I’m planning on majoring in political economy (or double majoring in political economy and philosophy) and I plan to go to law school after undergrad (ideally a top 10 law school). I’m also really interested in doing research as an undergrad, studying development economics and criminal justice. I also think I would do better in smaller classes.
I like the community at both schools but I’m leaning towards Williams. However, I feel like I could find Williamstown to be too isolating and I’m not sure if I would find as many political opportunities there. I’m not concerned about internships though because I’ve heard Williams alumni are really helpful in that regard.
I’m considering trying to visit the campuses since I haven’t been able to do that yet but I’m not sure if there will be enough time. Thank you guys in advance for the help.
Unless you really love the bustle of a city and dislike the sun rising over the mountains, Williams sounds like a great choice for you.
Political economy is a strong major there with two strong departments supporting it, people enjoy philosophy there too… and one of the only two tiny graduate programs at Williams is in Development Economics, so it is hard to imagine a better match for your interests!
Great admissions to T14 law schools afterwards. Join the Law Society for Mock Trial or Moot Court while you are there, too.
Either school will be great for your interests and career choices - both Barnard and Williams send lots of people to law school, and there are professors doing research at both places. Yes, Williams has a grad program in economics - but so does Columbia (a much bigger and very well-reputed graduate program).
I wouldn’t worry too much about not finding ‘political opportunities.’ The amount of things you can do during term-time is fairly limited anyway, and as you said, Williams students should have no shortage of summer internships. At Barnard you would have more of an option to potentially pick up a term-time internship during the academic year; Friday classes are relatively rare in the Columbia-Barnard community and many students use their Fridays to work or do internships.
Isolation can be a good thing in a college context. First, there are fewer distractions for getting your work done. Secondly, that may mean that students stay close to campus for their fun, which may translate to a more thriving campus culture.
Why are you leaning towards Williams? Your answer may be in there.
My son is a political science major (albeit not quite political economy) at Williams who has also taken several econ classes. He has been very satisfied with the professors and curriculum.
As for isolation, my son was concerned about that too, but upon stepping on to campus, he found himself very busy with activities. If anything, Williams is in a stunning mountain valley with close proximity to hiking and skiing, if you like that stuff. If you attend a top 10 law school (in recent years, the top 2 law schools among grads has been Yale and Penn), you will likely also work at a top law firm or go in to politics in an urban/suburban environment. My recommendation is to enjoy 4 years in a bucolic setting with a diverse student before life in the big city.
Lastly, the Williams alumni network is exceptionally strong. My son got a summer internship through the alumni network, as did most of his friends. Williams in essence invented the concept of an alumni society in 1821 and the network has been string ever since.