<p>Which do you think is better and why?</p>
<p>not better, but different. The music scene at Wesleyan is more integrated and varied; not just Classical European but also jazz, electronic; there's African and Asian dance and drumming; there's an energetic indie rock scene. As someone remarked recently, walking across campus, "Everyone here seems to play an instrument."</p>
<p>Sorry, johnwesley, but you've mischaracterized Oberlin. Oberlin's music scene is extremely varied; we have a very strong jazz program (with a huge new building going up: see Oberlin</a> College), one of the liveliest contemporary classic music programs at any college in the country (see <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/22/arts/music/22ober.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/22/arts/music/22ober.html</a> ), and a thriving indie/rock scene (Oberlin</a> Alumni Magazine: Spring 2003 ). "Everyone here seems to play an instrument" is equally true at Oberlin.</p>
<p>Nonetheless, I agree with his larger point: not better, but different. What makes Oberlin distinctive is its passionate, creative student culture. You should try to see for yourself.</p>
<p>I've heard people categorize Hampshire College as quite similar to Oberlin and Wesleyan. How does it stack up?</p>
<p>Having visited both a few times, my thoughts would be that Hampshire and Oberlin have very similar student bodies and progressive ideals. Both are fairly political, to the far left, lgbt friendly, with thoughtful, verbal types attending. Oberlin is 150 years older than Hampshire, so it has more money and much older buildings, also twice as many students. There are more sports at Oberlin and, of course, there is the conservatory. Oberlin is in the middle of nowhere. The town is tiny and doesn't have much going on, but I think there is always a lot going on on campus. Hampshire is in a thriving college town and is, of course, part of a very full and active consortium. Academically, Hampshire is more "alternative" with students having more control over the course of their own education, though I think there are certain tracks at Oberlin that give that same opportunity. Both are really good schools.</p>
<p>Oops, sorry, forgot the original question. I have never really stayed at Wesleyan but have driven through and it is a beautiful campus, in a kind of dead seeming middle sized town. I know two people who go there who love it and say there is always a lot going on and that the academics are rigorous and stimulating. The only complaint I have ever heard is that the students tend to be very politically correct, to the point of being annoying.
I agree that one is not better than the other (how would that even be judged as that is always a subjective judgement, for me Bennington is better than Yale, but obviously that is not true for everyone, or even for most, but there is really no "better" when it comes to colleges) but that they are somewhat different. Again, both really good schools.</p>