<p>I got off the Wait list last friday.
Should I attend Williams for Its prestige and arguably superior staff, despite not fitting into the school and being accepted on the basis of Niche Filling, or should I follow my heart and go to a much lower ranked School Connecticut College and fit right in but not get as much financial aid and prestige, as I would at Williams? The answer Isn't clear for me because I am still very undecided about what my anticipated majors are. The reason Connecticut fits like a glove is It is strongest in the areas I would like to study but like I said I am not very sure I would want to study the majors I have mentioned. I don't want to reject Williams because I know what a great school it is and would still want to go despite the difficulty I would encounter fitting in( I am not very athletic, but I can be when I want to.) So should I risk Niche Filling at an awesome school or go to a school that leans towards my preferences even though I am still not sure what they are. I happen to love Mathematics and Physics, and running for example. But I also love studying Foreign Languages Such as French, Spanish, and Japanese, and I am infatuated with music.</p>
<p>Note. I have only visited Connecticut and plan on on visiting Williams but Williams says it is a bad time to visit.
Williams or Conn?</p>
<p>Hmmph... The differences in the quality of faculty and students between ConColl and Williams are rather large. You definitely don't have to be an athlete to fit in at Williams. In fact, the majority of students at Williams are not athletes. I'd also be quite surprised if ConColl had a fraction of Williams' economic and ethnic diversity.</p>
<p>I also find it difficult to believe that the depth and quality of the math and physics departments at ConColl are remotely similar to those of Williams. Heck, even the romance language departments at Williams are probably stronger than those at ConnColl.</p>
<p>To me this decision seems like a no brainer, especially if Williams is giving you more money. The fact that you are even struggling with this decision suggests that you should stay with ConnCollege.</p>
<p>Williams...and this is coming from a Jeff. Conn College just is not comparable. Williams is up in the highest fraction of a percent in the grand scheme of higher education, and is simply an astronomically better institution...you'd be doing yourself an incredible disservice by choosing Conn over Williams. </p>
<p>After you make the right decision, I look forward to beating you at...everything...the next four years.</p>
<p>I guess I like Connecticuts broader Major choices. Over 50 to choose from. but once again quality over quantity with Williams. I guess I'm worried that I might not like the language program at williams Its not their strongest and I've been taking french for 7 years now.</p>
<p>I'm sure that Williams has a much greater depth and breadth of courses. In other words, the quality and quantity of courses at Williams will be higher.</p>
<p>Quite frankly, your conundrum would be more compelling if you were deciding between UConn and Williams.</p>
<p>Is there a particular major at Conn Coll that you really want? Or do you just feel there's more to offer there because of the number of different majors? You may be able to study the equivalent or even same subject matter at Williams under a different department name.</p>
<p>Also, it sounds like you're concerned about "niche filling" and believe that means you were accepted on different terms than other students. I don't know what niche you believe you were accepted to fill, but I don't think you should feel concerned about that. They accepted you, which means they want you.</p>
<p>In my personal opinion, I can't see Conn as coming anywhere near Williams in overall academic strength--maybe it's just me, but the kids I know that got into Conn would never have gotten into Williams, so it makes me feel as if the student body itself is not as intelligent.</p>
<p>Also, I really don't think you should pick a school based on what you may major in (even if you're not specifically doing that). Both schools have so many options, and people change majors so frequently, that you're going to be fine academically wherever you go. Think about the overall feel for each school and the quality of the education you'll be getting.</p>
<p>Also, when I got my waitlist call, I was subtly advised not to visit Williams either, but I went ahead and did it anyways. Everyone's in the middle (or perhaps at the end, now) of finals, but it still helps to be on campus and get whatever feel for the school that you can get. I know it made my decision a hell of a lot clearer.</p>
<p>However, as much as I think Williams is a better school than Conn all-around, I do know of one person who picked Conn over Williams because she felt that Williams was too much of a jock/sporty school. Try to figure out where you'd be the happiest, and decide that way.</p>
<p>W/C, Go ahead and visit Williams. School is not in session but at least you can get a feeling for the environment.</p>
<p>From everything you've told us about yourself you sound like you'd fit right in at Williams "I happen to love Mathematics and Physics, and running for example. But I also love studying Foreign Languages Such as French, Spanish, and Japanese, and I am infatuated with music." You can do all of that at Williams!</p>
<p>To me the biggest difference between Conn College and Williams would be the academic and intellectual intensity. Sure there are smart kids (and good professors) at Conn, but at Williams they're ALL brilliant, accomplished and driven. Probably a lot like you, huh? :) </p>
<p>The other major difference is that Conn College has a more suburban feeling and Williamstown is really a village in the mountains. The preference here is purely personal.</p>
<p>Languages at Williams are fine. I wouldn't consider it a language study destination per se but you can major in all of the languages you mention and study abroad is quite normal. Double or even triple majoring is also very common.</p>
<p>I agree with NCeph. Don't attach some Machiavellian plot to WHY you were accepted. Everyone there fills some kind of "niche"; most fill two or three, in fact. This is true of all selective schools: In addition to having all the right stuff academically, students are for the most part highly accomplished in one or two areas and/or have interesting life experiences that will contribute to the campus community.</p>
<p>Good luck and let us know which you choose!</p>
<p>Congratulations on getting into two wonderful schools!</p>
<p>Just a small point: the difference in the number of majors is largely illusory. Williams often has tracks within a major that Conn calls two separate majors (different majors, say in a foreign language and literature; art and art history; various bio-related majors). And Conn has many more interdisciplinary majors that have few (sometimes no) faculty with full-time appointments in that discipline. An extreme example is American Studies with two faculty members who hold appointments in history and goverment. This is not a negative about Conn, but just a slightly different philosophy about how to structure departments and programs. It's more important to look at course offerings in departments that interest you. Counting up the number of majors will give you a somewhat distorted view of the range and breadth of offerings.</p>
<p>Connecticut College is an excellent school. I am sure that at Conn you will have the opportunities to provide you with a phenomenal education. The same is of course true at Williams. Most importantly, the school you choose will be your home for the next four years. Don't select a school because some magazine gave it a higher ranking. Especially when both institutions are so well respected. Choose a school where you want to spend the next four years. If that is Conn, go for it. If not, go to Williams. Don't put yourself in a position where you are forced to regret a bad decision based on someone's opinion on CC.</p>
<p>You are asking if you should spend MORE money each year to go to Connecticut College instead of Williams?</p>
<p>I'm not the biggest Williams booster in the world, but come on people. Use a little common sense. Shop like you're buying a car. Your money. Their car. </p>
<p>If you want to study French, go live in France for the entire junior year. I can recommend several good programs that are already on the Williams approval list. Heck, if it's saving you a couple grand each year, take the savings and travel to France every summer. Hello!</p>
<p>Amherst? Williams? Pomona? Same money? OK, lie awake all night trying to make a decision. But, better school, less money? sheesh...</p>
<p>If there were a good reason to choose ConnColl over Williams, you would have heard it from I-dad.</p>
<p>I have never told someone which college to attend on CC, and this is a very important decision that you will have to make on your own. There are many understandable reasons NOT to choose Williams. However, I cannot think of any compelling reasons to turn down Williams for Connecticut College.</p>
<p>P.S. I wrote this on another thread, but this issue is a pet peeve of mine.</p>
<p>I strongly dislike when peers and elders (especially teachers) suggest that students are accepted at colleges because of the college's need to fill a niche. Review of applications at places like Williams is holistic, and speculation about why an individual is or is not accepted is bogus. </p>
<p>I do hope that others are not suggesting that one particular niche was the sole reason for your acceptance to Williams.</p>
<p>The French department is not strong at Williams, but is even weaker at Conn College. And, for music, there is just no comparison - among liberal arts colleges that aren't part of consortia, Williams is as good as it gets.</p>
<p>Why should you even care why they accepted you and gave you a bunch of money? Maybe it is something they ate that day. Does it matter?</p>
<p>If, after visiting, Williams makes you feel uncomfortable, then go to Conn, but otherwise, I think Ephcountry is the better choice.</p>
<p>
[quote]
However, I cannot think of any compelling reasons to turn down Williams for Connecticut College.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I could. If it were $20,000 a year cheaper to go to Conn, you'd probably have to give serious consideration.</p>
<p>But, if Williams is cheaper? Then, you have to have a very good reason to choose Conn. College. I haven't seen a very good reason presented here.</p>
<p>The one reason that might be semi-legitimate is the social scene at Wiliams. But, my understanding is that Conn College is a pretty hard-core party school, too.</p>
<p>Visit Williams. If you absolutely hate it (and you might) then go to Connecticut. Hopefully you will love it, though, and spend 4 years in an intellectually stimulating and beautiful place for less money than you would at Connecticut.</p>
<p>Another reason to prefer Williams, since it's clear from other threads that you are a minority student from a different part of the country is the diversity at Williams, which is something like 33% non-white/international students, with twice as many Latino/a students as Conn. </p>
<p>And I don't think some of the advice you're getting is in of the take-the- prestige-over-fit category, as much as you loved Conn; if you take a look at the Williams faculty, there usually several nationally known, widely published, prize-winning type faculty in most departments. The Conn faculty has a few distinguished members, but across the board, there really is no comparison.</p>
<p>So ignore overall prestige. If you are interested in math and physics, then Williams wins by a landslide. </p>
<p>Conn College only graduates 5 people per year in math and physical sciences, Williams-67. The range of educational opportunities will be much greater because they are serving a larger audience. I have been told by a math professor at a top university that Williams has as good a math program as is to be found at any LAC.</p>
<p>Here is one reason your concerns might make sense. If you think you are filling a niche, do you mean that you do not feel academically up to Williams? The large gap in academic rigor, and preparation of the students, that everyone is talking about on this thread probably means that your class rank will be lower at Williams than it would at CC. On the other hand, nearly everyone who enrolls at Williams ends up graduating in 6 years, not the case for Conn Coll. </p>
<p>If you do not mean you are worried about the academics, then Williams commitment to building a broadly based student body has to make for a more inclusive environment.</p>