<p>I am a high school junior considering both Williams and Amherst. Based on their web sites, there seems hardly any difference between the two schools. Both have a flexible curriculum; both have small class sizes. Can any current Williams and Amherst students please tell me some distinct differences between Williams and Amherst?</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>I’m not a current student at either, but I’ve visited both and was eventually admitted to Williams and waitlisted at Amherst.
I felt that Williams had a much warmer and more genuine atmosphere, while Amherst felt a bit… cold and distant. This was just my impression, but I’ve had some experience with both colleges and though both are fantastic, Williams just seemed like a place I would love to call home for four years, and Amherst seemed like a place with great academics, but no real warm community feeling.</p>
<p>Amherst gets owned in most athletic competitions against Williams… Thats for sure lol</p>
<p>not this year Machiavelli12</p>
<p>You didn’t catch the 8(Ephs)-4(Jeffs) mens lax game, morandi?</p>
<p>no. . .i just see they are both under .500 with Amherst being slightly better. . .plus i think Amherst is leading the Directors Cup standings at the moment. but what does that matter?</p>
<p>Williams is always behind at this time but then they own in the spring sports. Look at last years standings before spring</p>
<p>Washington (Mo.) 693.50
Amherst (Mass.) 647.00
Williams (Mass.) 617.25</p>
<p>Now look after spring (these are the final standings)</p>
<p>Williams (Mass.) 1120.25
Washington (Mo.) 899.00
New Jersey 825.25
Amherst (Mass.) 815.00</p>
<p>[NACDA</a> OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE - Directors Cup](<a href=“http://www.nacda.com/directorscup/nacda-directorscup-previous-scoring.html]NACDA”>http://www.nacda.com/directorscup/nacda-directorscup-previous-scoring.html)</p>
<p>Okay Machiavelli–Williams does indeed ‘own’ Amherst. . . .just don’t tell that to the hockey team or the basketball team. My somewhat tongue in check point is that this is all mostly silly with respect to the bigger picture. A great education is to be had at either school.</p>
<p>Of course, its all just rivalry. lol No one should chose a school because of the winning percent of a schools athletic teams unless their an athlete.</p>
<p>You only say that because you can’t compete.</p>
<p>even if one is a athlete, it still does not matter. both schools provide a foundation for success and happiness in life.</p>
<p>I’m a recruited athlete and it def went into my thinking, I wanna play for a winning team.</p>
<p>^ Same here.</p>
<p>congrats Machiavelli as a recruited athlete. i admire all athletes who enjoy their sport and respect their choice as to which school to attend. as a former DI athlete i truly respect all who want to excel in their sport but with respect to the OP i don’t think athletics is enough to choose one school over another, especially at the DIII level, there are other considerations to think about. both of these schools offer so much. one never knows what will, ultimately, have a larger impact on one’s life. it’s often the unexpected.</p>
<p>Enough debating sports!! Can you guys please answer my question: </p>
<p>I am a high school junior considering both Williams and Amherst. Based on their web sites, there seems hardly any difference between the two schools. Both have a flexible curriculum; both have small class sizes. Can any current Williams and Amherst students please tell me some distinct differences between Williams and Amherst?</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>I’m a mom with a bias toward Williams because my son preferred it and attends, but I’ll try to be objective.</p>
<p>Amherst pros: Consortium (not as utilized as some advertising suggests, but still an advantage), larger town with more possibilities. Strong social sciences.</p>
<p>Cons: Smaller, less course offerings, only one dining hall, slightly more fragmented campus with theme housing, etc.</p>
<p>Williams pros: Tutorials, prettier campus (subjective, I know) spectacular mountain views, strong science, music and art programs as well as really strong math program. Entry system, wilderness orientation trip, cohesive campus.</p>
<p>Cons: Feeling of isolation is tiny town. (Not a problem for my S but would be for many.</p>
<p>What Mythmom said. . .</p>
<p>For my son (a Williams graduate) the consortium was a negative; he wanted the cohesive, insular campus that Williams offers and didn’t like the idea of “commuting” to the other schools in the consortium. </p>
<p>Try to visit. The point of differentiation become more apparent when you are there. Amherst is a vibrant New England town. Williamstown is a pristine mountain village. Also, these small LACs really appreciate applicants who have visited and can articulate what attracts them to the school.</p>
<p>A fine point: Williams has a flexible curriculum of loose distribution requirements. Amherst has a totally open curriculum, no course requirements except as designated by your major.</p>
<p>A brief look at the history of these two schools should tell you one of the most important differences.</p>
<p>Williams was founded in 1793 – in what was a rather remote and mountainous corner of New England. By 1821, many in the Williams community felt that the school was too isolated to succeed. The president, along with many students and faculty, abandoned Williamstown and started a new school, which became Amherst College. Amherst was located in the valley of the Connecticut River – which was the most populated region in western New England. </p>
<p>So Williams kept the people who liked being up in the mountains. Amherst got the people who preferred closer ties to civilization. That was the difference in 1821, and it’s still the case today.</p>
<p>First, Machiavelli, glad to see your passion for the rivalry, but while Williams ONCE dominated Amherst in sports, that is without a doubt no longer the case (Amherst has really pumped up its athletic recruiting plus hired some really stellar coaches over the past decade, at the same time that Williams has slightly deemphasized its own athletic recruiting) – in fact, in team sports, Amherst has the slight edge overall right now, while in individual sports, Williams does, but it is very, very close in both. Indeed, most Amherst-Williams contests in most sports are very, very close. It is really hard to point to a sport where one could be said to “dominate” the other over a period of more than a few years, the was Williams used to dominate in several sports. Although from an Eph perspective dominance was fun, a truly even rivalry is in many ways even more fun. </p>
<p>Second, to get back to the original post, a list of things Williams offers that Amherst does not (and as you rightly point out, the differences are extremely narrow and you are better off visiting both schools for a few days and going with your gut): Winter Study (Amherst has a half-assed version, but really, it just has a big vacation in January for most students), entry / JA system, Mountain Day, tutorials, Oxford program, poly-ec major, spectacular natural offerings (skiing, world-class golf, amazing hiking, Hopkins Forest) immediately proximate to campus, a slightly larger student body (although the difference there is narrowing as Amherst adds a lot more students), two brand new student centers plus new theater complex, humanities buildings, and science center, Poly Ec major, world-class art history program and incredible local museums to match. I am sure someone on the Amherst site could provide a similar list for Amherst …</p>
<p>For my sport I could say they dominate Amherst, Track and Field. They had a meet yesterday and Williams got 2nd with 165 points and Amherst had 57. But overall, I guess its closer then in previous years. </p>
<p>Just looking at the history of the 2 colleges can tell you a lot about how they are different today. Corbett had a great analysis. But I suggest you try to visit both.</p>