I am from New York and am currently deciding between UT, Wesleyan, and Union. I’m really conflicted because they are such different schools and yet I’m still torn between them.
My concern with Texas is that it’s so big that I’ll get stuck in a bubble of like-minded people because that is who I will gravitate toward naturally.
My concern with Wesleyan is that it’s almost too “alternative” and out of the box for me. Also the location is nothing compared to UT’s prime spot in Austin.
My concern with Union is that its too small and the location is not ideal.
Hmm. Interesting choice since the one thing UT and Wesleyan have in common is a unique music scene. If you took either of them away, Austin would be just another high-powered Texas city and Wesleyan would be just another excellent small New England college.
UT because it will be so different from NY. Come and experience breakfast tacos. Also, big school schools and lots of school spirit.
I don’t think you will inevitably fall in with the same people. Will you live on campus and take a randomly assigned roommate? That will get you out of your comfort zone right there. There are hundreds of student clubs. Do something familiar or that you are good at, but be brave and try something completely new,too.
I agree that unless there are significant financial reasons (i.e., they are offering you a huge scholarship), I would take Union out of consideration. Wesleyan will give you the small LAC feel as well, but with a better location and reputation (and more competitive classmates).
So then the answer, I think, should be based on what you like - not about what you’re afraid of. UT-Austin is a huge public university; there are nearly 40,000 undergraduates there. Given that, there will be lots of choices of majors in a variety of schools; there will be hundreds of student organizations that you can join; there will be literally thousands of classes that you can take and try everything under the sun. There’s also tons of school spirit and if you like Division I sports, they’ve got a huge program to cheer for. But UT-Austin has also been labeled a “public Ivy,” with millions of dollars in research funding and excellent capacity to attract the best professors Austin is a nice smallish city - not just with a great music scene but with lots of cultural attractions and a cute downtown (I was down there for a conference last year). It’s warm all the time! Buuuuut the downside will be very large classes at the introductory level, and potentially less personal attention from professors (although not necessarily - the faculty to student ratio is 17:1, which is medium-sized, and you can probably develop close relationships with professors if you are proactive about it).
I find it interesting that your concern is that it’s “so big” that you’ll get stuck in a bubble. I would think that the opposite is much more likely to happen. Since UT-Austin is so large and diverse, you’ll have lots of opportunities to meet your tribe while still having lots of diverse friends with different interests and passions.
But Wesleyan! Wesleyan has the feel of a research university and an LAC almost simultaneously. There are only 3,000 undergrads and only a very small number of graduate students, so your classes will be small and discussion-based and you will be taught by professors, not TAs. The emphasis there is definitely on professors being scholar-teachers and interacting with undergraduates in deep and meaningful ways, including getting them involved in research experience. Middletown is a medium-sized college town that, by accounts, has a lively and cute downtown but also easy access to a large number of metropolitan areas - Hartford and New York for day trips, but also not so far from Providence, Boston or Philadelphia or even D.C. for longer trips. The faculty to student ratio is only 8:1, less than half that of UT’s, so you know that you can foster close meaningful relationships with professors.
Financially where do you stand? That’s extremely important.
If Union is offering you a very good FA package, it’s hard to turn down per se. You seem to really gravitate towards UT Austin. I understand your hesitation with being in such a big circle, but you’ll find yourself and a nice group of friends there soon enough. Also, there’s so many people at UT Austin that you are BOUND to meet diverse, unique people.
Wesleyan is a great school with a smaller atmosphere but it’s definitely “unique.” Talk it out about why you like the places and what drew you to applying. Don’t focus so much on the negatives; surely you can reach a decision by just rehashing why you liked them all in the first place.
If you calculate (tuition, fees, room, board) - (scholarships, grants), how much does each cost?
Then the adults here can make a case for best value or best fit based on your priorities as stated in the original post.
Wesleyan’s academic programs are, for the most part, similar to what you’d find at many other selective LACs. In that respect there is nothing too far out-of-the-box about it (although in a couple areas, film studies and ethnomusicology, it does have an especially strong reputation).
It sounds like you have some normal anxieties about college. What are the positive qualities that attracted you to each of these schools?
Thank you all! These comments have been really helpful.
I’m extremely fortunate in that cost is not an issue for me, so tuition is neither a positive nor a negative for any of the schools.
In terms of what attracted me to each school:
UT: I love the big school spirit atmosphere, and the location is out of this world. I would love to get out of my comfort zone and explore some place so different than what i’m used to. Also, my favorite director, Wes Anderson, is a UT alum. Although i’m not sure what i want to major in, i’m extremely allured by the film industry and it might be cool to study somewhere where such a huge role model of mine also attended. The immense opportunities that such a large school has to offer in all areas is also a huge plus.
Wesleyan: While i’m a huge sports fan and i love school spirit, i was attracted to Wesleyan nonetheless. I know Wesleyan isn’t known for school spirit, and it’s location is less than ideal, but i feel that the campus is truly a breeding ground for learning. I visited and could really feel everyone’s desire to learn and passion for their studies, while also finding time for fun. The Wesleyan film program is also insane, and should i choose to go into that area, it could provide me with great opportunities. I also like how out of the box everyone at Wesleyan is, although i feel that sometimes people try to “out weird” eachother, which i kind of defeats the purpose.
Based on these posts and some thinking i’ve done over the past few days, i’ve taken Union out of the running.
Time for UT and Wesleyan to battle it out. Please let me know any thoughts/advice you may have!
If you attend Wesleyan, the school may become “your college” in a meaningful way. That may be less likely at UT. And while you personally would be venturing far to attend UT, 95% of the students will be from Texas. The closer Wesleyan, with 92% of its students from out-of-state, will in at least this one sense give a you a wider geographic perspective.
Wesleyan and UT are both great schools. Obviously there will be a lot more rah rah spirit at UT with 40,000 undergrads but Wesleyan’s athletics have actually improved a lot in the past few years. Their football team actually won the “little three” against Amherst and Williams either last year or the year before and I think their other teams have been doing better too. Middletown is not Austin but NYC and Boston are both close enough for weekend trips. If you are interested in film, Wesleyan has a great program and a great alumni network. I love Wes Anderson’s films too so I understand the draw.
I don’t know why you would want to rule out Union College. It is an excellent liberal arts college in the northeast. You may want to check into other liberal arts colleges in New England such as Williams, Middlebury or Amherst. Wesleyan has had a great deal of problems with their social scene lately. Check the news and read about their recent overdoses. It had a great reputation but is currently in the midst of a decline.
I’d agree that unless you have a big scholarship there that I’d take Union out of the equation (although I do like the school). Between UT and Wes it is strictly a matter of personal preference. Think about location, size of school, etc. If possible, see if you can visit them for accepted students day – doing that helped make my S’s final choice very clear.
I was only trying to inform you in case you did not know about the recent drug overdoses. Weslyean was all over the Hartford news about it. I was hoping to help you , not be attacked. I have no idea what your reference to single digit posters bearing sour grapes refers to… I hope you are happy wherever you wind up.
Why would you seek to ask ask for advice and then when advice is given to be so combative? Enjoy Wesleyan!
^ My comment was mostly in response to the OP’s preliminary assessment that s/he is, “attracted to Wesleyan because I felt that I could really make an impact on campus due to the small size.” Although my wording may not have clearly indicated it, this was less of a comment on school pride, as such. If the OP’s self-assessment were different, than my response may also have been different. And, as this will be an important decision for the OP, s/he deserves to know that Longhorn pride is apparently strong and lasting.
UT is still “my school” 29 years after I left it!