Williams or Northeastern

Colleges and Universities A-Z Williams College
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<p>Hi, I'm a high school senior from upsateish NY that had committed to Northeastern's Honors program and the D'Amore McKim School of Business there. A couple of days ago, I got a call from Williams College saying I was accepted from the waitlist. Essentially, I have 48 hours to decide from when Williams gives me its financial aid offer, which it hasn't yet. So I need to have an answer ready soon. I'm visiting both tomorrow, Williams for the first time.</p>

<p>I know Williams should be the no brainer, but I was looking forward to the Boston environment plus a large school, not the isolated, 2000 student Williams. That being said, I hope to get into a top MBA program after college and go into business. So do the benefits of Williams drastically outweigh the greater size and location of Northeastern. Also, Northeastern has a proper business school, Williams doesn't. I don't want to feel claustrophobic, and I like going out, partying, social life etc. I don't really know enough about Williams to choose yet, I kind of applied on a lark the day before the deadline.</p>

<p>Would I be passing up too good an opportunity later on in life by choosing Northeastern, or do you think that choosing Williams is not worth a location I don't like. Thanks in advance.</p>

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<p>If you were my child, and Williams were affordable, I would strongly encourage you to say yes. It is an awesome opportunity. I do think you would end up regretting turning it down, especially considering your future plans. It is just qualitatively better in terms of the opportunities it will present you with. It doesn’t matter that Williams doesn’t have a “proper” business school. It is a feeder to the nation’s top MBA programs. Worst case: you won’t like it and will be in an extremely strong position to transfer to a school of similar caliber. Northeastern is a wonderful and unique school and Boston is great–but going to Williams could be a real life changer. Go with a positive attitude. You will make lifelong friends there.</p>

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<p>Thanks for responding. Yeah, I feel I might regret not going, I’m just worried about such a small school in the middle of nowhere. I’m not sure if I’ll find it boring and isolated. Do you think Northeastern could put me in a comparable position for MBA after graduating?</p>

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<p>FWIW, I know about 30 Williams and Amherst students very well. They majored in all sorts of disciplines. Each wanted to go into business and thus had business school on the horizon. Each (every single one) went to a top 3 business school. Not a top 5, a top 3. </p>

<p>From those elite LACs, with a great GPA, pretty much you can call your shot. I cannot speak for NEstrn. I lived in Boston area too though and really you can study in Boston anytime. But, if you rather a city, I say go where you fit best. </p>

<p>Even though I cannot speak for NEstrn. I can say I know no one from there that were in my friends business school classes. But, they could have been. Yet, I know many others from Harvard, Yale, Dartmouth and Stanford in their b-school classes.</p>

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<p>dean, I think you need the missing puzzle pieces before you can make a decision: What’s the cost differential? How did you like the campus when you visited? </p>

<p>I give Williams the edge in reputation with employers and graduate school admissions; however, it’s difficult to weigh that advantage against being where you don’t want to be. </p>

<p>If you have your heart set on attending an urban university, then you might be disappointed with Williams rural location. There’s plenty to do on Williams’ campus, including partying and socializing, and the kids aren’t bored, but it’s completely different environment from city life. For many, like my son, the natural beauty and insular environment was a plus. He had always lived in large cities and post graduation he’s back in a city again (Boston, in fact). </p>

<p>But if a rural environment isn’t for you, there’s not much you can do to change the way you feel. Visit and see how you react. Hopefully you can overnight or at least get some exposure to Williams students and classes.</p>

<p>I would also note that there will be a difference in the academic rigor of Williams classes and the academic intensity of Williams students vs those at Northeastern. No question but that you’ll get some high achieving students and dedicated professors at Northeastern, but not to the same degree as at Williams. Of course, college is what you make of it and you can succeed – or fail – at either, but the academic culture is as different as the physical environment.</p>

<p>Lastly, you should think about whether you want an undergraduate business degree or a more general liberal arts degree. Neither is better, and both can lead to good MBA programs, but they are very different in focus.</p>

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<p>While I agree neither the undergraduate business degree or liberal arts degree is not better than the other, I would note that two business degrees are not necessarily additive in terms of business. </p>

<p>If you are going to go to business school anyway, you could choose to do something in undergrad that interests in you outside of business. I just never heard of undergraduate business degrees being necessarily helpful in getting into graduate business school, with the exception probably being Wharton. Maybe they are, but just have not heard that in my circles.</p>

<p>I get many resumes across my desk with dual undergraduate and grad school business degrees, and since they have the grad business degree, I skip right to other parts of the resume. The undergrad business degree adds no strength to the grad business degree, at least not to me or those I know who hire - but that could just be our bias though. Again, the one exception is Wharton. </p>

<p>However, I see a top English major who has won an essay literary prize, a top musician, or a math major who has the same graduate business degree that person really gets my attention. They have demonstrated they can think in more than arena. </p>

<p>NEstrn is a bit different with its coop experience, but realize at the top business schools everyone has serious experience, so there is a limit to that coop experience as well. </p>

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<p>Well my goal after college is Stanford Business School. I’m a national merit finalist so northeastern is giving me a ton of money, but I hear Williams has excellent financial aid as well. And awcntdb, those numbers are really encouraging! I’m not an elite academic student, but I have 2260 sat 1, 1500 sat2, and I’m a salutatorian. Do you think I’d be able to handle Williams academically? And go on to a top business school? Honestly Williams is sound like an opportunity I shouldn’t miss out on, it’s just hard to choose a rural setting with so few students (I’m very intellectual, but I love partying and socializing in large groups) . I also don’t know if I want to keep meeting the same people. </p>

<p>BTW, I’m on Harvard’s waitlist as well, so just in case, any thoughts on the pros and cons of that school vs Williams and northeastern? </p>

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<p>Awcntdb, what’s your profession? Just curious. </p>

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<p>I’d be curious - a few posts back - what is the basis for saying that the rigor at Williams is going to be tougher than the rigor at NEU. I might have bought that 20 years ago, but I don’t know about today. Also, to the OP - you can make a large school smaller but you can’t make a small school larger - take it for what it is worth</p>

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<p>Stanford Business School - Hum - No contest then. (But I caution that it will not work, if you do not fit and do not like the place - you need to go where you are motivated to study your butt off) </p>

<p>If you want the best shot at Stanford Business School. 1) go to Williams and get a GPA of 3.6 or higher; 2) get a couple of the plum summer internships of the top companies that recruit from the top 5 schools in each category, 3) nail the GMAT (it is actually not that bad), 4) get a job through Williams and work for 4 years, then apply. </p>

<p>The average business school person has something like 5 years work experience before going to business school, some even 7 to 8 years. But you do not need 7 - 8 really; kind of borders on overkill because everyone retrains you anyway. So after a while the experience is not helping you. Just kick butt for 4 years in a great job and you are good to go. Time flies because you work for 4 and apply during the 5th year. </p>

<p>Harvard works too for Stanford Business School. But the kicker, every business school candidate from Harvard is applying to Stanford Business School. So, you are kind of well just one of the larger crowd. Way less of a crowd from Williams applying. </p>

<p>Harvard is just more impersonal in many respects than Williams. You can get the same education both places, but Harvard you have to seek it out more. Harvard sounds like the hustle and bustle you are looking for though, but since you are wait listed, forget about it, and if you get surprised then think about it, </p>

<p>At Williams, the professors are bringing the work on top you whether you like it or not. The top LACs, AWS, do not mess around. They are the real deal and if you get through any of those, you can take on anything and anyone. </p>

<p>Now NE is still a viable candidate, but it does do something different via its coop program - you should research where the students there go after and what they end up doing. It is not a circle of candidates that I pick from or anyone I know picks from, but that is not a negative - all companies have their go-to schools. </p>

<p>Williams is a feeder school for Stanford; I doubt NE is (you can research that). NE could be, but Williams definitely is. And Harvard is a feeder as well. </p>

<p>Sorry, cannot tell you my profession, too identifying. However, I am the last in the chain that sees all potential top hires, and I am the last in the chain for all major decisions. That should give an idea of my title and duties.</p>

<p>However, if you have any questions, feel free to PM me. You clearly have the goods based on where you got in and are wait listed; you just need to fill out your “useable intelligence.” And that is what business looks for - “useable intelligence,” which is very different than being technical, and that is why most undergraduate business degrees do not add anything much if you end up going to business school after anyway.</p>

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<p>On Friday, May 9, deanwinchester wrote:</p>

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<p>I hope your visits today go well, giving you first-hand knowledge about Williams and Northeastern. I think that you will find that Williams is not “boring and isolated.” What many high school seniors do not realize is that the students at a residential college are busy. Their activities are focused on campus. There is a lot more to do than any student can possibly take advantage of.</p>

<p>Decades ago I attended a large urban university in a major northeastern city. I was so busy that I rarely got more than a few blocks off campus. Occasionally on long weekends and breaks I left town to relax and recreate in the more rural parts of New England.</p>

<p>Different people enjoy different activities. For many Williams’ location in a Berkshire Hills valley is a plus, with easy access to hiking, cross-country running, kayaking, and skiing. If you need an urban fix, there are two WiFi-equipped buses from Williamstown to NYC daily.</p>

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<p>First of all Awcntdb, thanks for the detailed response, your input has helped me come closer to a more informed decision. The numbers really sway me. I visited both today, and nothing about northeastern really amazed me enough to turn down the greater prestige, individualized attention, and apparently far superior job placement at Williams. Also, the Williams area was not as bad as I thought. There seemed to be stuff to do, and the students detailed some very interesting activities available on a regular basis. It felt insulated in a good way, albeit not perfect. I think I’d do well there, and I saw many beer cans, so it’s not totally dead haha. Had a great hamburger too. I’m just waiting on the financial aid for the moment, but barring any huge difference in price I’ll do Williams. People on the northeastern page are telling me the coops make neu better, but I think they’re a bit biased. Anyway, thanks all for your input. </p>

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<p>^^ You are welcome. Good luck in getting everything to work out. </p>