Brandeis, Wesleyan, or Oberlin?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Brandeis University
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<p>I’m having trouble which school to go to, and as the deadline is in only five days, this is getting a bit nerve-wracking. I visited all the schools this past month, but am no more sure where I want to go than I was before.</p>

<p>Although I applied to “artsy” schools, I’m not a very artistic person (as in the way I dress, I mean). I’m not a big party person (I don’t drink) but I’m very sociable. Musical theater, acting opportunities, and acapella groups are essential. </p>

<p>I’m interested in studying political science/international relations, and maybe education or drama, but all three seem to have classes in those fields.</p>

<p>Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!</p>

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<p>All three are fine schools, but very different experiences. Wesleyan and Oberlin are small liberal arts college. Brandeis is a small liberal arts college functioning wihin a world-class research university. It’s a trick to pull that off, but they do it, and the undergraduates benefit from that special combination.</p>

<p>As an admittedly biased Brandeis alum who chose Brandeis over two other liberal arts experiences, Tufts and Colgate, here’s my take. Brandeis is truly an amazing school. Its small student body- the smallest I believe (less than 800 in a class) of any top tier national research university–is matched with high-powered professors who actually teach in small classes. So, the research opportunities are tremendous. Plus, it’s very close to Boston, which is the world’s best college town, but on its own suburban campus.</p>

<p>The kind of person who would feel comfortable at Brandeis is an intellecutal and/or creative sort who is friendly and comfortable with himself or herself and not competitive or pretentious. Intellectual but down-to-earth and friendly I think is an apt description of the student body. Unlike some preppy place or frat-oriented environments where social interraction is based on the “exclusivity” of the frat system, Brandeis has a welcoming, relatively-nonjudgmental environment–yet there are some off-campus frats for those who like what they have to offer. There is no pressure to party, but parties are there if you want them. Often social interaction centers around the numerous clubs and other terrific extracuriculars like theater and music.</p>

<p>Brandeis’ intellectual environment is comparable in many ways to its University Athletic Association sister school, U Chicago (perhaps no coincidence that the President of U Chicago is a Brandeis alum). Yet its students are down-to-earth, friendly and non-competitive with one another. FYI in a recent Forbes national college rankings survey, Brandeis was ranked 15th among research universities and 30th overall among all private univerities and LAC’s–a testament to its focus on undergraduate education. Larger schools, including some Ivies, were ranked much lower. </p>

<p>Brandeis’ IR/Global Studies curriculum is very strong. One case in point is Politics Professor Robert Art (who also teaches at Harvard and MIT, but spends most of his time at Brandeis). He has trained many accomplished Brandeis alumni in that field including Robert Galluci, longtime Dean of the Georgetown School of Foreign service who recently became President of the MacArthur Foundation.</p>

<p>There are numerous diverse and award-winning acapella groups. As for theater, the other two schools cannot compare to Brandeis which has a renowned department including a top MFA program. Not only will there be opportunities in the Theater Department and with the resident professional/student Brandeis Theater Company for you as an undergraduate, but the Undergraduate Theater Collective puts on numerous musicals each year as well. If you haven’t seen their website, here’s the link:</p>

<p>[utc.undergrad-theatre-collective[/url</a>]</p>

<p>Also, here’s the link to the Brandeis Theater Company site:</p>

<p>[url=<a href=“http://www.brandeis.edu/arts/theater.html]Brandeis”>Theater Arts Productions | Brandeis University]Brandeis</a> Theater Company | Arts | Brandeis University](<a href=“http://people.brandeis.edu/~utc/]utc.undergrad-theatre-collective[/url”>http://people.brandeis.edu/~utc/)</p>

<p>If you’re really into theater as I was as an udergraduate, you’ll be interested to know that Brandeis has produced such well-known theater and film industry alumni as actresses Debra Messing (“Will and Grace”), Robin Weigert (HBO’s “Deadwood”), Lorretta Devine (Broadway’s "Dream Girl"s, TV’s “Grey’s Anatomy”), Gates McFadden (Dr. Beverly Crusher–“Star Trek TNG”, Tyne Daly (“Cagney and Lacey”) and Louise Lasser, plus creators/producers Marta Kaufman and David Crane (“Friends”), TV producer Gary David Goldberg (“Family Ties”) and Tony-Award-Winning producer Robyn Goodman (“Avenue Q,” “In the Heights,” “Westside Story”) to name a few.</p>

<p>If that’s not cool enough, and in case you’re not aware, other great Brandeis students have become amazing alumni in other fields as well, to name a few more: Nobel Prize winner for chemistry Rod Mackinnon, Fields Medal winning physicist Edward Witten (often called “Einstein’s successor”), 3-time Pulitzer Prize winner Tom Friedman of the NY Times, The Earth is Flat etc; Mitch Albom of Tuesday’s with Morrie (about his Brandeis professor), Martin Peretz, editor of The New Republic; Robert FX Sillerman (billionaire businessman–currently owner of American Idol and Graceland) and Christy Hefner, former CEO of Playboy). Friedman recently returned to teach and I understand that Hefner may soon do so as well. Also, if you’re into social justice (FYI Angela Davis and Abbie Hoffman are alums as well, I could go on), Brandeis is a very exciting place to be.</p>

<p>Forgive my enthusiasm, but I loved it.</p>

<p>Good luck with your decision!.</p>

3

<p>B77 - love your enthusiasm for Brandeis. I’m an alum, too, and always appreciate your descriptions of the place.</p>

<p>Hey, don’t forget Marshall Hershkowitz, class of '73, who directed films such as Traffic, Blood Diamond and I am Sam and wrote and directed Thirtysomething, My So-Called Life and Once and Again for TV. I remember watching him in an orientation show he wrote and starred in at Brandeis and thought, “This guy’s definitely going to make it!”</p>

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<p>I sincerely think Brandeis is the best fit for you, broadwayislove. I infer that you prefer more mainstream, down-to-earth people over the pretentious, artsy, coffee house crowd. There are a TON of acting and musical opportunities on campus. We just had the wonderful Leonard Bernstein Festival of the Arts that always draws in a ton of people around the Boston area. [Leonard</a> Bernstein Festival of the Creative Arts | Brandeis University](<a href=“http://www.brandeis.edu/arts/festival/]Leonard”>Leonard Bernstein Festival of the Creative Arts | Brandeis University) This is a list of all the student performing groups. [Club</a> Center](<a href=“http://my.brandeis.edu/clubs/#6]Club”>http://my.brandeis.edu/clubs/#6) I’m sure several will interest you.</p>

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<p>Hi Broadwayislove,
I just wanted to chime that I think you’d be a really good fit for Brandeis. The Brandeis Theater Company uses both undergrads and grad students, while the student run Undergraduate Theater collective has multiple groups for undergraduates only. I’ve seen great performances of Into the Woods, Thoroughly Modern Millie and Once Upon a Mattress. The Hillel Theater Group I believe gives some kind of part to anyone who audition (like in the chorus, for example). I have many friends who have been in productions and have enjoyed them.
There also many, many acappella groups, there is some statistic even that Brandeis has the most acappella groups per students, or something. I went to acappella fest the other day where about 8 or 9 different groups performed. My suitemate is in an all-girl’s acappella group which is the process of releasing it’s new CD.
t’s also a good school if you don’t really know what you want to study yet and you can try out a lot of different things. There are also all kind of student at Brandeis so I think you would find a niche where you could fit in. I also know many students who are doing education and they get to student teach at the Lemberg Children’s Center or nearby elementary and high schools, and in particular know two students who sort of are doing both Theater or Art with education (for elementary or kindergarten I think)</p>