I’m an international student and got admitted to Wesleyan and UVA (college of arts and science). I plan to double major, one in Global Studies (If wesleyan, I may try College of Social Science), the other one in Computer science. After graduation, I want to work for 1~3 years and then go to graduate school. (If I can’t find job after graduation, I will go to graduate school directly.) Thus I’m thinking about research opportunities, academic resources, job opportunities, graduate school admission. Could anyone give me some information and suggestions? I would really appreciate this!
Both are great schools but have different student bodies and vibes to them.
UVA Predominately students from Virginia so less diversity. Greek life plays a bigger role on campus and its much preppier and more conservative. Classes will skew a little larger. More “rah rah” sports oriented.
Wesleyan is more liberal, a more eclectic student body, more hipster and artsy although you’ll find a range of students on campus. Smaller student body, smaller classes in general. Greek life is represented but doesn’t dominate as much. Decent music scene on campus.
As far as job opportunities, grad school, etc. both colleges can serve you well in that regard.
Will you be able to visit the two schools?
Thanks! Unfortunately I won’t be able to. If I could, campus visit would help me a lot.
These schools are quite different. Do you want to be in a small liberal arts environment with professors that are primarily focused on undergraduate education, with small class sizes? Or do you want to be in a large research university with larger classes and a larger student body? Wesleyan’s also located in a medium-sized city in a large urban conurbation - New Haven, New York, Boston, and Providence are easily reachable by train. UVa is in a small college town that’s an hour or so from DC by car. It’s going to be more isolated - much closer to the stereotypical “college experience” you hear about.
You’ll get great research, job, graduate school opportunities from either and both have excellent academics.
Actually I prefer a small liberal arts college. But it seems that UVA has better global reputation. Also, does anyone know whether Wesleyan or UVA has gpa deflation/inflation?
That may or may not be true, but, once you go to grad school (which sounds like your ultimate goal) no one’s going to care where you went for undergrad. So, you might as well pick on the basis of what kind of college experience you want.
But I somewhat worry that I may change my mind, because I’m not very sure about a small liberal arts college.
Well, the reason I’m disputing the underlying premise that Wesleyan is less well-known internationally is because Wesleyan has an enormous international reach through its massive online open courses (MOOCs) which attract about a million students a year from all over the globe. Only Harvard and MIT are as popular online:
http://newsletter.blogs.wesleyan.edu/2015/01/30/moocs1million/
http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2015/04/massive-study-on-moocs/
Thank you. What if I plan to transfer? Actually I got denied by georgetown SFS, and other ivies. Thus I want to apply to them again.
Don’t choose a school because you think you want transfer. It’s harder to get in as a transfer than as a freshman (and if you have financial aid, you lose it - no financial aid for international transfers).
Wesleyan will be liberal, sometimes excentric or “out there”; you’ll be close to the big cities on the Eastern Seaboard and you’ll have a choice among about a thousand small, interactive classes.
UVA will be more traditional and conservative; you’ll have the big “Party scene” with lots of people drinking, fraternity bids, lots of people who love watching “big sports” (like football and basketball), you’ll have a choice among several thousands classes, many of which will be large lectures in your first semesters.
There’s no wrong choice: both are very well-regarded for academics, both are well-funded, both offer plenty of opportunities, and both are considered peers for grad school. Choose based on who you are 