Williams College Acceptance Rate and How to Get in Easily

Williams is a liberal arts college offering unique tutorial and research programs. Williams College’s acceptance rate has been covered in this article. 

Located in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts, the college is the best place to study income inequality and modernity, coastal boulder deposits, and food sustainability. Because no matter your program interest, you will get the opportunity and support that will prepare you to be successful in your career in the future.

Other unique features of Williams college include small class sizes, dedicated faculty, a close-knit community, and renowned research and tutorial programs. Over 65 areas of study are offered across humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. You will be guided and taught by accomplished scientists and scholars whose own work often goes beyond traditional academic boundaries. 

Now let’s get to the main part; Williams college acceptance rate and how to get in easily. You’ll also get to know more about Williams college, its history, academics, rankings, and lots more. 

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Williams College Acceptance Rate and How to Get in Easily

About Williams College

Williams College is a private liberal arts college established as a men’s college in 1793. It is located in Williamstown, Massachusetts. After Harvard College, it is the second-oldest institution of higher education in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.  

The institution was initially built with funds from the estate of Ephraim Williams. Ephraim was a Province of Massachusetts Bay colonist who was killed in the French and Indian War in 1755. The bequest from the estate of Ephraim Williams planned to establish a “free school”, also same as ambiguous, the college quickly changed its mind. Instead, it became a “Western counterpart” to Yale and Harvard. In the 1960s, Willaims became officially coeducational.

Williams’s main campus is located in Williamstown and contains more than 100 academic, athletic, and residential buildings. The student-to-faculty ratio is 6:1 and there are 319 voting faculty members. In 2021, there were 1,962 enrolled undergraduate students and 25 graduate students.

Williams College uses a liberal arts curriculum to provide undergraduate instruction in 25 academic departments and interdisciplinary programs. This includes 36 majors in the humanities, arts, social sciences, and natural sciences. Williams offers almost undergraduate programs, but there are two graduate programs in development economics and art history.

The college is affiliated with the nearby Clark Art Institute and Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (MASS MoCA) and has close ties with Exeter College, Oxford University. The college competes as the Ephs in the NCAA Division III New England Small College Athletic Conference. In the NCAA Division III, Williams College athletic team has been highly successful, having won 22 of the last 24 College Directors’ Cups.

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History

Colonel Ephraim Williams was a member of a prominent landowning family and an officer in the Massachusetts militia. On September 8, 1755, he was killed at the Battle of Lake George. His will had a bequest to support and maintain a free school built in the town of West Hoosac, Massachusetts if the town changes its name to Williamstown.

In 1762, members of the Williams family first tried to found Queens College in Hatfield, Massachusetts but the charter was revoked within a year when Massachusetts Governor Bernard was pressured by Harvard College to oppose the creation of the second institution of higher learning in the Massachusetts colony. In 1765, the west township was integrated as Williamstown. 5 years later, the Executors of Williams estate were bought by the town’s proprietors before the General Court in order to dispute the delay in the establishment of the free school at Ephram Jr.’s bequest. In 1795, the school was finally granted its charter by the Massachusetts legislature

On October 26, 1791, the Williamstown Free School opened with 15 students after Shays’ Rebellion. Ebenezer Fitch was the first president. Not long after its establishment, the school’s trustees sent a petition to the Massachusetts legislature requesting that the free school be converted to a tuition-based college. The legislature approved the petition and on June 22, 1793, Williams College was chartered. It became the second college to be founded in Massachusetts.

Admissions

For the class of 2025, Williams is highly selective with an acceptance rate of 8%. U.S. News & World Report ranked it first in the rankings of National Liberal Arts Colleges every year since 2004. High-ranking positions have been held by the college in other institutional rankings. In April 2022, Williams became the first higher education institution in the United States to remove loans and work-study requirements from its financial aid program, thereby changing to an all-grants system for financial aid.

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Notable alumni of Williams include a Nobel Prize Laureate, a Fields medalist, 9 Pulitzer Prize winners, 3 chairmen of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, 14 billionaire alumni, 71 members of the United States Congress, 22 U.S. Governors, a chairwoman of the Federal Trade Commission, 4 U.S. Cabinet secretaries, an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, a President of the United States, 3 prime ministers, CEOs and founders of Fortune 500 companies, high-ranking U.S. diplomats, foreign central bankers, scholars in academia, literary and media figures, numerous Emmy, Oscar, and Grammy award winners, and professional athletes. Other prominent alumni include 17 Marshall Scholarship winners and 40 Rhodes Scholars. 

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Academics

Williams is a four-year liberal arts college accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education. The three academic curricular divisions are humanities, sciences, and social sciences. There are 36 majors, 25 departments, and two small master’s degree programs in art history and development economics. Students may also focus on additional academic areas not offered as majors (e.g., environmental studies). The academic year is a 4–1–4 schedule of two four-course semesters and a one-course “winter study” term in January. During the winter study term, students study a course outside of the typical school curriculum for 3 weeks. The course is taken by students on a pass/fail basis.  They include Accounting, Ski patrol, Learn to Play Chess, Inside Jury Deliberations, and Creating a Life: Shaping Your Life After Williams, among many others. The winter study term is used by Williams students to study abroad or work on intensive research projects.

In 2019-20, Williams’s Comprehensive Fee was $72,270, including tuition ($56,970) while room, board, and other fees amounted to $15,300. Need-based financial aid was given to 53% of students, and the average was $46,006.

The Williams–Mystic program at Mystic Seaport; the Williams–Exeter Programme at Exeter College of Oxford University; and the Williams in Africa program are all sponsored by Williams sponsors. Williams has a good relationship with Exeter College, one of Oxford University’s oldest constituent colleges. The Ephraim Williams House, on Banbury Road and Lathbury Road, in North Oxford, was purchased by Williams College in the early 1980s. 

In 1985, the Williams-Exeter Programme at Oxford (WEPO) was founded. 26 undergraduate Williams students spend their junior year at Exeter as full members of the college every year (except 2010–2011, when 24 students attended).

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Rankings

In 2010, 2011, and 2014, Williams was ranked the #1 undergraduate institution in the United States by Forbes college rankings. The college was the first to achieve three first-place Forbes rankings. In 2012, 2015, and 2016, Williams was ranked second, and in 2017 and 2018, it dropped out of the top ten (to 13th and 12th). In 2019, it was ranked 19th. In 2021, Forbes changed their ranking methodology to include alumni salaries and graduation debt, and Williams was ranked 18th.

U.S. News & World Report’s rankings have been ranking Williams #1 Best National Liberal Arts Colleges since 2004. Since it was created in 1984, Williams College has been in the top three every year.

Winter Study

Williams uses a 4-1-4 schedule, with January being the “Winter Study” month, a time when students take one or more courses on campus or participate in an international program, internship, or independent research project. Most of the Winter study courses are taught by Williams College alumni and cover topics not taught in a traditional liberal arts curriculum. This includes entrepreneurship, financial accounting, journalism, and yoga. Every year, the winter study courses change —the catalog contains cultural immersion (for example, programs in France and Morocco), international programs in public health (where students travel to Liberia or Nicaragua), and political work (for example, a three-week internship program in the government of the Republic of Georgia).

Oxbridge tutorials

Some parts of the Williams education are modeled after the universities of Oxford and Cambridge tutorial systems. Williams tutorials were originally aimed at upperclassmen, but in 2001, the faculty voted to expand the tutorial program. Many tutorial courses are now offered in many disciplines, including maths and sciences, and students of all class years are catered for. In 2009–2010, there were 62 tutorials offered in 21 departments. Tutorial enrollment is capped at 10 students, who are then divided into five pairs. Each pair will meet a professor separately once a week. Each week, a 5–7-page paper will be written and presented by one student while the other student writes a critique response. The next week, the same pair will reverse roles. In a traditional lecture class, the professor takes a more limited role and usually lets the students steer and guide the direction of the conversation. Stephen E. Fix, a Professor and former Dean and English Department Chair were one of those who advocated early for the expansion of the Williams tutorial system. He also worked to increase the number of tutorial classes offered to students.

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The course evaluations of students for tutorials are typically very high. In an alumni survey of alumni who had taken tutorials, 80% rated their tutorials at Willims as “the most valuable of my courses”.

Williams College Acceptance Rate and how to get in Easily

Admission Requirements

When it comes to the William’s College admission requirements, you should consider a lot of things that shouldn’t be missed in your college application. The important requirement is:

  • GPA requirements
  • SAT and ACT requirements, and/or testing requirements
  • Application requirements

Keep reading to know the admission requirements based on Williams College acceptance rate. 

The Williams College acceptance rate is the first criteria you must consider before applying. The acceptance rate tells you how competitive Willaims is and the requirements you must meet.

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Williams College Acceptance rate

Williams College acceptance rate is 13%. That means Willaims is very selective.

The school admission process is also moderately selective. You must meet the requirements for GPA and SAT/ACT scores. You will stand a better chance of getting in if you exceed these requirements. Anything less than the minimum GPA and SAT/ACT scores will reduce your chance of getting an admission letter.

Williams College GPA Requirements

Despite the minimum GPA requirement specified by many schools, GPA requirements are simply the minimum scores to submit an application without immediately getting rejected. 

The GPA requirement that really matters is the GPA you need to stand a real chance of getting in. Below is William’s average GPA for its current students. 

GPA

Williams College’s average GPA is 4.07.  Hence, Williams has extremely competitive GPAs.

If you get a GPA of 4.07, you are expected to be the best in your high school class, with nearly straight A’s. You can use courses like AP or IB classes which are quite hard to make up and help boost your weighted GPA.

However, your GPA will be hard to change in time for college applications if you’re currently junior or senior.  A GPA of less than 4.07 will require a higher SAT or ACT score to compensate.

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SAT and ACT Requirements

Different requirements for standardizing tests are implemented by different schools. The majority of the schools require the SAT or ACT, while others also require SAT subject tests. 

Before you submit an application to Williams College, you must take either the SAT or ACT  test. It is very important you perform well in the test to have a strong application.

Williams College SAT Requirements

Though most schools do not have an official cutoff SAT score, there is actually a hidden SAT requirement that is based on the school’s average score.

The average SAT score composite is 1479 on the 1600 SAT scale. Therefore, Williams College is Competitive in SAT test scores.

The New SAT 25th percentile score is 1410, while the New SAT 75th percentile score is 1550. What this means is that a New SAT score of 1550 places you below average, while 1410 places you up above average.

Williams College ACT Requirements

Just like for the SAT, there’s no known hard ACT cutoff mark based on Williams College’s acceptance rate. However, if your score is low, you won’t stand a chance of being admitted.

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The average ACT score at Williams College is 33. This score makes Williams College Strongly Competitive for ACT scores. The 25th percentile ACT score is 32, and the 75th percentile ACT score is 35.

Williams’s average ACT score is 33. This score makes Williams competitive in terms of ACT scores.

The ACT score 25th percentile ACT score is 32, while the ACT score 75th percentile is 35.

Williams College has no minimum ACT requirement, but if your ACT score is 32 or below, you won’t stand a chance of getting in, unless there’s something very unique about your application.

Therefore, you should prepare for the ACT test and retake it if your ACT score is currently below a 32. You will be significantly able to boost your chances of getting in if you are able to raise your score.

Additionally, the Superscore will help you focus all your energy on a single section at a time. A Reading score that is lower than your other sections, requires you to prepare only for the Reading section, before taking the ACT. and Math test, and so on. With this, you will be able to have the high Superscore possible.

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SAT/ACT Writing Section Requirements

There’s an optional essay section for the SAT and ACT.

It is recommended by Williams University that you take the SAT Essay/ACT Writing section. They’ll consider your application to be stronger if you do well.

SAT Subject Test Requirements

SAT subject test requirements vary with different schools. Some selective schools will require them, while others do not need them.

There’s no information if Williams University requires SAT subject tests, therefore we can conclude that it does not. However, it is advisable you double-check 6 months before applying just to make sure and have enough time to take the test.

Because of how selective Williams is, having a strong academic performance increases your chance of getting admission. If you score a 1479 SAT or a 33 ACT or above, then you are guaranteed admission.

Once you achieve a high SAT/ACT score, then your remaining application won’t really matter. Still, it is important to meet the rest of the application requirements, and your GPA should be close to the school average of 4.07. You also need amazing extracurriculars and impressive letters of recommendation to get in based on your score merits. 

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Conclusion

Williams College is a private liberal arts college that uses a liberal arts curriculum to provide undergraduate instruction in 25 academic departments and interdisciplinary programs. This includes 36 majors in the humanities, arts, social sciences, and natural sciences. Williams offers almost undergraduate programs, but there are two graduate programs in development economics and art history.

Williams College’s acceptance rate is 13%. Because of how selective Williams is, having a strong academic performance increases your chance of getting admission. If you score a 1479 SAT or a 33 ACT or above, then you are guaranteed admission.

FAQs on Williams College Acceptance Rate and How to get in Easily 

1. What GPA do you need for Williams College?

Williams College’s average GPA is 4.07Hence, Williams has extremely competitive GPAs.
If you get a GPA of 4.07, you are expected to be the best in your high school class, with nearly straight A’s. You can use courses like AP or IB classes which are quite hard to make up and help boost your weighted GPA.

2. Is it hard to get accepted to Williams?

Williams College’s acceptance rate is 13%. That means Willaims is quite hard to get into.

3. What requirements do I need to get into Williams University?

You must meet the requirements for GPA and SAT/ACT scores. You will stand a better chance of getting in if you exceed these requirements. Anything less than the minimum GPA and SAT/ACT scores will reduce your chance of getting an admission letter.

4. How prestigious is Williams College?

In the 2022 edition of Best Colleges National Liberal Arts Colleges, Williams College’s ranking is #1.

5. What ACT score do I need to get into Williams?

You need an average ACT score of 33 to stand a chance of being accepted into Williams College. 

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