<p>I have a hard time deciding between both Wesleyan and Colgate.</p>
<p>Which school has the better science program (for students who intend to major in premed and want to get into med school).</p>
<p>Which school has the stronger economics program?
How are employment prospects for graduates of both schools?
Which schools are more convenient in terms of transportation (I live in NYC)?</p>
<p>Which one is easier to get a single as a freshman? Which one has better housing?</p>
<p>Wesleyan.
Colgate has the edge on this one. However, a Wesleyan degree is VERY marketable too.
Wesleyan's 2.5 hrs away from NYC, and Colgate is 4 hrs away. You can keep a car on campus at both, so they're equally convienient. I'd give Wesleyan the edge because of its proximity.
Wesleyan just underwent massive renovations and expansion projects. Their dorms are practically brand new. I don't know what Colgate's look like.
Apply to both, and then choose when you get in.</p>
<p>Colgate's really preppy and probably has more future investment bankers than any other LAC, and Wesleyan's like the writer-hippie type school. You will see a little bit of both ends at both schools however. It's the WSJ/NYT type comparison (I'll let you figure this one out on your own).</p>
<p>Agreed with slipper... they both have remarkably strong science programs. Excellent all-around schools that attract different types of students--Wesleyan more bohemian, Colgate more professional.</p>
<p>I would definitely agree with the above sentiments, although Williams may produce more investment bankers per capita than Colgate. It's not that finance-type jobs are off limits to Wesleyan students, it's just the general bent of the campus seems less interested in such positions compared to Colgate. In my and my friends' investment banking analyst classes, there were several students from Colgate, while I didn't encounter any from Wesleyan. The same situation played out in my MBA class too. Both are two of the top LAC producers of PhDs in the sciences and in economics, though.</p>
<p>Maybe it's just an association and not a correlation, but LACs with heavy emphasis on sports just seem to send more kids into MBA programs, management and Ibanking. Williams is a prime example.</p>
<p>We had an IB analyst who went to Wesleyan, so you have a shot from there if that's your goal. Perhaps fewer of your fellow classmates will be headed in that same direction as , say,Williams. But ironically I can't recall anyone from Williams at our shop.</p>
<p>I'm pretty sure we didn't interview at Colgate. Had one kid in from there because he was connected; daddy ran a mutual fund or something. Didn't hire him.</p>
<p>Just one shop; and things might well have changed.</p>
<p>Interesting theory on sports and business and conversely atheletes' lack of desire towards PhDs or other more academic pursuits. What NESCAC schools besides Williams have a heavy sports culture?</p>
<p>Trinity and Middlebury seem to be the other outliers. Interesteddad has a theory that with Williams raising the bar for all the others, NESCAC is now one of the most competitive DIII leagues in the country.</p>
<p>I personally much prefer Wesleyan, but it has more to do with setting than with academics. Middletown is a larger town and it is closer to urban areas than Colgate, which is located in a tiny village in a rather remote area.</p>
<p>However, many statistics seem to support Wesleyan, albeit by an insignificant margin...and since both schools are identical in szie, the comparison is rather easy to make:</p>
<p>SAT (mid 50% range and mean)
Wesleyan 1300-1490, mean 1400
Colgate 1280-1430, mean 1360</p>
<p>Placement (WSJ top 50 Feeder schools)
Wesleyan 3% of students, good for 10th place among LACs
Colgate did not make the top 50 list, which included 20 LACs.</p>
<p>Endowment
Wesleyan $600 million
Colgate $550 million</p>
<p>Like I said, small differences, but overall, Wesleyan seems to have an overall advantage over Colgate.</p>
<p>I think Colgate is every bit as "good" as Wesleyan. They are very different socially and the locations are very different. It's a matter of preference. I prefer Colgate's campus/location.</p>
<p>My opinion is that Wesleyan has a slight edge. Both are great schools though, and what you do there is going to be the most important factor in the end. Wesleyan's reputation is just a notch above Colgate's though, so if that's an important factor, do the W.</p>
<p>I'm really surprised that there are so many threads on CC debating Wesleyan vs. Colgate. Both great schools, but very very different schools. Campus visits a must to make this decision.</p>
<p>I'm not surprised at all. People are starting to give schools in the 2,500 u/g range a second look; they're LACs in look and feel, but with enough ppl to get to know for four years. Wesleyan and Colgate are the two that generally come to mind along with Oberlin, Smith, Vassar and Wellesley.</p>