<p>My D had both Rice and Williams on her radar back when - TAMU, no way.</p>
<p>She found Williams way too isolated for her - beautiful campus but that’s it for 1.5 hours in any direction and the closest big city was Albany (if I recall correctly). She ultimately didn’t apply after our visit. She loved Rice and applied ED - rejected. That Rice rejection turned out to be a blessing because she is from the Houston metro area and like you, really did end up wanting to expand her horizons and leave the state for college. She ended up at a great school just outside of Boston and is very happy!</p>
<p>If you don’t mind isolation to a college campus, Williams is the way to go for sure!!!</p>
<p>Williams is not as isolated as people make out. North Adams, a cute, much larger town, is just five to ten minutes away. Pittsfield, a very large town, is a half hour away. Albany is just under an hour away, and then further, but doable, is Montreal. Bennington College and Massachusetts College of the Liberal Arts is close-by. And then all the towns of Berkshires, Lennox, Lee, Stockbridge and just over a half hour.</p>
<p>You can roll out of bed and in a nanosecond be in a town, albeit a small one, because the town’s right there if you’ve run out of toothpaste, want to window shop, etc. etc.</p>
<p>Williams is not for everyone. My D had the Starbucks test – no Starbucks no application, so Williams was not for her. But then again, she rejected Brown in favor of Barnard because Providence is so “dinky”. (Her word.) Only NYC really makes the grade for her. She lived in a Atlanta for a year, and she lived in London and is back in NY because for her civilization means being able to buy groceries at 2 a.m. Definitely not Williamstown.</p>
<p>S attended and loved every minute and never felt isolated.</p>
<p>So, while it’s not for everyone, people exaggerate how isolated it is, IMHO.</p>
<p>^^^^ none of those tiny towns alleviated the isolated feel for my D!!! Sounds about like your D - not in, but close to a large, bustling city with as much going on as one could choose to do if wanted.</p>
<p>Funny - my dad is a Williams alumni and like your son, never had the isolation issue either!</p>