<p>As someone who went to both Williams and UChicago (grad school) and has close family who went to Amherst, I feel well-qualified to give advice on this one! All three are tremendous academically, you can’t really go wrong with your choice. The intellectual caliber of undergrads at all three will be equivalent, and students are generally engaged and work very hard in and out of the classroom at all three, as well. You will get into a top-notch graduate school if you do reasonably well at any of the three. So it comes down to environment and fit.</p>
<p>Based on your self-description, Williams does, indeed, sound like a great fit. While UChicago has some solid athletic teams, keep in mind that athletics there are not well-loved by the majority of the student body. The vast majority of your games will have no student body support or interest, unlike at Williams or Amherst, where students tend to support their classmates on the playing fields, especially in NESCAC, NCAA or rivalry games. If you like the outdoors, Williams is also a no-brainer. UChicago is a dark, dreary, cold, gray play for most of the year, trust me. The campus is only really beautiful in late Spring when you cranking away for finals. There is little attractive nature other than the lake, which is a decent trek from campus. Williams, of course, you are surrounded by nature, and what other school has a Mountain Day!!! If you are a city person, the city of Chicago is an enormous asset, but it sounds like you prioritize natural beauty over urban attractions, in which case, I see zero reason to pick Chicago over either Williams or Amherst.</p>
<p>I TOTALLY disagree with your assumption that Amherst is stronger in the humanities than Williams, or offers better opportunities to improve your writing. Remember, Williams has smaller classes and a lower faculty-student ratio than Amherst, which is the number one factor in getting maximum attention to your writing. In particular, I would read up on the Williams tutorial program – there really is NO better option, at any undergrad institution I’ve heard of, in terms of honing your writing, analytical, and argumentation skills. You take 3-4 tutorials at Williams, trust me, you’ll be in GREAT shape for grad school. Williams is very strong in most humanities departments (as is Amherst), no edge either way, there.</p>
<p>I’d also disagree (and am surprised by) your assessment of the relaxed, chill, soothing vibe. One of the main reasons I chose Williams over Amherst is because I found that vibe more prevalent at Williams – everything from Mountain Day, to the Purple Cow mascot (vs. the “Lord Jeff”), to the goofier prospectus, to the setting and campus design, to the fonts employed by the school spoke to me as more chill and less serious and stuck-up at Williams. Of course, this is very much a feel thing, but at a very minimum, I don’t see Williams suffering as compared to Amherst here, although the difference between the two is likely not dramatic – very similar student bodies, in the aggregate. </p>
<p>And most of all, if you love tight-knit communities, no place on earth, from my experience, can top Billsville and Williams. And trust me, you will find PLENTY of fellow nerds. In sum, you sound like the epitome of a Purple Cow to me. You would fit right in, instantly, at Williams, based on your self-description. </p>