Understanding the Acceptance Rate of Williams College

Reflections on a Semester at Williams – Today

Acceptance Rate of Williams College

In Williamstown, Massachusetts, Williams College is one of the most prestigious liberal arts colleges in the United States. It has been consistently ranked among the top institutions in its category as it offers a rigorous academic experience where students can choose from a diverse range of courses from 60+ different areas of study

Students at Williams College benefit from small class sizes that enable interaction with professors and their peers, providing a strong sense of community and making studying in this college a brilliant experience. The college is ranked #16 according to the Forbes List of Top Colleges in the U.S. What You Need to Know About Williams College | Ivy Central

Changing Trends

According to The William’s Record, the college admitted 26.6 percent of early decision applicants to the Class of 2029. Out of the 964 early applicants, 257 students received admission. The College also welcomed 18 students through QuestBridge’s National College Match program. The College deferred 129 applicants and denied admission to 572. Compared to the admission rate of 23.3% from the previous year (2023-24 cycle) the college admit rate saw a considerable increase. Williams accepted 7.5% of the record-high 15,411 applicants to the Class of 2028

The College received 14,100 applications in the regular decision round for 2023-24, which was an increase of more than one-third from the previous year’s (2022-23) 10,315 regular decision applications.

Geographical Diversity

Williams’s total undergrad enrollment is approximately 2,227 students who come from more than 59 countries. International students make up nearly 10% of their student body. 86.63% of Williams students come from out of state, and 9.4% come from out of the country.

Standardized Testing

This year is the 5th year since the college made tests optional. What started as a pilot program, giving prospective students the choice to submit standardized test scores with their applications, extended through the 2025-26 admission cycle. This is in contrast to their peer institutions such as Dartmouth College, Brown University, and Yale University, which have reinstated standardized testing requirements for applicants.

In keeping with the university’s policy of reviewing applicants holistically, considering their academic credentials, extracurriculars, essays, etc., Creighton said,We were as wowed by the group [who applied without testing] as we were by their counterparts who opted to submit SAT/ACT scores.Hence, it is evident that there may not have been any measurable impact on their applications. For those who want to submit their scores, the SAT composite range is 1440-1570, and for the ACT is 34-35. 

Student Diversity

Williams College boasts a diverse student body with 49.5% White students and an Asian and Hispanic/Latino population of 13.2% and 11.8% respectively. Blacks or American Americans constitute 4.7%. The college has 48% males and 52% females.

Competitiveness

As mentioned, Williams College evaluates a student’s potential contribution to the campus community through their extracurricular activities. The college wants to see students who have followed their passion and pursued it outside their school and have not only an impact but also demonstrated leadership, creativity, and commitment.  Needless to say, the applicants are all high performers academically with high GPAs.

This year, Williams College made writing supplements Optional. Interestingly the college is happy to accept a 3-5 page most recent academic writing on any topic. The paper needs to be creative, and analytical but not necessarily graded.

Williams College has caught the fancy of many students who can thrive in small classrooms where the learning environment is intimate and the academic faculty is an exceptionally dedicated group of educators, thereby making it an outstanding choice for a top-tier liberal arts education. Applying early to the colleges boosts a student’s chance considerably.

Working with study abroad consultants, overseas education consultants, or, as more commonly known, college counselors, can help you plan and make those high school years count. We can help you with your college application process. Ivy Central offers exceptional focus to help you prepare for college admissions throughout the high school years. Start today!

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