<p>Of the following: Williams, Amherst, Middlebury and Bowdoin,
which would be the best to study history or english, play lacrosse, and have fun?</p>
<p>Which school takes their lacrosse most seriously?
Which school is most academically rigorous?
Which school is most fun for student athletes?</p>
<p>Is there any glaring difference in the student bodies or social scene at these schools?</p>
<p>Any responses would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!</p>
<p>They are all academically rigorous. To say which is most so is probably splitting hairs. The same goes for which has the best history/English departments. There are definitely academic differences between these schools (Middlebury is very strong in languages, international studies, Williams has tutorials, Amherst has an open curriculum, etc.), but history and English are probably not where you’ll find them.</p>
<p>I don’t know about lacrosse in particular. They’re all serious about sports.</p>
<p>I go to Williams, so my responses will be biased. Keep that in mind. I would say Williams is an awesome school. Tutorials are one of the things Williams has that none of the others do. While Midd, Amherst, and Bowdoin all have small class sizes, those focus on the material rather than the student. Tutorials focus on the students learning the material (being able to argue it well, reinforce their opinion verbally and through paper), as opposed to simply being able to synthesize an argument from a bunch of sources. All of them have amazing english and history departments, but from talking with friends who go/went to Middlebury, those departments aren’t as strong as Williams’s. All of them take sports seriously. But Williams has multiple director’s cups, so I think that speaks for itself. I can’t really speak to the social scene at other schools, so I won’t try.</p>
<p>Amherst is in the Pioneer Valley which has four other colleges (two of them women’s colleges) affiliated with it. Thus it is has the most diverse social scene (from Hampshire to U Mass parties…) Both Williams and even more Midd are much more rural and isolated-- which means that the student body becomes very tight and there is a great deal of school spirit.<br>
Williams has a very high percentage of its students play inter collegiate sports (V/JV or club) (I heard one coach say over 70% if one adds up all three types of teams) and so a great deal of social activity has to do with sports–(one poster in College ******* complained that the social scene was bleak for non-athletes as the parties seem to be team based–I have no idea if that is an isolated remark or held my more non-sports folks–perhaps a present student could opine here–).</p>
<p>I don’t play any sports and have never felt unwelcome at a party - even when it was team based. Tons of parties aren’t team affiliated. I think most students would concur.</p>
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<p>I didn’t go to Williams, but I agree!</p>
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<p>While I’m sure they’re great, I wouldn’t base my college decision on whether or not the school offers tutorials. Just under half–yes HALF–of Williams students graduate without ever having taken a single tutorial. And of the remainder, most take one during their entire time at Williams. Again, if you want to base your college decision on the potential to take one tutorial during your time there, then Williams may be the school for you.</p>
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<p>So I guess your Middlebury friends have taken English classes at both Midd and Williams? Otherwise, how would they know which school has a stronger program? These anecdotal inferences really bother me. I know a kid at Williams who props the collar on his Izod. Gosh–all Williams students are so preppy!</p>
<p>I think that the possibility of taking a tutorial in and of itself makes Williams extremely special. As for the comment about the strength of Midd’s departments, and from their experiences (many took classes in those departments), the classes at Williams were more difficult. That was by no means intended to be a sweeping generalization about all of Midd’s departments, it was intended solely to give the impression that some of my friends have about those departments in order to further illuminate the difference between the schools. I’m sorry if it came off as me decrying Midd’s departments - it is an amazing school with outstanding professors and brilliant students, and any generalization was unintended.</p>
<p>I doubt your experience at any of those four schools, especially as a lacrosse player, would materially differ. You could take 10 lacrosse players from each and put them in a room, and I guarantee they would be basically indistinguishable. Academically, socially, and athletically, I doubt any four schools in the country would be more similar. I’d say, talk to the coaches, meet other lacrosse players, visit the campuses, and see where you get the best personal vibe (that is assuming all four would be interested in admitting you, that may narrow it down, as well … Midd has the strongest lacrosse program, followed by Amherst, so depending on your ability level, you may be of more interest to the lacrosse coach at Williams or Bowdoin, conversely, Amherst and Williams have slightly tougher athlete admissions criteria than Midd or Bowdoin, so you may have better chances at those two if you are more of an academic stretch). </p>
<p>The main differences: Bowdoin (in particular) and Amherst have smaller student bodies and less vibrant campus life, but great, more vibrant locations. Midd is the biggest, probably the biggest party school, but also the most remote. Williams is sort of in between Midd and Amherst in that regard. Midd has nearly 1000 more students than Bowdoin, which is a big difference at that size level. </p>
<p>Williams and Midd have winter terms, Amherst students are generally off campus in January, Bowdoin I’m not sure. I think of that as a HUGE advantage for Williams and Midd, but others would rather have a much longer xmas break. Academically, all will be strong in the humanities, and they all roughly attract the same type of students (again, particularly in something like lacrosse, where most of the players will be from the northeast, and a ton of kids will be from prep schools at all four). </p>
<p>If being at a consistent national title contender is important, Midd is the best choice as they have won a slew of national titles in men’s lacrosse, Amherst is strong right now, but that is a more recent development and they may fall back to earth. Oddly enough, men’s lacrosse, while solid, is one of the very few Williams athletics teams that has never been in realistic contention for a national title, but of course the flip side of that is a chance for immediate playing time.</p>
<p>and include Colgate and Hamilton and Vassar (I understand only Hamilton is NESCAC). I also understand all are Div. 3 but Colgate, which is Div. 1 (but frankly it’s very close to good Div. 3). Any thoughts? (Son, junior, is very interested in top LACs; of three prior sisters, one went to Cornell, one to Vanderbilt and one to Vassar.) And I suppose Dartmouth, which in some sense is just an overgrown LAC.</p>
<p>NESCAC swim teams Amherst, Williams, Tufts, Middlebury, Bowdoin, Bates, Colby, Trinity, Wesleyan,Hamilton and Connecticut College.
Here is the link to see how the teams competed this year and years past.
[url=<a href=“http://www.nescac.com/sports/swimdive/index]NESCAC[/url”>General - New England Small College Athletic Conference]NESCAC[/url</a>]
Williams and Amherst are always on top, Tufts is often next with their very deep and talented team…
Great schools, all would argue that they are the best. These Division III schools truly respect the ‘student’ as a ‘student - athlete’. Academics come first. Work hard and play hard.</p>