Stanford vs. Williams

College Search & Selection
1

<p>So I'm struggling with the decision, and I've asked for advice from just about everybody. 90% have told me Stanford, the other 10% Williams. Both schools probably provide the most well-rounded education in their respective niches (big research university vs. small LAC). I'm leaning towards Williams (60%?) at the moment, but it changes daily, no joke. But my decision won't be complete without a little help from my CC friends of course.</p>

<p>Some background on me: Asian American from Southern CA, probably majoring in Poli Sci or IR, maybe minoring in philosophy. Athletic, outdoorsy, laid-back extrovert, want to study abroad (preferably Africa). Definitely a work hard play hard type of person. I want to do crew in college!! Haha.</p>

<p>Pros and cons </p>

<p>Stanford pros: reputation/name recognition, world class faculty, resources/opportunities, networking, gorgeous campus, closer to home, weather, laid-back atmosphere, chill people, felt more "at home" than at Williams, in & out nearby haha.</p>

<p>Stanford cons: big classes (though not always a bad thing), TA's, no study abroad in Africa, the "expected" route for me to take</p>

<p>Williams pros: tutorial, small classes, interpersonal relationships with profs, tight-knit community, outdoors/nature, gorgeous campus, nice people, change of scenery, better for humanities, Tyng scholarship (3 years of graduate school money), study abroad program with Africa</p>

<p>Williams cons: intense atmosphere, isolated, weather, possibly too much like high school with small student body (less than my high school!), diversity, I think I might just be "infatuated" with the idea of Williams, too preppy (NE elite wealthy kids), no mainstream movie theater! haha</p>

<p>In the end it will probably come down to gut feeling because I know I will receive a great education either way. The tangibles, however, vary greatly and are major factors in my decision. Will I be able to adapt to 4 years at Williamstown after living in SoCal all my life? Will I make friends easier at Stanford? Will Williamstown be more clique-y? Is Stanford too "safe"?</p>

<p>Stuck between a rock and a hard place. Any help would be greatly appreciated.</p>

2

<p>Athletic, outdoorsy, laid-back extrovert, want to study abroad (preferably Africa). Definitely a work hard play hard type of person. </p>

<p>this seems like williams to me :)</p>

3

<p>You sound like you would fit in at both. Give me one of your acceptances and go to the other :)</p>

<p>From your perspective I would likely choose Stanford, if only because of location. Cross country 2nd thoughts are worse than local ones, but that is just my opinion(which is why I'm looking to go across country, lol).</p>

4

<p>
[QUOTE]
You sound like you would fit in at both.

[/QUOTE]
That's the problem. Haha. I really could see myself at both.</p>

<p>I'm kind of hesitant about picking Williams because if I end up hating it, I'll be stuck in isolation for a year before I transfer (or not at all; the Tyng scholarship is so appealing). At least with Stanford, I don't think I could ever hate it. But then again, I think it's possible that I might end up loving Williams more than I could ever Stanford.</p>

5

<p>They're both great but goi to Williams if you've always lived in CA.</p>

6

<p>Both schools fit your needs, but one thing you said tells me you should go to Stanford. Read your 10th item on the Stanford pros. I think that's the key.</p>

7

<p>
[QUOTE]
Read your 10th item on the Stanford pros.

[/QUOTE]
Well, I am from CA, so naturally I'll feel more at home there than in the most northwestern edges of mountainous Massachusetts right? Your point kind of goes back to the "too safe" factor I was talking about. But I agree, it is important.</p>

8

<p>Well exactly, should no one leave their comfort zone?</p>

9

<p>Suze, Stanford is going to chew you up and spit you out if you get too comfortable. No top university is going to allow you to just kick back and relax. Stanford has incredibly high standards. But you should feel comfortable where you go to college.</p>

10

<p>Alexander, I'm not commenting on standards, just saying that I think an Asian American from S CA is of course initially likely to feel more comfortable at S than W. There's no doubt in my mind williams would add to his world perspective.</p>

11

<p>Are you hesitating with the Tying scholarship? I would choose Williams any time with the scholarship. Even without the scholarship, I would say it's 50-50 for me.</p>

12

<p>daikon, Congratulations on two fabulous choices! Stanford is a BIG draw and at the end of the day few people turn it down for anything less than HYPM. As you say the decision is going to come down to personal preference and comfort level with risk. Academically Williams and Stanford are very similar, but in physical characteristics and, I think to a certain extent, in personality they are quite different.</p>

<p>I would like to comment on a few of your Williams cons: </p>

<p>Intense atmosphere
I would have to give Stanford the edge here, at least comparing the Stanford kids I know to my son's friends at Williams. Both are academically driven, but to me, the Stanford kids are FAR more intense. Williams kids have plenty of fun. The atmosphere is cheerful.</p>

<p>Isolated
That it is, though actually the insularity is what makes Williams Williams. You either love it or hate it.</p>

<p>Weather
It helps if you like to do something in the snow.</p>

<p>Possibly too much like high school with small student body
Again, that's the point: LAC = SMALL (But it's NOT like high school, believe me, unless everyone at your high school was super smart and accomplished)</p>

<p>Diversity
Less than Stanford for sure, but then that's why they want YOU! :)</p>

<p>Too preppy (NE elite wealthy kids)
I don't buy the preppy label. Even the prep schools aren't preppy anymore.
Yes, Williams has some wealthy kids as does every selective college. Stanford has CA elite wealthy kids. You want economic diversity go to a UC.</p>

<p>No mainstream movie theater!
Well there is a move theater in Williamstown, but no multiplex</p>

<p>Good luck and let us know what you decide.</p>

13

<p>OK, you're Asian-American, from California. Stanford will offer much more name recognition, it's relatively close to home, it will be full of other Asian-Americans from California, the culture and weather will be familiar. Stanford is obviously the "safe" choice, and the average person, in your situation, would go there.</p>

<p>Both Williams and Stanford will challenge you academically, but Williams will also challenge you culturally and geographically. If you go to Williams, you will (in effect) be studying abroad for all four years, not just one. The adjustment will definitely be harder than it would be at Stanford. </p>

<p>But if you do accept the geographic and cultural challenges posed by Williams, you will learn more than you would at Stanford. A Williams degree will you earn you honorary "East Coast citizenship", in addition to the "West Coast citizenship" that you already hold by birth. As a "dual citizen", you will have broader cultural knowledge and understanding than most people on either coast. Yes, you will miss good Mexican food (people in Massachusetts have no idea about Mexican food), but you will learn to appreciate a good hoagie (trust me, you have no clue about hoagies or cheese steaks). You might miss the beach, but you might find that you like cross-country skiing after class. </p>

<p>So it's your choice. Most people would take the easier, safer route. But the riskier, more difficult route offers more rewards if you succeed.</p>

<p>By the way, I am a native Californian who graduated from Williams. I am back in California now, and I'll probably live and work here for the rest of my life. But I'm very glad that I got out of state -- and to Williams specifically -- for college.</p>

14

<p>Interesting choice. I think you've done a great job of analyzing the pros/cons. I guess the one Williams "pro" that jumped out at me was the Tyng scholarship - 3 years of grad school money is pretty incredible. But you know that only you can make the call about where you will ultimately be happiest and thrive. Good luck!</p>

15

<p>Thanks for the responses. </p>

<p>I'll have to do some hard thinking over the weekend and hopefully will have a decision by Monday.</p>

16

<p>"Is Stanford too safe?"</p>

<p>This is a GREAT question to ask yourself, in my opinion.</p>

<p>I declined Dartmouth b/c the latter seemed "too safe." I grew up in Mass. and attended a rural NE prep school.</p>

<p>Ultimately, I attended a larger, more diverse university near Chicago. The experience gave me a lot of self-confidence.</p>

17

<p>It's really up to you, but I also am a big advocate of taking a bit of a risk. You certainly seem like you could be happy in either school, and I really think that moving outside your current enviornment and comfort zone is very valuable. Given that you have a very specific interest--travel in Africa--that Williams will fully facilitate and a scholarship to boot, I'm saying go for Willaims.</p>

18

<p>Hey,</p>

<p>If you consider going to Williamstown too much of a risk, how can you go to Africa?</p>

19

<p>Well, it's not that it's too much of a risk, but that's it's riskier than Stanford, which is "safe".</p>

20

<p>Williams for sure. I am from California, and one of the biggest mistakes I made was not getting across the country for school at the first possible opportunity. On the other hand, I felt fine when I did it later, so Stanford is certainly not the end of the world. But you should mix it up and get out of Cali for awhile. If you were from Massachusetts and the choices were the same, I'd say Stanford.</p>