<p>I just got my letter from the PSAT-NMSQT folks letting me know that I can send my scores to two colleges, and I'm having trouble deciding.</p>
<p>I know I'm going to send them to Haverford, but I can't choose between Vassar and Wesleyan for my second school.</p>
<p>Advice? Comment especially about the general atmosphere (hippie-dippyish in a productive, liberal way or in a "chic" way?), social scene (how "highschoolish" is it, how accepting are people, to what extent to people clique-up, are the parties really wild), how seriously academics are taken and how much they are enjoyed at Vassar compared to Wesleyan. Please don't comment on one without contrasting it to the other, otherwise it's hard to know how to evaluate your opinion (sorry if that's weird).</p>
<p>Anything else you can say that would be useful in distinguishing them, please feel free to say... They seem to be grouped together most of the time which is utterly unhelpful.</p>
<p>Well, from what I’ve heard/experienced (I’m a Wes student), Wesleyan is more to the hippy-activist side, while Vassar is more to the chic/hipster side, though there are hipsters at Wes too. Some other things: Wes is slightly bigger and has some small grad programs (not enough to make it anything other than a LAC in any subject, but if you're into science that means absurdly good research opportunities for undergrads). Vassar has a 60/40 female/male ration while Wes is more evenly split. I think Middletown is a better than the town Vassar is in, but Vassar has easier access to NYC. Wes has a more open (though still pretty contained) campus, while Vassar’s campus is more walled off/secluded. Wesleyan has Foss Hill!</p>
<p>Beyond that, I can't really compare, because I don't have enough first hand experience of Vassar...though I'm happy to answer any question about Wesleyan. In general, Wes is a very accepting place with students who are passionate about both academics and extracurriculars (there are a TON of clubs) while also being laid back, and there is a good mix of things to do for fun, from parties that can get rowdy (though not big-state school-wild), to plays and other performances to hanging out in Middletown to chilling with friends, etc. I've never found it highschoolish. I’ve heard similar things about Vassar…some people say Vassar has more people who care about being “cool,” but others say that isn’t true, so I don’t know. </p>
<p>What subjects are you interested in? That might help us advise you.</p>
<p>Something in the philosophy-psychology-religion spectrum of things, though I'm really not sure yet. Philosophy most likely (ethics or epistemology, maybe).</p>
<p>I know both schools are amazing academically so I'm not as concerned about that, especially since I can't really judge until I pick a major.
Thanks though!</p>
<p>I'm also semi-serious in voice/music... I'd never major in it/pursue it as a career, but I definitely want to be in musicals and acappella groups and whatnot in college, and I know Vassar has a bigger arts scene.</p>
<p>I really want to want Wesleyan though, because the atmosphere seems much more serious and genuine. (From what I can tell online, anyway, which isn't much).</p>
<p>I wouldn’t say that Vassar has a bigger arts scene…or if it does, it must be ABSURDLY big, because Wes has a HUGE arts scene. Wes has a strong music department with plenty of opportunities for non-majors, plus like 7 or 10 a capplla groups, not to mention Second Stage, which puts on at least one student run play a week, including at least one musical every semester (at least as long as I’ve been here). Plus we’re mad strong in the visual arts and have good dance. The arts scene is not a reason to chose ANY school over Wes, IMO, because ours is awesome. </p>
<p>When I say Wes has an open campus, I mean it bleeds into the town more. Like, most of the campus is self-contained, but there are some streets dividing parts of it/more student houses on streets, and program houses, senior houses and junior apartments start to get interspersed with non-student housing. The athletic center is across the street from the (non-university run) deli a lot of people like to go to instead of everything being closed off from the outside world, that kind of thing. I really prefer Wes’s style of campus, because as a city girl it makes me feel less closed off and claustrophobic, while at the same time it still TOTALLY has a campus feel (nothing is more than a 15, maybe 20 min walk from anything else, and that’s extreme, like if you’re walking from one corner to the other. Most things are 5-7 min from each other).</p>
<p>Middletown is bigger than most college towns (some would call it a tiny city, even), and therefore its identity is not defined by Wes. Some of it is a little sketchy, but Main Street is REALLY nice, with a ton of good restaurants, a movie theater, laser tag, etc. Plus a carnival comes once a year! It’s nothing special, but its got everything you need to supplement the amazing social scene already at Wes.</p>
<p>Anyway, I say if your gut says go with Wes, go with Wes. You can still apply to both of them anyway, and visit to get a better sense later!</p>
<p>I'm from the city too originally (Seattle), though I'm not sure how I feel about having a college meshed in with a town... I'll have to look into that some more.</p>
<p>If you've ever visited UNC-Chapel Hill, the campus here is sort of mixed in with the town, and our main street has lots of cute cafes and shops and stuff. I wouldn't really mind that kind of mixed-in, but I would want the campus to kind of be defined and feeling like a community.</p>
<p>Yes I'm visiting both this summer- I can't wait!!</p>
<p>I think I'm leaning towards Wes(leyan). I don't think I've earned the right to call it Wes yet ;)</p>
<p>Thanks so much for being so helpful despite my obsessiveness. :)</p>
<p>flying_pig: don't worry, Wes REALLY feels definied and a community. That's why I used the word "bleeds." It's not meshed in the town really, it's just that the borders aren't as clearly defined as at Vassar, and there is definitely no walling off, which there is some of at Vassar. But again, it is DEFINITELY defined, with a central part of campus that has no roads in it and is very much a traditonal enclosed campus.</p>
<p>The question was where to send the scores, not where to apply to get in at this point. Flip and coin...then xerox your scores to send to the other school! Apply to both Vassar and Wesleyan, visit both. Admissions will know about you whether you officially send your scores or not.</p>