<p>I’m going to freeze! I live in Singapore!</p>
<p>layer–layers–get the LL Bean catalogue-- and don’t skip the cold weather stuff…of course if this year is any indication of the beginning of climate change, bring flip-flops…</p>
<p>Ooops, I jinxed it-- i just saw that the weather forecast for Williamstown is for 8 inches tomorrow-- so winter has arrived, at least for a few days…</p>
<p>If you all get into Williams, you will be privileged to freeze. 
My son hopes so. We live in Malibu, but he loves Williams and would happily give up the sunshine for such a fine education. BTW, he did have a meet and greet with one of their admissions officers one-on-one in the fall. I forget how I learned of her visit to California. He said, “Mom, it was NOT an interview.” I said, “Are you kidding me? Who do you think makes the decisions if not the admissions people?” Anyway, who knows if it matters. Williams takes such a small class, its a crap shoot anyway. Good luck to you all.</p>
<p>Does anyone know if Williams releases decisions online or are they strictly by mail? Also, do we know if they’re a big envelope = good, small = bad school? </p>
<p>Sent from my DROIDX using CC</p>
<p>I attended a Windows on Williams program in the fall. Quite like the school, though it’s a little lacking in diversity…</p>
<p>Hoping to find out my decision soon (maybe Early Write?)!</p>
<p>Also, I actually did have an interview with an admissions officer in the fall when she visited my school, though this is fairly standard practice at my school (we also have staff interviews with many Ivies which traditionally only offer alumni interviews).</p>
<p>rpraderio: Williams released its ED results online last Dec. 15, so I assume the RD admissions process is the same. My D was told to log on at a specific time (8:00 p.m.) to receive the news (she got in). A few days later she got a large envelope in the mail with a copy of the same letter. The outside of the envelope had a “Congratulations!” sticker on it.</p>
<p>Man this williams forum is feeing dead. I cant wait for decisions to come. It feels like time is moving in slowmotion especially since im in the last quarter of school and we do nothing. Is this anyones first choice school?</p>
<p>I KNOW!
Does anyone have any idea when we’re going to hear back? I’m hoping it will be sooner rather than later!</p>
<p>Who has actually been to williamstown? Is it completely dead or are there actually things to do? </p>
<p>Sent from my DROIDX using CC</p>
<p>You better like the outdoors! The other options are limited.</p>
<p>I’m guessing spring break like round the 23-25. Too long.</p>
<p>I’m good with the outdoors. Its not like I’m expecting to go out clubbing in a big city every night.</p>
<p>@rpraderio</p>
<p>I visited Williamstown for Windows on Williams (WoW) back in September and it was…interesting. The town itself is pretty dead. Secluded, surrounded by beautiful mountains. There are some nice restaurants and small businesses. But coming from a small town in the South, I found it a bit comforting. It just seemed more depressing because it would NOT stop raining. During the day time, people usually hung out in their entries or on the lawn in front of Paresky (if the grass is dry). I went to a party Friday night and it was okay. Everyone was drunk and since I don’t drink, I was all the more aware of how uneventful the party was. I even asked my host if we could go somewhere else, but we couldn’t find a decent party. It just depends on the type of person you are. I like to loosen up every now and then, but I’m usually a very serious person, so the overall experience was okay for me. Just wished I could’ve danced a bit more without constantly getting knocked into.</p>
<p>Williams is intellectual and full of smart people who are very cool, but it is also a school where a majority of the students play varsity/jv/club sports (and a bunch more are serious IM jocks) so there is a smart jock aspect to the campus that often don’t jibe with serious the way, say St John’s College. would. Yet, if you attend you will find people who are just like you, like to hang out the same way you do. </p>
<p>As for the rain-- in any other year it would have been snow, which, I suppose, you might find better–or worse :)</p>
<p>some people who were here earlier were worried about SAT scores…seriously don’t worry about THAT much.
I just got an early acceptance today and my scores are Math-680, W-640, and CR-610 …my subject tests are M1-640, M2-610, and Chem-660…THOSE ARE NOT PERFECT AT ALL!!!</p>
<p>ITS IN THE ESSAYS! How do I know this? my early write had a hand written note that said “We really enjoyed your writing. Well done!” </p>
<p>I’m from CT btw</p>
<p>@Zambia123 Congratulations!! You’re so lucky to get an early write, I hope you’re enjoying how all your hard work has payed off. You seem to be one of the first to get an early write from Williams so maybe there’s hope for the rest of us haha. </p>
<p>Sent from my DROIDX using CC</p>
<p>Thanks alot! Trust me I was shocked, especially after seeing other people’s SAT scores. But the letter was dated March 5 so people def shouldn’t lose hope of getting one. Even if u don’t, u still have a chance of acceptance!! Good luck!</p>
<p>Hey guys,</p>
<p>Just got the news that I was accepted to Williams College in MA. I know the admissions rate was reasonably competitive this year (17 percent or so) and I was wondering how a Williams education would compare with an undergrad degree from schools such as, say Harvard, U Penn, or Princeton, based on these factors:</p>
<p>1) Quality of education
2) Job opportunity/Easiness entering the market
3) Accessibility to professors
4) Social life/ musical extracurriculars</p>
<p>Anyone have info/though on this? I’d greatly appreciate it.</p>
<p>Important factors, surely. Have you considered this one, “In traveling to over 50 countries around the world, no one has ever asked me the name of my college twice.” “Harvard.”</p>
<p>If you do get in to Harvard, remember above that one single salient irreducible fact and don’t let all the logic of education and professors and social life, etc. etc. sway your decision. You will most likely forget your “education” within a few years of graduating and develop other relationships elsewhere later. There is only one Harvard, however, and it will follow you the rest of your life, even if you end up sleeping on a grate.</p>
<p>P-dog, I’ve given your question a fair bit of thought, particularly with regards to a place like Williams vs Princeton. Here are some of my thoughts:</p>
<p>1) Quality of education:
This is a tough one. You’re going to get somewhat different experiences at each place. Princeton has absolutely world-class facilities and more famous professors. On the other hand, a place like Williams places a primary emphasis on teaching undergrads, and I suspect the quality of instruction will be a bit higher. The biggest classes as Williams will be smaller than the biggest classes at Princeton, though once you’re into upper level classes, particularly in the humanities, they’re probably pretty small both places.
2)Job opportunities/ease of entering market
There are certain types of fields where going to a big-name Ivy will definitely give you an edge, investment banking and consulting chief among them. Outside that, the name recognition of a place like Princeton might provide an edge, but it’s less significant. If you want to go to grad school, you’re in excellent shape at either place.
3)Accessibility to professors
Clear edge to Williams here, methinks. Tough to beat LACs when it comes to professor access.
4)Social life/ musical extracurriculars
This is very much personal choice. You’ll get a more intimate environment at Williams, in a prettier setting. There’s probably more music going on than you can fully take advantage of either place, but in terms of sheer breadth of offerings, you’ll have more at a larger place like Princeton. More sporty types at Williams, plenty of smart, interesting kids at either place, social life very much revolves around ‘The Street’ at Princeton where all the eating clubs are.</p>
<p>My personal bias is if you want a top-notch undergraduate education, it’s tough to beat a really excellent LAC, and Williams most certainly is one of them. On the other hand, Princeton comes about as close to being an overgrown LAC as any Ivy, so the difference isn’t as big as with a place like Harvard, methinks. The flip side is, for all its excellence, you’ll get a lot more blank stares telling people that you went to Williams than that you went to Princeton. Princeton may also provide some unique opportunities that only an institution of its scale can, though those are tough to quantify and will really depend on your own individual path.</p>
<p>That’s my take. All in all, a very tough call.</p>