<p>I’m a Williams parent. OP, you love the outdoors, math, physics, and econ, and want strong humanities offerings as well. This is Williams, hands down. Check out the course catalog on the website, I doubt you would exhaust your options. My daughter has been in classes of 3-4 students, it’s not like other places where a class might be cancelled for lack of enrollment.
There are some areas which are lacking, foreign language and linguistics for example, but the areas you listed are particular strengths where you will find a great peer group.
The Williams campus is nice, but as Ephman describes, it’s the area around campus that makes it special.</p>
<p>Over 4 years you’ll take 32 to 36 courses. Divide that among everything you’re interested in – math, physics, chemistry, economics, philosophy and a handful of other humanities and social sciences – and you’ll find enough courses to go around twice. :)</p>
<p>Williamstown in winter is like something out of “The Shining.” Why anyone would wish to submit to four years internal exile in a remote corner of the Berkshires is beyond me but, hey, it’s a big world!</p>
<p>I just visited Swarthmore, and I may be considering Amherst too (waitlisted). Any information about how these compare in terms of career opportunities, connections, research opportunities and strength of math/science/economics departments?</p>