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College Discussion / Colleges and Universities / CC Top Liberal Arts Colleges / Amherst College
Comparing Amherst with Williams
gagilord
Registered User Posts: 58 Junior Member
Hey everyone!
Im a prospective student to both colleges (Williams and Amherst) and im trying to decide where to apply ED. Could people who are more familiar with either one of the colleges please outline its benefits and drawbacks.
For instance, Williams is number one on USnews and has been that way for quite a while. Does that mean Amherst is less academically intense and the quality of education is somewhat not as good? Or is the difference in the rankings caused merely by some triviality?
Also, Williams is known as the 'jock' LAC. What about amherst, does athletics play such an important part?
Finally, williams college has ''ephblog.com'' and swartmore has its ''live journal'' where people outside (prospective students like me) can interact with current students of both colleges and ask questions. I was wondering whether amherst has a website/blog/forum where the same can be done.
Please post any impressions (good and bad) of both colleges
Thank you
Im a prospective student to both colleges (Williams and Amherst) and im trying to decide where to apply ED. Could people who are more familiar with either one of the colleges please outline its benefits and drawbacks.
For instance, Williams is number one on USnews and has been that way for quite a while. Does that mean Amherst is less academically intense and the quality of education is somewhat not as good? Or is the difference in the rankings caused merely by some triviality?
Also, Williams is known as the 'jock' LAC. What about amherst, does athletics play such an important part?
Finally, williams college has ''ephblog.com'' and swartmore has its ''live journal'' where people outside (prospective students like me) can interact with current students of both colleges and ask questions. I was wondering whether amherst has a website/blog/forum where the same can be done.
Please post any impressions (good and bad) of both colleges
Thank you
Post edited by gagilord on
This discussion has been closed.
Replies to: Comparing Amherst with Williams
The fact that williams is ranked number one doesn't mean much. Both schools are incredible, williams is just slightly bigger and has a larger endowment than amherst. Triviality is definitely a factor, though there are very real differences between the two schools. Williams's culture is a lot more seclusive to Williams students, and parties/get-togethers, etc. are held and generally attended by only students of williams college. Drinking is a very big element of the williams social scene, though there are things to do besides drink. Williams (in general) seems to me to be the more traditional school, where mostly future wall-streeters, doctors, lawyers, etc. attend. It may just be my perception, but it seems like amherst is the more non-traditional school.
With that said, the math and sciences department at williams are much stronger than at amherst, although the arts at amherst are much stronger than at williams. Both schools are equal in terms of academics, but seem very much like two sides of the same coin in terms of culture, atmosphere, students, etc. Both schools have amazing power strongholds in every part of the country, so you wold not lose by attending either.
I will say, however, that the social scene at amherst is much better than at williams. Amherst has an actual town, with the five-college consortium, whereas williams just has Williamstown. At times, williams can feel very secluded. However, my perception of the amherst student body left me feeling as if amherst is more uptight and artsy (no offense) than williams.
You should visit each. prefrosh tend to use the visit to filter the two. Amherst has no student loans, but i'm sure williams will implement the same policy soon.
I don't think most Amherst students are particularly uptight, but we may be a bit quirkier than Williams students? I think a bit more liberal, I don't know...the student bodies are very similar. Williams is much more insular. Academically, they are really very identical.
He chose Williams because the music program is much more extensive, as is the art program. Amherst's strength is in social sciences, philosophy, American Studies and legal studies.
People seem to fall in love with one school or the other. I think they're both incredible. I don't think Amherst is more quirky than Williams, however. Lord Jeff vs. a Eph, a purple spotted cow? Now which is sillier?
BTW: My son is definitely the "quirky" type. He does want to eventually do medicine, after he majors in music, but for him medicine means Doctors Without Borders. He found Amherst more pretentious. I did not. Amherst is extremely dedicated to recruiting URM's and takes its educational philosophy, i.e. no requirements, seriously.
Both are great, as are Wesleyan, Vassar, Swarthmore, Haverford, etc.... There are many choices.
I would take exception, however, that Williams kids are more athletic, drink more or are any more professional or less quirky than Amherst kids. On these points-- and academics in general -- the schools are absolutely equal.
I would give Williams a strong first in the Arts -- museums, theater. Amherst does have the consortium to draw on, however, which evens things out.
The town of Amherst is one of the great college towns in America. Williamstown has profoundly beautiful natural surroundings. So, again, it's a personal decision.
I don't believe that this is correct. Williams is known for its strong art department and has produced curators for many of the major museums in the US. Further, Amherst is not known for strength in the arts at all. Rl.Hill may be assuming that Amherst emphasizes the arts simply because of his sense that Amherst students are more "artsy" than Williams students. The latter may be true but that does not necessarily mean that Amherst's strength is in the arts . .
As far as athletics, Williams has a slightly higher percentage of varsity athletes (40% vs. 1/3) and has ranked as the number one D3 athletics program for almost a decade (though Amherst was 4th this year). Athletics at both are very big, but moreso at Williams.
I realise that the best way to decide which college is for me i need to visit them. Unfortunately i am an international student (with a Bulgarian passport but living in Italy). A trip to the US would be really expensive and my parents can't afford it right now.
Although i am not 100% decided on any college i will still apply ED because that significantly increases my chances of getting in and my stats arent that good for an international student. I know that i will be stuck with the college if i get accepted but thats a risk i have to take :(
I plan to study physics and something else in college (something more humanitarian..i dont want to be stuck doing maths and physics all the time). So i guess in that aspect Williams is a better fit because of its strong science and maths departments.
Finally, this drinking thing about WIlliams...do people go to extremes (=are drunk 80% of the time) or drink just to have fun? Also do the athletics play such an important part in social life that if you are not part of it you feel isolated?
Thank you all once again!
None of the three people I mentioned drink.
If you can't visit, you can get a real feel for the school by perusing the website.
No and No. My son is an artist, museum docent and trekker. His friends are musicians, actors, dancers, political activists, do-gooders :). None of them is a heavy drinker.
Gagilord, the major significant difference between Amherst and Williams is location. Amherst is in a small, lively town swarming with college students from several colleges. Williamstown is a mountain village. It's beautiful but remotely located making the Williams experience more insular than that at Amherst. If visiting is impossible, then you'll just have to visualize.
I wouldn't get distracted by figures on athletes. Both colleges have 20+ varsity teams which require a lot of participants. (Actually, because Amherst is smaller, there are numerically more NON-athletes at Williams.) Both colleges attract physically active kids, but the focus is on doing something, anything, not necessarily organized sports.