<p>I'm considering applying to Williams this autumn, as well as HYPSM and so forth, but before I do so, I'd like to know what makes it special. I've heard that it's in a nice location and so forth, but it's not exactly a well-known college in the fields I want to go in. And, academically, I'm not sure about the quality of the departments and so on. It's hard to find out much about it on the Web, because it's such a small school.</p>
<p>So, for people who've been or are at Williams: this is your chance to tell me all the great things about your college :)</p>
<p>I think you'll actually find a lot of threads on this subject, if you search this forum. (I'm an alum and the parent of a current student.)</p>
<p>You say that it's "not exactly a well-known college in the fields I want to go in," but you don't say what fields those are. That information might help us answer your questions. </p>
<p>Also, just so you know, the concept of "well-known" is somewhat variable in meaning. Are you meaning that certain fields aren't well known by the guy who bags your groceries? If so, you're probably right. Are you meaning that they aren't well known by graduate or professional schools? That's likely to be incorrect. So, help us out a bit and let us know what you are interested in studying.</p>
<p>Well, I'd like to go into business or finance, but I read that most finance companies tend to cherry-pick the best candidates from the Ivies first, and prestige means something if you're getting into the industry. Also, I want to attend one of the top business schools afterwards, but wouldn't it be easier to get into, say, Harvard Business School if you graduated from Harvard?</p>
<p>I'll have a look around the forum for similiar threads; thanks for the tip :).</p>
<p>Williams grads do very well in professional school admissions and employment in the business world. </p>
<p>FWIW, here's one take on where Williams stands in professional school admissions. The survey is certainly not without flaws, but it gives some idea of how Williams is perceived in those realms. (There were a number of discussions here on CC about the WSJ survery, which you may want to hunt for, too, if it interests you.)</p>
<p>What really drew me to apply to this school wasn't its name value(which is actually pretty darn strong amongst grad school/law school/med schools), but its undergraduate program. I believed that rather than a big research university or the Ivies, a small college like Williams will give me more professor-student interaction and more opportunities which are usually taken up by grad students. I didn't want to be taught by a TA; I wanted real interaction with the professors. I'm not saying some of the Ivies or big research universities don't have this; but I believe that it can be more easily found in a small liberal arts college like Williams. </p>
<p>A corollary to my first point is the Williams Tutorials program. Have you heard of it? Williams is, I believe, the only school in this country to have this program, where two students are assigned to a professor for an Oxford-style class. If you want an even more intense interaction with your professor and classmate, you can opt to take a Tutorial. If you don't, you don't have to. But I really liked the idea of this program because it really shows their commitment to have an intimate learning environment. </p>
<p>Plus, as nceph noted, Williams is very successful in sending people to selective grad/med/law schools. It is the number one ranked liberal arts college, after all. I'm planning to go to law school after college, and Williams is only going to help, not hurt, my chances at top law schools. </p>
<p>Williams sends many out to study-abroad programs, and Williams also has a Willimas-Exeter program where Williams students can enroll at Oxford for a year. </p>
<p>Also, Williams gives out pretty hefty FA packages on average -- of course, its tuition is pretty expensive, so I guess its not THAT big. But I believe that Williams students get more bang out of their buck compared to other big university/Ivies students who sit in classes taught by TA's. </p>
<p>I'm still waiting to hear back from other colleges and some of the Ivies, but those are the principal reasons that drew me to apply to Williams. I'm not sure which school I will attend (fin. aid being a factor), but I really like the increased-interaction aspect of Williams. I would encourage you to at least apply there. :)</p>
<p>Williams sent a higher percentage of people to top grad schools than places like Dartmouth or MIT? That's interesting... and it sounds like the kind of college where you can actually get to know the professors and discuss research and so forth.</p>
<p>How exactly do students qualify to enrol at Oxford for a year? I'm coming from the UK, so it would be interesting to go back for a year, so to speak.</p>
<p>I'm homeschooled, actually, and it's she, lol :), but I'm applying as a "usual" freshman this autumn, not as a transfer student, so that would presumably mean that I'd be a junior if I were in high school.</p>
<p>what drew me to apply to williams is the personal attention that a student will receive. one is not a number in a crowd, but a valued citizen in a community. i felt that if i enrolled at williams, i'd be receiving an undergraduate liberal arts education unparalleled to most other schools, and i'd be learning in a very intimate setting. this is what sets williams apart from most schools: the close interaction between students and faculty members. the professors know that you are highly motivated, and they will nurture your intellectual growth. unlike the "ivies," who are known to be more research-based in their education, williams is unique in its undergraduate teachings - as limetime said, what other college/university in the country has Oxford-style tutorials?</p>
<p>williams is a truly magnificent college where one could experience academia on a personal level. like limetime, i applied to other universities and some "ivies," and i too am waiting for their responses. but in the end, i know that williams college is, and will continue to be, one of the premier liberal arts colleges in the nation.</p>
<p>It sounds like a first-rate college! I can see myself at this place: the low student-faculty ratio, the beautiful countryside, and the good reputation with graduate schools are all huge pluses for me.</p>
<p>I’m definitely applying this autumn, then. Wish me luck :).</p>