<p>Since my sophmore year of high school, I have been in love with Williams College. For a while I liked other schools but Williams has always been one of my first choices. Recently, I visited both Williams and Midd and I loved Midd's campus more than Williams (it was much more beautiful). Why should I keep Williams as my top choice? Are the academic opportunities (tutorials and Williams/Exeter) actually important in improving academic qualities?</p>
<p>I am outdoorsy, athletic, and interested in public health.</p>
<p>Both are fine schools with a lot of similarities. Possible reasons you might prefer Williams over Midd:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Both schools are relatively well endowed, but Williams is significantly wealthier, and can offer even smaller classes (such as the 2-student tutorials) and lower student-faculty ratios.</p></li>
<li><p>If you are outdoorsy, then note that the Williams campus is significantly closer to the surrounding mountains and forests -- at Williams, it's a short [url=<a href="http://www.wrlf.org/pinecobble.html%5Dwalk%5B/url">http://www.wrlf.org/pinecobble.html]walk[/url</a>] to the Great Outdoors, while at Midd it's a short drive. For example, Williams is actually closer to the Green Mountains of Vermont than Middlebury is. </p></li>
<li><p>If you are interested in public health, then note that Williams has a generally stronger science/math orientation than Midd does (Midd has a generally stronger orientation towards English/languages). According to the latest Common Data Sets for both schools, 10% of Midd bachelor's degrees were in biological sciences, physical sciences, or mathematics. The comparable figure for Williams was 21%. You will likely find more science majors, more science faculty, and more science courses and facilities at Williams, even though Middlebury is about 20% larger.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>Since the OP's username seems to indicate an interest in biology, I checked the past 5 years of Common Data Sets for "biological/life sciences" majors at Williams and Midd. At Midd, about 4% of recently-issued BAs have been in this field. At Williams, the figure averages around 8%, or about twice as high.</p>
<p>Part of this difference may be due to the fact that Midd has a popular "Environmental Studies" major. This is an interdisciplinary major, but it probably attracts some students who would otherwise major in biology. </p>
<p>At Williams, the "Environmental Studies" program represents a "Concentration", not a separate major. As a "concentration", Environmental Studies supplements -- rather than replaces -- traditional majors like biology.</p>
<p>I also checked the Franklin & Marshall "Baccalaureate</a> origins of Doctoral Recipients" study. Between 1986 and 1995, there were 74 PhDs in life sciences issued to Williams grads, vs. 52 to Middlebury grads (p. 33), even though Williams is the smaller school. This again suggests greater interest in the traditional biology major at Williams, although it is obviously possible to pursue a PhD with a Midd BA as well.</p>
<p>The perception may depend on your gender. In recent years, Midd has become increasingly popular and competitive among female applicants, but not to the same extent among male applicants. So there is now a significant difference between male and female acceptance rates at Midd. Williams has a more balanced applicant pool, and more similar acceptance rates for men and women.</p>
<p>According to the 2008-09 CDS, the female acceptance rate was lower at Midd (14.4%) than at Williams (16.6%). </p>
<p>Conversely, the male acceptance rate was lower at Williams (17.4%) than at Midd (20.3%).</p>
<p>Traditionally, Williams was considered slightly more selective than Midd. This is probably still the case for male applicants, but the difference has probably diminished or disappeared for female applicants.</p>
<p>Williams is not "jockier" than Midd -- if anything the opposite is true. Midd has a lot of beautiful people to match the beautiful campus (and I agree with the OP, most gorgeous campus I've seen). </p>
<p>The schools are really quite similar. I wouldn't choose based on which campus I prefer, but if you have a better feeling overall from Midd -- in particular, if you prefer the students there, which is far more important than the buildings -- it certainly makes sense for that to be your first choice. Williams is marginally more prestigious, has a few more resources, etc., but the differences are not so great that you should choose Williams if you believe you'll be happier at Midd. Trust me, if you put 40 students or recent alumni from Midd, Dartmouth, Amherst and Williams in a room, no way you'd be able to pick out which went to which school ...</p>
<p>Thanks for the comments. Either one of these schools is great and I know it will take a lot of thought to decide. Any more opinions are appreciated.</p>
<p>Both schools field the same number of athletic teams. However, because midd has 25% more students than Williams (2,500 vs. 2000), varsity athletes compose a smaller percentage of its student body. I think the difference is something like 26% vs. 34%...which is probably negligible in actuality I guess.</p>
<p>
[quote]
I am outdoorsy, athletic, and interested in public health
[/quote]
</p>
<p>There is apparently a student organization at Williams, the Public</a> Health Alliance, which pursues the goal of "raising awareness in our college community about a variety of critical health issues affecting our society today." The Williams Admissions Office may be able to put you in touch with this organization if you are interested in learning more.</p>
<p>if you are a junior, my best advise is to not have a first choice unless you are planning on going early. If you are lucky enough to get into both, you can decide then.</p>
<p>oh no, I got into both early write so I have to decide now!</p>
<p>But I’m waiting on financial aid. Right now it looks like I won’t be able to attend either because my EFC is way higher than I can afford (I personally would have $100,000 loans)</p>
<p>Congratulations on your acceptances. Getting into both of these fine colleges is a wonderful accomplishment. In my biased opinion, I think you should seriously consider Middlebury. IMHO, the slight difference in prestige between these two schools is narrowing. I knew I wanted Middlebury the moment I rounded Old Chapel on my tour and saw Mead Chapel silhouetted against a fiery sunset. All of a sudden it hit me–I was home. Try to visit both this spring and she if you have an “ah-hah” moment at either school.</p>
<p>Nah, it’s best to visit the cemetery just after sunset in mid-summer. If you’re lucky, you may glimpse the blue ghost fireflies dancing gingerly over the old stones.</p>
<p>Oh, well I got my financial aid today and it looks like I would have to have $120,000 loans to attend both. What happened to Williams having no loans? All they offered me were loans…</p>
<p>To be honest I haven’t been this bummed in a very long time; and I have had some very major stimulus to be bummed about…</p>
<p>Bio91- If I understand your post, both schools had calculated that your family could pay the EFC, ie no aid granted. I’m basing this on “$120,000 to attend both.”</p>
<p>If a college does not think that a family has “need,” then they would provide information about loans. Is this what happened with Williams?</p>