...my advice is to wait until you find something you love before you go ED.</p>
<p>I've said it once, and I'll say it again. To make the most out of Williams, you must be committed to several extra-curricular activities. In other words, you have to immerse yourself in all that the community offers. Unless you plan on taking a rigorous course-load (which some people do), you will likely need to engage in extra-curricular activities to stave off boredom.</p>
<p>Disclaimer: I think the preceding advice applies to folks at more urban institutions as well. I am NOT making any judgements about the previous poster, but boredom often (not always) stems from the person rather than environment.</p>
<p>My daughter and her friends at Barnard get bored in Morningside Heights in NYC. it's true they have all of NYC, but they are often stuck in Morningside by work.</p>
<p>I second onemoremom. Maddiega's post does seem a bit dated. Yes, sports play a big part of campus culture, but as MikeyD mentioned, one can still have a fantastic time by immersing one's self in extracurricular activities. Personally, I rarely have many long stretches of "boredom". School work takes up most of my time outside of class (as is the case for most students), but when I'm not doing work, I'm more often than not spending time at various meetings and rehearsals. Time after that is usually spent in dining halls or just hanging out with friends. The idea that a non-athlete is going to sit idle for hours on end is an exaggeration. </p>
<p>Also, I live in the Odd Quad, and its culture has changed dramatically following the advent of cluster housing. It's now as representative a slice of Williams as any other area on campus is likely to be. And yes, I have had long and intense intellectual and political conversations with friends. And no, we're not all geeks.</p>