<p>Each campus has a unique culture. Visiting helps to get a flavor of each, but our manic college touring left us suffering from small sample bias. That said, I had very different experiences at the three colleges. </p>
<p>Midd, with its light, airy campus had students with the most friendly, easy going affect, although several times during the tour I asked the guide, "Where IS everybody?" Most of the students I saw were athletic, good looking, relaxed, and dressed in fleece. When I questioned students at random, all seemed enthusiastic and felt the school was fulfilling their academic hopes. Being alone together must work for them ... 60% eventually marry other Midd Kids; this could be from the isolation or from a strong acculturation process. Pack everything you need with you, because the local village offers very little. We may have considered this school more seriously if coming home to California wasn't a 14-hour planes, trains, and automobile odyssey. The town does not have Grey Hound service, and rides must be begged from profs to get down the mountain to civilization (read Hanover).</p>
<p>Williams seemed more quirky and energetic. It is a very pretty campus, but it can't touch Midd for beauty. The immediate area is rural like Carmel Valley is rural, protected open space dotted with gentleman farms and upscale destination spas. There are several local art museums and a resident Shakespeare company. We visited the Williams campus during midterms, and I saw more than a few haggered, stressed faces. The experience was described as "intense." All the students I interviewed were very animated, fast speaking, expressive, and uninhibited (contrast to Dartmouth, where every student questioned squared their shoulders and embarked on a detailed, formal sounding, extemporaneous speech - odd when I only wanted directions to the student union.) By noon half the campus was suited up for one sport or another, and school spirit seemed positively rabid. In general, the students came in all shapes and sizes, wore unique clothing, were very sports oriented, and felt free to joke/editorialize with me.</p>
<p>My experience at Amherst was disappointing. The adjacent city and the immediate village (charming if it could be seen) suffers from chronic traffic, and parking is a nightmare. The older admissions officer presiding over the info session seemed to be on valium as he answered our questions and trailed off into his own private musings. Fellow attendees, although beautiful and impeccably dressed, were completely mute. I felt as if my daughter and I were having a private interview surrounded by stuffed dummies or Stepford people. As for their college consortium, students average only one or two classes off their own campus (contrast to Pomona-Claremont-Harvey Mudd etc where students feel LIMITED by the 20% rule.) While I'm sure Amherst students are brilliant on tests, they just didn't seem to have any spark. I was left feeling that Amherst attracts students who are very beholden to the rules, who are seen but not heard. Based my (admittedly limited) 3-hour snap shot, if Williams is a little outside the box, Amherst IS the box. It is much too stuffy for a West Coaster. Perhaps I caught them on a bad day.</p>
<p>Clueless, all of our chatter means nothing compared to what you could learn by visiting yourself. If you can't visit, talk to as many alumni as you can. Every college leaves a personality stamp on its students in speech, logic patterns, dress, and valuation of success. When you meet an alum, ask yourself, "Do I want to turn out like that?" Best of luck. This is not easy.</p>