<p>WILLIAMS
WILLIAMS
WILLIAMS
WILLIAMS
WILLIAMS
WILLIAMS
WILLIAMS
WILLIAMS
WILLIAMS
OMG SKIING
OMG HIKING
OMG EVERYTHING
WILLIAMS
WILLIAMS
WILLIAMS</p>
<p>I got admitted to Stanford...
I guess I have to do the dreaded... Stanford vs. Williams</p>
<p>I want to go into Astronomy, Geosciences or Psychology. In addition, I also want artsy kids since I am really into Philosophy and Poetry.</p>
<p>Oh, I'm also rather wild...I love the wilderness and stuff, haha. :D</p>
<p>A culture committed to the arts with a good Philosophy program as well as the sciences, and a history of having built the first astronomical observatory in the new nation. I am certain you have taken the time to study our course material. Stanford has depth but that is because it is primarily a graduate school and it is in Palo Alto, a fairly urbane and sprawling campus. Stanford is a very large school by comparison.</p>
<p>If you want a four year institution with a world class education and with an earned diploma that will gain entry to the best graduate institutions of the US, then you have no choice other than coming home to the Purple Valley.</p>
<p>horse, this applies to both schools, doesn’t it?</p>
<p>“If you want a four year institution with a world class education and with an earned diploma that will gain entry to the best graduate institutions of the US…”</p>
<p>Yes, it does apply to both schools, but understand the difference between an LAC and a major University. This differential understanding is unique to the US. Liberal Arts academic insitutions are not Universities. Williams is quite extraordinary in not only being a national class insitution of learning, more importantly, a feeder to the best institutions across this nation. </p>
<p>The experience of having attended an LAC of stature,
differentiates you from the crowd. It is part and parcel of the American Cultural fabric in education. It is unique and thus dear John Adams, I need not recount the reasons, as your acronym merely implies the rest.</p>
<p>Best wishes and Cheers on your field of battle!</p>
<p>Horse, again, do you think that this would apply to Stanford also?</p>
<p>"Williams is quite extraordinary in not only being a national class insitution of learning, more importantly, a feeder to the best institutions across this nation. "</p>
<p>Did OP end up getting in at Williams? He started this thread on the 26th and decisions came out after that.</p>
<p>I got in at Stanford too, and so I assumed I would get in at Williams as well. Turns out I got denied…but I was gonna go to Stanford either way :P</p>
<p>plus…Williams doesn’t have engineering. which was a big turnoff for me.</p>
<p>My opinion is that you shouldn’t be focused too much on one area as an undergraduate, and if you want to go to a really prestigious grad school, you can’t do too much better than Williams for preparation. Many Grad schools DO NOT like to place students from their own undergrad programs (A broader experience base is one reason). Take anthropology, art, or religion (or Chinese), etc. as electives along with math and physics…then apply to a top Engineering school (MIT or Stanford)…in my opinion your chances of getting into the program you want will be better.</p>
<p>FYI I have a friend that got into Georgetown Medical school as a Junior at Williams…He never actually finished his Williams degree…</p>
<p>Beer also tastes better in the Purple Valley…particularly on a cold day.</p>
<p>So Code H, I checked - you didn’t post this question on the Stanford board. That means that you posted here seeking affirmation for your impending decision to select a school that a lot of people who are congratulating you about Stanford will say they’ve never heard of.</p>
<p>Well, here it is. Williams offers the best undergrad experience in America (I say that as a Harvard parent). You have no apologies to make to anyone.</p>
<p>gadad - could you compare H and W for me in specifics? My d was so pleasantly surprised when she got into each (we hadn’t visited either as they seemed like such reach schools.) Her counselor suggested that she might get in to either, but we didn’t dare believe it. When she found out she was accepted to W a few weeks ago, we went up and visited (twice!) and loved everything about it. I feel that it will be a better undergrad experience, but am only going on my own research and information from others on CC, which has been wonderful! I am concerned about the competition in the sciences (she is interested in math/physics right now) and know both schools will be really hard but she would love to surround herself with other kids that will love learning.
I would so appreciate an insight you might be able to share - thank you!</p>
<p>JMMom32 - I have a D who is a senior at H, and an S who is a sophomore at W, so I’d be happy to answer any questions you might have, either here or via PM. Both kids are incredibly happy, so I might not be that much help to your D in deciding.</p>
<p>John Adams12 would have us think that being accepted to Stanford would have us blink in the affirmative.</p>
<p>Mr. Adams: I was accepted to Princeton, University of Chicago and Stanford, and chose Williams College. What were your goals and your reasons for entering college?</p>
<p>What were your criteria?</p>
<p>For me, an LAC of renown was worth everything, rather than acceptanace to a University where I was a number and where there was no subculture and identity within the school for an undergraduate education where I had an individual presence, not only for myself, but as a student body.</p>
<p>So horseradish, are you telling us that this does not apply to Princeton as well as Williams, particularly for an undergraduate education?</p>
<p>“For me, an LAC of renown was worth everything, rather than acceptanace to a University where I was a number and where there was no subculture and identity within the school for an undergraduate education where I had an individual presence, not only for myself, but as a student body.”</p>
<p>Williams doesn’t have engineering…so it turned me off. And for those of you who say I could major in math/physics at Williams and then get a grad degree in engineering somewhere else— I don’t plan on being an engineer forever. My current plans are to get some other grad degree (MBA, JD, possibly MD?, etc.) and have a strong engineering background. Just saying this to give another viewpoint on why some wouldn’t choose Williams.</p>
<p>@horse raddish
LACs do have great advantages over typical universities (undergrad focus, presence on campus, etc). But these are more profound when comparing a LAC to a typical state-university or average university. Stanford is very different from a typical university in many regards…so the typical LAC>University argument needs some different/greater firepower when comparing to Stanford, Harvard, Princeton, Yale. (looking back i shoulda just typed HYPS hahah)</p>