<p>My s visited Middlebury and Wesleyan this past week to try to decide between them. He absolutely loved both of them. He is a soccer player and visited the coaches and players at both schools; he is also very sociable and outdoorsy. Doesnt have a clue what he wants to major in. Although the decision about which school he will attend this fall will be completely his, I would appreciate any feedback on pros and cons of both schools. No financial aid from either school, but we werent really expecting any.</p>
<p>They're both great schools. In the end, it comes down to the feeling he got on campus. Middlebury has better athletic facilities and the teams are more successful. Wesleyan is more diverse, and the student body is a bit quirkier. I'd say that while both schools are liberal, Midd is more conservative than Wes. Midd's campus is nicer (again, in my biased opinion), but it's also father from New York City and Boston than Wesleyan. Midd tops Wes in languages, international studies, and environmental studies, while Wes has well regarded programs in the arts, economics, and sciences. </p>
<p>Both are equally challenging in terms of academics, and equally selective. </p>
<p>Good luck with the decision!</p>
<p>Thanks - your observations and "summing up" are helpful to me. It's going to be up to him, but I'd still like to know as much as I can about each school. Anything else you can think of?</p>
<p>I'm currently choosing between wes and midd. It's an all out battle royale at this point, and I keep going back and forth. Can anyone comment on the preppy/snobby atmosphere at midd and how over riding it is.
thanx</p>
<p>I have lots of friends at Midd and it was one of my choices, but will attend Wes. There are preps and snobs at every single elite college, no getting around it. Wes has more of a PC attitude that can get annoying and is more in your face than Wes. For me it came down to the department I was interested in and Wes just worked out better. You are not going to hang out with the entire school population, you'll find your own group and hang with them whichever school you choose. You can't go wrong at either one. Midd by the way has better housing, better food and much more beautiful. It was a hard choice for me.</p>
<p>oops, I meant Wes is more in your face than Midd.</p>
<p>Well, my s chose Middlebury over Wesleyan, but it was not an easy choice. I think he just felt more comfortable at Middlebury, after spending 3 days at each school. He is an athlete and will be on the soccer team, and Middlebury is paradise for an athlete. He waited until the end of the month to finally decide, letting his experiences and impressions work at the subconscious level until he figured out what truly felt right for him. It was an interesting process to watch, and his dad and I were determined not to persuade or interfere (although we had been rooting a bit for Wes, as it seemed more diverse). Still, when you choose one path over another, sometimes you can't help but wonder about the road not taken...</p>
<p>We are glad to have the decision made and now it is time to welcome a new stage in our s's life. We live in Tallahassee, Florida, and so this will truly be a change for him. I have no doubt that he will do well, absolutely love it at Middlebury, and make the most out of his college experience. </p>
<p>I'd like to thank all of you for your thoughtful responses.</p>