Wesleyan, Tulane, American, William & Mary, or Emory?

College Search & Selection
1

Hi everyone,

I’m a high school senior who just got my last college decision. I’ve been extraordinarily lucky to be admitted to several amazing schools, but I’m not sure which one to attend. I’m looking for any insights/thoughts anyone may have about the five schools mentioned in the title (Wesleyan, Tulane, American, W&M, and Emory). I’ve been admitted to all of them with the exception of Emory, where I’m on the waitlist.

For some context about me: I’m really interested in history, politics, current events, and international relations. I think I’d prefer a more laid-back social scene (parties are okay, but I don’t want my life to revolve around them), small and rigorous classes, and a breadth of options when it comes to courses, extracurriculars, and things to do. I am, however, particularly excited about writing for a student newspaper. Dominant greek life would be a downside for me. Lastly, and I’m not sure if this helps, but my top two schools were, for different reasons, Brown and Georgetown. I was really attracted to the SFS and poli sci stuff at GU whereas I was really into the atmosphere and open curriculum at Brown.

At the moment, my gut says to go with Wesleyan. I think it’s a fit for my academic interests and it checks a lot of boxes for me. There are some cons for me, though: I’m not artsy and I worry about it being too small. I really liked Emory as well, but I’m not sure I’d attend if taken off of the waitlist. Tulane, American, and W&M are also in the mix, but I’m not particularly excited about them. American feels like GU lite but with a lot of greek life, W&M feels preppy and less lively than I’d prefer, and I worry about Tulane being too much of a party school. I am, however, really unsure and could be persuaded.

I’d appreciate feedback and/or suggestions on any or all of these schools. Additionally, if you’re a student at any of these fine institutions, I’d love to hear about your experience.

Edit: should I join the facebook groups of these schools or should I wait until I’ve chosen?

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I wouldn’t worry about Wesleyan feeling too small. I attended when it was only 1500 students (and all-male) and now that it is co-ed and twice the size it has a much more fulsome feel to it. I’m surprised by how visible the students are at all hours of the day - not always the case at other LACs with similar campuses.

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I would speak with a current Tulane student because Tulane is very strong in International Relations and takes a highly disciplinary approach that matches your related academic interests. The school is in an amazing city, with incredible school spirit, and is sized just right. Perhaps the Admissions Office can connect you with a current student, who can also shed light on how compelled one might feel to “party.” I can’t attest to that anymore because my son has been out for some time, but with average ACTs clocking in at 32 or 33 and an admit rate around 12%, you are sure to meet some very smart partiers. And congratulations on those fantastic schools - not a safety in the bunch and all have great offerings in your areas of interest. Best of luck and stay healthy!

4

Based off what you said about the social life, I would cross off Tulane. NOLA is definitely a party city and that culture is very evident at Tulane. Also, Tulane students often hang out with Loyola students since they are adjacent to one another - just something to keep in mind.

Personally, Wesleyan seems like a very good fit for you, especially if you are interested in writing.

I would talk to students from each of the schools and see who you vibe with (joining the fb groups wouldn’t hurt). Ultimately, your college experience is majorly influenced by the people around you. If you don’t like the people, you won’t like the experience.

As always go with your gut. My opinion is go for Wesleyan. Good luck!

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Does cost differ, and does cost matter?

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My D, who is not a partier, is in her second year at Tulane and is thriving. If you characterize any school through one attribute, you are selling it short. There is so much more to do at Tulane and in New Orleans other than “party”. It offers one of the more unique college experiences in the U.S…make sure you do real research look below the surface of all of these schools before you make your decision.

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I think Tulane is a great place, and I agree there will be plenty of things to do besides party, but I wouldn’t head off to NOLA for 4 years if you have doubts about it.

I can’t put American in the same tier as the others in terms of prestige and academics. That’s OK if you loved it more, but you didn’t. So lets put it aside.

if you are a VA resident, then W&M is a great choice. If not, still a great place, but loses some of its shine.

When we visited Wesleyan with our daughter, my wife and I loved it. We thought the town was lively enough, we liked the housing setup, and we did not find the overall vibe to be overly artsy at all.

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You sound so much like my D21, and we’d planned a tour that included Wes and Brown for spring break (cancelled, obv), and were planning on her touring AU, GW,GT in summer. Her #1 on paper was also Brown.

I’d suggest checking out the student newspapers from all your acceptances, if you haven’t done that. You can tell a huge amount about the school, students, and vibe that way.

Also, check out the curriculum requirements of each. As AU admits to a particular college, how will that affect your class choices?

My cousin graduated from Tulane and he loved it, but he was also very big into Greek life and partying. That’s not to say you’d have to do that. Look at housing options there, as I seem to recall from a few years ago that a lot of students moved off campus after first year, not sure why, or if this is still true.

From your description of yourself, Wes sounds like the best fit (it has an open curriculum and its student body is probably the closest to Brown’s). They have a great Government program, and you’ll find the small, rigorous classes there.

Congrats on your excellent choices!!

9

Yeah, I went with Wes. None of these schools represented a significant discount and wes was the best fit for me. Thank you so much for the input!