<p>Hey guys...or should I say girls :). I got into Wellesley with decent financial aid. Though I love Wellesley, I also got into University of Chicago, and am seriously considering going there. Since everyone on these forums seems to have a lot of information on top schools and it sounds like there are a diversity of opinions, I would love to here any opinions on which of these schools I should choose. I'm going to be majoring in something in the English/Social Studies family (probably English or Political Science), so I'm not focused on anything concerning the math/science departments. I know it's hard to offer a decision or suggestion without really knowing the person, but any advice, information, or pro and cons on these schools would be greatly appreciated!</p>
<p>Hmm, I don’t really know very much about U Chicago, but I know my best friend applied there because she also wants to study English or Poli Sci (actually she put down her major as Anthropology, but she is really good in English and Poli Sci that she might go into those fields as well). According to her the U Chicago program was perfect for her… I don’t really remember the specifics, but she said that of all the colleges she looked into U Chicago was the best fit for those fields. </p>
<p>I’m sorry I can’t be very specific, all I can say is you won’t be disappointed if you attend U Chicago!</p>
<p>On the other hand, I will be attending Wellesley and from what I heard Poli Sci is also a really strong field there. (I guess it’s reasonable, considering the female leaders which have stemmed from Wellesley) I don’t know very much about the English department, I hope some current students can give you more insights!</p>
<p>Both are amazing schools, congrats on your acceptances! </p>
<p>p.s. will you be attending the wellesley spring open house?</p>
<p>I’m not sure if I will be attending the spring open house. I plan to, but I have to convince my parents to shell out the cash. I love Wellesley, but I’m not sure what it would be like living in Boston. People are always telling me that people are different on the east coast. Wellesley definitely has a diverse student body, so I’m not sure that will be a problem, but does anyone live on the east coast?</p>
<p>I personally haven’t heard much about the english dept at UChi. All my friends at UChi are econ majors… but I can say that the English dept at Wellesley is AMAZING. There are sooo many English majors and such a wide variety of courses. You really cannot go wrong with it. Also the poli sci department is also really well known at Wellesley. Those two areas are definitely of the most popular departments at the school right now (along with econ).</p>
<p>To reiterate, both are amazing schools.You really can’t go wrong either way. UChic and Wellesley both have excellent English departments. </p>
<p>I’m a prospective English major so I can speak about the Eng dpt at Wellesley… but not the polisci dpt. </p>
<p>The Wellesley English department is a fantastic, close-knit, and warm bunch. I’ve gone to two department parties and I’m entirely smitten with the professors. Sometimes I’m amazed that I have access and can talk to these brilliant people one-on-one about Milton and Vikram Seth or play literary trivia games with them or ask them the most irreverent questions over cookies and cider. (At the Eng dpt Halloween party, Professor Ko created a question box where students wrote and dropped off questions for professors that ranged from philosophical to intimately personal… a certain professor admitted which fictional character he’d have a one-night stand with… another did a Sarah Palin impression. hehe) You really get to interact with your professors at Wellesley and see them outside the classroom. </p>
<p>I took Critical Interp/Writ 125 with Rosenwald last semester and he was great. He breaks out into random Old English, German, French, and Latin in the middle of class. I’m currently taking a class with the fantastic poet/professor Frank Bidart. To sum up, the Eng dpt at Wellesley rocks. </p>
<p>It’ll be hard to make your decision based on the quality of the departments when both schools’ are so high. You may want to consider the uni vs. lac or all-women’s vs. co-ed factor.
Hope that helps!</p>
<p>Wellesley is not right in Boston, but in a very nice suburb just outside the ring road. The village of Wellesley is within walking distance, but the campus is huge and could be in the middle of the country side. I’ve been to a lot of college campuses here and in Europe, and it’s one of the most beautiful rolling green campuses I’ve seen anywhere.</p>
<p>Boston and Cambridge are readily accessible, and everyone I’ve known who has gone to Wellesley counts that as a huge benefit. There are so many colleges in the Boston area that it creates lots of opportunities for off campus social life and events. It also helps support a lot of cafes, bars, restaurants, bookstores, and so on oriented to the college crowd. Those aren’t that accessible to Wellesley given the commute to the city, but on weekends it’s all there. Many students also take classes at MIT, which puts them right in Cambridge during the week.</p>
<p>^^Agreed, the town of Wellesley is mellow, very classy suburban. Just go to Urbandictionary.com and you’ll get some funny descriptions (housewives, etc). Take those descriptions with a grain of salt, but it’s still kind of interesting.</p>
<p>I have lived on the West Coast my whole life, and moving to the East Coast has not been an issue. I think I settled in pretty well. I like to think that people on the West Coast are more chill and those on the East Coast are a wee more high strung, but you’ll also find some very chill/laid back people at Wellesley.</p>