Williams College

Overall ExperienceWhat's This?

It is very hard to get an A at Williams, so most are happy with a B+ or an A-. The same logic applies to what the school has to offer students. Williams is amazing for its incredible academic and athletic programs, and the inclusive atmosphere on campus promote and encourages personal growth. The lack of nightlife also helps the campus grow closer as people have little opportunity to go off campus and much more time to hang out with and talk to the people around them. Students acknowledge that some of the weaknesses of the school, such as location and the nature of nightlife in Williamstown, are not fixable. They also agree that Williams is working very hard on addressing other problematic issues. While the school changes with every class, every year, some positive and negative aspects of what it has to offer to the prospective student stand out. These are not only conditions that can’t be changed, like the weather, but also general features of Williams that many students criticize or praise.

No matter what the admissions office tries to tell you, the Williams campus is not particularly diverse. Many students of color feel very alienated here, and so do white students who don’t necessary fit the typical preppy profile. Many blame the lack of diversity on the school’s focus on athletics, but that isn't totally fair to the Williams sports teams, who do so much to promote the school’s spirit. It is thought that maybe Williams lacks in diversity because the College has already been associated as a typically “white and preppy” school. Besides admitting a fairly uniform and uninteresting student body, Williams has also placed them in a small and uninteresting town, where their social life is limited to keg parties with the same group of people every weekend and occasional dancing to the same three songs. Although many complain about this, others like those three songs and the beer, and they don’t require more options.

Williams Student Reviews