Williams College Admits 237 to Class of 2018 in Early Decision Plan

Media contact: Noelle Lemoine, communications assistant; tele: (413) 597-4277; email: [email protected]

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass., December 13, 2013—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 Early Decision 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 Ph.D.

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, December 12. The Regular Decision application deadline is January 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.

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Founded in 1793, Williams College is the second-oldest institution of higher learning in Massachusetts. The college’s 2,000 students are taught by a faculty noted for the quality of their teaching and research, and the achievement of academic goals includes active participation of students with faculty in their research. Students’ educational experience is enriched by the residential campus environment in Williamstown, Mass., which provides a host of opportunities for interaction with one another and with faculty beyond the classroom. Admission decisions on U.S. applicants are made regardless of a student’s financial ability, and the college provides grants and other assistance to meet the demonstrated needs of all who are admitted.

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