<p>Hi everyone,</p>
<p>Just wanted to know if anyone had any questions about life at Williams. I'd be happy to answer. I'm class of '08. Anyone thinking about applying or who is going there in the fall, please feel free. As a side note, I really don't think I could help with the "what are my chances?" type of questions. </p>
<p>Cheers,</p>
<p>K.</p>
<p>I'm incoming 2012 (and oh-so-psyched about it!), and I've got a couple of questions...</p>
<p>1) What're your opinions on rooms/living/entries/life in general in the Frosh Quad v. Mission?
2) How easy is it, as a first-year, to get into 200 level classes? I have the required prerequisites, but I'm still probably competing with upperclassmen?
3) If you don't take a language first year, can you come into it later? (As intermediate/advanced, if that makes a difference...)
4) First-Year Residential Seminar? Good? Bad?
(and speaking of, I know there's a thread, but you wouldn't happen to know which of the two next year is going to be where, would you? I was wondering if you could affirm the rumor that 101 is in Mission and 103 is in FQ...)
5) How often does Prof. Wood offer his WWII tutorial? /Have you taken it/How hard is it to get into as a non-History major/is it good?
6) Did you participate in the Williams-Oxford program? Do you know anyone who did? Your/their thoughts?
and finally...
7) What's something one should definitely make sure to do before graduation?</p>
<p>Heh, okay, that was more than a couple. Sorry. I'm overexcited to be an Eph!</p>
<p>
[quote]
What's something one should definitely make sure to do before graduation?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Walk the Hoosac Tunnel.</p>
<p>Thanks, interesteddad: I'm going to make sure my S does this, well I can't force him, but I will nicely suggest it.</p>
<p>No, I was kidding!</p>
<p>4.75 miles of pure hell. When a train comes through, you have to press up against the wall of the tunnel as the train roars past with just a foot or so of clearance in the pitch black darkness. I would never do it a second time. The west end of the tunnel is particularly dangerous as big sections of brick work routinely fall on the tracks. </p>
<p>The tunnel is an important part of the Berkshires' history. Walking a few hundred yards in from the entrance is more than sufficient to get the flavor, if not the incredible darkness that you get two and a half miles in at the center!</p>
<p>And the most popular white water rafting and kayaking is on the Deerfield River just at the east entrance to the tunnel:</p>
<p>Deerfield</a> River Rapids in Massachusetts | Zoar Outdoor</p>
<p>The rafting is timed to coincide with regularly scheduled releases of water from the dam at the Bear Swamp Project just upstream. Alas, all the rafting started after my days at Williams. Now, there are hundreds of people on river on a nice summer afternoon.</p>
<p>So, a day trip out to that way would definitely be enjoyable.</p>
<p>Well, I am deer-in-the headlights gullible. Thanks for the correct. And if I had mentioned it to DS he probably would have laughed his head off at me for quite a while.</p>
<p>I would be surprised if he even knows about the tunnel. It's probably more of a "townie" thing. Unless he's spent summers in the Berkshires, then he probably knows about the white water rafting and, if he's done that, then he would have seen the east end of the tunnel -- which is seriously in the middle of nowhere.</p>
<p>http://bbs.keyhole.com/ubb/download.php?Number=885513</a> - Google Maps</p>
<p>Here's some history of the tunnel (it was the second longest tunnel the world when it was built and the first commercial use of nitroglycerine for blasting). And an account of walking it - both directions! - in 2002.</p>
<p>Hoosac</a> Tunnel</p>
<p>Hey, I plan to apply Williams this year!</p>
<ol>
<li>what are the people like in general? (i've heard that they are in the "williams bubble" and don't really care about the outside world, but i'm kind of doubting that</li>
<li>what are the singing groups like?</li>
<li>would the remote location be hell for someone coming from a large city?</li>
<li>does williams offer good financial aid packages?</li>
<li>is there a lot of socioeconomic diversity?</li>
<li>is it a good school for someone who wants to be pre med?</li>
</ol>
<p>sorry its a lot of questions. and thank you=)</p>
<p>1) How important are sports and athletics to the student population? (Would a person be somewhat of an outcast for not partaking in athletics?)
2) How Conservative is the student population? (I read somewhere that it is mostly Conservative)
3) (If you know this) How much weight does being a legacy carry?</p>
<ol>
<li>Sports are very important to the Williams culture, but no, you won't be an outcast. You may feel uncomfortable at some of the parties that are thrown by sports teams, but there are more than enough social niches out there to satisfy the non-athletic students at Williams.<br></li>
<li>I would say that the student population is perhaps slightly more conservative than the average New England liberal arts college (I myself am a self-described moderate conservative). However, political stripes generally still run left of center at Williams. Off hand, I'd say that there are only a few really hardcore conservatives at Williams, a handful of really hardcore leftists, and the vast majority is more run-of-the-mill liberal.</li>
<li>I've heard differing opinions on the impact of legacy. I knew many legacies at Williams, but that's easily attributable to the fact that Williams parents are more likely to encourage their children to apply to Williams. Being a legacy probably helps marginally, and more so if you're a double legacy. However, I've also heard that it really only gives you a boost if your parents have donated a substantial amount of money (we're talking 100K+).</li>
</ol>
<p>Thank you so much.</p>
<p>The sports question and the conservative question are major factors for me (because I don't do sports... like at all, and I'm extremely liberal).</p>
<p>However, the legacy question was just out of curiosity, but I know it won't carry much weight with me because neither of my parents went there. That being said, almost every male on my father's side of the family HAS gone to Williams (other than him)... Oh well.</p>
<p>Is there more internal competition or external? (In better terms, are students more likely to be competitive with themselves or with other students?)</p>
<p>Legacy helps, but you still need to be academically qualified. I think the best way to look at it is that in a very competitive admissions environment, being a legacy is most likely enough to get an otherwise qualified applicant admitted. Legacy applicants should definitely take advantage of the admissions counselling/interviews offered by the admissions office.</p>
<p>My S is an '11 and he is extremely liberal. Says so right on his facebook profile. Many of his friends are too. PM me if you'd like.</p>
<p>I'm happy that there are SOME conservatives there though. I'm a more moderate type of person, really a neoconservative (socially somewhat liberal, fiscally/politically conservative). But some schools, for example I visited Skidmore and Vassar and Swarthmore....seemed to be liberal-or-bust. I liked that at Williams there was a more moderate group of people too.</p>
<p>It is sad that there are "liberal or bust" political environments on college campuses. (You'd have a hard time finding more than a handful of "conservative or bust" colleges.) </p>
<p>As long as the discourse is respectful, I think conservatives have much to learn from liberals and liberals have much to learn from conservatives. </p>
<p>Kids in college should have their views challenged.</p>
<p>A variety in thought is always more enriching, even if I may not agree with your viewpoints. I don't neatly classify into either category (pretty easy when it comes to a 2 dimensional linear spectrum) but find that the campus feels a bit too liberal at times, which may or may not be a good thing, but again, I feel it would be much more enriching, and less annoying, to have peoples' views challenged once in awhile.</p>
<p>I find the some of the conservatives tend to hush up more just because they are so outnumbered on campus.</p>