<p>I'm EDing to Cornell but I plan on doing ED2 to eiher vassar or wes. I know both are really similar as they are both liberal and not that big and has a bunch of hipsters but what are. The main differencrd between them? I heard theeres nothing to do in Poughkeepsie but at leastits close to NYC. I plan on majoring in political science and both colleges have a great polydci program. In terms of admissions and acceptance rates both colleges have very close numbers so my chances are probably thr same (though wes does receive more apps). Also, my boyfriend lives in Boston so which college is closer to it so i can visit?</p>
<p>Also can i get some more info on what middletown is like?</p>
<p>To answer your last question first, Wesleyan is probably closer to Boston, about two and a half hours by car. Both campuses are short distances away from train stations (downtown Poughkeepsie and Meriden, CT). The other big difference between them is that Wesleyan is a NESCAC college which means it attracts more DIII athletes in traditional college sports than Vassar (varsity football games are played right in the middle of campus).</p>
<p>In terms of Middletown, it’s strange because the demographic differences between it and Poughkeepsie are not that great; both are old Eastern towns with traces of old-line gentry. The Roosevelt and Vanderbilt estates are just outside of Poughkeepsie; a walk down Middletown’s High Street, which runs through Wesleyan, features several landmark homes. But, both suffer to varying extents due to the transition from the Machine Age to the Informaton Age.</p>
<p>The difference is that Wesleyan is just three blocks from downtown Middletown and the student population seems to tip the scales in favor of a fairly vibrant commercial district. There are public schools, senior centers, a modest-sized public housing project, a CVS, and an old-style dining car restaurant all within walking distance of Wesleyan and at least during normal business hours one can imagine what it might be like living in a rather prosperous small city. Vassar students OTOH rarely venture into downtown Poughkeepsie unless it is to catch the train.</p>
<p>Nice piece from Patch.com:
[Middletown:</a> Midwest Charm in Middlesex County - Montville, CT Patch](<a href=“http://montville-ct.patch.com/articles/middletown-midwest-charm-in-middlesex-county-12]Middletown:”>Middletown: Midwest Charm in Middlesex County | Montville, CT Patch)</p>
<p>thanks so much!</p>
<p>taco, I am also in Jakarta! </p>
<p>My son is currently in graduate school at Cornell. He did his undergraduate at Williams, but Wesleyan was probably his second choice. I don’t have a lot of insider information about either Wesleyan or Vassar – except to say good schools both – but I would question the connection between Cornell ED and Wesleyan/Vassar EDII. </p>
<p>That is, if Cornell is your first choice, then I would think that your second choice(s) would be colleges in the same general feeling, ambience as Cornell, which Wesleyan and Vassar really are not. </p>
<p>Is your strategy based on the availability of EDII? If yes, you might want to research some schools that are closer to Cornell in personality. Not sure about EDII, but I’d suggest Dartmouth, Williams, Amherst, Middlebury, Bowdoin, Hamilton.</p>
<p>Conversely, if you really prefer the more liberal atmospheres of Wesleyan and Vassar, then you might replace Cornell with Brown or Columbia.</p>
<p>thanks momrath- oh did your son graduate from here too?</p>
<p>yes i actually did a summer program at brown this summer and i absolutely loved it. the problem is it is such a longshot and even with ED, itll be impossible for me to get in! :(</p>
<p>im actually considering if i should ED1 to vassar or wesleyan instead. like your son i could always go to a bigger school like cornell for masters. thanks</p>
<p>taco, If Brown is your first choice, then ED to Brown. (As long as you’re covered on the money.) Part of the ED process is to make sure you have no regrets later. To make sure you did everything you could.</p>
<p>This is, of course, with the understanding that your ED school is within reason. I don’t know anything about you – except the Jakarta connection – but I would say that your chances for Cornell and chances for Brown are about the same. </p>
<p>Brown admissions are quirky. A persuasive application is as equally important as strong stats.</p>
<p>If things don’t work out with Brown ED, then you can always go with Vassar or Wesleayn EDII. They know that this is what a lot of EDII applicants do, and they don’t penalize you for it. In my opinion, that’s what EDII is for.</p>
<p>Cornell is a wonderful choice, but it’s so different in every way from Brown (or Vassar or Wesleyan) that I wouldn’t use it as your ED choice unless you’ve visited and are sure about the ambience.</p>
<p>Yes, my son graduated from JIS. Living in Indonesia – either as a national or as an expat – is an excellent EC. Make sure you focus on your life experience in your application – in essays, in recommendations, in your resume and statements. This is a big plus. </p>
<p>Many people in America don’t know anything about Indonesia – 240 million people, mostly Islamic, democratic. You can’t use your application to give a geography lesson, but you’ll want to make sure that you get across what you can bring to the campus community because of your life experience in Indonesia.</p>
<p>thank you momrath that is very helpful! and i am in JIS as well</p>