You will not be compromised in any way from landing on Wall Street from Williams! Ephs do not suffer one iota from job prospects there… As to future opportunities, the Williams alumni network is strong, active and supportive. You will make connections not only on campus but throughout your life through this if you choose to take advantage of it.
You also have the rest of your life to live in NYC, and many people do head right to NYC right after graduation!
Only one chance to be a part of a community like Williams both on campus and after. A Williams education will expose you to such a variety of thought, ideas and opportunities that it will give you the base on which to build a life – not just get a high-paying job right after college.
I am a Williams grad and i know the power of the name, the alumni network and where people end up in their first jobs (many of my friends’ kids attend / have graduated from there). The friendships are lifelong. We have reunions every five years, and they are really well attended. (on my mind because i am heading up to mine in June!).
All liberal arts colleges have such a wide variety of activities on campus – they bring speakers, performers, etc. and the college organizations themselves put on events all the time. Plus, in Williams you’ve got the incomparable Purple Mountains. It’s a gorgeous setting. Even if you aren’t a big outdoorsy type, I am sure that you will find ways to enjoy the surroundings.
The atmosphere at Williams will be collaborative, not competitive. I can’t speak to the atmosphere at Stern, but I would imagine that it would have a much more preprofessional feel than at Williams. This is not to say that at Williams the students and the college aren’t concerned about post-graduate success, but just that the atmosphere on campus is firmly rooted in growth and exploration of all types.