<p>They are both the leaders in their respective categories (liberal arts college vs university)...is sacrificing the name recognition of Harvard really worth the small class size and individual attention of Williams? What are the pros/cons of each school? Thanks!</p>
<p>Williams is often considered THE BEST lac in the country, as I’m sure you know, and it didn’t get that reputation for nothing.</p>
<p>Harvard has the best name recognition in the country.</p>
<p>Imo, you should choose Williams. I honestly think that Grad school admitters will be just as impressed by a degree from Williams as one from Harvard.</p>
<p>Wow what a great choice to have to make!</p>
<p>Harvard. You cannot deny the influence and resources of Harvard. Williams is a top LAC but it even suffers from less name recognition than Amherst despite the two being on equal footing.</p>
<p>A Williams degree will not limit you. The people who matter know the reputation of Williams.</p>
<p>ofc, it’s not like Harvard is a state school with tons of enormous classes either. </p>
<p>Have you visited? If you haven’t, definitely try to. In this case I would choose first based on cost, if there is a difference, and then based on fit.</p>
<p>Thank you so much for all of your input!</p>
<p>I have visited both, and there were things about each campus that I really liked. I like the housing a lot better at Harvard, but I like the setting of Williams more. I think that I would be more comfortable at Williams because I would know everybody and it is a very close community, which is what I have at my school now. However, I think that I may want to branch out and expand my comfort zone by going to Harvard but I worry that I will be sacrificing an incredible academic experience (the tutorials and close relationships with professors).</p>
<p>I’ve never had to experience a class with more than 18 students, does anybody have any experience with moving from very small classes to larger ones (like those I would find at Harvard)? And how did you adapt?</p>
<p>Bubbles - I have 2 Ds at Harvard - they regularly have classes smaller than 18. They have close relationships with profs, and they report that none of the intimidating stereotypes they’d heard before attending have panned out.</p>
<p>I also love Williams, and if I was applying to college all over again, it’d be my dream school.</p>
<p>Here’s a synopsis of a conversation this week on CC that I thought might be helpful. An accepted student asked if students at Harvard are happy (FYI, I can name at least two who are very happy :)). A parent suggested that while students at most college would use the word “happy” to describe their good fit at their school, Harvard students may be more likely to use the word “awesome.” It occurred to me that the most satisfied Harvard students are those who are happiest when immersed in a setting of awesome people doing awesome things. That would perfectly describe my kids, who having a small town background, also craved Harvard’s quasi-urbanness and access to Metro Boston. If you’re more a bucolic, outdoorsy type, that would be a point in Williams’ favor.</p>
<p>When my D1 was mulling over the choice, I asked her “If you don’t choose to go to Harvard, would you wonder for the rest of your life what it might have been like?” She said “yes.”</p>
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<p><a href=“http://isites.harvard.edu/fs/docs/icb.topic624259.files/HarvardFAS_curricular_renewal.pdf[/url]”>http://isites.harvard.edu/fs/docs/icb.topic624259.files/HarvardFAS_curricular_renewal.pdf</a></p>
<p>silly harvard faculty.</p>
<p>I think the question is where you will be happiest. </p>
<p>IMHO, I think LACs offer the best form of undergraduate eduction. But that’s a personal preference. I hope that you’ll decide for yourself based on what you want from your undergraduate experience and where you feel like you will be happy and flourish. </p>
<p>Congrats. Good luck.</p>