Life After Williams?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Williams College
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<p>Of course Williams' undergraduate education will be fantastic as it is a liberal arts school, but I want to consider what happens after those four years. In terms of future educational opportunities (grad school, med school) and employer reputation for finding jobs, how much does Williams really prepare its students? </p>

<p>Almost nobody I've spoken to has even heard of Williams. Is it that I am just interacting with a small portion of people who are out of the loop, or will many employers and businesses not really know what a good school Williams is? Especially versus a more well-known university such as UPenn, Duke, Dartmouth or UChicago?</p>

<p>Also, how is Williams for getting into med school and/or grad school? Is it easier, more difficult? I know that Williams is smaller, so maybe it would have more internships to go around, but then again, Williams is sort of in the middle of nowhere!</p>

<p>I am deciding between Williams and UChicago right now (it's pretty tough). Please discuss!</p>

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<p>You answered your own question - yes, you do need to expand the people you know. For Williams, Amherst, and Swarthmore, the people who need to know know (grad schools, employers etc.), the other people do not matter. </p>

<p>For the record, I went to one of those three and never had an issue getting into top-10 Ivy grad schools. And all my friends also had no issues. These three LACs are tops of the tops and the students go head-to-head with any top Ivy League student from HPY. </p>

<p>Granted it really is partially an upper-end crust thing. Every student at top prep schools know these schools; public schools are a completely different story. For the record, several of my colleagues turned down Ivys to go to these three as undergrads, myself included. We would all do it again. We did however all go Ivy for grad school, which really is the strength of the Ivys, with Princeton being the exception. </p>

<p>There is something electrifying about going to a professor’s house for a barbecue and he was nominated two times for a Nobel prize and you can talk to him while having a beer and burger. Try that at an Ivy. Not! Better yet, imagine him writing you a recommendation for grad school cause he really knows you. Now, imagine having three such professors and three such recommendations of that caliber. You just lived my undergrad life.</p>

<p>My advice is know what you are going to school for. If it is name you are looking for, then choose the name if it is important to you to impress people who do not matter. All brilliant, smart people know these schools; the others do not count in my book. Also, the environments are so completely different. However, if you choose just by name, do not be surprised later in life when a Williams, Amherst or Swarthmore person is eating your lunch and you are left wondering what the hell just happened. My friends and I enjoy doing that all the time. </p>

<p>Good luck in your studies. Do a lot of research and choose wisely.</p>

<p>Oops, I forgot to address your dilemma. For me, Williams takes it over U of Chicago, but I am biased to these three schools. They are not 1, 2 and 3 for nothing, and they have been there forever.</p>

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<p>will prepare you well for whatever you want to do. I went to Williams undergrad and UChicago for grad school (and by the way, I felt very well prepared for grad school), so I am well acquainted with both institutions. For me, Williams would be an easy choice over UofC for undergrad, but for others, the opposite would hold true – very, very different schools in terms of setting, environment, student body personality, and so on. So go where you feel you will be happiest. Either will open whatever doors you want. Williams, for example, is as good in terms of placement at top medical, business, law schools and Phd programs as essentially any Ivy … if you do well at Williams, you will write your ticket to any grad school you want. Williams also does very well in terms of placing students in other coveted post-grad jobs and fellowships, such as Peace Corps, NSF / Fulbright / Rhodes / Watson / Gates fellowships, Teach for America, and top-tier science research and consulting and investment banking jobs. </p>

<p>While most of the country will not have heard of Williams, honestly, most of the country will also think UChicago is some sort of city-run university. You really shouldn’t care what most of the country thinks, other than if it bothers you that most random people you meet won’t say “wow, you went to Williams” as they would if you went to, say, Harvard. The people in a position to advance your career, however, WILL be enormously impressed. Every grad school and fellowship, and the vast majority of jobs that alums of places like Williams aspire to, are very well acquainted with the school and view it on par with (or even hold it in higher regard) than Ivy League and other larger institutions. Going to Williams is without any doubt an excellent decision in terms of securing your future … it is the next four years you should base your decision on, because you couldn’t possibly make a better one regarding the following forty.</p>

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<p>I have a C at Harvard and a C at Williams. If I wear a Harvard sweatshirt to the supermarket not one says anything, but nearly every time I have worn Williams (two days ago was last time) some one shouts out-- when were you there? When I say no, it’s my child they then remark (it is incredibile that it is nearly the same thing each time)-- that they are jealous that they wished they could be back in the Purple Bubble.</p>

<p>From Williams you can do and go anywhere. There is a reason–and I am not one who puts much stock in these lists–but they have some validity-- why USNWR has Williams as the number one undergraduate education in the nation.</p>

<p>More importantly they have a way of teaching the students how to live together in community–and that is, in of itself, worth the price of tuition. No offense to UChi, which is a top tier research university, but you can’t beat a LAC for that part of a collegiate education.</p>

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<p>firecracker, I think there are several issues here. First, which school is better suited to you in environment and teaching style? They are quite different, so one has to be a better fit than the other. </p>

<p>Second, name recognition. Graduate and professional school admissions know and respect Williams. Most east coast Fortune 500 companies would also value the Williams name; however this may be less apparent as you get farther away from New York / New England. If it bothers you that the average “person on the street” has never heard of Williams then go somewhere else. Williams is never going to be a household name.</p>

<p>Third, There is plenty of documented evidence of Williams’ grads’ success in life. Williams provides a lot of information about graduate school admissions and ultimate careers. Their career placement, admissions counseling and alumni/ae network are excellent. My son recently attended his 5 year Williams reunion. A great percentage of his class were well on their way to successful careers, many with graduate degrees. My son and his three closest friends have all obtained post-graduate degrees from top programs.</p>

<p>But the real issue, is #1. What kind of undergraduate experience do you want? You will do best where you are happiest, so don’t worry so much about external factors and concentrate on the best academic and social fit for YOU.</p>

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<p>Everyone, after my initial comments, has given you great advice. You should take note of their wisdom. The one thing I would say differently in my previous post is if it bothers you the average person might not know the school you went to, then I suggest you change your life philosophy. Live your life for your advancement and advantage, not to be a conversation piece for others. Conversation pieces are shallow things; live your life for more meaningful and deeper purposes. You will be much happier that way.</p>

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<p>A big thanks to everyone for their thoughtful advice! </p>

<p>Personally, it does not bother me at all that Williams is unknown to your average Joe. However, what did concern me was how the school’s reputation might affect my finding a job. $60, 000 or more a year is no small amount to have to work off, especially as I am not receiving any financial aid!
But judging from your responses, I see that recognition will not be a problem to those who truly matter. </p>

<p>Regarding the fit of the school, I honestly think that I could be happy in UChicago or Williams, despite their very different atmospheres. One reservation I had about Williams was its location, aka, middle of nowhere, trees and cows as its neighbors. However, I will be attending the admitted students weekend and plan to ask current students about student life there. </p>

<p>One more question: what if I were to get a job straight out of Williams? Are Williams grads just as successful at that as they are in getting into grad and med school?</p>

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<p>Ephman and etondad said it perfectly, much better than I did in fact - (paraphrased) “you can get a top-level job and write your own ticket.” I have several colleagues who went straight into the 9-5 world, Wall Street etc. and they are no less successful than the ones who went to grad school. In fact, three are directors at investment banks, and they do not have MBAs. Two started successful corporations, and one runs a Fortune 500 company; again, all without post grad degrees. It can be done. The key to remember is it is not the degree from Williams that counts in the end; it is the fact you are a Williams-type thinker that is the advantage. The degree helps in opening doors, but it is the way you think and perform that ultimately determines your success.</p>

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<p>I think you are underestimating the sophistication of the Williams environment. My S is pursuing a career in art history because he began visiting The Clark museum, a world class museum, because his dorm was on the same street about 1/8 of a mile away. He had never considered Art History, and it was not his major. He just discovered that he really loves paintings.</p>

<p>He took only two Art History courses at Williams, but the strength of its reputation allowed him to be admitted to a respectable, albeit not stellar program. However his thesis advisor literally " wrote the book" on Impressionism.</p>

<p>He also considered U of C, where he was accepted, but I doubt he’d have had the same outcome. He did not meet cows; he met Durer. I should also add that he was able to secure a job at the Clark.</p>

<p>My D attended Barnard. She adoreds NYC and would not have been happy at Williams. Fair enough. However, she did not leave college with more connections. Both kids are doing well, and they each had the college experience that benefitted them.</p>

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<p>As the parent of a Williams alum, absolutely agree with the comments above.</p>

<p>As far as recognition, I’ll add this anecdote to Etondad’s: A friend, who’s not an Eph and lives on the West Coast, has had similar experiences as etondad when he’s worn his Williams t-shirt. His friends were impressed that his godson was there and added they wished they had gone to Williams. These are all people who know of Williams, not because of college ratings, but because their friends are alumni fond of their time at Williams and happy with whom they became afterward.</p>

<p>As for life immediately after Williams, I know some students who found that from close work with faculty, like completing a thesis, those faculty members played a pivotal role in each student’s next step, be it grad school, professional school, or work.</p>

<p>I also underscore Momrath’s first point, deciding what type of experience you want as an undergraduate. At the point when my Eph was sifting through the details between Williams and UChicago, many of those details could be summarized under geography: Wanting a new experience. Knowing he would return to a very urban environment.</p>

<p>Although he liked the idea of Chicago’s core, in retrospect I think he might have become tired of having to complete it or at worst resented the requirement, if he had gone to UChi. Instead, at Williams he ended up with a double major. Because of intellectual curiosity he completed enough courses for a second major, which I don’t think would have happened as naturally at Chicago.</p>

<p>Knowing research universities on a quarter system, consider the type of intensity you want for your undergraduate education. Quarters can fly by. Williams intensity seems epitomized with the pedagogy of their tutorials.</p>

<p>Even though Williamstown is relatively remote, as Mythmom pointed out, it’s not culturally unsophisticated. If one is focused on maintaining a high enough GPA for life after Williams and participating in extra-curricular activities, like music, theatre, journalism, or sports, then being surrounded by purple mountains can be inspirational or at least peaceful. And, if one craves nitty-gritty urbanity, there’s a shuttle to Boston or Manhattan on weekends.</p>

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<p>

[quote]
. $60, 000 or more a year is no small amount to have to work off, especially as I am not receiving any financial aid!/

[quote]

I don’t think Williams – or any other undergraduate school – is worth going $240,000 in debt. If by choosing Williams you will be expected to reimburse your family for the total cost, then you should also weigh the cost against the cost of your other choices. Money is a big factor in the decision making process.</p>

<p>In answer to your other question, my son and his friends all found jobs right after graduation, either in their ultimate career fields or with volunteer organizations. Many have since completed graduate degrees, but several haven’t made that step yet and are doing well too.</p>

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<p>Hello everyone! After about a month of contemplation and having recently gotten back from Previews, I have decided to go to Williams College. Thank you for your advice!</p>

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<p>Congrats! Enjoy a rich and fulfilling 4 years! Great decision!</p>

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<p>I will give my congrats as well, as a mom from an Amherst alum. I think you made a wise choice. </p>

<p>Wow…it didn’t kill me to say that! :)</p>

1 Like
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<p>Welcome to Williams!</p>

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<p>Come to my state and see all the purples W’s! Woohoo!</p>

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<p>Congrats!! I’ll be seeing you at Williams!</p>

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<p>Welcome to the Purple Bubble!</p>

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<p>Welcome. Enjoy your 4 years. They will be incredible and will sadly go by in the blink of an eye. After Williams, if you work hard while you are there, you can do anything. Mine was Williams (also accepted at Harvard and Yale and that school that starts with an A) JP Morgan and now Harvard Law (declining at Yale Stanford and full rides to Columbia and Michigan). Lots of Williams alums on the street and at every law school admitted weekend I ran into Ephs. Best school ever (at least until September go Crimson).</p>