Oberlin and Wesleyan

<p>So, I've narrowed it down to these two schools. I've heard that many people get stuck in the same boat, trying to decide between the two. I've formed my own opinions about pros and cons at each, but I'd really like to hear some other peoples' opinions about them, especially if anyone has matriculated at either one. If so, why did you choose that school? If you did not choose one of them, why not? What characteristics about either school made or broke the deal?</p>

<p>Any info at all would be much appreciated. I just want to make a final tally before I decide.</p>

<p>Ok. I go to Wes, but looked at Oberlin as well before applying to WesED last year. Why I chose Wes over Oberlin (although they are both really awesome…you can’t go wrong!)</p>

<p>A) Location. Wes is closer to cities I like…esp. NYC. And although I liked both towns, I preferred Middletown…unless I’m mistaken, it’s bigger. Also, it’s easier for me to stay on the East coast.</p>

<p>B) Diversity. I’m not talking race as much as style, here. Both are known as hipy-pot-smoking-liberal schools, but I got the feeling (both from visiting and talking to friends) that Oberlin is more homogenous in terms of having that kind of culture and only that kind of culture than Wes, which really has people that run the gamet from typical “jock” to typical “hipster.” I mean, yes, we have plenty hippy activist types, but we have lots of other types of people too, which I really appreciate. (People who actually attend Oberlin might say differently, of course, and they would know better than I). Plus the people I met at Wes were some of the friendliest I’ve ever met (though the people at Oberlin seemed nice too ;) )</p>

<p>C) Film. This is rather specific to myself, but Wesleyan’s amazing film program = a big plus.</p>

<p>D) Campus: I preferred Wesleyan’s. </p>

<p>I love Wesleyan. I totally encourage you to chose Wes, though, as I said, both are wonderful. (If yo have any questions, feel free to PM me!)</p>

<p>It's funny , my daughter was turned off by Wesleyan when she visited very early in her college search, didn't even apply. But in the end she chose Oberlin, and when I describe Oberlin it doesn't really sound too different than the way I describe Wesleyan.</p>

<p>Suggest, as one measure, maybe look at courses actually being offered, from Registrar's office. (Not the catalog, but what's actually being given). Look for breadth & depth of course offerings in areas you think might interest you most.</p>

<p>Visiting the campuses made a big difference to my daughter. FWIW we preferred the Oberlin campus; evidently this is an area where people may differ.</p>

<p>Hopefully you'll find a better differentiating point than location per above, because ain't either of them scoring many points there, quite frankly. I think a reasonable person would be unimpressed by either town. NYC is great, but 2-1/4 hours isn't exactly next door. Forty minutes to Cleveland is at least a reasonable distance to claim a proximity effect, but that's Cleveland. At both schools people emphasize how much is going on right on campus.</p>

<p>The reasons she did not apply to Wesleyan were quite flimsy and of dubious accuracy/reliability in my opinion:
flakey tour guide who didn't know anything, dorm that looked like a Motel 6, customs like writing chalk all over walls, or floor, or something, that seemed a bit "prescious" & did not impress; a little perceived smugness in the air.</p>

<p>I actually felt the same about Wesleyan. Everyone else was raving about it, but I couldn't shake off this impalpable smugness and arrogance in the air. I think the opening statement of one of the students was something along the lines of, </p>

<p>"we were in Paris with a bunch of other college students from across the globe, and um, we wanted to talk about something inteleeeectual but they were all like 'dude no way, its not school' and we were all like 'omg!!!!' intellectualness should not be confined to the college campus. As citizens of the world it is our responsibility, nay, our duty to be active intellectuals.'</p>

<p>So anyway that's what "broke" Wesleyan, such as it was. What "made" Oberlin was she did an overnight and wound up staying up late in discussions with people on the hall. Decided this was the type of intellectual environment she wanted. Also Oberlin was very strong in the areas that interested her.</p>

<p>Music is a big deal at Oberlin, BTW; not just the Con, but it's everyplace.</p>

<p>That was one thing that I could never get a clear answer on at either school: music. At Oberlin, the tour guide said that you could take cheap lessons in an instrument (which I would like to do), but was not sure if you could rent instruments from the Con. At Wes, the tour guide did not seem to know much about the music program. She was unable to tell me anything about taking lessons, renting instruments, or the like. </p>

<p>I've also been worried that, because I am a complete amateur, I would not be able to participate at all in music at Oberlin, except possibly for the individual lessons.</p>

<p>It's funny reading these posts - Wesleyan looks like a good match for my daughter on paper - but when we visited, my daughter and I were underwhelmed. A flaky tour guide (same one?) who didn't know anything - and I'm not exaggerating. There was diversity, but minorities were self(?)-segregated. The admissions office made a big deal about having to sit through an entire class (well over an hour long), so we didn't have time -- at Brown, you could slip out after 20 or 30 minutes or so. The campus seemed to lack energy, even though class was in session - not sure why. We came away feeling like we couldn't get a handle on the school or its culture. Perhaps it was the tour guide -- I often wonder if the campus takes on the personality of the guide...</p>

<p>I'll add another point to my list: the feel I got on campus when I visited with my tour and for the overnight. Oberlin seemed nice...Wesleyan seemed AMAZING...the people were extrodinarily friendly (not smug at all, and although there is some of that here, I don't see it too often), and it had exactly the kind of vibe I wanted: a virbrent campus, with quirky, unique individuals learning and living together.</p>

<p>I think the point is (and this is why I tired to keep my orginal list to intangibles): when it comes to vibe you get from visiting, that's a very personal thing. I'm a big fan of listening to your gut instinct...if you can visit. Because although it might be intersting to take into account other people's experiances with this kind of thing, for every person at Oberlin who loved the feeling when they visited, there is one at Wes who says the same about Wes ;) </p>

<p>If you want to know more about music at Wes, you should check out thos page: <a href="http://www.wesleyan.edu/music/%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.wesleyan.edu/music/&lt;/a>. Private lessons apear to be $735.00 for 12 one hour lessons (and I think you also get some course credit for them). I don't know about renting instruments...you should poke around and see what you find (there is also a useful search tool on the Wes main site).</p>

<p>I don't know about Oberlin, but I garentee at Wes you will have MANY, MANY musical opertunities: I have friends in all sorts of different bands/groups/senior thesies, etc.</p>

<p>Regarding music lessons at Oberlin, my daughter is taking lessons there. This was a nice, unexpected fringe benefit for her. Her instructor is an upper-class Con student who was already an experienced teacher "back home"; the best teacher she's ever had, she says.</p>

<p>However lesson assignments through this formal program are by audition, and my daughter, though not at con level, is an accomplished player. You'd have to inquire regarding what the deal would be for your own playing level.</p>

<p>It seems probable to me that with all the musicians of all types crawling around there you should be able to get lessons in any event, even if not through a formal program sponsored by the college. Probably cheap and good ones, at that. Quite likely even the average Con student is more proficient on their instrument than your typical music teacher back home. But I'm just speculating.</p>

<p>The Con students undoubtedly "pack their own", but if it's a rentable instrument you could rent from anywhere, including a music store in your hometown. Between Oberlin, Cleveland, and everyplace in between there have to be numerous music stores that do instrument rentals.</p>

<p>There's lots of music going on at Oberlin of all types, not just classical and not just Con kids. Each time I've gone up there I see kids jamming with guitars, string band music, etc, near the dorms. someone else on CC said they have a big rep in "indie rock". I doubt these are all con kids involved with this. In the past when D has done her course planning I recall that there were formal performance opportunities (ensembles, orchestra) that would be open to her. Not even considering informal ones she could create herself. But my daughter hasn't had sufficient interest to pursue these.</p>

<p>Son attends Oberlin and loves it. We visited Wes in the summer on the same trip we visit Oberlin and we were both underwhelmed. It is probably just me, but I found the Wes campus to feel a bit shabby and run down. Son was not interested in applying. However, I agree with above posters, at this point in the game it is really about feel and fit. That is why it is a great thing that there are so many options for students!</p>

<p>The lessons at Oberlin are crazy-cheap -- like $7.50; that would more then make up for any cost of renting an instrument. One of the best features for musicians is that there are 150 practice rooms, open from early morning to midnight every day, that have natural light (i.e., windows!). My older son took one look at the Wesleyan music building and decided not to apply (he refused to even look at Oberlin, because of the weather; my younger son, who is leaning toward Oberlin, is more warm-blooded). They are also expanding the jazz department, so not just classical offerings. The art museum is also excellent.</p>

<p>BTW, there are also incredible pianos in the dorms. And my daughter says the con students don't even use these, because they're always going to the practice rooms at the conservatory.</p>

<p>I think it would be kind of cool if they did; free entertainment.</p>

<p>Almostmidnight: Oberlin and Wesleyan each impressed the family as great LACs when we toured last year. Son eventually decided on Wesleyan. Academics at each appeared first-rate and are respected around the country. For my son, location was one issue. Even though the social life at each place is largely centered on campus, proximity to Boston and NYC trumped Cleveland, for him.</p>

<p>Shennie, Mamenyu: Campus and building quality were very good at both places. We just got back from Wes for accepted students weekend (music of all kinds was a huge part of things) and I can assure you that Wesleyan's facilities are second to none. The new student center, which opens this fall, is mind-blowing. Newly expanded film studies center is sensational (with best movie theater I've seen at any college or movie house.) The Center for the Arts, which I've never liked much from the outside (it has a Berlin-bunker architecture) is a completely different experience from the inside -- great music and art rooms and equipment throughout. Around campus, freshman dorms are all new or renovated as are most of the classrooms. Amazing new athletic center. 'Run-down' it's not, by any stretch of imagination.</p>

<p>I go to Wesleyan and have several friends who go to Oberlin... because none of them got into Wes! </p>

<p>I'm sorry some of the people above have had bad tour guides; obviously that can color your perception of a school but obviously shouldn't. </p>

<p>Feel free to hop over to the Wes forum to ask any questions you have; people will definitely answer you.</p>

<p>ist para above is somewhat evocative of that 'tude" I mentioned that we thought we picked up there. My daughter didn't like that.</p>

<p>I'm reminded of a post on another sub-forum where a guy posted: "you should go to my school A, because every girl I've dated up here got in to school B".</p>

<p>I pointed out that, however hot he was on the dating scene, since he was in Boston and School B was in New York he would not likely have dated the girls at School B who got in to School A.</p>

<p>However compelling this point may otherwise have been...</p>

<p>In the current case it's doubtful that this decision only goes one-way, considering the similarities/ differences. Actually there have been at least 4 posters/kids of same on this very thread who evidently would not apply to Wesleyan. My sense is that OP is aware of the stats and is looking for "the beef" beyond a naked assertion: ie not the bare facts that they made one choice or the other, but the articulated reasons why. So OP can see whether there are any other decision variables he/she left out, and whether he/she shares weights the various factors the same way as others who made one decision or the other.</p>

<p>Re: condition of buildings, it might depend on exactly when people went up there. My trip was about 3-4 years ago now, and actually the campus did look a bit shabby to me too, especially that dorm we saw. But on the other hand, I think the Oberlin campus is quite nice but I read posts by people who come back from it & make similar observations about Oberlin. Not that this was a big decision point for D in any event; we're used to walking over garbage & broken glass in NYC, so to us most things are an improvement.</p>

<p>The biggest difference between the Wesleyan and Oberlin campuses isn't in facilities but, in topography; Oberlin is flat in all directions; Wesleyan is dominated by a small hillock topped by an observatory. From the top of that hill (which is a focal point of socializing in the fall and spring) you can see right down to the Connecticut River. Monydad, I don't see what's so `tudinal about people wanting the OP to attend their school. Are there any Oberlin students out there?</p>

<p>Odd we missed that view, or I don't remember it. Maybe I crapped out on part of the tour. Or, if it's really a "thing", the tour guides ought to point it out more. Hopefully OP has visited both campuses.</p>

<p>Oberlin's campus is indeed flat, facilitating the wide use of bikes on campus.</p>

<p>Unfortunately current Oberlin students only occasionally check in on CC; same is true for my other D's LAC.</p>

<p>Thanks guys, this has been really helpful. </p>

<p>Can anyone tell me, is it necessary to have a car in Middletown. I know that at Oberlin, the entire town is basically two streets long, so walking is fine. But at Wes, the town seemed just a bit sketchy, so I wasn't quite sure.</p>

<p>It's not necessary to have a car it M-town, but it's helpful. For example, it'll enable you to get to New Haven or Hartford whenever you want--or to Mama Roux' Restaurant in Cromwell. However, students are driving to each of these places all of the time, so rides aren't in short supply.</p>

<p>P.S. Middletown isn't sketchy anymore--crime is very low.</p>