Wesleyan vs. Cornell vs. Vassar

<p>OK, so it's not battlebots... but any ideas for an undecided major? I'm completely beschizzled....</p>

<p>From what I've heard about Cornell, it's extremely different than Wesleyan and Vassar. It's much larger, and much less of a cohesive community. It's not a liberal arts school where you're encouraged to go "find yourself" and it seems to me that it kind of has a preprofessional vibe and feel to it. I could be completely prejudiced, so go visit :P But it's one of the last schools I would have wanted to go to.</p>

<p>Wesleyan and Vassar are for more similar. I have to shower, but I'll try to give a larger update on my opinions later :P</p>

<p>Thanks much, madjoy. I appreciate!
I've visited Wes and Vassar (my mom is an alum), but Cornell is unknown territory. I'm going for a visit this weekend. Since there is like a 10,000-person difference in student body between Vassar/Wes and Cornell, I'm sure I'll find more than a few differences!</p>

<p>my roommate got waitlisted at wes last year and was headed to cornell, but then got into wes and never looked back.</p>

<p>Like I said, Vassar and Wesleyan are similar in a lot of ways - they're both relatively small, artsy liberal arts schools with good communities.</p>

<p>I'd say that Wesleyan has a slightly better reputation, but that's not the main difference. Wesleyan is pretty much academically superior in the sciences, because we have incredible professors / facilities / research opportunities devoted to the sciences compared to other liberal arts schools. Vassar, while it has decent sciences especially compared to other liberal arts schools, is probably not up to par with Wesleyan in that respect.</p>

<p>Wesleyan is slightly larger, meaning that the course offerings are a little more inclusive - I've heard that students at Vassar have a hard time finding the courses they wish existed. Wesleyan also has a more balanced male-female ratio, which I think is good for everyone, both male and female, of any sexual orientation.</p>

<p>However, when I was deciding where to apply early decision, the part that really stood out to me was the campus. I just came to the campus, and it felt right. Maybe it'll be different for you, but I can't imagine something that feels more like a college campus home. There's a giant hill right in the middle of everything, where students sun and barbecue in the spring or sled in the winter or mudslide in the rain. The football and baseball fields are right there in the middle, as well, where students can sit on the hill and watch - there aren't any roads that go right by the field, and it's not a big stadium, but just... there for the community. This part gets really subjective. :P The best thing to do is try to visit overnight and just figure out with feels better to you!</p>

<p>Madjoy.... As usual, you offer sound advice and hit the nail on the head. Feeling your school trumps almost all other criteria. Mnay many thanks! :-)</p>