<p>I was lucky enough to get in to both of these fantastic schools, but am having a hard time deciding which school I should go to. </p>
<p>One thing that makes the choice especially difficult is that I really have no idea what I want to major in. I definitely won't be doing art and have no intentions of studying medicine at any point. </p>
<p>Majors that attract me most are (in no order): </p>
<p>Physics (though other sciences aren't out)
Film or Media Studies
Economics or Business</p>
<p>One program that particularly excites me at Wesleyan is the film program, which has a great reputation and has a great alumni network, though the film industry does scare me and I'm not sure if I actually want to go into Film as a career. The fact that I could major in film and double major in something that is more versatile is also appealing. I have also heard great things about Wesleyan's economics program. How do Wesleyan and Middlebury compare in terms of Business and economics?</p>
<p>The things I love most about Middlebury are its beautiful campus, the professors, and the alumni network/career services. I found Wesleyan's campus to be underwhelming when I visited, but maybe it was just a mistaken impression. The relatively higher prestige of the school also attracts me for career purposes and getting into graduate schools. The isolation of the school does scare me a bit. </p>
<p>I would love to hear about the students and overall cultures of the schools. </p>
<p>(An added bonus of Wesleyan is that it's only about 1h 40 min from Providence so I could visit my best friend (we're very close) at Brown more often, though this is obviously not nearly as important as the other factors.)</p>
<p>I know what you mean about the Wesleyan campus. Middlebury’s campus and setting are more beautiful. However … another thing to think about is the long, cold, none too sunny Vermont winter. </p>
<p>For those majors (physics and especially film anyway), I think Wesleyan has a clear advantage. I don’t see any significant difference in prestige.</p>
<p>Katliamom, I’m not sure what you mean when you say it “offers more options educationally as well as socially.” Wesleyan does have more students, but it’s a difference of only about 300 students. I’m not sure how that equates to more options educationally. Socially, I’m not sure how you think there are more options there either. It’s possible there are MORE, but I’d choose quality over quantity any day.</p>
Wesleyan is fairly unique in that it offers PhD programs in the sciences; Bryn Mawr is the only other LAC I know of to do so. In any given semester, Wesleyan will offer more courses in physics, including more rigorous graduate courses. Wesleyan faculty are the #1 most cited in the sciences among LACs according to ISI; Middlebury is #15. Wesleyan is the #1 LAC for research grants and receives more than double that of its nearest competitor; Middlebury is #12.</p>
<p>“The relatively higher prestige of the school also attracts me for career purposes and getting into graduate schools.”</p>
<p>I think they are peers in terms of prestige. Both are well known and respected by grad schools and anyone who knows LACs. Your personal preference is the only thing that matters.</p>
<p>You haven’t mentioned the crunchier/more alternative student body at Wesleyan. I think that’s a real distinction between the schools, though there is enough overlap that many students could be happy at either.</p>