4 Years in the Mountains

Introduction
Look at the title ... if this doesn't sound appealing to you right away, you may be facing a long 4 years at Williams. But before you judge, you should visit. I know plenty of people who say, "Williams isn't my kind of school," or "I don't like the isolation," or "I need to be in/near a city." I have one word for you: VISIT. The school is in the middle of the Purple Valley-- thus the Williams mascot, the purple cow-- with beautiful mountains on all sides. The campus is pretty, but what seals the deal is the gorgeous environment of North Berkshire County. Williams isn't necessarily an "outdoorsy" school, but you will be happiest here if you do enjoy being outside and you are able to take advantage of the numerous outdoor opportunities that the college (and specifically the Outing Club) provide.

Campus Life and Social Life
Sports are definitely emphasized on campus (1/3 of students play a varsity sport), but that's not to say that non-athletes are ignored or even shunned. There is plenty to do on weekends, and by no means are social events structured around athletics. Parties can always be found, though Williams parties tend to start early and end early ... it is rare for any party to rage on into the wee hours of the morning, mostly due to the alcohol policies on campus. It is quite easy for anyone of any age to get alcohol, however at the big parties, security limits the alcohol available and so once that alcohol is gone, the party moves elsewhere. Speaking of security, they are fairly loose about underage drinking, and they'll anything slide, so long as you obey "open container" laws while walking around outside.

All Campus Entertainment (ACE) is an organization that not only plans events like concerts, parties, and other weekend activities, but also will help you pay for your party, doing everything from subsidizing decorations to buying food and beverages (alcoholic and otherwise). Friday and Saturday nights are the big ones on campus, though Thursdays are getting popular as well. Unfortunately, most students have class on Fridays, so Thursday night parties are a little more infrequent. Academics
There's a reason why Williams is consistently ranked as the top liberal arts school in the country-- the academics are superb. All classes are taught by professors, class sizes are kept small, and course offerings are diverse and challenging. The sciences (Biology, Physics, Chemistry) are particularly strong, with an emphasis on student research. Many, many students stay on campus over the summer or during vacations to assist professors in cutting-edge research or pursuing their own individual research endeavors. Another strong department is Art History. With the Clark Art Institute less than a mile from campus, Massachussetts Museum of Contemporary Art (MassMoCA) a ten minute drive away, and the Williams College Museum of Art in the center of campus, primary resources abound for art students and the program is world-renowned.

Romance languages are a weak point for the college, though the Spanish, French, and Italian departments are undergoing some revitalization with new faculty. Economics is popular, but almost too popular, as the department struggles to offset the recent surge in Econ majors with new professors. Unfortunately, until the problem is remedied, Econ majors are stuck in larger-than-average classes and do not receive as much attention as their peers in other majors might receive.

Student Body
Many students at Williams hail from Massachussetts, New York, and Connecticut, though all 50 states are represented, as well as a ton of foreign countries. It's tough to define a "typical" student, though most students come from economically stable families and many have Williams legacies. All students come to Wiilliams with an eagerness to learn and to succeed, and despite their intensity, Williams students are not nearly as competitive as some of their Ivy-league counterparts. Williams is a great community where all perrsonal interests are supported. Whether you be into a cappella, improv, newspaper, marching band, backpacking, or radio, there is something for everyone at Williams.

In Closing...
Williams is a school in the mountains, and while may be geographically isolated, it is far from being culturally and educationally isolated. If you come to Williams, not only will you get a superior education, you will emerge from Williams with a superior 4-year experience as a better (and smarter) person than when you started.