<p>Hey guys,</p>
<p>These two colleges are very different in their own, respective ways. But, I've come down to these two amazing schools, and I certainly have a very tough decision to make this month.</p>
<p>Without any bias, I'd like your opinion on each school and what aspects of a school stand out above the other. Finally, I'd like some input on where you feel is the better choice.</p>
<p>I'm interested in studying Economics and French.</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>My son had this choice last year. Those were his two final schools, and he picked Williams and could not be happier. A lot of the decision comes down to what you’re looking for in terms of atmosphere, both in and outside of the classroom. My son is interested in sports, both as an athlete and a fan, and he could not have been both at Duke. At Williams, athletes are just regular students; at Duke, certain athletes are revered in a way that doesn’t happen at Williams. </p>
<p>Williams has a very strong economics department. I assume Duke’s is strong as well, although I get the sense that Duke may have more of an obvious business bent (although plenty of Williams students go into business endeavors after graduation). </p>
<p>The French department at Williams is small, but I think what they have is good. [the</a> Center for Foreign Languages, Literatures and Cultures at Williams College - Faculty of FRENCH](<a href=“http://www.williams.edu/CFLang/dept/?faculty=French]the”>http://www.williams.edu/CFLang/dept/?faculty=French) I really don’t know anything about Duke’s department.</p>
<p>Some other differences you’ve probably already thought about: Duke has a significant Greek scene; Williams has none. Duke houses freshmen on the East campus; Williams houses them in the heart of the campus. And of course, climate. Duke is closer to nice beaches; Williams is great for winter sports. </p>
<p>What are you interested in outside of the classroom?</p>
<p>Thank you for your post!</p>
<p>I’m interested in music, and I’m very excited in possibly joining a choir or an a cappella group. Also, I love to run (I ran cross country for four years) and am a HUGE sports fan. </p>
<p>One activity that many may find interesting that I have been doing my entire life is ballroom dancing. It’s really unique, so I’d love to continue that throughout my time in college.</p>
<p>I’m not heavy into the political scene, although I do lean towards the liberal side. Weather wise, I don’t mind the cold, and I do enjoy the warm climate. It isn’t a huge factor in my decision process.</p>
<p>I do plan on attending graduate school in the business field - How do these two schools stack up against each other in terms of recognition?</p>
<p>Williams has lots of opportunities for music. I know Duke does as well.</p>
<p>There are probably more safe places to run around Williamstown than around Durham. </p>
<p>It’s a whole lot easier to get tickets to basketball games at Williams! </p>
<p>As for how the schools compare in terms of professional school admissions, here’s the WSJ article with their ranking of the schools. It’s a much criticized study, but it may be of some interest. [The</a> Wall Street Journal Classroom Edition](<a href=“WSJ in Higher Education | Trusted News & Real-World Insights”>WSJ in Higher Education | Trusted News & Real-World Insights)
<a href=“WSJ in Higher Education | Trusted News & Real-World Insights”>WSJ in Higher Education | Trusted News & Real-World Insights;
<p>I have no idea about ballroom dancing at either school.</p>
<p>Williams has a sick running team, and the area is perfect for running. Athletics in general are very strong in DIII. (I think that williams has won the overall NCAA Directors cup for the past 12 years!) Your political stance also sounds just like the stereo-typical description of a Williams’ student-- laidback but liberal-leaning.</p>
<p>Duke! The reputation is every bit as good if not better, sports are a million times better, waaay better weather, and it isn’t the size of a high school. Pawn, I think you left a little emphasis off the DIII part. Very strong and DIII don’t belong in the same sentence. And if you are not from the southeast, you get to explore a new area. North Carolina is an awesome place.</p>
<p>Duke is certainly more well-known for its sports teams, but I would argue that overall it’s academic rep is a bit less than Williams’. </p>
<p>NO! Duke’s sports aren’t a million times better; but they’re different. Williams sports have a huge following on campus, but they aren’t nationally televised nor do they draw complete outsiders to their games. But the upside to this is that you can actually participate in some sports and that their isn’t a ridiculous divide between demigods and mere mortals.</p>
<p>If you aren’t, and don’t aspire to being, an athletic demigod, then go to Williams. If you are or do, don’t go to Williams but don’t go to Duke. When the lacrosse team kerfuffle occurred at Duke a couple of years ago, the Duke administration threw the lacrosse students under the bus to serve petty political purposes.</p>
<p>My college decision was ultimately between Williams and Duke as well, so if you have any more specific questions, let me know, but here are a few general thoughts.</p>
<p>Williams athletics are great because they are much more accessible. DIII means that it’ll be much easier to participate, and school spirit is absolutely fantastic in a different way than at Duke – people at Williams are really relaxed and not easy to stereotype as strictly “jocks” or whatever else. Athletes at Williams aren’t just good at sports–they’re also incredibly intelligent and have a million other quirky things about them as well. Another major point of consideration is that there are no frats at Williams, while much of the Duke social scene revolves around greek life.</p>
<p>Another important factor that swayed me in favor of Williams was the overall environment of the school. At Duke, I felt like a lot of people were either there for the party scene or there because they were rejected by their top-choice Ivies. At Williams, most people are there because Williams was their top choice, and the student body doesn’t feel as polarized. It’s also a very uncompetitive environment–no one talks about grades, which I find very refreshing.</p>
<p>When I made my decision, I was pretty set on being an Econ major and going into business as well, and I was generally impressed with the department at Williams and what I’d heard about business school placement. At Duke, everyone who takes the first intro Econ course takes it together (I think with over 400 people in the class) whereas at Williams, Intro Macro and Intro Micro have plenty of sections offered, each with no more than 40 or so students (my sections of each only had about 30). Williams has an excellent reputation among graduate schools and I know a lot of people who have gotten excellent jobs in the business field right out of Williams. There’s also a new business group on campus - “Eph Business Association” - that has attracted a large following.</p>
<p>Another thing to brag about - Tutorials. If you haven’t read about them, you should think about it. Some of the econ ones are fantastic–really, all of them are just wonderful, and offer an academic experience you are not going to get at Duke.</p>
<p>On another note, Williams actually had a winter study class on ballroom dancing this past year, and I know some people that had a ton of fun with it. It was an official WST class, which meant that for three weeks, the most academic thing people in the class had to do was ballroom dancing.</p>