College Spotlight: Williams College

College Spotlight is a very short introduction to a college/university, with some fun and interesting highlights I've gathered during tours, meetings with admission staff, webinars, and research.

Hopefully these College Spotlight posts will help you determine whether a school could be a good fit and warrants additional research.

Williams College is a highly selective, liberal arts college in northwestern Massachusetts.

Here are some quick highlights:

• Williams College is considered the strongest liberal arts college in the country by many ranking sites.

  
  

• Meets 100% of demonstrated need, but does not provide merit aid.

  
  

• Students are admitted to the college, not by major, and students select their major(s) in second semester of sophomore year.

• Strong focus on undergraduate education, and all courses are taught directly by professors.

  
  

• Students must take courses in three areas: arts & humanities, social sciences, and math & sciences. Most students have plenty of room in their course plan for a double major. Economics is the most popular major.

• Offers 'tutorial classes' of two students with one professor. Tutorial classes are offered on a variety of topics, and focus on writing, discussion, and deep thinking.

  
  

• Williams College has a 4:1:4 calendar. Students take four courses in fall and spring, as well as one course in January which is pass/fail. January courses can be on campus, travel-oriented, an internship, or an independent project.

• Williams College is located in the Berkshires on Mohican land in a rural small town. Campus has a mix of historical and modern buildings. Spring Street next to campus has a variety of small businesses, eateries, and a movie theater. The general area is hilly and great for hiking.

  
  

• Campus has beautiful green spaces, but is relatively compact, which is helpful during the winter months.

  
  

• Most students live on-campus all four years, though some live off-campus in town for senior year. Most faculty live in town as well.

• Williams College is very supportive of athletics and theater. There are over 200 student-run organizations and clubs, which is quite a lot for a small college. There are no Greek organizations, however.

  
  

• Students often ask about travel because of the rural location. Albany International Airport is about an hour away, and there are motor coach options during the holidays. The area does not have Uber or Lyft, but there is a regular shuttle to the grocery store, pharmacy, etc.

  
  

• Williams College is a great fit for students who thrive in rigorous academic environments that focus on reading, writing, speaking, critical thinking, and collaboration.

Want to learn more about Williams College or other educational institutions? At Growing2College, all families who select our College Search and Selection package receive full access to CustomCollegePlan, an interactive portal with extensive college information and research resources, task management, and application tracking features.

If you'd like to learn more, request a free 20-min consultation.

Kate Pedigo, M.Ed., CEP, NCC is an Independent Educational Consultant and founder of Growing2College.

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