Williams' Early Decision Admits 237 for 2018 Class
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WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Williams College has offered admission to 237 students under its early decision plan. The 124 women and 113 men will comprise 43 percent of the incoming class of 2018, whose ultimate target size is 550.
Richard Nesbitt, director of admission, said 554 students applied under early decision and the quality of the pool was superb.
"With so many highly qualified applicants to choose from, the selection process was as keenly competitive as it's ever been," he said.
The admitted students represent 194 secondary schools around the world. Thirty-three states and Puerto Rico are represented, with the largest numbers coming from New York (39), Massachusetts (37), California (23), Connecticut (20), New Jersey (15), Ohio (8), Illinois (6), Minnesota (6), Maryland (5), Maine (5) and Florida (5). The countries represented are Canada, China, Costa Rica, France, India, Jordan, Malaysia, Morocco, Nigeria, Norway, Philippines, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
American students of color comprise nearly one-third of the early decision group, including 23 Asian-Americans, 19 African-Americans, 25 Latinos, and two Native Americans. Thirteen students are from families in which neither parent has a four-year college degree.
"Once again, our intensive diversity recruitment efforts, including two fall fly-in programs for low-income students, proved highly successful and brought us some outstanding students," Nesbitt said.
Academically, the class of 2018 early decision contingent rivals any in the college's past. Standardized test score averages are higher than any previous cohort: 716 Critical Reading, 713 Math and 724 Writing and 32 ACT. A large share of this scholarly group (69) indicated an interest in eventually pursuing a doctorate.
Well represented are highly rated artists, athletes, musicians, and actors.
"I'm constantly amazed at the eclectic mix of talents," Nesbitt said. "An incoming first-year might find he or she is rooming with a nationally acclaimed jazz saxophonist, an award-winning Hellenic dancer, or an accomplished improvisational comedian who also plays a varsity sport."
Early decision applicants commit to attend Williams if admitted. Early decision letters were released at 6 p.m. EST on Thursday, Dec. 12. The regular decision application deadline is Jan. 1, with notification in late March. Students admitted via the regular decision plan have until May 1 to decide whether or not they will attend.
