<p>The academics in general and art history in particular at Williams are almost beyond compare; it seems unlikely that Lafayette would present a superior option. My son, not an athlete, graduated from Williams several years ago; he enjoyed attending football games, occasionally played tennis recreationally,and obviously appreciated the extraordinarily beautiful setting, but athletics definitely were not the defining aspects of life at Williams (though they did add to the experience). One of the benefits of attending a great LAC (not just Williams) is the discovery, not always made in high school, that being a good athlete doesn't mean that's all you are, any more than being a gifted musician or writer means you are one-dimensional; small schools need people to fill all sorts of niches, and many people fill more than one niche. This discovery is in itself part of the educational process, I think. As you probably know, Williams does have a PE requirement, but it can be satisfied in many ways, including the always convenient "independent running"--or, I believe, setting up chairs at graduation if you don't fulfill the requirement in a more conventional and timely manner. </p>
<p>If your son would be uncomfortable at a small school in a small town in a a rural setting some distance from any real city, then Williams would of course not be a good choice, but I imagine he has already considered that or would not have applied. I wouldn't say Williams is for everyone, but in this case it sounds like the better choice, at least so far.</p>