<p>Bowdoin vs. Williams... any comments about the differences between the schools, academically, socially, etc would be very helpful....</p>
<p>Not very different at all.</p>
<p>Bowdoin has the water and a much bigger town.</p>
<p>Williams is bigger and has the mountains and a much much smaller town.</p>
<p>And that's about it.</p>
<p>S chose Williams because it is much stronger in his field, music. This is a case when looking at the individual departments may help.</p>
<p>I've heard that the social life at Williams is very centered around sports... how true is this?</p>
<p>Also, I'm a big outdoors enthusiast, so I'm curious what the Williams outing club is like, especially compared to stellar one at Bowdoin</p>
<p>The outing club is awesome. My S does not play any sports, nor do his close friends and he adores the school. According to him, the football team does have its own subculture but it doesn't affect the rest of them at all. I actually asked him this this very weekend. He was in a play and so were a lot of other really interesting young men. Since it was Shakespeare many more guys were cast than women.</p>
<p>Hard to top Williams for outdoors activities. Outing club is the biggest club on campus, between a third and a half of the student body are members (and it is I believe the only student club that actually has a separate administrator to help run it). The college owns an enormous, gorgeous forest adjacent to campus (Hopkins Forest) which is great for nature walks; there are numerous amazing hiking trails up the gorgeous mountain scenery around campus; plus skiing, great running trails, etc. How many other schools, after all, have Mountain Day, where the school cancels classes one gorgeous fall day each year to encourage folks to hike in the foliage?</p>
<p>True about the WOC (Williams Outing Club) -- beginning with the canoeing / hiking orientation trips for first years before classes start in the fall. For $10 you'll then have access to all the outdoor equipment (including skis) and advice as well as other overnight trips you'll ever want throughout the academic year. Lots of hiking and other outdoor activities.</p>
<p>I don't believe the social life is centered around sports, unless you're involved in a sport. That leaves all the other social activites that are centered around the musicians (many different groups, ranging from a cappella to jazz to symphony and others in between) and theatre, art, dance, etc. groups (not to mention your first-year entry) to become affiliated with. And many "parties" are open to the campus as a whole.</p>
<p>snucky: If you have a chance, you should visit Williams and W'town to help you make your decision -- unless you're comfortable with the idea of attending another college you'd previously selected.</p>
<p>There's one complication. I have decided to take a year off before college, and Bowdoin has already okayed this decision. Do you think Williams would allow me to defer matriculation even if they were taking me off the waitlist for the purpose of filling this years class?</p>
<p>That sounds iffy to me ... but why not just ask them?</p>
<p>snucky: You would really need to ask the Williams Admission Office about that -- thay are the only ones who could definitively answer your question. </p>
<p>I can tell you, though, that among the present 500+ confirmed members of the Williams Class of 2012 are 10 students who previously deferred their matriculation.</p>
<p>Alright I'll call them tomorrow.... and keep my fingers crossed, this could be a major let down</p>
<p>snucky: Just be honest -- if Williams is your top choice, but Bowdoin has already allowed you to defer matriculation for a year, tell that to the Williams admission officer and hope for the best. Good luck.</p>
<p>snucky, I can't answer your question about deferment, but I can tell you Williams Outing Club is a wonderful organization with plenty of dedicated members and frequent activities. I don't much about Bowdoin so this isn't a comparison club to club, but for sure Williams offers a phemonenal experience for anyone who's interested in the great outdoors. </p>
<p>Aside from frequent day hikes and snow sports Williams also organized weekend and break-long activities -- like a trip to the Grand Canyon or a winter camp-out. Scott Lewis of the WOC is a terrific leader; write to him! I'm sure he'd be pleased to answer your questions.</p>
<p>I would not say that social life at Williams is centered around sports -- unless you happen to be on a team or want your social life to center around sports. Williams kids are active, social, multifaceted kids. My son was not involved in team sports but took full advantage of what Williams had to offer in outdoorsy activities -- plus an ample amount of arts related activities.</p>
<p>There are a lot of overlaps in personality between Bowdoin and Williams. I'm sure you'd get an excellent education at either place so you really need to follow your heart.</p>
<p>Looks like I'm going to Williams! thanks for the help.</p>
<p>Congratulations, snucky. You must have some extra-special talents/gifts (and the Admission Office must know by now that deferring entrance for a year [or more] helps students bring beneficial perspectives to the community). You'll have a lot to look forward to -- Williamstown is a special place with a lot of opportunities for different students to take advantage of.</p>
<p>I’m on this thread only because I have a second D who is an athlete/scholar who may look at Williams.</p>
<p>I have to support mini here. In the general population, no one has heard of either of these schools! The average person’s knowledge doesn’t go much beyond HYP. Most people don’t know that Penn is an Ivy, Rice to a Washingtonian is like Pomona to someone from New Jersey, and don’t even try to explain the difference between Wellesley and Wesleyan—people’s eye’s start to glaze over.</p>
<p>That said, I love Snucky123’s attitude. My kids go to a private school in Seattle (great school, I must say) but parents act like there’s been a death in your family if your kid doesn’t get into an Ivy League school. Bravo Snucky123, maintain your common sense!</p>
<p>Ignore above post. I put it in the wrong thread!</p>