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The Rival Rundown: Amherst vs. Williams
September 16, 2009 Posted in Reality
Welcome back to The Rival Rundown! If you’ve always wanted to give props to your school on CC, now’s your chance! Shoot us an email explaining what’s awesome and unique about your school (or what stinks about Rival U) at rivalrundown@collegecandy.com!
In the world of higher education, there are universities, and there are colleges. The fundamental difference between the two are resources: the former usually boasts graduate degree programs and a larger faculty. But bigger doesn’t always mean better. A traditional liberal arts college places its entire focus on educating the undergraduate. Yes, the fresh-outta-high-school-barely-able-to-vote-let-alone-know-what-I-wanna-do-with-my-life set. Where to go for such an education? Let’s take a trip up to Massachusetts, where Williams College and Amherst College have been trying to answer that question for centuries.
1. Mascot Matchup
Amherst- The Lord (and Lady) Jeffs, named for college founder Lord Jefferey Amherst, is a perfect spirit leader for those who like their sports icons to be dignified and historical.
Williams- Similarly, the Williams mascot–the Eph–is named for it’s founder, Ephraim Williams. But if you like a bit of whimsy with your historical icon, the Ephs are represented by a purple cow.
Three credits to: Williams–how could you go wrong with anything purple?
2. Alternative Academia
Amherst- Taking part in the Five College Consortium in Massachusetts’ Pioneer Valley, Amherst students are given the privilege of taking courses at any of the member institutions’ campuses, including Mt. Holyoke, Smith, UMass Amherst, and Hampshire. Why choose one college when you can have five, right?
Williams- Emphasizing the usefulness of a well-balanced education and the ability to think creatively, Williams hosts a semi-annual Trivia Night competition that lasts eight hours. Students compete in teams to answer questions from a wide spectrum of topics in a marathon tournament of wit and stamina. The prize for the winning team? To organize and host next semester’s tournament!
Three Credits to: Williams–if Trivia Night is fun at my local watering hole, imagine how awesome it would be as an all-night affair!
3. College Town Cool Factor
Amherst -Nestled in Amherst, MA, a small picturesque town surrounded by the institutions of the Five College Consortium, Amherst thrives in a heavily student-populated area. One local attraction of interest: the Emily Dickinson Museum, dedicated to Amherst’s most famous resident.
Williams- Located in the Berkshires region of Massachussets, the Williams campus personifies New England charm. With Mass MoCA (Museum of Contemporary Art) to browse year-round, Tanglewood Symphony to enjoy during the summer, and a smattering of mom-and-pop shops, there’s many opportunities to indulge in local culture.
Three credits to: Williams, where the nearby symphony is music to my ears!
4. Ass-Kicking Alumni
Amherst– Bill Amend (Foxtrot cartoonist), Dan Brown (Da Vinci Code author), Raymond Teller (Penn & Teller magic/comedy duo).
Williams- Steven Sondheim (Broadway composer), US President James Garfield, George Steinbrenner (owner of the New York Yankees).
Three credits to: Amherst–what would beach literature be today without the paradigm-shifting scandals of The Da Vinci Code?
5. Acceptance Rate Agony
Amherst- 14.8% for the class of 2012.
Williams- 17% for the class of 2012.
Three credits to: Amherst.
And the diploma goes to: Williams! Between these two liberal-arts powerhouses, Williams wins by virtue of its quirky mascot, quixotic trivia night, and quiet (but bustling) hometown.
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sam says:
Wed, 16th Sep 20095:31 pm
As a member of the NESCAC (the athletic conference for both Williams and Amherst), I find it funny that you award williams as having a better town. Amherst is situated in a gorgeous area of massachusetts, and has the privilege of being near four other schools. Williamstown, on the other hand, is an okay town, but not NEARLY as nice as Amherst. It has a super busy road cutting right through campus and the dorms aren't nice at all.
Also, an interesting note about the Amherst mascot… Lord Jeff is supposedly the man responsible for giving the Native Americans the smallpox blankets.
collegethriving says:
Thu, 17th Sep 20093:00 am
I agree with the above- Amherst has a far better town.
I want to see a BC/Notre Dame rundown!
Kathe says:
Thu, 17th Sep 20097:45 am
As someone who lives in between the two towns, I can unequivocally say that Amherst is the cooler town. Cooler still is Northampton, which is nearby.
Jessica says:
Sat, 3rd Oct 20095:49 pm
Agreed that Amherst is a better town, agreed that Northampton is a WAY better town… but the Williams dorms? FANTASTIC.
Jill says:
Sat, 3rd Oct 20098:40 pm
Who gives a fucking shit about these schools????? Who the fuck has even heard of these dumbass schools? Yawn. Who the fuck would want to go to these schools which nobody has heard of? Give me a fucking break. These are just poor imitations of Harvard and Yale. Only fucking losers go to these schools.
Jenny says:
Tue, 10th Nov 20093:30 pm
Jill,
The only people that have heard of these schools are the ones that matter. You obviously haven't, which says a lot about you. If you did matter and if you had heard of these schools, you would know that they're the top liberal arts colleges in the nation. They are extremely selective and produce some of the most successful people in the United States. In fact, these people are so successful that they are willing to donate millions of dollars (Amherst just received a $125 million donation) to show their gratitude to the school that helped get them to the top.
Pablo says:
Fri, 26th Feb 20105:25 am
As a proud Amherst alum, I find it amusing that Williams won by virtue of how creative its mascot is, which is odd to say the least. To clarify: Amherst has produced far more distinguished alumni when in a head-to-head competition with Williams. There's President Calvin Coolidge, a President from El Salvador and the present Prime Minister of Greece. It's also produced four Nobel Prize winners, which makes it one of the most successful incubators of Nobel Prizes in the world (there are only about 20,000 living Amherst College alumni, so four Nobel Prizes out of 20,000 people is nothing to sniff at). Williams Nobel Prize count among its alumni is presently at zero.
Some further clarification: Lord Jeffrey Amherst was the namesake of the settlement of Amherst, not the college. He was long dead by the time the good burgers of Amherst town decided to found the college way back in 1821. I hate the fact that a genocidal British general is the mascot of the college. But it is what it is, I suppose.
W says:
Fri, 5th Nov 20107:40 am
The writer of this post is very clearly unfamiliar with the schools and their rivalry. The portrayal of their towns is clearly off, as noted by several people here. Also, you fail to make any note of the "Little Three," a three-way rivalry including Wesleyan. Also, comparing the schools from an outside view on such criteria is not a great idea: many will tell you how similar they are in the criteria listed here.