Both liberal arts schools that I’m interested in but I’m not sure which I want to ED1 to. Both campuses are beautiful and offer great programs. I’m just unsure which is a better fit for an international student with average grades.
What do you mean by average grades? It’s harder to get into Wesleyan, but neither school is easy to get into. Average grades (as that term is understood in the States) won’t be good enough. If you need financial aid, that will hurt your chances as well. Wesleyan is probably the more “progressive” of the two. Lafayette has engineering, which adds a different dynamic to campus life.
Wesleyan is much more liberal and artsy and is set in a small city (I’m personally not a fan of Middletown; others feel differently). Laf has more of a preppy/sporty vibe. I would think Wes would have more internationals, if that’s what you mean by fit, but I have no data on that.
^Middletown itself has a long history of international exchange. If you listen carefully, you can still overhear old-timers speaking Sicilian. And, even now, Main Street is striking for the number of restaurants specializing in the cuisine of recent arrivals: Vietnamese, Mexican; there’s probably a Thai restaurant every few blocks. And, of course, traditional Italian.
@TheBigChef I’m doing the IBDP and my predicted grades are currently mid-30s. I also would be paying full tuition. Also how much does Wes value extra curriculars?
I would say a lot. They wrote the book - or, at least a book was written about them - called, “The Gatekeepers” about twenty years ago and applications have only doubled since then. They can afford to engage in holistic admissions, which means, taking into consideration the whole person, how well he or she did in school as well as what the applicant does outside of class.
My nephew went to Wes and my D went to Laf – both really enjoyed their college experiences. I agree that the vibes of the schools are a bit different with Wes being a bit more artsy and Laf being a bit more pre-professional. Think about where you might feel most comfortable.
Also both school value ECs . But academics are a priority in both school’s holistic admission process so it is unlikely that ECs will compensate for subpar grades at either school.