<p>The size difference between Oberlin’s student body and Bennington’s is dramatic. IMO this is something that’s really worth considering, and visiting both schools if you haven’t already, to get a feel for how the size affects student life. Oberlin is five times Bennington’s size, and there is much more going on on this campus. We’re also much closer to a major city – I say this with all due love and respect for rural Vermont :), but sometimes it is really nice to be able to get out and about, and that won’t happen often at Bennington.</p>
<p>The difference in size is also going to affect what your academic options are. Oberlin doesn’t have a formal major in International Relations, but we do have a [concentration</a> in International Studies](<a href=“http://new.oberlin.edu/arts-and-sciences/academics/international-studies/index.dot]concentration”>http://new.oberlin.edu/arts-and-sciences/academics/international-studies/index.dot) and many relevant courses offered through the Politics, Hispanic Studies, and East Asian Studies departments. The East Asian Studies program, in particular, is very strong, and the friends of mine that have taken Chinese have really loved their classes. Likewise, while there’s not a formal linguistics program, I know many people who’ve put together individual linguistics majors from courses in Anthropology, English, Comp Lit, and Hispanic Studies. So you may want to spend some time comparing course catalogs to see what your options would be at each school. Don’t look at the lists of every course that’s ever been offered, but focus on what’s actually being taught this semester: what would your schedule be like? Would you be able to find enough courses, at your level, to meet your interests?</p>
<p>I can’t speak to the culture at Bennington, but if you have a strong sense of social justice, you’ll probably be very happy here – it’s an idea that permeates almost everything that happens at Oberlin. Yes, there are some trust fund hippies, but there are also plenty of very intelligent people who are committed to thoughtful social change. Though most Obies place themselves on the political left, there are definitely conservatives here and there are lots of different flavors of liberal/progressive/radical – everyone has their views challenged in some way, regardless of where they fall on the political spectrum.</p>
<p>In terms of “down to earth”… that’s an accurate description of most of the people that I know here. Students at Oberlin can get pretty intense about a lot of things; it amazes me to see how people here put 100% (or close to it) into their academics and still find the energy to sustain a half-dozen extracurricular interests as well – it seems like everyone has some kind of hidden talent or passion that’s completely unrelated to their studies. (Favorite example: my roommate is a politics/sociology wonk who’s also a professional-level circus performer.) But while they’re serious about the things they’re involved in, they don’t take themselves too seriously, and at the end of the day people do know how to relax and keep a sense of perspective.</p>
<p>I think the food here is pretty good 
One of the nice things at Oberlin is that there are a lot of different dining options. There are three main dining halls that serve a good variety of food, including vegetarian and vegan options; they work hard to use local ingredients and are building a composting program. There are also a few places on campus where you can get food to go (a mini-mart in the student union, a cart in the science center, and a coffee shop in the library). We also have a [co-op</a> dining system](<a href=“http://new.oberlin.edu/student-life/dining/osca/]co-op”>http://new.oberlin.edu/student-life/dining/osca/) that feeds about 25% of campus – it’s a great alternative if you want your meals to come with more community and more responsibility.</p>
It is not for everyone – but independent, motivated, take-the-initiative types of students/people are well suited to the school. My d has always preferred the city, but does not feel like she is in the middle of nowhere, and her FWT and summers are spent in the city, giving her the best of both worlds. Good luck!</p>