<p>I am appying to Williams for next year (I think!) and while in some ways its one of my top choices, I have some concerns (well, one) that I was hoping some of you could address. I am applying to Williams because I love the campus, love the strong academics, and even love the location. I don't think I could get as good an education anywhere else. My concern is - and no offense to anyone - the people. I have only visited during summer break, so I couldn't get a sense of the student body. From what I understand (and what I read here) Williams has a large contingent of future I-banker, clean cut corporate American types. I am more of an activisty hippiesh hard core left dude. Will I have friends? How far to the left does the political spectrum go? I by no means need everyone to be like me, but I don't want to be the most radical person on campus. </p>
<p>PS if you are thinking of applying and think we could be friends, please do! And if you don't, please do anyways because I'm not as neurotic and pretensious as this makes me sound</p>
<p>hey, so I don't know if I'm going to Williams yet or not (I hopefully find out tomorrow), but I DEFINATELY don't fit under that very-preppy/elitist stereotype you seem to have of the school... Honestly, I think we would be friends if we both went to Williams, but I also think you'd be friends with practically everybody else there... The people are smart and open to new things and it is a liberal arts schools (and is LIBERAL) so I think you'd fit in pretty well. And personally, I think it's a good thing to have a variety of different types at the school, so if there are people like the ones that fall under your stereotype, i think that's okay because I KNOW everybody there isn't like that... anyway, you should definately still apply--I think you'd really like the school! :-)</p>
<p>I had the same issues, but I've talked to some students and they are my kind of people! Very friendly, hardworking, and liberal. Also I'm in the Class of 2011 and I'm not anything like that stereotype either!</p>
<p>Hey! Priceless - hopefully I'll get in and we'll be friends. A friend sent me a link to ephblog, and one alum there in particular is a rather nasty conservative banker of some kind - I really hope not too many people are like him. Anyways, thanks for not making fun of my neuroses, people.</p>
<p>Looked at the Ephblog. Thought the guy who was being obnoxious seemed to be running the thing technically. So he was all over the place but few people seemed to agree with him. He's just a volunteer and it's not an official College-sanctioned blog.</p>
<p>I'm thinking there are a few people like that in every community. I know a lot of Willams people and they aren't like him at all. Don't worry.</p>
<p>Hey ticktacky, I am currently a freshman at Williams and I can assure you that there are some I-banker types at Williams (there are also some at Wesleyan too), but they do not represent a large portion of the student body. I would enourage you to go the Williams website and look at the number of people who major in each area. There are quite a few people who major in economics (quite a few of those people are double majors and some are interested in development economics, not I-banking), but there also quite a few people who major in chem. or bio. or english or sociology. Most of my friends have no intention of ever going to Wall street and becoming hedge-fund managers. I can actually only think of one person who has explicitly expressed an interested in that. In terms of politics, most faculty and students tend to be moderate to liberal. However, I can assure you that you will not be a minority or the most "radical." Also, I don't chose my friends (or boyfriends) based on their political party affiliations and I honestly don't know anyone who does here...We're a pretty open-minded group. People may not always agree with what you have to say, but they will listen to you and they will respect you. I honestly mean that. If you are genuine and don't take a totally borish approach when expressing your views (i.e. "I'm right and you're wrong and here's why--") people will be quite receptive. Also, if people say things about Williams that strike you as weird on college confidential it could be because they don't want you to apply to Williams or because one person rubbed them the wrong way, but it doesn't make it true. My advice: Fill out that application, send it in, come back when we're actually on campus (hey, that's a thought) and you can see for yourself. Best of luck~</p>
<p>Thanks everyone! I am def applying and I will, I guess, only have to make decisions if I get in! And I didn't mean to imply that Ephs are closedminded or anything - just that I'd much prefer to be on a campus with a vibrant activist community.</p>
<p>I agree with all the students that have chimed in so far that Williams is an accepting, diverse community, but I think it would be going too far to call it "a vibrant activist community". It's definitely a left-leaning place, and many people stay up on the news and are passionate about their opinions, but the word "activist" is not one that generally describes the campus. Not a whole lot of protesting if that's what you're looking for, but if you're just talking about a general social consciousness on campus you'll find it.</p>
<p>I would say that, generally, the most interesting communties are those with diverse idealogies. I am very liberal, but I don't wanna spend 4 years with a bunch of radical granola munchers. Hopefully Williams isn't like that! Is Swarthmore like that??</p>
<p>Williams is fairly liberal, or at least most students label themselves as such. However, there isn't much political activism (we have what's called the "purple bubble") and people are somewhat apathetic to major issues. However, in terms of overall political orientation, you'd definitely fit in.</p>