Hello! I am a high school senior who is currently being recruited in several NESCAC schools, but I have narrowed it down to either Wesleyan University or Bates College. I have visited both schools and I absolutely love them, but I need to turn in my ED app within a month.
I absolutely adore the campus at Bates and I like the sporty/outdoorsy vibe. I liked that the classes are very small and everyone seemed very laid back and friendly. I visited Lewiston and liked the blue-collar vibe. Also the food is amazing.
Wesleyan also had a really cool student body. I have never seen a school that had so much school spirit at a volleyball game. Everyone I talked to seemed very proactive and down-to-earth, but I am worried about the ratio of private school kids to public school kids. I talked to the some of the professors and sat in on a few classes and enjoyed them.
I need to turn in my application soon, so I have these final questions, but any extra comments would be extremely appreciated.
How are the Environmental Science programs compare? I understand that both are excellent, but which school is more renowned for Earth/Environmental Science?
How is the general social life on campus? Do athletes mix with non-athletes? How often are events on campus?
What are the major differences between these schools?
How do Lewiston and Middletown compare as college towns?
What are the best and worst qualities of each school?
I’ve never been to Bates, but, I have to think the main differences are mostly ones of scale. Bates is the smallest of the NESCACs and as such is about half the size of Wesleyan (if you count graduate students.) Academically, both may have impeccable credentials in certain areas but Wesleyan is going to have the edge in number of faculty and courses offered. I suspect that will be true of Environmental Studies, too.
In terms of social life, Bates is closer to the ski slopes, and I suspect will be more outdoorsy than Wesleyan. Wesleyan, OTOH, will have more to offer in terms of parties, concerts and theatrical events. How well do athletes mix? It probably depends upon the team; it’s hard to tell the track, swim and volleyball teams apart from the rest of any school I’ve been to. It’s usually the heavily recruited helmet sports where the social divide begins. Again, I’ve never been to Bates, but I’ll give the edge to the smaller school.
Everything I’ve read about Lewiston suggests that it has much in common with Middletown. Both are typical mill towns. But, I think I’ll give the edge to Middletown and its mile long Main Street.
Wesleyan’s best qualities: Excellent balance between the hard sciences and the arts and the fact that so many talented performers are either students or come to campus on a regular basis; socially, one gets the feeling that there is a real commitment to relaxing and living well (lots of house parties, lots of serious foodies.) Worst qualities: The faint suspicion that there’s a little too much money beneath the surface and the fact that it’s almost impossible to know everyone on campus.
Bates appears to be increasing enrollment, is now at 2000 students vs 1750 a few years ago. Class profile for 2021 states a freshman class size of 510 students. Yes, still smaller than Wesleyan and a few other NESCACS but definitely not the smallest in the league.