<p>I'm just starting my college list... gulp... and Wesleyan sounds like something to look at. Could someone who's there or has been there discuss the strengths of the academics? I hear more and more about its supposedly great film studies and science is supposed to be strong. But what if those aren't my thing? How is politics, economics, history? I mean compared to other really good liberal arts schools?</p>
<p>I hope you're kidding.</p>
<p>Wesleyan's government, econ, and history departments are all fantastic. At the very least, they're equal to the strength of these departments in other comparable schools, and probably better in most cases. </p>
<p>People make a huge deal about the sciences and film because other schools which in many ways are comparable really aren't even in the same realm when it comes to these things. Wesleyan's facilities for film are the best on the East Coast, period. This is unusual for a liberal arts school. Sciences are great because Wes is a university and gets funding for grad-level research which translates into undergrad lab opportunities. This is also unusual. Having great government/economics/history departments, however, is not particularly newsworthy.</p>
<p>You might also want to look into CSS, which is an interdisciplinary major Wes has that might interest you. <a href="http://www.wesleyan.edu/css%5B/url%5D">www.wesleyan.edu/css</a></p>
<p>Thanks for the tip on CSS. It looks exciting and intense. I like that. I take it you have to apply/commit by February of freshman year? Do you know how hard it is to get in?</p>
<p>This year there were like, 35 or so kids applying for 30 oir 32 spots (I think), so not particuarly hard to get into, though it is, apparently really intense once you are in. </p>
<p>But yeah, as jumble_j said, Wes is strong in most departments (including the ones you're interested in), it's just that we're unusually strong in Film and science.</p>
<p>Yeah, if you really want to do CSS, you will most likely get in. It's only the people that don't really seem to want to do it that get turned down, I think.</p>
<p>I would agree with what jumble_j said: film and sciences get a lot of attention because they're so much above and beyond all the other comparable liberal arts schools out there. However, we have plenty of other departments that are also outstanding. Russian Studies is often overlooked, but is outstanding at Wes compared to at other schools. And of course, our gov't, English, history, econ, psychology and soc are fantastic. And CSS and COL are quite unique. And probably others I'm forgetting, as well - but basically, no, we have plenty of strong non-film non-science departments.</p>