University of Connecticut Honors Program vs. Wesleyan University

College Search & Selection
1

<p>I'm really just seeking some outside input, so whatever you can give me I'd appreciate.</p>

<p>Me: White, Male, liberal(not crazy), not really the activist type, very interested in sciences (bio) and the arts to a degree</p>

<p>Wesleyan
Pros: On the smaller side, more community centered, more prestigious, strong science program, great arts program, very pretty campus</p>

<p>Cons: Really liberal and activist (apparently so strong they are unaccepting of other views), small class sizes make getting into certain classes difficult, hipster culture (not my thing), only offers BAs</p>

<p>Uconn Honors Program
Pros: Excellent facilities and research opportunities, great science program, offers BSs, potential for many social opportunities due to large size, I have some really close friends attending, more specified majors (e.g. Evolutionary Biology, Molecular Biology)</p>

<p>Cons: Comparably very large, less prestigious, I'm worried about that whole "sea of faces" thing and that I might need some sort of community, less of a collegiate atmosphere, I get the gist that people don't really care that much about academics</p>

<p>So, yeah, if you could give me some input that'd be nice. If you think more information would be better, just ask and I'll do my best.
Thanks
-Pat</p>

2

<p>If cost isn’t an issue, I think you’d be crazy not to go to Wesleyan.</p>

3

<p>Patpen,</p>

<p>I think you sum it up nicely except for the cost aspect. What is the out-of-pocket difference?</p>

<p>I’m a fan of Wesleyan and their student body but I don’t know how their rep translates into concrete opportunities. It is one of the more liberal student bodies in the whole country. That’s fine, but everyone benefits from hearing differing opinions. </p>

<p>UCONN is on the rise. Kids that would have never gone there in the past now have UCONN has their first choice in some majors. Campus (other than the cramped dorms) is pretty much all new. In the honors school you will be in with sharp classmates.</p>

4

<p>Normally I would agree with ^^, but you sound like you are worried about Wes’s social atmosphere–and if you’re uncomfortable with that atmosphere, you won’t do well there. Do you have any other options?</p>

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<p>Wesleyan has a very good reputation amongst academic circles. If grad school is in your plans, Wesleyan is certainly no slump!</p>

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<p>Umm, I didn’t talk about cost because my parents assured me (and my brothers) that they will be able to cover our undergrad educations. So, as snobbish as this sounds, cost is really not an issue. Wesleyan is something like 45,000 out of pocket a year and Uconn is closer to 16,000 out of pocket a year</p>

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<p>I got into Franklin and Marshall as well but I decided I liked both Wesleyan and Uconn more.</p>

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<p>That’s great and congrats to your parents. However, I would ask your parents whether they feel the same way about funding your grad school costs and expenses. If not I’d ‘negotiate’ them funding your grad school expenses with the savings from selecting UCONN. If money is still not an issue, go with whatever school seems like a better fit.</p>

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<p>My son just chose Wesleyan and he’s neither a jock nor a hipster. He just got back from Wes Fest and seemed to be impressed with the student body. I have no knowledge of U Conn.
Best of Luck</p>

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<p>Hmmm, that is true. I am having my doubts. But I’m trying to be as sensible as I can be.</p>

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<p>go to Wesleyan. If you’re liberal but have no particular desire to go head to head w/ trippy, solipsistic bloggers, you will have plenty of company. :p</p>

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<p>As much as I flove Wesleyan, I’d say go with UConn Honors, then go to a top graduate school with that extra money.</p>

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<p>Woah, about six minutes ago, on another thread vinnyli wrote:</p>

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<p>Before, I did not take finances into much consideration, and only applied to schools my parents thought would be best fit for me. Knowing what I know now, through extensive research about my major (finance w/ accounting) and what direction I wanted to take (corporate law, most probably insurance), I would have chosen a more refined list of schools that would fit me more than it would fit my parents. My parents want a quieter liberal-arts academic environment, but I preferred larger universities with D-I sports which had: 100% meet need aid policies, good placement and advising into MBA and law school, a combination of ½ “core”, ½ “pre-professional” requirements, strength in the sciences and literature/philosophy, and availability of internships in the Northeast.
My list would have looked something like this:
Cornell University ED (AEM/ILR)
Georgetown University (McDonough)
University of Virginia (McIntire)
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor (Ross)
New York University (Stern)
UNC-Chapel Hill (Kenan-Flagger)
Boston College (Carroll) [will be attending]
University of Southern California (Marshall)
University of Connecticut (Business Honors) (In-State)
Knowing what you know now, if you could recreate a list of colleges to apply to, what would it be?< </p>

<p>Not exactly an endorsement of Wesleyan.</p>

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<p>johnwesley: I said I flove Wesleyan, which is true (it was a dream school in middle school for me because the campus was amazing and the people who go there were extremely nice). However, I don’t think the learning environment fits with my style of learning now.</p>

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<p>I wouldn’t let the “hipster” culture of Wesleyan deter you. There are all kinds of different people. Some hipsters, some definitely not. I don’t think you’d feel out of place in that respect.</p>

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<p>I agree with flying_pig; the hipster cultural is by NO means universal to the campus. There is also a wider variety of political opinions within the student body than you seem to think.</p>