<p>Hey guys,</p>
<p>I'm interested in majoring in Spanish, minoring in Chinese, and maybe taking another language in college.
My choice is between Cornell and Williams, and I was wondering about how strong Williams foreign language is?
I know that Williams science is top-of-the-line, but I don't know how their foreign languages measure up.
Can anyone shed some light about their strength? It's a very important factor for me. Thank you :)</p>
<p>Bing:</p>
<p>In all probabilities, your language course choices will be better at Cornell. </p>
<p>If you major and minor are in languages, Middlebury would have been by far the superior school for you.</p>
<p>Since sciences were not your prioirity, you probably should have applied to the University of Chicago as well, as they have a strong Asian program.</p>
<p>Please field a call to the language department with your querry, they would certainly give you a heads up on your best interests.</p>
<p>Take care.</p>
<p>Hey Bing! Umm… I would just think that Williams would have better languag programs than Cornell because usually LAC’s are more English and Language oriented, while universities are more math and science related.</p>
<p>Well, I’m going pre-med, so a large proportion of my classes will be science related.
I am definitely interested in science as well as languages: the language aspect of my college career is going to be something I’ll do for fun and out of pure interest rather than the science portion, which will be out of interest AND necessity.
I know that Williams is really strong in sciences, but are their language programs so inferior that I won’t be able to supplement my scientific education well there?</p>
<p>Also, I didn’t like Middlebury, and the University of Chicago is too far from home.</p>
<p>In addition, things like Psychology and Anthropology are very interesting to me: are those strong at Williams? I’ll definitely want to take at least one class in each of those two subjects, but definitely nothing close to a major or minor.
I’m not going to do anything with languages for my career, it’s just something I’ve always wanted to continue to do as long as I could.</p>
<p>Williams is notably weak in French. Don’t know about Spanish. Chinese seems to be good.</p>
<p>I don’t think a LAC can offer what a uni can in languages if that is a top priority.</p>
<p>One thing that shepherding two children through college has taught me is that you don’t always study what you think you will.</p>
<p>The pedagogical bent of a place influences what you learn at least as much as the courses the department fields.</p>
<p>My D, at Barnard, is exposed to an extremely scholarly atmosphere. Williams stresses more creativity and interdepartmental thinking.</p>
<p>Cornell is more conventional in its approach than Williams.</p>
<p>My S did not consider Cornell, but in the end he did reject U of Chicago for Williams, and I know he would again.</p>
<p>Many make the opposite decision.</p>
<p>But Chandler, I think you are beginning to over think this. Attend which one makes you smile more when you think: hey I’m going to (Blank).</p>
<p>I guess you are right. I definitely prefer a smaller class atmosphere with more attention on the individual, and languages aren’t something that will determine my future career.</p>
<p>I do like the whole interdepartmental thinking/creativity aspect of Williams, I don’t like when people think about a subject in terms of that subject only and ignoring its impacts on other subjects.</p>
<p>I think so, too. Instead of relaxing over my break, I’m just researching both colleges and I keep finding pros and cons of each!</p>
<p>Thanks for your sagely advice, mythmom, you dole out wonderful tidbits of wisdom all while staying cool, calm, and collected.</p>
<p>And on a side note, congratulations to both of your children on going to wonderful schools!</p>
<p>Thanks Chandler. And I’ll care just as much about you if you choose Cornell. Everyone is different. That’s why it’s great that you have such different options and can make a choice!!!</p>
<p>It’s a blessing and a curse!
(Though I absolutely cannot complain at all).</p>
<p>mythmom, do you know about Williams’ Classics department (compared to Middlebury’s?) Its department website does not reveal much about it and I haven’t had a chance to visit either of the colleges yet. From what I’ve read Middlebury has a better foreign language program, but Latin and Greek seem to stand on their own when foreign language department in general is discussed. Please help!</p>
<p>If you PM me with your specific questions I’d be glad to help.</p>
<p>What I don’t know, I’ll ask DS. He is a Classics Major at Williams, or did I say that?</p>
<p>Middlebury didn’t appeal to him as much (I love it.) He found VT too PC – no billboards, etc. I thought it was lovely, but he’s a cynical, little NY boy.</p>
<p>I have heard the only weak program at Williams is romance languages. But since your doing pre-med it really shouldn’t be the biggest of concerns.</p>
<p>Yeah… Spanish is a huge interest of mine, but I know I can work closely with a few professors to really advance myself with the language.
I doubt that Williams Spanish is bad: it’s probably just not a department they focus on, but maybe I can change that! Maybe I’ll start a whole “Spanish Lovers” society and we’ll strengthen Spanish at Williams! You never know ;)</p>
<p>Williams’ Chinese department is very strong and is headed by Professor Cornelius Kubler, who is practically venerated within Chinese pedagogical circles. I took three years of Chinese at Williams, and I just got back to the States from spending half a year studying Chinese in Taiwan. Even there, when I mentioned that I went to Williams for undergrad, many teachers’ ears pricked up and were impressed that I studied under Professor Kubler.</p>
<p>I can’t speak as much for the Spanish department, as I have limited experience there. When I was in my first year, I took an introductory Spanish literature course (RLSP 201, as I recall), and perhaps it was because the professor was visiting, but it just wasn’t run all that well. But I have heard fairly positive things about other professors in the department.</p>
<p>Oh wow, I didn’t know that!
That’s impressive, I’ll definitely be taking Chinese if I go to Williams then.</p>
<p>Spanish is also important to me… though I haven’t heard anything negative about Williams Spanish, only French really.</p>
<p>How is the Anthropology department at Williams? I think it’s fairly small, right?</p>
<p>I think the best way to find out more about specific departments is to actually visit /check out their sites compared to other colleges.</p>
<p>[Anthropology</a> & Sociology at Williams: Courses](<a href=“http://www.williams.edu/AnthSoc/courses.php]Anthropology”>http://www.williams.edu/AnthSoc/courses.php)</p>
<p>I actually already looked at that, but I don’t know how to judge a department’s strength by just reading the courses listed under it. I’m more into the sociocultural aspect of anthro, and it doesn’t seem like Williams has a ton of that. It’s got more archaeology/ancient cultures type classes.</p>
<p>Just chose Williams already, Chandler!!!1!!!1111111??1!!!</p>
<p>Haha… easier said than done!</p>
<p>But I’m still leaning towards Williams ;)</p>
<p>Chandler, what I would do is to try to plan out a list of prospective courses (factoring major requirements etc.) for the next 4 years at both Cornell and Williams so that you can see what works better. In addition, you could contact the department heads at both schools and ask for advice, as well as looking at student research opportunities (not overall research, but actual opportunities for undergrads).</p>
<p>That sounds good, but what would I actually say to the department heads? “How strong is your program?” is too blunt/harsh, and “Describe the strengths of Williams Spanish/Chinese/Bio/etc” is a bit strange.</p>
<p>I think that by the time I get through pre-med requirements and core requirements, I won’t have a TON of freedom with what I can choose from, especially since I want to do a Spanish major and Chinese minor. So I guess both places are great academically for me, though your idea is a valid one and I should definitely try it.</p>