I really love both colleges, visited both, etc etc.
Williams was my favourite and a clear ED. However, recently I have started questioning the location, and ruralness of it.
Having lived in one of the biggest cities in the world, i dont know how i would adapt to this.
Tufts was a close second as i loved the campus and although it is a bigger university, is small enough as compared to others.
Help please!
And you expect other people to tell you?
Williams is in a isolated, rural, very-small-town setting. It’s not the right fit for everyone, but it’s a great fit for some. No one else can say whether it will be a good or bad fit for you specifically.
I don’t know the right answer for you.
Some things to consider- do you have a potential major or are you pretty up in the air? If you have one in mind, is it one of the bigger departments at Williams? Or at Tufts? If you got a semester or 2 in and decided you hated it, what do you think you’d do next? Do you think you’d have more backup options at Williams or at Tufts? What do you like to do for fun? Do you need to be in a city to do it? Are you likely to go abroad for a semester at some point? Would that make the time at Williams seem a little less isolated? Does Williams have ED2 (because Tufts does… and if you do like Williams just a bit better you could plan to do Tufts as ED2 if Williams didn’t work out).
You don’t need to write back to answer all of these… just some things to consider.
Have you ruled out Vanderbilt? In a previous thread, you talked about that as a possible ED school.
Williams
If you like to live among the cows and trees then Williams. If you feel like being near civilization then Tufts.
There are pros and cons to both scenarios and only you can decide which is the right fit for you.
Obviously this is a gross exaggeration. In reality, Williams students have access to many other resources besides “cows” and “trees”. For example, what about the turkey vultures?
There are turkeys in Harvard Sq, no lie, so Tufts might have some turkeys lurking around. Good call, I’m going to have to look into this. There aren’t any cows that I am aware of though.
Well there you go. Also, note that most of the local cows in Williamstown are actually really nice, once you get to know them. Well, maybe not Penelope, but in general they’re great.
I do not think that anyone can ever be bored at a top college, whether it is urban, suburban, or rural. Colleges are so culturally saturated— they have music, theatre and dance performances, art, famous speakers, lectures and student presentations, trivia contests, sporting events, special events and parties, etc., etc. And all your friends surround you for great conversations round-the-clock in the dorms and dining halls as well as in class. So all those benefits will be available at either Tufts or Williams.
In addition to the events right on campus, the area in and around Williamstown boasts three famous art museums, and theatre, dance and music festivals. Some students perform with the Berkshire Symphony.
That said, I think that Williams is best suited for students who find its location part of the attraction— who think nature is beautiful and are thrilled to see mountains all around them. Williams takes advantage of its setting. Next week, my son will be on a freshman orientation backpacking trip in the mountains (this is one option- there are other orientation trips like one that visits local cultural spots like the art museums, etc.). Every October, there is Mountain Day, when classes are cancelled and students hike up a nearby mountain and enjoy cider donuts and a cappella groups at the top.
If you long for the crowds and hustle and bustle of a major city, Tufts has better access to that, with its proximity to Boston.
But if the sight of mountains makes you glad, and you look forward to being part of small class discussions and a tight-knit community, which also develops an active alumni network, then Williams could be a good choice.
Both of your choices will provide an excellent education, and Tufts is a relatively small university so the big-small contrast is not too pronounced. You can’t go wrong either way. Pick your preference, and don’t look back if you get into one of them early decision; there will be nothing to regret either way!
If you are really attracted to both schools, yet undecided as to your ED choice, then it might help to know what you want to study & what you like about each school.
Some things to consider. Tufts is 2.5 times the size of Williams in Undergraduate students alone, yet they have fairly similar stats on student/faculty ratio and class size. Things that will come into play at Tufts students tend to move off Campus for their junior and senior years. I believe at Williams students mostly live on campus for all 4 years. Also Tufts also has a pretty intensive core curriculum and distribution requirements. Not sure about Williams. I went to Tufts and loved it and for sure we used Boston a lot. The advantage of any of the Boston Schools is the access to students from everywhere. So in a way you take approx 5,500 students and multiple it by all the students in Boston. That said Williams is incredible. If it matters to you, it is higher ranked. It really comes down to what is a better situation for you. Where you think you will learn best and be happiest.
I have ruled out Vanderbilt as an ED. Will be applying regular
Williams can be said to be among the most discernible colleges in the nation. This is partly because it 1) has adhered to a traditionally established size, 2) has maintained a dedicated undergraduate focus and 3) refuses to make excuses for its, by conventional standards, isolated location. These appear to be non-negotiable aspects of the school. Williams works best for students who are decisive in their preference for these attributes.
Boy, are these two different! Both great schools but radically different environments and experiences. If you can spend a day on campus at each, it might be clear. Educationally, you can’t go wrong at either. Students at both are happy, but they are living the experience they wanted.
How do you feel about sports? Williams has a strong athletic culture.
^There are many types of students with many interests at Williams, and the freshman entry system brings them all together.
I am far from an athlete. In high school, I was always the last one chosen for teams, because I have no athletic skills. I never attended a single sporting event while I was at Williams. And I loved Williams!
In current times, there is a huge range of interests on the GroupMe for admitted students in the class of 2022. Yes, Williams does very well in Division 3 sports and is a great place for an athlete, but by no means is everyone there into sports!
^but it feels more so than at Tufts because a larger percentage of the student body are varsity athletes and because many who aren’t are still outdoorsy/sporty. It’s more a vibe than who you have to be to be happy. (I think tufts may have more D3 national titles in the last 5 years, but it isn’t really part of the school’s "feel). Again, a way in which these two differ a lot.
(Given who I am, I would be happier at Williams but my husband would say Tufts! It’s really about what feels right to you.)
Yes, @gardenstategal , that was exactly what I meant. A much larger percentage of students are athletes than Tufts. If you hate that sports vibe, then you may prefer Tufts.