Williams College

Date: Jan 05 2003
Major: English (This Major's Salary over time)
I grew up hearing about the Williams of my parents' generation” a caring, liberal, and personalized learning environment set against the backdrop of a quaint town in a picturesque valley. I arrived expecting some happy marriage of Reed and Norman Rockwell, but what I got was Animal House meets Mayberry.

The students here are generally quite friendly, but somehow the social atmosphere on campus is still atypically high schoolish. I have a hard time understanding how such kind people make a school that feels overwhelmingly arrogant, elitist, and alcoholic. The fact that Williamstown is, officially, the middle of nowhere is considered an excuse to stay drunk from Thursday to Sunday, and the college's off-beat quotient begins and ends with its mascot. Once, the bizarre and wonderful Moo-Cow Marching Band gave an impromptu performance in the dining hall, complete with cereal box hats, kazoos, and genuine glee. I was just about overcome with joy” until other kids started booing. There are no fraternities at Williams, but a Capella groups seem to have filled the void. And that really isn't much of a surprise: Abolishing the Greek system can't help a school that embraces the kind of college experience frats support.

Lots of students will say that the "profs" here are amazing, but pushing for more information never yields much in the way of specifics. In my 100-level courses, teachers acted as if the students had nothing to offer and no valuable experience from which to work. Competition was not discouraged and discussions quickly degenerated into wary silences and disaffected clock-watching. Yes, the professors are very available, but one begins to get the feeling that they are more concerned about U.S. News and World Report rankings than student learning. People at Williams talk the talk about joy, growth, and process, but it always rings hollow, and I would much rather be in a good lecture than a bad discussion. The busywork is endless, and lots of kids resort to drinking as a coping mechanism.

People say that athletics are overemphasized at Williams, but the good news is that the college has a very highly developed Physical Activity program, and lots of room to run around. That means it's easy to feel connected in an overwhelmingly athletic environment even if you've never been a jock. Another credit to the college is the entry system, and I have managed to find a couple of great professors. But at the end of the day this is an elite school with a lot invested in the status quo. If you want a normal college experience and a degree that will impress prospective employers, apply now; if you want more, look elsewhere.