Williams College Class of 2019 Set to Arrive Aug. 31
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WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — The 269 women and 282 men who make up the Williams College Class of 2019 will arrive on campus on Aug. 31 for First Days, their official orientation to the college.
The tradition of First Days introduces first-year students to the college. Over the first few days students will meet their academic advisors, learn about academic departments, get to know the campus, and take placement exams and the mandatory swimming test. In between the scheduled events, students will settle into their dorms and get to know their classmates.
During the second half of the week, first-year students will participate in EphVentures, a program designed to enhance students’ orientation experience, provide them with opportunities to build lasting friendships, and help them develop an appreciation for the campus and community. Students choose from various programs that would have them developing leadership skills, getting to know the Berkshires, experiencing arts and culture, or exploring the intersections among environmental sustainability, identity and social justice.
On Sunday, Sept. 6, students will return from EphVentures for dinner at the third annual Spring Street Food Fair. On Monday, they will participate in Williams Reads, for which each student received a copy of Enrique’s Journey by Sonia Nazario ’82, over the summer. Facilitated conversations about the book provide an introduction to the intellectual life at Williams.
“We know that every student in this class has made the most of the opportunities they had in high school—not just to learn, but also to explore, to create, and to support their communities,” says Sarah Bolton, dean of the college and professor of physics. “I look forward to the four years we’ll have together and to beginning that journey in First Days.”
Six-thousand eight-hundred and eighty-three students applied for the Class of 2019, and by all standard measures of academic talent, including test scores and academic performance, this year’s entering class is impressive. SATs for the cohort averaged 720 on the verbal test, 708 on math, and 714 on writing; the ACT average was 32. The class is also diverse. Thirty-eight percent of students in the incoming class are U.S. students of color, and 8 percent are international students. The 551 students in this year’s class come from 42 states and represent 50 foreign countries as well as Puerto Rico, Saipan, and two U.S. military installations. Fifty percent of the class is receiving financial aid, with an average aid package of $52,900.
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